SmartEssay

The guide

How to use SmartEssay

Everything you need to know to turn your assignments into structured, quote-backed outlines — fast.

Start your first outline

Quick start

1

Pick your assignment type

Choose from Essay, Summary, or Key Concepts. Each mode structures the output differently — essays get Claim-Evidence-Reasoning frames, summaries get main-idea scaffolds, and key concepts get thematic maps.
2

Enter the book or article title

Type the exact title of the work you're writing about. If it's a well-known book, SmartEssay can pull real quotes automatically. For lesser-known works, you can paste the text directly in the next step.
3

Add the source text (optional but recommended)

Toggle "Paste the text" and either drag and drop a file (.txt, .md, .pdf, .docx) or paste the passage, chapter, or article directly. This gives the most accurate quotes and citations. If you skip this, SmartEssay will use its knowledge of well-known works.
4

Paste your essay prompt or question

Copy the exact prompt from your teacher. This is what the AI uses to frame the outline around. You can use the microphone button to dictate it instead of typing.Tip: The more detailed your prompt, the better the outline. Include any specific instructions your teacher gave.
5

Choose your settings

Dial in evidences per claim (1–10, typed or picked), body paragraphs (any number you type — go past 5 for graduate or long-form work), a word target (pick a preset or type your own min/max), and writing level (intermediate or advanced).
6

Optional — match your own voice

Expand Match your writing voice, paste 80+ characters of your own writing (or save a permanent voice profile from Account), and SmartEssay will mirror your sentence rhythm, vocabulary tier, and connector choices — instead of the usual AI cadence. Anti-repetition guards run on every generation, even with voice off.
7

Click Generate

Hit the button and SmartEssay builds your outline in seconds. Each section includes real quotes with citations and sentence frames with blanks for your own analysis.
8

Export a polished draft PDF

Once your outline is ready, choose MLA or APA 7 format and download a polished draft as a PDF. SmartEssay turns your scaffolded outline into a formatted paper with proper heading, double-spaced paragraphs, and a Works Cited or References page — edit & make it yours before turning it in.

Peer-reviewed article summaries (APA 7)

In Summary mode, check the Peer-reviewed article box. Paste the article into the source area and SmartEssay returns a structured APA 7 summary with these sections:

  • Introduction
  • Subjects / Participants
  • Overview of the Measurement Instrument
  • Results
  • Study Critique

One click copies it into Word or Google Docs with formatting intact, or download a full APA 7 PDF with student title page, double-spaced body, References page, and top-right page numbers.

Essay Reviewer

Already wrote a draft? Open the Essay Reviewer from the app header. Drop in your essay (paste or upload .txt/.md/.pdf/.docx), pick MLA or APA 7, and optionally upload the source material you're analyzing. You'll get a structured report with three parts:

  • Evidence gaps — every place your claim needs support, with real word-for-word quotes from your source and copy-ready citations.
  • Logical flow map — paragraph-by-paragraph roles, transitions, and a strong/ok/weak score, plus specific flow issues between paragraphs.
  • Improvement ideas — concrete, prioritized fixes (high → low) covering thesis, evidence, reasoning, style, and counterarguments.

Source material is optional. Without it we'll still review flow and reasoning and tell you what kind of evidence is missing — we just won't invent quotes.

Open Essay Reviewer

Features explained

Essay mode

Generates a structured CER outline with a claim, cited evidence from the text, and reasoning frames. Best for argumentative or analytical essays.

Summary mode

Boils the work down to its main ideas with a structured scaffold. Best when your teacher asks for a concise overview.

Key Concepts mode

Maps central themes and ideas from the text with definitions and connections. Best for thematic analysis assignments.

Real textual evidence

Every outline includes word-for-word passages from the source text with proper MLA or APA 7 citations. No made-up quotes.

Peer-reviewed article summaries

Inside Summary mode, get a structured APA 7 breakdown — Introduction, Participants, Measurement Instrument, Results, Critique — copy/paste-ready for Word or Docs, or as a PDF.

Sentence frames

Scaffolds like 'This shows that ___ because ___' guide your thinking while leaving room for your own analysis.

Tone switcher

After generating, click Academic or Natural to rewrite the outline. Natural uses everyday language and shorter sentences.

Voice input

Tap the microphone icon next to any text field to dictate your prompt or title instead of typing. Great for long prompts.

Drag-and-drop file upload

Drop a .txt, .md, .pdf, or .docx file straight into the source text area. SmartEssay extracts the text automatically so you don't have to copy and paste.

PDF essay export

Turn any outline into a finished, formatted essay PDF in MLA or APA 7 style. Includes proper heading, double-spaced body paragraphs, and a complete Works Cited or References page.

Voice matching

Paste a writing sample (or save a permanent profile) and SmartEssay mirrors your sentence length, vocabulary tier, and connector style so the draft sounds like you, not like AI.

Anti-repetition guard

Every essay, summary, and reviewer report bans the most over-used AI words (delve, tapestry, moreover, navigate, in conclusion…) and enforces sentence variety so language feels fresh.

Auto-save to history

Every outline you generate is saved automatically. Visit Past outlines to search, filter, and review anything you've made.

Settings explained

Evidences per claim

Pick a preset (1–6) or type a custom value up to 10. More quotes give stronger support but a longer essay. Most teachers expect at least one quote per body paragraph.

Body paragraphs

Pick a preset or type your own number — there is no hard 5-paragraph cap. Use more for graduate-level, research, or long-form work; fewer for short responses.

Target length

Choose a preset (300–500, 500–800, 800–1200, 1200–1600) or type a custom min and max word count. SmartEssay calibrates section depth to hit your range.

Writing level

Intermediate uses clear, direct language. Advanced adds academic vocabulary and analytical phrasing like 'Furthermore' and 'This suggests that'.

Peer-reviewed article (Summary mode)

Turns Summary mode into a structured APA 7 breakdown of a research article. When on, paste the article text — the prompt, paragraph, word, and level fields are hidden because they're not needed.

Match your writing voice

Three options: Off (default style), Saved profile (managed in Account — analyzed once, reused everywhere), or Ad-hoc sample (paste a paragraph for this essay only). The profile captures sentence length, vocabulary tier, preferred connectors, and contractions, then steers the draft to match. Anti-repetition guards always run regardless.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to try it?

Pick an assignment type, enter a title, and get your first outline in under a minute.

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