Benefits of a Professional Editor vs. Online Paper Checkers

Before we fully compare and contrast human editors and online paper checkers, we should first define the latter. Online paper checkers, or grammar/spelling checkers, are computer programs that can scan your text for spelling and grammatical errors and, on occasion, commonly confused words. The problem is that online paper checkers overlook mistakes all the time. They simply don't have the knowledge or consistency of a human editor. 

Why Is It Better To Have Someone Else Proofread Your Writing?

So, why should you have a professional proofread your writing rather than relying on yourself and online paper checkers? You can be a great editor and still struggle to edit your own work. You might rush yourself and unintentionally skim through the pages rather than fully revising, for example. Not convinced? There are many reasons why it's better to have someone else proofread your writing. A human editor can help you:

• Use clearer wording: If you're trying to meet a word requirement or show off your vocabulary, you could end up using needlessly verbose language. A human editor can identify areas where you may be rambling and suggest ways of being more concise.
• Avoid repetition: Repetition is another issue that's difficult for online paper checkers to catch. It's also difficult to spot in your own work. If you have someone else proofread your work, they'll have an easier time noticing words or ideas being repeated. A good example of this is using the same descriptors over and over, such as great, excellent, or interesting. 
• Remove weird phrases: Your writing could contain idioms, phrases, or metaphors that make sense to you — but not to the reader. If you let a human editor look over your work, they can let you know if you're communicating your thoughts effectively. 
• Maintain an appropriate tone: Are you struggling between being too informal or overly formal in your writing? A professional human editor can help you find the right balance. 
• Address your target audience: Some professors ask their students to write as if their reader knows nothing about the subject at hand. If you're writing an academic paper, this is all the more reason to hand your work off to a human editor for proofreading. If they have no prior knowledge of the subject you're writing about, they can tell you if the content is too confusing. 

Of course, you may still be tempted to rely exclusively on online proofreading software like Grammarly and MS Word Editor. Before you rule out hiring a human editor, however, it's important to understand the issues that come with both programs. 

Is an Editor as Good as Grammarly?

When you want to do your proofreading online, Grammarly is probably one of the first places you'll go. Grammarly is a cloud-based typing assistant that essentially acts as an editor. You simply copy and paste your writing on Grammarly, and it'll do a quick paper check for spelling, punctuation, grammar, and delivery mistakes. 

There are plenty of things to like about Grammarly. It's fast and convenient, and the basic version is available for free. The downside, however, is quite significant. A Grammarly paper check doesn't offer the reliability or accuracy of human proofreading. Grammarly can identify many mistakes, but there are plenty of errors that can fly under its radar. 

Here are a few examples of mistakes that a Grammarly paper check may not catch for you:

• Spelling: Sometimes, a misspelled word is still a word. In these cases, Grammarly may struggle to determine whether or not these words are being used appropriately. Good examples of this include affect vs. effect, insuring vs. ensuring, and lay vs. lie.
• Context: If you're writing an academic paper, a professional editor can use their knowledge of that subject to identify problems and make suggestions. An online paper checker like Grammarly can't provide much guidance specific to the topic you're writing about. 
• Intention: There's a difference between what we say and what we mean to say. If you're struggling to convey your thoughts in a paragraph, for example, Grammarly won't make note of it. A professional editor, however, can make suggestions about how to better communicate your thoughts. 
• Tone: You can let Grammarly know your intent, level of formality, and target audience. That said, the software isn't fantastic at identifying when your tone shifts or appears too informal. A human editor is much more capable of picking up on these changes. 

All to say, Grammarly is flawed. Though it has its benefits, it's simply not as accurate or thorough as a professional editor. It should be noted, however, that Grammarly isn't the only online paper checker out there.

Is the Word Editor Any Good?

MS Word Editor is an online paper checker of sorts that you can use with Microsoft 365. Microsoft Word Editor will check your grammar and spelling when you're writing a Word document, posting on social media, or putting together an email. MS Editor can currently be used in more than 20 languages. 

So, is MS Word Editor good? In comparison to Grammarly, not really. MS Word Editor consists mostly of a basic spell checker, while Grammarly is more in-depth. Though Grammarly goes beyond MS Word Editor's capabilities, neither stacks up to the expertise and ability of a professional human editor. 

What Is Better Than Grammarly and MS Word Editor?

An experienced human editor will always beat out MS Word Editor and Grammarly anytime. A Grammarly paper check just isn't nearly as thorough as a focused editor. Unlike an online paper checker, a human editor can make sure that your message is coherent, readable, and well-suited to your readers. They'll also catch all the minor mistakes that online paper checkers tend to miss. 

Our Proofreaders Outclass Online Checkers Every Time

Unlike online paper checkers, the professional editors at Editor World will be diligent and pay close attention to your work. With our fast, affordable, same-day editing and proofreading services, you can have your writing returned to you within hours. Our talented team is capable of editing a variety of texts, whether you need help with your academic, fiction, non-fiction, ESL, business, or personal writing. 

If you have any questions or are in need of our services, please feel free to contact us. To reach out to our on-demand editing team, simply call +1 855-511-EDIT (3348), email info@editorworld.com, or fill out our online form at your next convenience. We would be happy to hear from you.