Inside the front cover: the library’s bookplate and a date due slip.
Kiwi’s Library Book 4 of 7
Write
Write it well, and show it is yours
Check your language, set your equations, make clean figures, and keep the history that shows the work is yours.
Checkers can change your meaning while fixing your grammar. Read every suggestion, and check your university’s rules on AI.
4 chapters, 10 tools
Start with one bookmark
Pick the one that sounds like tonight.
Contents
Each chapter is one job, cheapest first.
Bookmark 1 of 4
If an essay is due
Write where the history is kept, check the language, cite properly.
Tonight, only this
Start the essay in Google Docs or Word tonight, even if it is only the title.
The tools for this bookmark
-
Free
Version history in Google Docs or Word
Google Docs and Word keep every earlier version, with dates.
Free, exactly: Everything.
-
Free tier
LanguageTool (opens in a new tab)
A grammar and spelling checker for more than 30 languages.
Free, exactly: Up to 10,000 characters per check, with basic grammar and spelling.
30+ languages, quality variesCheck the price
-
Free
Zotero (opens in a new tab)
Saves sources in one click and formats citations in Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs.
Free, exactly: Everything, with 300 MB of file storage.
Bookmark 2 of 4
If you are writing in your second language
Say it in your own words first, then polish.
Tonight, only this
Write the paragraph yourself, then check it one suggestion at a time.
The tools for this bookmark
-
Free tier
LanguageTool (opens in a new tab)
A grammar and spelling checker for more than 30 languages.
Free, exactly: Up to 10,000 characters per check, with basic grammar and spelling.
30+ languages, quality variesCheck the price
-
Free tier
DeepL (opens in a new tab)
A translator that often reads more naturally than the big general ones.
Free, exactly: Limited text at a time, and 3 documents a month.
Only its supported languagesCheck the priceAI: check its output
-
Free tier
Grammarly (opens in a new tab)
Flags spelling, grammar and tone as you type.
Free, exactly: Spelling and grammar, and 100 AI prompts a month.
English onlyCheck the priceAI: check its output
Bookmark 3 of 4
If your report has equations
Equations that look right, without fighting the software.
Tonight, only this
Ask for your department’s template and open it first.
The tools for this bookmark
-
Free tier
Overleaf (opens in a new tab)
LaTeX in the browser, with templates and a live preview.
Free, exactly: 1 collaborator per project, 10-second compiles, 24 hours of history and 5 AI uses a day.
-
Free tier
Typst (opens in a new tab)
A typesetting language much simpler than LaTeX, with a live preview.
Free, exactly: 200 MB of storage and 100 files per project.
-
Free tier
Mathpix Snip (opens in a new tab)
Turns a photo of an equation, table or handwriting into LaTeX or Word.
Free, exactly: 10 PDF pages and 10 images a month, doubled with a .edu email.
Bookmark 4 of 4
If someone asks whether you used AI
Your writing history is your evidence.
Tonight, only this
Delete nothing. Open the version history and find your first draft.
This only works if you wrote in that document from the start.
The tools for this bookmark
-
Free
Draftback (opens in a new tab)
Replays a Google Doc’s history keystroke by keystroke.
Free, exactly: Everything.
Chrome and Google Docs
-
Free
Version history in Google Docs or Word
Google Docs and Word keep every earlier version, with dates.
Free, exactly: Everything.
Chapter 1
Show the work is yours
Write in a document that keeps its history.
The price ladder
Show the work is yours
-
Free
Version history in Google Docs or Word
Google Docs and Word keep every earlier version, with dates.
- Use it for
- Proof of how you wrote something.
- Costs
- Free. Word needs the file in OneDrive or SharePoint.
- Free, exactly
- Everything.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free
Draftback (opens in a new tab)
Replays a Google Doc’s history keystroke by keystroke.
- Use it for
- Showing exactly how your essay was written.
- Costs
- Free.
- Free, exactly
- Everything.
Chrome and Google Docs
Google Docs only, not Word.
Checked Nov 2026
Chapter 2
Check your language
Accept suggestions one at a time.
The price ladder
Check your language
-
Free tier
LanguageTool (opens in a new tab)
A grammar and spelling checker for more than 30 languages.
- Use it for
- Proofreading, especially in a second language.
- Costs
- Premium is paid.
- Free, exactly
- Up to 10,000 characters per check, with basic grammar and spelling.
30+ languages, quality variesCheck the price
Strongest in the major European languages.
The Premium price is not confirmed.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free tier
DeepL (opens in a new tab)
A translator that often reads more naturally than the big general ones.
- Use it for
- Reading a source in another language.
- Costs
- Pro prices vary by country.
- Free, exactly
- Limited text at a time, and 3 documents a month.
Only its supported languagesCheck the priceAI: check its output
Check that your language is listed.
The free limits change often.
It can quietly drop a “not”. Check anything you quote.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free tier
Grammarly (opens in a new tab)
Flags spelling, grammar and tone as you type.
- Use it for
- English writing.
- Costs
- Pro is $12 a month.
- Free, exactly
- Spelling and grammar, and 100 AI prompts a month.
English onlyCheck the priceAI: check its output
No other languages.
The billing period is not confirmed.
Checked Nov 2026
Chapter 3
Long documents and equations
Theses, equations and citations.
The price ladder
Long documents and equations
-
Free
Zettlr (opens in a new tab)
A Markdown editor for academic writing that pulls citations from Zotero.
- Use it for
- Essays and theses in plain files you own.
- Costs
- Free and open source, with no paid tier.
- Free, exactly
- Everything.
You need a little Markdown.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free tier
Overleaf (opens in a new tab)
LaTeX in the browser, with templates and a live preview.
- Use it for
- Reports with lots of equations.
- Costs
- Student is $98 a year or $13 a month. Standard is $199 a year.
- Free, exactly
- 1 collaborator per project, 10-second compiles, 24 hours of history and 5 AI uses a day.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free tier
Typst (opens in a new tab)
A typesetting language much simpler than LaTeX, with a live preview.
- Use it for
- Reports when LaTeX feels like a second course.
- Costs
- Pro is $7.99 a month, less billed yearly.
- Free, exactly
- 200 MB of storage and 100 files per project.
Some departments only accept LaTeX.
Checked Nov 2026
Chapter 4
Make figures and diagrams
A clear figure is half a good report.
The price ladder
Make figures and diagrams
-
Free
draw.io (opens in a new tab) (diagrams.net)
A diagram editor for flowcharts, timelines and mind maps.
- Use it for
- Clean figures, saved to your own drive.
- Costs
- Free and open source.
- Free, exactly
- Everything.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free
Inkscape (opens in a new tab)
Vector drawing software.
- Use it for
- Clean figures and posters.
- Costs
- Free and open source.
- Free, exactly
- Everything.
Checked Nov 2026
At the back
About this book
Prices are in US dollars, checked in November 2026. They change and vary by country.
Tools are ordered by what they cost each month to use at all. No affiliate links, no paid places.
Inside the back cover.