The Spectrum

Issue date: 2/8/07 Section: Features

Media Credit: The Spectrum/Mikara Cimmino The lab is now also available online, so there's no need to brave the elements in order to seek assistance.

If one thing could be said about the way the Internet has affected our lives, it would be the way in which it has opened a whole new channel for communication.

The ability for us to email one another has lead to a revolutionary change in the way that students and their professors keep in touch and communicate at Sacred Heart.

The Jandrisevits Learning Center is now taking the initiative of stepping into the digital world by offering their Online Writing Lab (OWL) service.

What this is exactly is an extension of the Learning Center, not a replacement by any means.

In addition to still being able to make a traditional appointment to have a paper reviewed one-on-one, the student may now use this secondary method by filling out a quick email with a description of the assignment and explaining what kind of help is being requested.

When the paper is sent via email, a tutor makes suggestions for improvment and emails the paper back for revisions.

"I've never tried submitting a paper online, but it sounds like a really good idea. I would definitely try this out the next time I may find myself struggling with something," said Brendan Donohue, junior, Melville, N.Y.

"It's good to see that the Learning Center is seeking ways to expand and find new ways of reaching out to people," said Donohue.

In the past, the only choice students had was to make an appointment for a 45 minute session with a tutor that could review their work.

"The idea of not needing to have an appointment and having to wait around in case they can't see you right away is appealing to me," said Holly Finneran, junior, Glen Ridge N.J.

"This semester I don't spend as much time on campus and I work part-time in addition to my classes. If it means not having to come back to campus and driving around looking for a parking spot, then I am all for it," said Finneran.

What students can expect is an analysis of their work and ways they can make their papers better through advice given about organization, grammar, content development, thesis statement issues, and so on.

A response should be received by the student in forty-eight, to seventy-two hours.

"I love it. It seems like such a natural and logical thing to do. I'm not surprised that this is being offered, since lately many of the common services we are used to, are finding their way onto the internet," said Lauren Hering, junior, Bridgeport.

"I can see it being a big time saver for everyone. Hopefully it will really catch on for the future," said Hering.

For those wanting more information on directions for properly submitting a paper to the Online Writing Lab, simply do a search on the Sacred Heart website for "OWL" and the first result will lead you to the information page with detailed instructions.

Others wishing to get more information on scheduling a more traditional one-on-one in-person session at the writing center can call (203) 371-7820 and receive a notice of what time slots are currently available for tutors to help with any issues that students may be experiencing.

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