Online Writing Lab (OWL)

Online Writing Lab (OWL) provides writing assistance to online students. Online Students can submit drafts of their writing assignments to an RIT Academic Support Center (ASC) instructor via OWL who will review the grammar and structure of the writing assignment.

FAQs

• What is OWL?
• Who can use OWL?
• Where is OWL located?
• How do I submit a writing assignment to OWL's dropbox?
• Is there a history of my submissions to OWL's dropbox?
• How do I receive my reviewed writing assignment that I submitted?

What is OWL?

The Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a service within myCourses designed to provide RIT Online Learning students with resources and services to improve their writing. Since many online learners cannot come to campus to take advantage of the Academic Services Center, the ASC Writing Lab has staffed this online service to accept your written drafts. Similar to its on-campus counterpart, this Online Writing Lab is an instructional unit that provides guidance to students with the overall writing process and is not a proofreading or editing service.

Who can use OWL?

Any student enrolled in an online course may submit drafts of their writing assignments to OWL. An RIT Academic Support Center (ASC) instructor will review the grammar and structure of the your submitted writing assignment.

Where is OWL located?

OWL is located in myCourses. OWL can be access from either the Online Learning Student Community in myCourses or by expanding Communities on the Course Listing widget on the My Home page of myCourses.

How do I submit a writing assignment to OWL's dropbox?

1. Go to the OWL home page in myCourses
2. Click on the Dropbox link on the navigation bar

3. Locate the Draft Submission Folder under the Folder listing
4. Click the Draft Submission Folder

5. Click on Browse in the 'Files Submission' dialog box.

6. You will be prompted locate and select the written assignment you would like to submit for review.
7. You will need to provide some essential information to the OWL instructor about your writing assignment in the Description box:
• Name of the Assignment
• The purpose or subject matter of the assignment
• The citation style, if specified by instructor
8. Select the Upload button to finish
*Be sure to do a spell check and an initial read-through prior to sending in your assignment.

9. You will receive a confirmation once uploaded successfully. Example:

Is there a history of my submissions to OWL's dropbox?

Yes, students can see a history log of their submissions to OWL's dropbox. There is a History button on the 'File Submission' window, as well as on the 'Results' window that appears after submitting to the OWL's dropbox.

To get to the History button on 'File Submission' screen:

1. Go to the OWL home page in myCourses
2. Click on the Dropbox link on the navigation bar
3. Locate the Draft Submission Folder under the Folder listing
4. Click on the Draft Submission Folder
5. Click on the History button

How do I receive my reviewed writing assignment that I submitted?

To obtain your reviewed writing assignment, within 24 hours of submitting your writing assignment, go back into the OWL's Dropbox you should see the word 'NEW' under the Feedback column.

1. Click on the word NEW to open the 'View Feedback' section.

2. The upper half of the box is a log of the documents you have submitted. The lower half is a log of the comments and 'mark up' drafts left by the OWL instructor.