Writing essays is a bit part of your college life, and, in the words of many students, it is probably the worst. Truth is, the list of less pleasant college things is long, including group projects and 8 a.m. lectures. But writing essays has become a problematic issue for many students since the explosion of AI gen tools. Having a robot write your whole paper can get you flagged, fail you, or worse. But, producing by yourself several thousand words that are perfectly structured and researched is also a tough task, especially when colleges expect their students to network and build a presence that will get them easily hired post-graduation.
So, while you can’t use AI to write your essay, you can use it to make it easier for you to write said essay. Here’s how to use AI legally for your essays:
Use AI for Research & Fact-Checking
Before you even type that first sentence, you need facts. Google is great, but how about using an AI-powered search tool that is designed for the purpose and helps you dig up info faster? Use Search GPT to pull up articles, summarise sources, and get ideas flowing.
The tool belongs to the same family as ChatGPT. So, if you’re not sure what your search result really means, ChatGPT can break down tricky concepts and help you brainstorm.
One thing you don’t want to forget: Cross-check what you find with legit sources and cite them properly.
Use AI for Formatting & Citations
Writing a 10,000-word essay is fine. Formatting it is a nightmare, especially when different projects may require different formatting structures. APA, MLA, Chicago, things can get tricky!
Tools like QuillBot’s Citation Generator can whip up proper references in seconds.
Google Docs even suggests heading structures and cleans up weird spacing. Tweak your subheadings, keep your fonts consistent, and double-check your page numbers.
The result: Your essay will look the part and you can actually sleep before the deadline.
Use AI for Grammar & Plagiarism Checks
It’s easy to miss grammar issues or spelling mistakes when your text is getting long. Even a correct sentence can sound awkward and benefit from a little help. This is where Grammarly’s free version is a lifesaver for grammar slip-ups, missing commas, and awkward phrasing. It even gives you a basic plagiarism scan so you don’t accidentally hand in someone else’s words.
For extra peace of mind, you can run your draft through Quetext or Scribbr’s free checkers, too.
One last tip: If you used AI to help you paraphrase ideas, make sure to rewrite everything to match your style.
Plan Your Writing Schedule with AI
It can be tricky to juggle all your college responsibilities with writing an essay. So, some easy tools like Notion AI, which is free for students, can map out your entire writing timeline. Also, Google Calendar’s AI tools help you block out actual writing, editing, and proofreading sessions.
Good planning builds effective study habits, so you’re not panic-writing at 3 a.m. Trust us, your final paper will be 10x better if you’re not half-asleep when you submit it.
The Bottom Line
Here’s the deal: AI is your sidekick, not your secret ghostwriter. Let it do the boring stuff like finding facts, checking grammar, and cleaning up your citations. So be smart, write smart, and use AI wisely. Your grades and your conscience will thank you later.
