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Online Writing Lab - OWL

writing assistance

About the OWL

Welcome to the OWL, the online branch of the Connors Family Learning Center's writing tutorial services. Staffed by graduate and undergraduate readers trained at responding to the work of their peers both critically and constructively, the OWL provides free tutoring assistance to the Boston College community. As with in-person tutoring, our mission is to help students improve their writing at the global level, with attention to argument, organization, and effectiveness, rather than extensive grammatical and syntactical revisions.

We strongly recommend that writers interested in submitting to the OWL first read our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Contact the OWLInquiries about the OWL may be directed to the OWL coordinator, Craig Kasprzak (kasprzcr@bc.edu), or to the director of the Connors Family Learning Center, Dr. Suzanne Barrett (barretsc@bc.edu).

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OWL DATES - Spring 2013


Thursday, 1/24 - Open for spring semester submissions
Tuesday, 2/26 - Deadline for submissions to be read and returned before Spring Break
Friday, 3/1 - Sunday, 3/10 - Closed for Spring Break
Monday, 3/25 - Deadline for submissions to be read and returned before Easter Recess
Thursday, 3/28 - Monday, 4/1 - Closed for Easter Recess
Monday, 4/15 - Closed for Patriot's Day
Tuesday, 4/30 - Deadline for spring semester submissions
Thursday, 5/2 - Closed for summer

* Remember that the OWL is closed on all Saturdays; submissions received after 6pm on Friday will not be processed until Sunday.

 

(submissions received on Saturday will not be processed until the following day)

 

What BC students are saying about the OWL

Actual responses from our user survey

 

“My OWL tutor was like an advisor to my draft.  She pointed out specific places that I should pay attention to, and specific ways to do improve my paper without telling me what to say.”

 

“I thought my paper was ready to turn in until I read the comments from my OWL tutor.  She helped me to do much better work.”

 

“It is difficult to be a self-critic and I was having trouble finding ways to improve my essay.  My OWL tutor gave me some fantastic tips.”

 

“I was at a dead end on how to proceed with my paper but now I know what direction to take.”

 

“The encouragement I received from my OWL tutor meant a lot to me as I was struggling to do my paper.”

 

“I couldn’t believe how quickly they responded.  It’s a great system.”

 

“I got an A on my first paper after using the OWL and, although I’m still waiting for #2, I feel much more confident!”