In the Honors College, we believe that writing is an essential tool for critical thinking and disseminating new ideas and research. Students who achieve excellence in their writing abilities will have a strong advantage in competing for scholarships and fellowships, applying to grad school, and becoming leaders in their future careers. The Honors College Writing Lab is one of the ways we go the extra mile to help students fulfill their potential as writers and thinkers. Unlike most university writing centers, our Writing Assistants review the students' papers before they meet with them, allowing more time and reflection to provide extensive feedback.
The Honors College Writing Lab provides free one-on-one writing tutorial help for all Honors students. Well-trained Writing Assistants provide thoughtful feedback to help Honors students achieve excellence in their writing skills. Many of the students visiting the Honors College Writing Lab are enrolled in HON 2973/2963: Perspectives, our introductory required courses that contain a substantial writing component. Many others come on the recommendation of a friend or professor because they know the Honors College Writing Lab provides a valuable service to student writers. The philosophy of the Honors College Writing Lab is that strong writing emerges when careful thinkers develop interesting ideas, express those ideas imperfectly upon the page, and then carefully rework "rough" writing until it shines. The Honors College Writing Lab offers guidance through these steps, and our Writing Assistants work hard to instill in students the belief that, with effort and time, they can become truly skillful writers.
Cate Center One, Room 312
Norman, OK 73019
Senior
Political Science & Pre Law
Expansive, collaborative and action-oriented
I enjoy the opportunity of being able to work with someone to explore their writing, introducing them to new ideas as well as learning from them, and seeing when a lightbulb moment hits a student and their writing all comes together.
My favorite part about the writing process is seeing the blank page and brainstorming all the ways the paper could possibly go, eventually whittling them down and finding the specific topic to write about.
Don’t be scared or stressed about writing! Sometimes we compare ourselves to others and hold ourselves to a very high standard, but there is no “right” way to write necessarily. It’s most important that your unique voice comes through in the paper.
Sophomore
Criminology, Political Science and Pre Law.
Attentive, collaborative, and adaptable
: I wanted to become a writing assistant so I could offer help to my peers and read some interesting essays while doing so.
Dumping out every idea I have into a Google Doc and organizing them to form the structure of the paper.
One piece of advice for any student who writes: Always have another set of eyes look over your writings! Another person reading a paper can point out anything you might have missed, highlight places that could use improvement, and is able to discuss ideas for revision.
Junior
English
Personal, collaborative, and intentional
I wanted to become a writing assistant because I love reading and writing, and I wanted to be able to help others feel confident and comfortable expressing their own ideas!
My favorite part of the writing process is beginning edits after the first draft is finished and finding ways to better connect and express my ideas.
My writing advice is to not be afraid to write a messy first draft. The first draft is for you to better understand your own ideas and intentions for a paper. There's always time for editing later!
Junior
Pharmacy
Compassionate, constructive and approachable
I realized that for many people, translating ideas into academic sentences is a difficult process that I can help guide.
My absolute favorite part of writing is the flow that comes with stream-of-conscious writing, I get into this headspace where I can elaborate endlessly on topics. This is also what led me to become a writing assistant.
When it comes to writing, I'd advise people to write from the heart rather than writing to meet objectives; finding a connection to the prompt or idea will make it much easier to fulfill an assignment or passion project.
Junior
Energy Management, Finance and Pre Law
Encouraging, adaptable and light-hearted
I chose to become a writing assistant because I believe there is no better way to learn than learning from your peers, and I am thankful for the opportunity it brings to form connections with other students.
My favorite part of the writing process is the final touches because I love seeing all the effort I've been putting in come to a finished product!
My best writing advice would be to always get feedback from someone- whether it's from a tutor or a friend, it's always good to have a fresh set of eyes on your work.
Sophomore
Phychology and Pre Med
Collaborative, friendly and encouraging
I wanted to become a writing assistant because I have always loved not only to revise papers but also empower others to develop their own writing skills.
My favorite part of the writing process is most definitely editing. It is so amazing to look back on all of the hard work that you have put into a paper and continue to polish and refine it beyond your first draft.
One piece of advice that I have for writers is this: writing is rewriting. Don’t be afraid to get something on the page, even if it is not what will be included in your final draft. There are no wrong answers, and you can always work towards cultivating your writing skills.
Junior
Environmental Sustainability and Computational Technology
Collaboration, workshopping and analysis
I wanted to be a writing assistant to help people express their thoughts clearly and eloquently.
My favorite part of the writing process is seeing the essay take shape as I craft an outline.
Sophomore
Biology and Business
Patient, encouraging and collaborative
I wanted to become a Writing Assistant because I enjoy helping others improve their writing and making the writing process feel more enjoyable and less stressful
My favorite part of the writing process is editing and refining my work once the initial draft is complete because I enjoy finding ways to make my ideas clearer and stronger.
My biggest advice for students is not to worry about making the first draft perfect—focus on getting your ideas down first and then use the revision process to improve and strengthen your writing.
Junior
Biology and Community Health
Collaborative, empathetic and efficient.
I wanted to become a writing assistant because I have always loved English, but my major and desired career path limited the amount of English classes I could take. Working as a writing assistant has allowed me to continue doing something I love.
I love the point in writing where the essay or story starts to have a clear end. There is always a specific moment when you can start to see the piece through.
My advice to students is there are a million ways to write a good essay, so don't try too hard to stick to a specific format, structure, or style you learned in high school.
Senior
Musical Arts in Violin Performance and Medical Humanities
Direct, student-centered and collaborative
Writing to me is a form of creative expression, and I love learning from the diverse styles and voices I encounter. It's a process that keeps me curious and inspired
Turning fragments of thoughts into chunks and combining them together like a puzzle
Just enjoy the writing process of discovering your own unique style and voice!
Senior
Health and Exercise Science. Pre PT
Open, practical and encouraging
I wanted to become a Writing Assistant because of how helping my own writing assistants were. Having multiple sets of eyes on a paper provides perspective that otherwise would have never occurred. You never know what you can learn from someone else!
My favorite part of the writing process is drafting. I tend to have a ton of ideas in my head for papers, so I draft early and clean up my thoughts later. Just getting ideas on the page usually helps me get the ball rolling.
Get organized! Making a calendar with my school, work, and social obligations all in one place has immensely assisted me in keeping my life in check.
