The Writing Center offers many events throughout the year aimed at helping writers gain and improve their writing skills.
The types of events we offer include:
Note: The flier images used on this page may not reflect current dates/times for programming. Please check out events calendar via Engage, also linked below, for the most up-to-date programming information!
The Writing Center utilize's the University's ENGAGE system to post events, including workshops and writing camps. To register for a Writing Center event, head to our organization page below.
Note: Advanced registration is not required for all events but is always appreciated. Some events, like camps, may require registration.
Write Nights are events that cater to specific general education courses. They are open to all students enrolled in that particular course, and take place many times throughout the semester. All Write Nights are free for OU students to attend.
When: several times each semester
Who: students enrolled in ENGL 1113 and 1213
First-Year Composition (FYC) Write Nights are scheduled around the major paper deadlines for both the ENGL 1113 and ENGL 1213 courses. Writing onsultants and course instructors are available to assist students as they work on their projects. The Writing Center space is also open for students to work on these assignments independently.
No registration required.
All FYC Write Nights take place in Wagner Hall, Room 280. They run from 5:00pm - 8:00pm on a first-come, first-served basis. There will also be a Zoom option available. Check out Engage page for the Zoom link.
When: multiple times each semester
Who: students enrolled in HIST 1483 and 1493
History GTAs and writing consultants are available during History Write Nights to work with students from HIST 1483 or 1493 on their writing projects. Students are seen in the order in which they arrive to the Writing Center. The Writing Center space is also available for students to work on these assignments independently.
No registration required.
All History Write Nights take place in Wagner Hall, Room 280. They run from 5:00pm - 8:00pm on a first-come, first-served basis.
NEW for Fall 2024
When: once per semester
Who: students enrolled in CAS 1553: Gateway to the Sciences.
Writing consultants are available to work with students on their projects for this Gateway course. Students are seen in the order in which they arrive to the Writing Center. The Writing Center space is also available for students to work on these assignments independently.
No registration required.
Gateway to the Sciences Write Night takes place in Wagner Hall, Room 280. It will run from 5:00pm - 8:00pm on a first-come, first-served basis.
Writing Camps/Retreats are offered for graduate writers. The Writing Center offers events for students at different stages of the thesis or dissertation process.
When: monthly during fall and spring semesters
Who: all graduate writers and post-docs
Registration required via OU Engage.
Graduate Writing Retreats are 6-hour events for graduate students. Retreats provide writers with a dedicated time to make progress on a current writing project, including theses, dissertations, conference papers and proposals, seminar papers, and article drafts. Throughout the day, writers will have time to speak with one another and/or Writing Center staff for feedback on their work.
Typically offered both in person and via Zoom.
Note: Only the November event will be offered with a remote option.
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, September 28 | 9:00am - 3:00pm | Wagner Hall, Room 280 |
| Saturday, October 26 | 9:00am - 3:00pm | Wagner Hall, Room 280 |
| Friday, November 15 | 9:00am - 3:00pm | via Zoom (register on OU Engage for Zoom link) |
When: yearly in May
Who: graduate writers finishing their dissertation
Cost: free to OU students
Camp Completion is a 3-day writing camp. It is geared for graduate students in the final stages (last 1-3 semesters) of their dissertation writing process, although graduate students at other stages of the writing process are welcome. This camp includes dedicated writing time, opportunities for feedback, and presentations on revision, goal-setting, and meeting important grad school deadlines.
Registration required.
Please check back in Spring 2025 for our next dates.
When: yearly in the summer
Who: graduate writers beginning the thesis/dissertation
Cost: free to OU students
Camp Jump Start is a year-long program that begins with a multi-day writing camp for graduate students in the beginning stages of their thesis or dissertation writing process. This camp includes dedicated writing time, opportunities for feedback, and presentations on setting SMART goals, understanding the thesis or dissertation as a genre, managing writing anxiety, effective task management, program management systems, and effective library searches.
The rest of Camp Jumpstart includes coordinated appointments in the fall along with writing retreats for participants each semester. This program aims to provide structured support during the early phases of thesis/dissertation work.
Registration required.
Please check back in Spring 2025 for our next dates.
When: June and July
Who: all writers
Write Start takes place during the summer as a way to help writers stay engaged in their projects. It is dedicated writing time available both in person. Writers bring their projects and work independently. Writing consultants are not available during Write Start hours.
No advanced registration is required.
Please check back in Spring 2025 for our next dates.
The Writing Center offers workshops throughout the year that are open to all OU students and post-docs. Some of these workshops focus on technical aspects of writing, like grammar and parts of speech, while other workshops focus on genres of writing, like how to write a literature review or annotated bibliography. The Writing Center also offers workshops on topics more broadly related to writing, such as overcoming writing anxiety. Finally, the Writing Center also runs periodic events that are unrelated to writing, such as our Tasty Tuesday series, where all students are welcome to grab a treat and do not need to bring a writing assignment with them.
Below are the events being offered by the Writing Center for Fall 2024. Descriptions, Zoom links (if applicable), and registration links (as needed) for each event can be found on our events calendar via Engage.
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, October 7 | 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Workshop - Using Sources: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing | Wagner 280 |
| Tuesday, October 8 | 11:00am - 12:00pm | Workshop - Using Sources: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing | Zoom |
| Tuesday, October 8 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm | FYC Write Night #2 | Wagner 280 & via Zoom |
| Wednesday, October 9 | 5:30pm - 7:00pm | UReCA Brainstorming Workshop | Wagner 280 |
| Tuesday, October 15 | 2:00pm - 4:00pm | Grad School Application Write-In #1 | The Dodge, Physical Sciences 240 |
| Tuesday, October 22 | 1:00pm - 4:00pm | Tasty Tuesday #3: Cookie & cupcake decorating | Wagner 280 |
| Saturday, October 26 | 9:00am - 3:00pm | Graduate Writing Retreat #2 | Wagner 280 |
| Date | Time | Event | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, November 6 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm | FYC Write Night #3 | Wagner 280 & via Zoom | |
| Wednesday, November 6 | 5:00pm - 7:00pm | UReCA Drafting Workshop | Adams Hall, Room 101 | |
| Thursday, November 7 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm | History Write Night #1 | Wagner 280 | |
| Monday, November 11 | 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Workshop - Research Writing: The Introduction Section | Wagner 280 | |
| Thursday, November 14 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm | Workshop - Research Writing: The Introduction Section | Zoom | |
| Thursday, November 14 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm | Grad School Application Write-In #2 | Wagner 280 | |
| Friday, November 15 | 9:00am - 3:00pm | Graduate Writing Retreat #3 | Zoom | |
| Monday, November 18 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm | History Write Night #2 | Wagner 280 | |
| Tuesday, November 19 | 12:00pm-3:00pm | Tasty Tuesday #4: PIE! | Wagner 280 | |
| Wednesday, November 20 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm | Gateway to the Sciences Write Night (TENTATIVE) | Wagner 280 |
Below are some examples of events run by the Writing Center in the past.
| Event Name | Event Description |
|---|---|
| Tasty Tuesdays | Free food offered monthly in the Writing Center. No need to bring a paper! |
| Managing Writing Anxiety | Many writers, including graduate students, face challenges with anxiety about writing. Although this experience is difficult, you can overcome writing anxiety. This workshop provides tips and tricks for working through your anxiety toward completing those writing projects. |
| Understanding the Graduate Thesis or Dissertation | This workshop helps graduate students understand the thesis or dissertation as a genre, including the audience and purpose of a thesis/dissertation, and common characteristics. |
| Writing Groups | Graduate and Postdoc Writing Groups foster collaboration and conversation around writing and research, supporting students through their major writing projects. |
| Writing a Literature Review | By the end of this workshop, you'll understand what a literature review does and how you can make those moves in your own paper. |
| MLA and APA Citation Styles | In this workshop, we look at two of the most common citation styles-- MLA and APA-- to offer tips and tricks for citation success. |
