An online writing lab, or web writing lab, is a virtual office space where students can go to work on their papers. It is typically part of a larger learning management system (LMS) or a course management system (CMS) and offers a number of features including writing, editing, and reference management to help students complete their papers quickly and accurately. In addition, an online writing lab can provide convenience for the students by offering late-night and weekend appointments, as well as making use of online tools like Google Docs that allow for real-time collaboration.
Writing labs can seem like a luxury for students, especially those in high-demand fields like law, medicine, and finance where it can be difficult to find the time to go to a physical lab and do your work there. Fortunately, a growing number of writing labs are joining the effort to revolutionize the way students do their writing remotely. Here are the top reasons why you should consider embracing online writing labs.
They Promote Collaboration
One of the significant advantages of an online writing lab over a physical one is the ability to have real-time interaction and collaboration while working on a paper. Students in a physical writing lab can interact with each other only when they meet in person or when they call in to a hot voice mail system. Even then, there is generally some degree of delay as they have to write everything down on paper and type it back into the shared document before they can move on to the next step. In contrast, with online writing labs technology enables real-time collaboration which means that while you are working on your paper someone else is probably working on theirs nearby.
Through the use of shared documents saved in the cloud, students can access the full context of everything that was written in the document while they are working on it. In addition, when others contribute to the document, it is integrated into the shared view and all participants can easily track changes and comments as the document develops. This form of collaboration enables better communication and boosts productivity which, in turn, promotes the overall quality of the work.
They Provide a Safe Workspace
Even if you are working on a legal brief, for example, you don’t want to be working on it in a law office where there are other people around. While there can be many advantages to having other people close by as you work, nothing prevents you from having a horrible tragedy occur as you work and affect your mood for the entire day. In addition to being unpleasant, working in an office space with other people nearby can make you a bit vulnerable as you are not working in solitude and might forget something important if you don’t remind yourself often enough.
Working remotely is usually perceived as being more secure because there is no one nearby to disturb your work or feel you are being too loud. The truth is, people can still see and hear you whether you are in a professional environment or not and therefore your work still has the potential to be disturbed. To protect yourself from such situations, you should always look for a writing lab that is located in a physically secured area such as a campus setting with multiple exit points in case of an emergency.
They Offer Additional Benefits
Aside from the security and collaborative features, an online writing lab can provide additional benefits for students. For instance, you can make extensive use of the internet for research, connecting with other students and subject matter experts, finding books and journal articles, as well as checking emails and schedules. Through the use of a VPN (virtual private network), you can also stay anonymous while working which can be extremely useful if you are conducting research online (particularly in fields like psychology where revealing your identity can be dangerous). In addition, many universities now offer courses and degrees that don’t require you to attend class so much anymore which means you can work at night and at your convenience.
Online writing labs provide students with the tools they need to succeed while avoiding the many distractions that come with living a hectic life. They can also work remotely without having to worry about their wellbeing because their safety and privacy are assured. In most cases, an online writing lab is free so there is no financial risk involved in trying it out.
The trend toward remote working is clearly apparent and while it might not suit everyone, it is a viable option for those in search of a more independent lifestyle or for those who value their own time above all else. In today’s world, everyone has something to offer and therefore it is essential to have options for everything-especially when it comes to working remotely.