Do you have questions about how the Writing Center can help you or questions about our policies? Please check below to answers to many of the commonly asked questions about the WC. You can also find video responses to our top frequently asked questions, too!
The OU Writing Center is a pedagogical service that supports the writing development of undergraduate and graduate students at OU and the greater Norman/OKC community. The primary goal of our consultations is to help writers learn something they can use in the future. Because of this, we do not serve as a proofreading or editing service, but instead strive to provide feedback that is thoughtful, intentional, and useful. We encourage you to test out our various consultation options to see what helps you learn best.
The OU Writing Center has 2 physical locations:
For more information, head to our Locations page.
No, you do not have to come in person to use the Writing Center’s services. The OU Writing Center offers face-to-face and two types of remote consultations: synchronous (video conference) and asynchronous (written feedback) appointments.
You can bring any writing project, for any class, from any discipline! In addition to class assignments, we can work with you on theses & dissertations, application materials, presentations, personal writing, scholarship essays, and more. Our consultants have experience working across disciplines and are ready to help, whether your writing project is in First-Year Composition or History, or in Accounting or Biology. We can also assist with speeches and other modes that include a written component!
If you are interested in further assistance with presentations, check out the Library's Presentation Consultations @ the Learning Lab services.
Writing Center consultants and staff are considered mandatory reporters. We understand that, due to the nature of some writing assignments across a variety of courses, sensitive topics may be discussed during your consultation. Please be aware that if issues related to sexual assault, stalking, dating or domestic violence, sexual harassment, or gender discrimination are discussed during your appointment, consultants may be required to report this information to the University's Institution Equity Office.
According to OU's Academic Integrity Code, "Unless the professor specifies otherwise, all examinations and other assignments are to be completed by the student alone." It is the student's responsibility to know whether outside help is allowed on any exam, paper, or project. By making an appointment for assistance on a take-home exam, the student indicates that they are allowed to receive external help.
For all disciplines except Human Relations, Writing Center consultants cannot help with comprehensive, qualifying, or general graduate exams without written permission from the advising professor or committee chair. The advisor or committee chair may email the Writing Center to provide their consent for assistance at writingcenter@ou.edu. They should specify what type of help they approve (e.g., assistance with citations and formatting, feedback on organization and content, feedback on grammar or sentence structure), as well as the name of the student seeking assistance. Academic integrity matters, and the Writing Center supports the University's academic integrity policies.
The Writing Center employs undergraduate and graduate consultants along with undergraduate office assistants (OAs).
Applications for all positions typically open in late spring. Please check our website or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for updates.
Students interested in becoming consultants are encouraged to visit the Writing Center for their own work to learn more about the Center and its purpose.
Writing Center consultants and staff are considered mandatory reporters. We understand that, due to the nature of some writing assignments across a variety of courses, sensitive topics may be discussed during your consultation. Please be aware that if issues related to sexual assault, stalking, dating or domestic violence, sexual harassment, or gender discrimination are discussed during your appointment, consultants may be required to report this information to the University's Institution Equity Office.
If you have experienced one of these events and would like to speak to someone, confidential help is available from OU Advocates. Additional support and resources are available from the University Counseling Center.
Appointments are not required but they are recommended. If you schedule in advance, you can guarantee that a consultant is availabile and waiting to work with you when you arrive. Drop-in appointments are based on consultant availability. You can schedule an appointment up to 2 weeks in advance for any of our locations.
Please note that Writing Center administration reserves the right to move any appointment due to staffing or center needs.
The Writing Center uses an online scheduling platform called WCOnline (WCO).
After you have registered, or if you already have an account, sign in to WCOnline and schedule an appointment. Note that appointments are scheduled on the hour or half hour and last for 25- or 45- minutes.
If you are a graduate student, you can also request an Extended Read appointment.
Please note that Writing Center administration reserves the right to move any appointment due to staffing or center needs.
Writers may schedule up to two (2) appointments per week at our Wagner location. Writers may schedule or drop-in for two (2) additional appointments at our satellite location in Bizzell Library. Finally, writers may schedule one (1) appointment per week on our Sunday/online-only schedule.
If you find yourself needing more appointments than the typical limits, please contact us.
The Writing Center offers three main types of appointments: face-to-face, video consultations, or written feedback appointments.
Extended Read appointments are also available for graduate students and OU post-docs.
More information about each appointment type can be found on our Appointments page.
Of course. After each session, our consultants take time to write a Session Note. In this note, they recap the major points you discussed during the session. They may also include links to resources you talked about or to additional resources they think you'll find useful. This note is automatically emailed to you, the writer. You are free to forward this note to an instructor as needed for proof of appointment. We do not provide any additional documentation besides the Session Note.
Yes! We encourage writers to have multiple consultations, particularly when working on long, complex, or unfamiliar projects. Writers have the option to schedule repeat visits with the same consultant, depending on consultant availability.
A consultation at the Writing Center is primarily a conversation between you and a trained consultant about your work.
During a face-to-face or video consultation, you should expect to spend the first few minutes talking with the consultant about your project, answering questions about your goals and concerns, and setting an agenda for the session.
Your consultant may ask you to read your work aloud, or ask for time to read silently. (Reading aloud is always optional.)
Your session will often end with an action plan for revisions or next steps. Consultants may also provide you with printed or online resources.
If you schedule a written feedback or Extended Read appointment, you will not meet with your consultant. The consultant will use information you provide on the appointment form and their own training to provide asynchronous feedback. They may also provide additional resources.
Yes, we are happy to work with writers on a multi-authored text! Our group appointments are intended when multiple students are working on a collaboratively-written project or assignment. This could include a group research paper, a co-authored article, or a group presentation, for example.
One person from the group must make the appointment. Follow our instructions for creating an account on the Appointments Page if you do not already have one. Then, follow the instructions below.
Unless the "group appointment" box is selected, all appointments are assumed to be individual. This means that the consultation will take place between the writer and consultant only.
If you require accommodations that would involve other individuals participating in the appointment, please contact the Writing Center so we can help make appropriate arrangements with you.
Once you are signed into your WCOnline account, select the day/time that you'd like the appointment to open the appointment form. On the appointment form, please select the box that denotes this as a group appointment. You can fill out how many people will be attending the session. This will help our staff know what space(s) within the Center might work best for your size group. Then, complete the rest of the form, including your group's questions and concerns at the bottom.
NOTE: We recommend scheduling a 45-minute appointment for any group assignment. Groups should make either a face-to-face or written feedback appointment. Video consults do not work for group appointments as only one person will be able to access the video link.
The Session Note will be sent to the person who scheduled the appointment. We encourage you to share this note with the rest of your group.
Please contact the Writing Center for help scheduling a group appointment.
Face-to-face, written feedback, or video appointment? Twenty-five minutes of 45-minutes? Meet with a consultant, or don't meet with a consultant? Extended Read appointment?
While we offer a variety of appointment types and lengths, we know that it can be difficult to determine which one might be best for your current project concerns. Some appointments are better for certain needs than others. A face-to-face appointment, for example, is better for a brainstorming session or an early draft discussion than a written feedback appointment.
Check out our Appointments page for help deciding which type of appointment is best for you, or check out our video guide below.
Face-to-face, video conference, and written feedback appointments can be scheduled for either 25-minutes or 45-minutes.
Our scheduling platform, WCOnline, uses 30- or 60-minute scheduling blocks. Consultations will last either 25- or 45-minutes, however. Consultants use the remaining time in the slot to write and send a Session Note to the writer. The session note reviews the information discussed during the consultation and provides relevant resources to the writer.
No matter what type of consultation you choose or if you attend an event/workshop, behavior fitting an academic setting is always expected of both consultants and writers. All students are expected to abide by the University’s Student Conduct Policies in their interactions with staff or with other writers. This means upholding a safe, respectful environment that is conducive to cooperation and learning. The University defines abusive conduct as: “Unwelcome conduct that is sufficiently severe and pervasive that it alters the conditions of education or employment and creates an environment that a reasonable person would find intimidating, harassing, or humiliating.” Community members using the center are also expected to engage with staff in a respectful way. Failure to exhibit appropriate behavior may result in a loss of consultation privileges and/or further disciplinary action as necessary.
If you wish to report or discuss unacceptable behavior that you experienced or observed in the Writing Center, please contact the administrative team at writingcenter@ou.edu.
The Writing Center strives to provide services that are accessible to all learners. If you require any kind of accommodations, please contact the Writing Center prior to scheduling an appointment or attending an event whenever possible. Our staff can assist you to ensure your needs are met.
The OU Writing Center offers one-on-one and small group consultations. These services are available online and in person.
The Writing Center also offers writing workshops, camps, retreats, classroom visits, and other writing-related events throughout the year.
Fine more information on undergraduate writer support here.
Find more information on graduate writer and post-doc support here.
Find more information on classroom instructor services here.
Note: the Writing Center no longer offers support for faculty writers. Head to the Center for Faculty Excellence to find out how they can support faculty.
Consultants at the Writing Center work diligently to support your development as a writer. Therefore, we do not provide proofreading, copy-editing, or grading services. We can, however, assist you in learning to identify error patterns and to better proofread your own work.
Consulting begins in Wagner Hall on the first day of classes each semester. For the first two weeks of classes, consulting takes place in Wagner Hall, Room 280. We also have remote consultation options available.
Evening consultations begin the third week of classes each semester. Evening hours take place in Bizzell Library with remote options available as well. Our hours page contains details about when are where you can find us throughout the semester.
You can find information about our workshops and events on our website, on OU Engage, and on our social media profiles.
Do you have another question that is not answered here or on our website? Please contact us!
