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highlight text on web pages and check ai writing

Highlight what reads as machine-written, mark what to rewrite, check what to cite, then fix it.

Three printed proof sheets fanned on a white table, the top one with two yellow highlighted lines and a magenta circle in the margin

highlight a line, send the link

here since 2008

four marks, in this order

  1. highlight 01 it is worth noting that Run a highlighter over the lines that read as machine-written. Mark first; judge later. How to highlight →
  2. mark 02 a rich tapestry of ideas Put a wavy line under what needs rewriting, and say why in the margin. How to mark →
  3. check 03 studies show Circle every claim, figure and quote, then find the source a reader could check. How to check →
  4. fix 04 leverage use Rewrite the marked lines in your own words, and keep the source beside the claim. How to fix →

proofreading marks for ai drafts

Eight marks a student, teacher or editor can all read the same way. Write them in the margin, not over the words, so the draft stays legible.

The full chart, with examples
Proofreading marks and what each means on an AI draft
mark means on an ai draft
‸ Insert here A word, step or source the draft skipped
del Take it out Filler such as it is important to note
New paragraph A long block hiding two separate ideas
tr Swap the order A conclusion stated before its reasoning
stet Leave as it was A line you checked and chose to keep
∿ Rewrite in your words A sentence that reads machine-written
src Needs a source A claim, figure or quote with nothing to check it against
? Ask the writer A fact you suspect is wrong or made up

ai writing guides

All AI writing guides →

your highlights are the record of what you read

Every passage you mark, with its page address, shows the reading behind the writing. Keep it, and you can show a teacher or editor how a draft grew from its sources.

Annotate a text as a record A reading log as evidence How to prove you didn't use AI Open the reading record

Study and guides

study

Reading and drafting habits for coursework.

All study guides →

guides

Highlighting, linking and checking, step by step.

All guides →

Since 2008

Awesome Highlighter began in 2008 as a free way to highlight a passage on any web page and send someone a link to it. The original service closed around 2015; the highlight link generator and the bookmarklet here do the same job and store nothing.

The history → Get the bookmarklet →

questions

Does a highlighted sentence prove it was written by AI?

No. A highlight is a note for a reader to check, not a verdict. The method asks you to say in the margin why each line was marked, so the writer can answer it.

How does the highlight link work?

It adds the passage you paste to the end of the page address as a text fragment. Browsers that support text fragments open the page, scroll to that passage and highlight it.

Why did my link open the page without a highlight?

The passage has to match the page text exactly. Copy it straight from the page, avoid line breaks, and check the page has not changed since you copied it.

I used an AI tool on my draft. What should I mark first?

Start with highlight: read the draft once and mark only the lines that do not sound like you. Then mark, check and fix, in that order.

Can a teacher use these marks on a student essay?

Yes, and the fair markup guide shows how: mark what you see, ask for the writer’s notes and sources, and decide only after the conversation.

sign-off

  • Approved, selected
  • Approved with changes
  • Reprint

Every method on this page shows its working, and every claim is marked to its source. Checked against the original and signed before it went out.

Nora Feld

Editor ·

About the editor