A feedback session on your draft
Your draft is open in Google Docs or Pages. You press fn and say: "Is my thesis any good?"
- Ducky underlines your last sentence in the first paragraph and writes in the margin: "What exactly do you claim? Who would disagree?"
- It asks you to say your main point out loud in one sentence. You do, and it's clearer than what you wrote. Ducky points that out.
- You rewrite the sentence yourself. Ducky looks again and circles the one word that is still vague.
- In paragraph three, it draws an arrow from your example back to the thesis and asks how the two connect.
Hear your own writing
Long sentences are easier to catch out loud. Ask Ducky to read a paragraph back, and each word lights up on your screen as it is read. Or read it aloud yourself: the highlight follows you, and Ducky notes the places you stumbled, which are often the sentences to fix.
Before the draft: plan it
- Outline on a whiteboard. Ducky lays out your thesis and points on a whiteboard, step by step, so you see the shape of the essay before you write it.
- Words. Not sure a word means what you think? A dictionary card shows the meaning, part of speech and an example sentence.
- Your class materials. Give Ducky the prompt, the rubric or your reading notes and it keeps them in memory, so it can hold your draft up against the rubric later.
What it won't do
Ducky can't see your teacher's expectations unless you show them, so share the rubric. And it can be wrong about facts or quotes: check anything you cite.
Frequently asked questions
Will DuckyHelper write my essay?
No. Ducky helps you think, plan and revise, but the writing stays yours. It asks questions, points out unclear sentences and helps you say your idea better in your own words. Don't hand in Ducky's words as your own where that isn't allowed.
Does DuckyHelper work in Google Docs?
Yes. Ducky sees your screen, so it can read a draft in Google Docs, Pages, Word or a school website. On a Mac it draws and writes notes on top; in the browser you share the Docs tab. It doesn't edit your document for you.
Can DuckyHelper check my grammar?
Ask Ducky about a sentence and it can circle the problem and explain the rule in plain words, then quiz you on it. It reads your writing back too, which helps you hear mistakes. It isn't an automatic grammar checker that rewrites your text.
Can Ducky help with a college application essay?
It can help you brainstorm, outline and hear your draft read back, and ask questions that get to what you really mean. The story and the words should be yours, so Ducky won't write it for you.
