Writing Centers

Writing Centers

• The Writing Centers offer help in writing at all stages in the writing process approaching the assignment, understanding the genre, organizing the piece, correcting grammar and punctuation, as well as documentation and citation for researched essays
• Our goal is to help you to be a confident effective writer in academic settings

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Bristol Writing Center

• The Writing Center offers assistance in writing at all levels. Our tutors are trained to discuss your writing assignments with you and make suggestions on approaching a topic, organizing, developing a writing style, or correcting grammar and punctuation errors, as well as documentation and citation.
• Tutors provide assistance but will not edit a manuscript or write text for you. Instead, their goal is to advise you to do these things for yourself, so you can become a better, more confident writer, developing your process for drafting and revising.
• Located in Bristol Hall 115, in the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE).

Online Writing Center (OWL)

• The OWL allows you to upload a paper for feedback from a tutor
• The OWL also provides virtual synchronous tutoring sessions to analyze your assignment, brainstorming, and organizing your piece of writing
• The goal of OWL is to teach you to improve as a writer, to make you more sophisticated with the writing process, syntax, and documentation of sources
• If you are a returning OWL client, tutors will not re-teach what you learned on a previous paper (e.g., grammar issues, punctuation, documentation, formatting). Tutoring will build from basic to more complex concepts.
• To submit a paper, email it to [email protected]. Be sure that the paper is a Word document.

Online Writing Center Guidelines

Please note these guidelines before you submit your paper:

1. There is a 48-72 hour turnaround time on receiving your paper back from the OWL.  Over the weekend and at busy times in the semester, we may need more time.  Submit your paper early in order to receive feedback in time to make any needed adjustments in your paper.
2. You must submit your paper as a MS Word document. We are not able to open and reply to other formats.
3. The OWL is closed during official school breaks and operates on limited hours during weekends. It may take a bit longer to receive a document back that you submit over a weekend.
4. We do not guarantee any particular grade on an assignment.  We will give you advice on improving your writing but are not responsible in any way for the grade that you receive.  That grade will be dependent on the changes that you make and how well you meet your professor’s expectations.
5. We will only comment on grammar issues in the first two pages of a submitted assignment.  Each error will be noted once and explained.  You will need to read your entire document to check for similar errors in the rest of the paper. We will not proofread or make any changes for you.
6. We will comment on issues such as format and genre, thesis statements, organization, paragraphing, and development.  These comments can be found either in the body of your paper or at the end of your document.
7. Please submit a rubric, or assignment sheet, or both along with your paper. Your review may be delayed if OWL does not receive these important supporting documents.
8. We typically only review each paper once. If you would like to re-submit a paper for further review, please include in your email specific questions about particular parts of the paper you would like us to address. We will not do a second review unless you follow this protocol.
9. To submit your paper, email it to [email protected]. Be sure that the paper is a Word document.
10. The document will be returned to you as an email attachment with comments to your King email.

How does it work?

• Meet one-on-one with a tutor to discuss your assignment. For the most helpful review, please meet with a tutor at least 24 hours before the assignment is due.
• Work with a tutor at any part of the writing process—brainstorming, outlining, creating a thesis statement, or revising an entire draft.
• Bring assignment sheet, rubric, and a draft you have already started.
• How to meet with a tutor:
  • Drop in during our posted hours to meet with a tutor
  • In case tutors are busy, it’s best to make an appointment by emailing the center director, [email protected].

Note: Students do not need to make an appointment for an online review. Submit your paper to [email protected].