What is the Mont Alto OWL?

  • OWL is an abbreviation for Online Writing Lab.
  • The OWL provides asynchronous, written feedback from an ASC professional writing consultant.
  • Papers will not be edited for you, but professional feedback will be given to help make your writing the best it can be.

Reasons Students Use the OWL
Students have specific questions about some aspect(s) of their paper and would like feedback.

  • Students feel confident taking written feedback and revising their writing independently.
  • Students have worked on a paper with an OWL reviewer, have revised, and want the same person to review their submission.
  • A student's paper is too long to cover in a single writing center consultation.
  • Writing consultant isn’t available when the student needs assistance.

How to use the OWL

1.Start your writing assignment: 

  • Writing assignments will be accepted at all stages. However, the more you have completed, the more feedback we can give.

2. Complete the Microsoft Form

  • Answer all the questions based on the paper you need assistance with.
  • Submit the paper in Microsoft Word form. NOT A PDF. The Word document allows the writing consultant to leave notes in the margin of the paper.

3. Submit Your Paper

  • Please submit as many details about the requirements of the assignment as possible.
  • Specify areas where feedback is needed – organization, citations, grammar, etc.

4. Wait for Feedback

  • Your paper will be reviewed in 24-48 hours.
  • When the review is complete, the paper will be emailed back to you at your PSU email address with the OWL reviewer's comments in the margin of the paper. Open this document to see the OWL reviewer's comments.

5. Use the Feedback to Revise

  • The first line of the comment will either be a suggested revision or an instruction/suggestion.
  • Sometimes, an explanation will appear in parentheses underneath the suggested revision.
  • If wording is awkward or unclear, the OWL instructor may suggest an alternative.


Common Questions

Q: How often can I submit papers to the OWL?
Answer: There is no limit how often or how many papers you may submit to the OWL per semester; however, you can only submit one at a time.

Q: Can I submit the same paper again after revising it?
Answer: Yes, you may! We want to help your writing be the best it can be, and we know this involves multiple drafts.

Q:Are there page length limitations?
Answer: Papers submitted may not exceed 10 pages. If the paper exceeds 10 pages, only the first 10 pages will be reviewed. 

Q: I can't see the reviewer’s comments in the margin of my paper.
Answer: Check to be sure you have downloaded Microsoft Office 365. If you have already downloaded it but still can't see the comments, email the OWL reviewer directly.

Timeline for Return

You will get your paper back within 48 business hours. Please follow this timeline when submitting a paper: 

Monday by 4:00 p.m. = returned by Wednesday
Tuesday by 4:00 p.m. = returned by Thursday
Wednesday by 4:00 p.m. = returned by Friday
Thursday by 4:00 p.m. = returned by Monday
Friday or Saturday = We are closed on the weekend, you should get a response by the end of the day on Tuesday. 

Give yourself time to make changes to your paper after you get our feedback. If you send us your paper two days before it is due, you may not have enough time to make the revisions.