The Writing Center offers many events throughout the year aimed at helping writers gain and improve their writing skills.
The types of events we offer include:
Note: The flier images used on this page may not reflect current dates/times for programming. Please check out events calendar via Engage, also linked below, for the most up-to-date programming information!
The Writing Center utilize's the University's ENGAGE system to post events, including workshops and writing camps. To register for a Writing Center event, head to our organization page below.
Note: Advanced registration is not required for all events but is always appreciated. Some events, like camps, may require registration.
Write Nights are events that cater to specific general education courses. They are open to all students enrolled in that particular course, and take place many times throughout the semester. All Write Nights are free for OU students to attend.
When: several times each semester
Who: students enrolled in ENGL 1113 and 1213
First-Year Composition (FYC) Write Nights are scheduled around the major paper deadlines for both the ENGL 1113 and ENGL 1213 courses. Consultants and instructors are available to assist students as they work on their projects. The Writing Center space is also open for students to work on these assignments independently if they choose.
No registration required.
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
| Monday, February 13 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm | FYC Write Night #1 | Wagner 280 |
| Wednesday, March 8 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm | FYC Write Night #2 | Wagner 280 |
| Tuesday, April 11 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm | FYC Write Night #3 | Wagner 280 |
When: several times throughout the semester
Who: students enrolled in HIST 1483 and 1493
History GTAs are available during History Write Nights to work with students from HIST 1483 or 1493 on their writing projects. Students are seen in the order in which they arrive to the Writing Center. The Writing Center space is also available for students to work on these assignments independently.
No registration required.
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
| Monday, April 10 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm | History Write Night #1 | Wagner 280 |
| Tuesday, April 18 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm | History Write Night #2 | Wagner 280 |
When: several times throughout the semester
Who: students enrolled in UCOL 1523
Gateway to Belonging (GBO) instructors and Writing Center consultants are available during GBO Write Nights to assist students in UCOL 1523 with their major paper assignments. The Writing Center space is also available for students to work on these projects independently.
No registration required.
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
| Monday, February 27 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm | GBO Write Night #1 | Wagner 280 & via Zoom |
| Tuesday, February 28 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm | GBO Write Night #2 | Wagner 280 & via Zoom |
Writing Camps/Retreats are offered for graduate writers. The Writing Center offers events for students at different stages of the thesis or dissertation process.
When: monthly during fall and spring semesters
Who: all graduate writers and post-docs
Saturday Writing Retreats are 6-hour events for graduate students. Retreats provide writers with a dedicated time to make progress on a current writing project, including theses, dissertations, conference papers and proposals, seminar papers, and article drafts. Throughout the day, writers will have time to speak with one another and/or Writing Center staff for feedback on their work.
Typically offered both in person and via Zoom.
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
| Saturday, February 11 | 9:00am - 3:00pm | Saturday Writing Retreat #1 | Wagner 280 & via Zoom |
| Saturday, March 25 | 9:00am - 3:00pm |
Saturday Writing Retreat #2 (for Camp Jumpstart 2022 participants only) |
Wagner 280 & via Zoom |
| Saturday, April 22 | 9:00am - 3:00pm |
Saturday Writing Retreat #3 |
Wagner 280 & via Zoom |
When: yearly in May
Who: graduate writers finishing their dissertation
Cost: free to OU students
Camp Completion is a 3-day writing camp for graduate students in the final stages of their dissertation writing process. This camp includes dedicated writing time, opportunities for feedback, and presentations on revision, goal-setting, and meeting important grad school deadlines.
Registration required.
| Date | Time | Event | Location |
Monday, May 15 |
8:00am - 5:00pm |
Day 1: Camp Completion |
Wagner 280 |
Tuesday, May 16 |
8:00am - 5:00pm |
Day 2: Camp Completion |
Wagner 280 |
Wednesday, May 17 |
8:00am - 5:00pm |
Day 3: Camp Completion |
Wagner 280 |
When: yearly in the summer
Who: graduate writers beginning the thesis/dissertation
Cost: free to OU students
Camp Jump Start is a multi-day writing camp for graduate students in the beginning stages of their thesis or dissertation writing process. This camp includes dedicated writing time, opportunities for feedback, and presentations on setting SMART goals, understanding the thesis or dissertation as a genre, managing writing anxiety, effective task management, program management systems, and effective library searches.
Registration required.
When: June and July
Who: all writers
Write Start takes place during the summer as a way to help writers stay engaged in their projects. It is dedicated writing time available both in person and via Zoom. Writers bring their projects and work independently.
No advanced registration is required.
The Writing Center offers workshops throughout the year that are open to all OU students and post-docs. Some of these workshops focus on technical aspects of writing, like grammar and parts of speech, while other workshops focus on genres of writing, like how to write a literature review or annotated bibliography. The Writing Center also offers workshops on topics more broadly related to writing, such as overcoming writing anxiety. Finally, the Writing Center also runs periodic events that are unrelated to writing, such as our Tasty Tuesday series, where all students are welcome to grab a treat and do not need to bring a writing assignment with them.
Below are the events being offered by the Writing Center for the Spring 2023 semester. Descriptions, Zoom links (if applicable), and registration links (as needed) for each event can be found on our events calendar via Engage.
| January 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Time | Name | Location |
| Tuesday, January 17 | 10:00am - 1:00pm | Tasty Tuesday #1: Cocoa & Coffee | Wagner 280 |
| Monday, January 30 | 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Critical Reading Workshop | Wagner 280 |
| Thursday, February 2 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm | Critical Reading Workshop | online |
| February 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Time | Name | Location |
| Saturday, February 11 | 9:00am - 3:00pm | Saturday Writing Retreat | Wagner 280 & online |
| Saturday, February 11 | 10:00am - 12:00pm | Medical School Application event #1 | Wagner Rm. 240 |
| Monday, February 13 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm | FYC Write Night #1 | Wagner 280 |
| Tuesday, February 14 | 12:00pm - 3:00pm | Tasty Tuesday #2: DIY Cookie Decorating | Wagner 280 |
| Monday, February 20 | 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Project Management Workshop | Wagner 280 |
| Thursday, February 23 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm | Project Management Workshop | online |
| Monday, February 27 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm | GBO Write Night #1 | Wagner 280 & online |
| Tuesday, February 28 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm | GBO Write Night #2 | Wagner 280 & online |
Below are some examples of events run by the Writing Center in the past.
| Event Name | Event Description |
|---|---|
| Tasty Tuesdays | Free food offered monthly in the Writing Center. No need to bring a paper! |
| Managing Writing Anxiety | Many writers, including graduate students, face challenges with anxiety about writing. Although this experience is difficult, you can overcome writing anxiety. This workshop provides tips and tricks for working through your anxiety toward completing those writing projects. |
| Understanding the Graduate Thesis or Dissertation | This workshop helps graduate students understand the thesis or dissertation as a genre, including the audience and purpose of a thesis/dissertation, and common characteristics. |
| Writing Groups | Graduate and Postdoc Writing Groups foster collaboration and conversation around writing and research, supporting students through their major writing projects. |
| Writing a Literature Review | By the end of this workshop, you'll understand what a literature review does and how you can make those moves in your own paper. |
| MLA and APA Citation Styles | In this workshop, we look at two of the most common citation styles-- MLA and APA-- to offer tips and tricks for citation success. |
