Online Writing Lab (OWL)
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) allows you to submit pieces of writing to be reviewed by a CTL writing tutor. You will receive a detailed response via e-mail with feedback, suggestions, and resources to help you revise your writing.
What type of writing do we support?
- Undergraduate course-related writing projects (discussion boards, short essays, term papers, etc.)
- Undergraduate application materials (resumes, letters of intent and personal statements for scholarships, grants, study abroad opportunities, etc.)
- Undergraduate writing in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Latin, Navajo, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
- Graduate writing in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Latin, Navajo, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
- For graduate writing projects in English use the Graduate Online Writing Lab (GrOWL).
- Note: Our writing tutors can provide basic writing and language support for graduate writing projects in the above languages (coursework, discussion posts, short essays, or term papers).
OWL tutors are not equipped to handle large graduate writing projects like theses and dissertations written in languages other than English. Please reach out to Graduate Support for support with such projects.
How can OWL tutors help?
OWL tutors can help you
- decipher writing assignment prompts
- develop outlines
- learn best practices for conducting research
- develop thesis statements and arguments in your paper
- learn expectations for different genres of writing
- craft strong sentences and paragraphs
- create connections across different parts of your paper to produce a coherent narrative
- learn appropriate formatting and citation styles
- avoid plagiarism concerns
- identify issues with writing mechanics (spelling, grammar, punctuation)
- learn proofreading and revision strategies
- and more!
To get the most out of the OWL, make sure to include in your submission:
- The specific prompt provided by your instructor for the assignment
- Specific concerns you have about the piece of writing you have submitted and requests for any specific type of feedback you may be seeking
- Don’t forget to upload your written document in a Microsoft Word (.doc), Text (.txt), or Rich-Text (.rtf) format!
Note: If you would like to submit papers written in English for graduate courses, or materials for graduate school applications, please visit the Graduate Online Writing Lab (GrOWL).
In addition to the OWL, students may receive support in-person, at our drop-in writing lab on the 3rd floor of Zimmerman library, via individual appointments with a writing tutor on Zoom, and by attending relevant writing workshops.
Turnaround Time
We strive to review and return your paper to you with feedback within 5 business days. However, our response time may be influenced by the volume of submissions we receive.
We cannot guarantee the revision of work submitted less than 5 business days ahead of its due date. Please, do not wait until last minute to request feedback to ensure that your submission can be processed successfully.
In addition, please check the UNM Calendar for holidays or special occasions that may delay the return of your work.
