NSU Broken Arrow Writing Center

09/16/2026

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

Today, we highlight Gabriel García Márquez. Márquez was known for his prolific work in the genre of magical realism. In 1982, he won the Novel Prize in Literature.

Our reading recommendation from Márquez is his masterpiece, 100 Years of Solitude. This novel explores several generations of the Buendía family, blending fantasy and realism seamlessly. It is written in an unconventional narrative style, told in a nonlinear fashion and continually looping around to explore concepts of generational cycles. 100 Years of Solitude is a pillar of the magical realism genre.

Unidos somos más!

09/09/2026

What’s the best way of improving the odds of success?

Ignore them! One of the biggest stumbling blocks in writing is not believing in your own abilities. It can be hard to know if your writing is good enough, but you have to start with something in order to have anything good at all. Writing in the initial stages is supposed to be messy! The magic is in the editing. So trust yourself and get those words on the page. You CAN do this!

If you need help getting words on the page, revising, or doing any other part of the writing process, book an appointment with us at

WCONLINE - The Online Scheduling, Record-keeping, Meeting, and Reporting Solution for the Support Center

09/02/2026

We're gearing up for Hispanic Heritage Month!

Who is your favorite Hispanic author? Comment below and we will feature them over the course of HHM and offer a reading recommendation from them.

Unidos somos más!

08/28/2026

The workload of a single semester can feel extremely overwhelming.

Having a plan in place that includes major assignments and important deadlines can work wonders for mental health. First, it relieves the stress of having to wonder if there’s anything due soon - you can just look at your calendar! Second, building a plan into the calendar leading up to a deadline helps you avoid the stress of having to complete a project at the very last minute.

If you need help with a paper, book an appointment with the Writing Center today at [email protected]." rel="ugc" target="_blank">[email protected].

08/24/2026

Reading out loud is one of the best ways to check your own work when writing a paper.

First, it can help you catch any easy mistakes you made, such as if you accidentally left out a word or typed one twice. Our brains have a tendency to “fill in the gaps” when reading silently, so sometimes there are easy errors you can hear out loud even when you don’t see them.

Reading out loud can also help you get a sense of whether or not your sentences flow. Academic writing is different from everyday speech, but reading aloud can still help you identify any clunky bits in your paper.

Book an appointment with the Writing Center today at [email protected]!" rel="ugc" target="_blank">[email protected]!

04/28/2026

Applications are open for summer and fall tutors!

Here at the Writing Center, we are looking for tutors with strong writing skills who are passionate about helping students succeed. Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA or higher in English-related courses and must have a junior classification or above.

To apply, students will submit a writing sample and a faculty recommendation. The deadline for summer applications is May 13th. For more information and to submit your application, navigate to “Student Jobs” on NSU’s homepage and apply through Handshake.

We look forward to receiving your applications!

04/27/2026

Hang in there!

Finals week is almost here! How are you feeling? As you prepare for finals, make sure you’re getting enough to eat and taking breaks to rest. It might feel counterproductive as exams are closing in, but resting your mind and refueling your body will work wonders in the long run.

Good luck! If you need any last-minute assistance on your paper, make an appointment at the Writing Center using the link nsuok.mywconline.com.

04/22/2026

What does it mean when someone says that writing is recursive?

“Recursive” means when steps in a process are repeated over and over. Some people approach writing as being a clean set of steps from start to finish, thinking that they must outline, draft, and revise one at a time, never moving on to the next part of the process until they are completely done with the previous part.

However, writing is a flexible process. Sometimes, it works best to start drafting, then create an outline, then continue drafting. Sometimes, you are almost done with revisions when you realize you need to write some more to bring your argument together. Create a writing process that works for you, and don’t be afraid to let it change from project to project.

If you’re having trouble knowing where to start, feel free to drop by the Writing Center! We have in-person, Zoom, and asynchronous appointments, and we’re here to serve all your writing needs. Make an appointment at nsuok.mywconline.com.

04/13/2026

You’ve probably heard people talk about academic vs. casual voice in writing. We are often told that we need to use a formal, academic tone in our essays, but what exactly does that mean? Here are a few things that separate academic voice from casual voice.

📌 Use of contractions

Contractions are never used in academic writing unless they are part of a direct quote. While there are certainly forms of writing where contractions are appropriate, avoid using them in an academic paper.

📌 Use of first-person pronouns

This guideline is a little less clear-cut than the previous one. There are times in academic writing when “I” and “we” are acceptable to use. If you are telling a personal anecdote, first-person pronouns are often considered appropriate. However, if you find yourself writing “I think” or “I believe,” cut those parts out and let your statements stand on their own (unless the assignment specifically requires personal opinion).

📌 Use of second-person pronouns

The lines aren’t as blurred with this rule. Using “you” when writing an academic paper instantly makes you sound colloquial. But it’s sometimes hard to avoid, isn’t it? Here’s a tip: whenever you feel like saying “you,” try saying “one” instead. So instead of writing “you might think,” write “one might think.” Avoiding second-person pronouns is a quick way to elevate the formality of your writing.

If you want more assistance revising the tone of your writing, stop by the Writing Center and we will be happy to help you! Make an appointment at nsuok.mywconline.com.

04/08/2026

The built-in grammar checkers in writing software such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs can be useful tools. Here are some tips on how to optimize their benefits and avoid the pitfalls.

Built-in grammar checkers are most useful for catching mechanical errors such as mistakes with grammar or spelling. When using writing software, check for red or blue underlines and click on them to see what the software suggests. It might let you know that you misspelled a word, that you need a comma, that you need to capitalize a particular word, etc. Just going through these underlined words and phrases can really help clean up your paper.

However, there are some mistakes to avoid when using these tools. Sometimes, a built-in grammar checker will try to substitute an entirely different word in place of one you wrote, occasionally one that is incorrect for the context. This is a result of the checker attempting to improve your style and voice without a human understanding of the complexities of language. Style and voice are far more complex than basic grammar, so grammar checkers struggle to provide helpful feedback in that area. Taking these types of suggestions can sometimes be a mistake.

If you want help with style or with any other area of your writing that is too complex for grammar checkers to grasp, feel free to make an appointment at the Writing Center to work with someone who can provide feedback that is specific to your unique project. Set an appointment at nsuok.mywconline.com.