This post is based on ideas from my upcoming book on the use of artificial intelligence in academic research. Today, the focus is on Microsoft Word. Given its ubiquitous use in academia for major writing projects such as dissertations, theses, and journal articles, it is essential to explore how this well-known platform is evolving.
Throughout my academic career, I have relied heavily on Word, although I have occasionally used Google Docs. With the advent of generative ai, Microsoft has significantly enhanced its toolset, introducing transformative ai features that revolutionize the way we interact with Word.
For example, Copilot is now seamlessly integrated into Word, offering capabilities like interacting with a chatbot to generate content, suggesting ways to complete sentences to combat writer's block, and enabling features like highlighting text to instantly generate and rewrite summaries.
In addition to Copilot, there are many other ai-powered feature-rich add-ins that extend Word’s capabilities. Below, I’ve compiled a list of some of the most impactful add-ins, especially beneficial for academic researchers, educators, and students.
It's important to note that using these plugins requires registered accounts, and some may require a premium subscription. Also, while some plugins like Grammarly and ProWritingAid offer similar features, you should choose the one that offers the most value for your specific needs. It's not necessary to install both plugins.
ai-enhanced add-ins for Microsoft Word
Here are our favorite ai-enhanced add-ins for Microsoft Word:
1. Grammatically
Grammarly, a well-known tool, offers a handy add-on that integrates its features into Microsoft Word. While Word already offers basic spelling, punctuation, and grammar checking features, Grammarly enhances them with ai-powered features. It helps refine your writing style by removing redundancy and repeated phrases, simplifying wordy sentences and complex structures for clearer, more effective communication.
2. Mendeley's quote
Mendeley Cite is among the best reference managers available. I have used it for several years without any problems, which allows me to attest to its effectiveness. The Mendeley add-in simplifies the process of generating citations and bibliographies directly in your Word documents. With just a few clicks, you can insert references from your Mendeley library and switch between your preferred citation styles, including custom ones. For anyone involved in research who uses Word, Mendeley Cite is an indispensable tool.
3. ProWriting Writing Help
ProWritingAid offers similar features to Grammarly but includes additional ai-powered features that go beyond simple spelling and grammar checks. It excels at identifying clichés and redundancies, detecting plagiarism, highlighting overused words, and removing vague or complex terminology, thereby significantly improving the quality of your writing.
4. QuillBot
You're probably familiar with QuillBot from its online version. The QuillBot add-in for Microsoft Word brings its powerful paraphrasing and summarizing tools directly into your documents. This feature allows you to paraphrase statements, summarize long texts, and find the perfect synonyms to improve your writing effortlessly, all without leaving your Word environment.
5. Thesaurus of power
Power Thesaurus is a very useful add-in for Microsoft Word users who want to enrich their vocabulary and refine their writing style. This add-in makes it easy to find and apply synonyms and antonyms, allowing you to expand and refine your vocabulary right in your documents.
6. GenText ai Assistant
GenText ai assistant is designed to streamline reporting and research citation within your papers. Using a vast database of over 200 million articles, GenText enables precise and accurate research citations, improving the reliability and efficiency of your academic work.
Related: Best Chrome ai Extensions for Teachers and Students
Final thoughts
Word remains one of our classic editors that defies time and continually adapts to meet the changing demands of its users. With the integration of ai, Word has been enhanced, boosting its functionality and transforming it into a more dynamic and responsive tool. These advancements not only improve productivity but also inspire creativity, allowing users to achieve more with less effort and greater accuracy.
