Online Writing Lab FAQs

1. How can I use the OWL?

This year, online writing support is provided via WCONLINE. Please view www.wilson.edu/writing-lab to view complete OWL/WCONLINE instructions with screenshots. You may also go directly to Wilson.mywconline.com to schedule sessions.

After reviewing and commenting on your draft for approximately one hour, your tutor will email you from the account writinglab@wilson.edu to provide constructive feedback. Expect to receive a short letter highlighting relevant concerns and helpful resources and strategies for revision, as well as a few comments about local issues within the “track changes” feature of Microsoft Word.

2. Do I need to be online when my paper is being reviewed?

No. We provide what’s called asynchronous writing feedback, so you do not need to be online or logged into WCONLINE while a tutor is reviewing your draft.

3. When will I receive feedback from a tutor?

You will need to schedule a time for a tutor to review your draft online, but you do not need to be available during this time. This is when the tutor will clock in and review your draft. You can expect to receive feedback on your draft via email at the end of your scheduled appointment.

NEW: This year, students may schedule appointments prior to uploading their drafts for review. If you elect to use this option, don't forget to upload a draft prior to your appointment start time. If you fail to upload your draft by 15 minutes after the start of your appointment time, your tutor will mark your session as a no-show.

4. Is the online writing lab available to all students?

The online writing lab is available to all current Wilson students.

It is important to note that online appointments cannot completely replace the experience of meeting with a tutor, especially for students who are less familiar with conventions of academic writing. Tutors may occasionally recommend that students schedule in-person sessions if they feel that they are unable to provide adequate feedback during an online appointment.

5. I booked an online writing lab appointment and the tutor didn’t fix every error in my draft.

The writing lab’s ultimate goal is to help students improve their writing skills, but a tutor can only accomplish so much in an hour-long appointment─whether online or in-person. To that end, tutors will often help you identify significant issues with content or recurring patterns of error in your writing, and explain how to fix them rather than editing or rewriting your draft.

6. I’m working on a long final paper (seven pages or more). Can I still use the OWL?

Yes, you can still submit long drafts to the OWL. However, depending on the specific concerns you indicate and your tutor’s assessment of your draft, an hour may not be enough time for a tutor to comment on a longer draft in its entirety, so your tutor may recommend a follow-up session. We recommend that students who wish to receive extensive writing lab feedback on long assignments build a bit of extra time into their drafting, revising and editing schedules.

Please contact Michael Bloomford at michael.bloomford@wilson.edu with any additional questions about online or in-person writing support.