Online Writing Lab (OWL) - Southwestern Illinois College

What is the OWL?

The Success Center Online Writing Lab provides access to writing tutors for currently enrolled Southwestern Illinois College students. The OWL offers a convenient alternative to face-to-face writing tutoring. Students can submit their paper for review or ask questions about their writing assignment.

If you have questions or do not receive a response, please email us at successcenters@swic.edu.

How to drop off your paper

1. Click the link below. 

2.Under the Online Writing Lab,select your subject and click on “Search.”

3. Pick an available time slot to “make an appointment.” The time and date you choose does not matter; as soon as your paper is uploaded it will be assigned to a tutor and review will begin.

4. Upload your paper in Word Doc format or use a OneDrive or Google Docs link.

5. Enter the information asked for. Please be as specific as you can with questions and assignment details. Students may copy and paste the instructions from Brightspace.

6. Please check back within two days after submission to check the status of your paper. You will not get notified when paper is completed.

How It Works

– Tutors offer students feedback based on their questions and assignment details.

– Comments are posted in papers and available for students to print.

– Responses are returned to students via the OWL, usually within two school days.

– Tutors do not respond to papers on weekends or during college breaks.

General Guidelines

– Please spell-check papers before submitting them to the OWL.

– Students can submit the same paper up to three times if it is revised significantly between submissions.

– Submit work early to allow ample time for revisions.

– Longer papers and complex research papers should be brought to a Success Center.