Should you Use Software for Proofreading?

Whether you’re writing a document as a student, academic, lecturer, content creator, businessperson, lawyer, sports enthusiast, or – for that matter – anything else, spelling and grammar mistakes are inevitable.

Professional proofreading plays an important role in the preparation of all documents, however big or small, and this is one of the reasons why professional proofreading services are becoming increasingly popular today. After all, given the difficulties that all writers have in producing error-free documents, it is understandable that professional proofreading services are in high demand. 

While professional proofreading is one option that you need to consider, you may not always have the budget, the time, or the inclination to work with experts in the field. Also, it’s often the case that the document you’re preparing is too small to be worth sending to a proofreader (e.g., an email).

With all this in mind, the option of using software to assist in proofreading is something that cannot be overlooked. There are many excellent proofreading tools available online, both for free and paid, and – whether you are working with a professional or not – it is strongly recommended that you exploit these.

Having established that you should always be using software to improve your documents, the purpose of the rest of this article is to examine the pros and cons of two well-known pieces of writing software: Grammarly and ProWritingAid.

 

Grammarly

Grammarly is both a free and paid spellchecking tool to help with proofreading, style, and readability in your mission-critical documents. It is powered by artificial intelligence, it is available on all devices, and it even offers a built-in plagiarism detector, which is perfect for academic writing.

An important benefit of using Grammarly is that it helps you to catch basic spelling and grammar errors that you might otherwise overlook. Alongside this, the software enables you to maintain a consistent tone and writing style throughout your document, which your readers will definitely appreciate.

On the positive side, Grammarly is user-friendly and, in the opinion of almost all experienced proofreaders, is an indispensable tool. One of the most effect

ive uses of Grammarly is to integrate it into your web browser (e.g., Google Chrome), which is great when editing WordPress posts or writing emails.

On the negative side, many professional writers find that the paid version of Grammarly leaves a lot to be desired. The suggestions that the Grammarly AI system makes are not always on point, and, in many cases, they are incorrect. However, when used by proofreaders as a tool – not as a replacement – this piece of software is extremely valuable.

 

ProWritingAid

Compared to Grammarly’s more restricted focus on grammar and punctuation, ProWritingAid is a comprehensive tool that focuses on content style, structure, and syntax.

While Grammarly is great for getting rid of errors in short blog posts, ProWritingAid is better suited for extended pieces of writing where in-depth explanations for suggestions are needed.

Similar to Grammarly, one of the most powerful features of ProWritingAid is its ability to integrate with Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Google Chrome.

Broadly speaking, ProWritingAid shines the most when it is used as a style-checker rather than a spellchecker. For this reason, professional writers and proofreaders often use both ProWritingAid and Grammarly alongside one another, with the two tools nicely complementing each other.  

How to write a strong reference letter

As a professional academic or businessperson, a rewarding aspect of your role is the opportunity to write letters of recommendation, or reference letters, for either students or employees you have supervised or managed within your workplace. Even if you use professional proofreading services to speed up the process, writing reference letters can become extremely time-consuming, especially if you are doing so for the first time.

Knowing about the main sections that you should include in your reference letter can accelerate the process tremendously. This is because, once you know the structure, the text itself tends to come much more rapidly. In many cases, referees find that, having figured out a logical and reasonable structure, the letter almost writes itself. In addition to making use of professional proofreading, following the structure described below is worthwhile.

 

1. Greeting

All good reference letters begin with the correct salutation. In most cases, especially when you are not on friendly terms with the recipient of the reference letter, you should use a formal salutation. In rare cases, you can use an informal greeting.

Often, the employee or student you are referring will give you the name of the recipient, meaning that you can simply address the letter directly to them (e.g., “Dear Mr. Jones”). If you are unsure about the name of the recipient, use the salutation “To whom it may concern”.

 

Image: Think about whether you should use a formal or informal salutation

2. Opening paragraph

The first paragraph of your reference letter should set out all the critical information about who you are, who you are referring, and why you are referring them. Begin by stating who you are and what your professional role is, and briefly explain how long you have known the candidate. You can end this section by describing the position you are recommending the candidate for, and briefly explaining why you are their referee.

 

3. Main body

In one, two, or three paragraphs, describe the candidate’s suitability and, for lack of a better term, sell the candidate. Try to be as concise as you can, and remember that the recipient of your letter, as a busy recruitment professional, has limited time. Therefore, consider restricting yourself to a description of the candidate’s main attributes (especially those that make them a suitable person for the role) and their qualifications or achievements.

 

Image: Knowing the details about the candidate you are referring is vital

4. Closing paragraph and contact information

Use the closing paragraph of your reference letter to reiterate your endorsement of the candidate. Also, just in case the recipient of the letter would like to contact you for more information, remember to include your contact information, such as your phone number and email address. You can then end your letter with an appropriate valediction (e.g., “Sincerely” or “Best Regards”).