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(Updated June 2002 by Debrah Huffman and Erin Karper; for an older version of this bibliography, please click here.)
This bibliography is separated into three interrelated and somewhat arbitrary categories, each focusing on different aspects of OWLs: Issues and Implications, Narratives, and Pedagogy. We also have a separate page with links to web resources on OWLs. You can get a printer-friendly version of the bibliography here or an Adobe PDF version here.
We're always looking to update this bibliography with annotations of additional scholarship. Acknowledgement of authorship will be given to all published annotations. New submissions (in MLA format) can be e-mailed to the Purdue OWL coordinator at coordinator@owl.english.purdue.edu or sent by postal mail to:
OWL Bibliography
227 Heavilon Hall
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47905
Attn.: OWL coordinator
Blythe, Stuart. "Why OWLs? Value, Risk, and Evolution." Kairos: A Journal for Teachers of Writing in Webbed Environments 1:1 (1996). 31 May 2002 <http://english.ttu.edu/kairos/1.1/owls/blythe/owl.html>.
Blythe's extensive hypertext is probably the most valuable overview of OWLs currently available. Although his well-conceived article may be intimidating to readers unaccustomed to hypertext, the information presented within it shows a keen understanding of the intricacies of OWLs, including underlying theories of technology that guide them, rationales for their existence, a discussion of their possible disadvantages for traditional writing centers, future possibilities for the medium as well as other important issues facing OWLs. Another benefit of this article is the way that it mirrors the set-up of OWLs, displaying the same textual format and organization used by complex higher-level online writing centers.
Coogan, David. Electronic Writing Centers: Computing the Field of Composition. Stamford, CT: Ablex, 1999.
Coogan's book, based on his dissertation research, presents a variety of perspectives on possiblities for electronic writing centers. Coogan presents a historical analysis which, situates writing centers and computers and composition within the disciplinary of composition studies and the larger university setting, and then turns from this historical discussion to both a practical and a theoretical discussion of possibilities for electronic writing centers as spaces for students to discover dialogic literacy. Chapters two and three of the book are devoted to case studies of his electronic tutorial work with students at a large state university. The book closes with an elucidation of Coogan's vision for electronic writing centers and how this vision could disrupt current models of both computers and composition and writing centers. This book is an excellent source for those wishing a more theoretical and discipline-oriented discusssion of possibilities for OWLs.
Harris, Muriel and Michael Pemberton. "Online Writing Labs (OWLs): A Taxonomy of Issues and Options." Computers and Composition 12:2 (1995): 145-160.
Harris and Pemberton offer a good discussion of issues that occur in the development of online writing labs, including choice of system, a discussion of theoretical options and delineations, and differences in reactive and interactive systems as well as issues of security, computer competence, and the integration of OWLs into the goals of the institution and the traditional labs they support. This article is an excellent resource for any novice to OWLs seeking to gain a general understanding of issues and options unique to the medium.
Healy, Dave. "From Place to Space: Perceptual and Administrative Issues in the Online Writing Center." Computers and Composition 12:2 (1995): 183-193.
Healy gives a solid overview of several key ethical and pragmatic issues of space and planning that face administrators of writing centers who foray into online settings. In particular, he probes the implications of "decentering" the writing center, and how it affects the mission of the center, its autonomy, ethos, and other issues. He also forefronts more mundane issues, such as scheduling hassles resultant from online tutoring services. A particularly interesting theoretical discussion arises when he probes the effects of "panopticism" on tutoring sessions and how leaving traces of tutoring sessions online in e-mail can affect the tutor's interaction with students.
Hobson, Eric, ed. Wiring the Writing Center. Logan, Utah, Utah State UP: 1998.
This edited collection is among the first book-length collections that addresses issues of technology use in the writing center, and the essays focus on both theoretical and practical considerations for OWL design within specific local contexts. The book is divided into three sections. "Models and Strategies for Writing Centers" contains seven essays that consider possibilities for online tutoring and online writing centers. "Critical Assessments of Wired Writing Centers" has five essays which consider the pitfalls and possibilities of doing writing center work with technologies. "Resources for Wired Writing Centers" offers a list of 20 must-see sites for wired writing centers and an annotated bibliography on computers and writing centers. This collection is an incredibly useful resource and shows the development of OWL scholarship over the last decade.
Inman, James A., and Donna Sewell, eds. Taking Flight With OWLs : Examining Electronic Writing Center Work. Mahwah, N.J. : L. Erlbaum Associates, 2000.
This edited collection of essays examines OWLs from a variety of perspectives. Like most other OWL scholarship, it is a fascinating blend of both the theoretical and practical, always aware of dependencies on local contexts.
Johnson, Paul J. "Writing Spaces: Technoprovocateurs and OWLs in the Late Age of Print." Kairos: A Journal for Teachers of Writing in Webbed Environments. 1:1 (1996). 4 June 2002 <http://english.ttu.edu/kairos/1.1/owls/johnson.html>.
Johnson discusses the wide variety of services offered by the assortment of self-titled "OWLs." He specifically defines one genre of OWL that he titles (using Eric Crump's term) "technoprovocateurs"; that is, writing spaces "where quietly subversive activity can emerge from the interstices between computer networks and writing centers." He continues by discussing various OWLs and how they function within the classification, subverting traditional notions of literacy and redefining literate behavior. This is a notable resource that offers perhaps the best discussion of higher-level OWLs.
Lasarenko, Jane. "PR(OWL)ING AROUND: An OWL by Any Other Name." Kairos: A Journal for Teachers of Writing in Webbed Environments. 1:1 (1996). 4 June 2002 <http://english.ttu.edu/kairos/1.1/owls/lasarenko/prowl.html>.
Although brief, this article is important to OWL research, offering what appears to be the first attempt at classification of different types of OWLs. Lasarenko creates an "evolutionary" ladder with three ascending "rungs." Her lowest level of OWL consists of those writing centers online that merely "serve as advertisements for a university's already established traditional writing center." Her middle classification consists of OWLs that offer online tutoring services. Her final (and highest) classification describes OWLs that offer a complete set of tutoring services. Although her definitions need further delineation, this article provides a requisite starting point for more complex attempts at classification and definition of online writing labs.
Manley, M.S., and Muriel Harris. "(Purdue) Writing Lab OWL Staff Manual." Internal Document. 16 August 1993.
This handbook was written to help tutors use the earliest incarnation of the OWL e-mail service, with general guidelines and specific system information. The document was only useful at the time Purdue's OWL was an e-mail system on a UNIX computer. (Out of print and no longer available.)
Mitchell, Lissa. Technology and the Writing Center: An Internet Collection. Truman State University. 5 June 2002 <http://www9.siteamerica.com/lbmi02/twc/thshome.html>.
This page is a research resource for those interested in computer technology and the role it plays in writing centers today. Created as part of a thesis project, the site contains reviews, links and bibliographic annotations for literature, OWLs, and other web sites that pertain to computers and writing centers. The end goal of the thesis is to examine the role computers and technology have played in writing centers over the past three decades as well as the role they currently play. The author makes recommendations about the type of technology that should be implemented at Truman State University's Writing Center. All the of the information will be displayed at the site as the author's own research continues. The site is continually updated.
Mullin, Joan. "An Interview with Muriel Harris." Composition Studies/Freshman English News 23:1 (Spring 1995): 37-53.
In this interview, Harris discusses her own academic journey, her theories and guiding concepts about writing labs, and the Purdue University OWL. This article helps to place an OWL within the guidelines and goals of traditional writing labs.
Rickly, Rebecca. "The University of Michigan's Online Writing and Learning: Locating the Writing Center in the Aviary." ACE Newsletter 9:4 (1995-6). 5 June 2002 <http://english.ttu.edu/ACE/newsletter/9_4rickly.HTML>.
Taking Dave Healy's notion of "from Place to Space" a bit further, this article traces the background of the University of Michigan's Online Writing and Learning, or OWL. Michigan's peer tutoring program takes advantage of the space in which students are writing (the university's "fishbowl" computer lab), and the OWL takes advantage of the medium on which they're writing: the computer. The article also touches upon issues of cybertutor training and potential administration problems in an evolving OWL. (Annotation by Rebecca Rickly, 5 March 1997)
Spooner, Michael and Eric Crump. "A Dialogue on OWLing in the Writing Lab." Writing Lab Newsletter 18:6 (February 1994): 1-5. (Also available online at <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/lab/newsletter/volumes/Volume18/18-6.pdf>)
In this three-part dialogue and editorial introduction, Spooner and Crump each offer conflicting opinions regarding the place, growth, and future possibilities of online writing labs.
In "Some Thoughts about Online Writing Labs," Spooner points out problems he perceives in online writing labs, and specifically argues against offering online tutoring services, acting against the generalization that "a response is a response is a response." Instead, he sees OWLs as being useful for disseminating general information. He also discusses possible authorship and ethics concerns he perceives.
In "Some Thoughts on Michael Spooner's Thoughts," Crump regards online writing labs differently, seeing them as "elements in the exciting and painful process of change." He criticizes Spooner for taking a narrow view of discourse and sees OWLs as a way to start towards new conceptions of writing as the process of questioning old assumptions and looking for new ones progresses. He counters Spooner's issues about authorship and ethics and sees OWLs as a natural result of new conceptions of writing.
In "More OWLish Thoughts," a short counter-argument, Spooner reinforces his own points, but also avoids an agonistic tone by affirming his own excitement about the role of technology. He argues briefly against the "utopian" conceptions of online writing.
Langston, Camille. "Resistance and Control: The Complex Process of Creating an OWL." Kairos: A Journal for Teachers of Writing in Webbed Environments. 1:1 (1996). 4 June 2002. <http://english.ttu.edu/kairos/1.1/owls/langston/langston1.html>.
Langston's narrative traces her own process as she attempts to create an OWL at Texas Women's University. Since this article presents a scenario in which significant resistance is experienced, it is useful for those thinking about creating an OWL at their own institution and interested in the possible obstacles and challenges involved in the project.
Jordan-Henley, Jennifer and Barry M. Maid. "MOOving Along the Information Superhighway: Writing Centers in Cyberspace." Writing Lab Newsletter 19:5. (January 1995): 1-6. (This article is also available online at <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/lab/newsletter/volumes/Volume19/19-5.pdf>
This article offers a concise and focused narrative of Jordan-Henley and Maid's inter institutional online tutoring project, the Cyberspace Writing Center Consultation Project. It includes an overview of the project; possibilities and rationales; a description of the preplanning process and participants and tutors; problems experienced; and results. The article concludes with an interesting discussion of the issues that faced the project and draws some conclusions and assertions about future collaborations. This is a must-read for anyone considering working collaboratively between writing centers.
Andrews, Deborah C. "OWL: On-Line Writing Wisdom (Focus on Teaching). Business Communication Ouarterly 58:2 (June 1995): 9-10.
Andrews' article gives a concise discussion of how the Purdue Online Writing Lab was used to assist and improve writing instruction at the university. This article is useful for teachers seeking to implement OWLs more effectively into their classrooms and administrators looking for justifications for funding and development for their own institution's OWL.
Coogan, David. "E-mail Tutoring, A New Way to Do New Work." Computers and Composition 12:2 (1995): 171-181.
As a preface to his discussion of e-mail tutoring and its implications, Coogan begins by relating the historical background of composition studies, tracing the writing process movement and discussing how it empowered writing centers, and allowed the integration of computers into writing instruction. His suggestions and case-study are inspirational and realistic, displaying both the possibilities and problems associated with the medium.
Jordan-Henley, Jennifer and Barry M. Maid. "Tutoring in Cyberspace: Student Impact and College/University Collaboration." Computers and Composition 12:2 (1995): 211-218.
This is another article that describes the collaboration between Jordan-Henley and Maid. However, this discussion takes a more theoretical angle, analyzing the differences and similarities between online tutoring and traditional, face-to-face settings and discussing the implications for students and tutors.
Krause, Steve. "Gopher is No Longer Just a Rodent: Using Gopher and World Wide Web in Composition Studies." Annual Meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English. Orlando, FL. 19 Nov. 1994. 4 June 2002 <http://www.edrs.com/Webstore/Download.cfm?ID=392906&CFID=135170&CFTOKEN=25418564>
Krause gives a general introduction about online sources available for teachers of writing and where they can be found and accessed. He discusses pedagogical uses and implications and advantages and disadvantages. Although some of the technology discussed in now outdated, his report is valuable for any composition teacher seeking to exploit online sources of material. His listing of sources, including various OWLs, and short descriptions are valuable for writing lab administrators and instructors.
Moody, Susan. "OWLs and ESL Students." Kairos: A Journal for Teachers of Writing in Webbed Environments. 1:1 (1996). 4 June 2002 <http://english.ttu.edu/kairos/1.1/owls/moody.html>.
Moody concisely shows the resources available at OWLS for ESL students, including a list of sources and brief descriptions and links to each. She also offers advice for instructors for analyzing the appropriateness of individual sites for students. This article, combined with a survey of linked sites, creates a strong argument for the practical uses of an OWL in ESL pedagogy.
Palmquist, Michael, Rodrigues, Dawn, Kiefer, Kate, & Zimmerman, Donald. Network support for writing across the curriculum: Developing an online writing center. Computers and Composition 12.3 (1995): 335-353.
Recent advances in computer and computer-network technologies make it possible to consider an alternative to the indirect, top-down pedagogy used in most writing-across-the-curriculum (WAC) programs (i.e., a pedagogy that views faculty as the primary audience for WAC-related training). Drawing on the results of a four-year effort to establish a campus-wide, computer-supported writing environment, the authors suggest that computer networks and specifically designed instructional software (e.g., multimedia instructional materials and interactive writing exercises) can provide the basis for a network-supported, writing-center-based WAC program. The authors' discussion focuses on development of network communication tools and hypermedia courseware to support WAC. (Annotation by Debbie Matuskevich, 21 March 1997)
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