Academic Guides: Academic Skills Center: Savvy Student Blog

2022

June 2022

Setting Reasonable Expectations When Starting Capstone

"When you reach the capstone phase of your program, I hope you pause and celebrate – take the time to congratulate yourself on becoming “All but Dissertation. Then, refocus and begin the important work of creating a plan for completing your capstone..."

May 2022

Quieting the Skeptic: Overcoming Doubt with a Growth Mindset

"Walden students... often share a common sentiment: as they embark on this new chapter, they are excited to take a major step towards achieving their goals. And yet, they are often nagged by lingering doubts and anxieties, wondering if they waited too long to get their degrees..."

April 2022

My Experience with the Blended Academic Year in Residence (BAYR)

"BAYR (often referred to as “AYR” or pronounced by some like “bear”) stands for Blended Academic Year in Residence. The purpose is to provide students with critical clinical skills that are essential for professional practice in the field of psychology."

April 2022

Allowing Our Motivations to Evolve

"Though I greatly enjoy my classes, life can always get hectic and present challenges. Anyone can get discouraged sometimes, and that’s when it’s crucial to remember why getting a degree is truly important to us. "

March 2022

Continuing Your Journey: Adjusting to Graduate-Level Expectations

"If you recently transitioned or are thinking of transitioning into a Master’s program at Walden, you’re not alone. In fact, with the help of Walden’s AIM program, three members of the peer mentoring team recently completed their undergraduate coursework and chose Walden for their Master’s degrees."

February 2022

Who Am I? The Importance of Doctoral Identity and Tips to Develop One

"I’m going to be perfectly honest here: when I was working on my doctoral journey, I never once paused to think about the idea of a “doctoral identity.” In fact, I never even heard the term until years after I graduated."

February 2022

Growing and Staying Gritty in Higher Education

"Being gritty can mean different things to different people – resilience, effort, perseverance, passion... But for me, there is another word that is relatable to the idea of grit, and that word is failure."

January 2022

Embracing the Challenge: Three Helpful Writing Mantras to Change Your Mindset

"In one of my favorite essays about writing, author Anne Lamott (2005) argues that “all good writing starts with terrible first efforts” (para. 10)."

January 2022

Professional Mentorship: 3 Ways a Mentor Can Boost Your Career

"When I completed my Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration and Leadership, I was beginning a new career path. I felt excited, anxious, and sometimes overwhelmed."

2021

December 2021

3 Strategies for Self-Examining Stereotypes and Hidden Bias

"Walden University students often interact with a diverse population of faculty, staff, and students. As a result, it’s important to examine any personal biases embedded in our mindsets."

November 2021

Video Games as Resilience Practice

"Video games taught me a far more important lesson than how to time a jump: they can be a safe place to practice patience and resilience. There are no consequences for not “getting it right"."

November 2021

On Becoming Elastic: The Role of Resilience in Facing Challenges

"A lifelong perfectionist, I spent most of my academic career trying to avoid failure. I played it safe. As an undergraduate, I meticulously researched professors to ensure that signing up for a particularly challenging course would not jeopardize my GPA."

October 2021

4 Strategies to Successfully Transition from Coursework to the Doctoral Capstone

"As a current student in the capstone phase of the Doctorate in Public Health program I’ve applied a few strategies that have helped me stay on track and meet my goals."

October 2021

Building Connections with Others: What Being a Peer Mentor
Has Taught Me About Being a Student

"Through peer mentoring team meetings, the most valuable lesson I learned was that I was not alone. So often, when one of my fellow mentors would share what they were doing with their mentees, or what they themselves were doing in their classrooms, we ended up realizing that our experiences, however isolated we felt, were similar. "

September 2021

My Doctoral Journey: Completing the Doctor of Public Heatlh

"Like many others, you may like to know how it feels to have completed the doctoral degree, what experiences I can share, how long it took, etc. I will try to address many of these questions and also give you some tips for your success."

September 2021

AIM-ing Higher: How the AIM Program Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

"One important success skill is knowing the ways in which you can forge a smoother path for yourself, and if you are thinking about pursuing a master’s degree through Walden, the Accelerate Into Master’s (AIM) Program may represent one of those smoother pathways. "

August 2021

Setting Yourself Up for Sucess as a Doctoral Student

"You made a huge decision to pursue your doctoral education! Now that you are here, you must take some critical steps to continue to move forward while planting seeds of YOUR success."

August 2021

5 Insights We Gained During an Appointment with a Career Advisor

"To better understand the resources that Career Planning and Development offers to students, peer mentors Shannon Gentry and Sherry Wilson each booked a one-to-one meeting with a Career Advisor. "

July 2021

Developing Discussion Board Peer Responses: 5 Tips from Current Walden Students

"While peer responses are typically a required element in your Walden courses, they also serve an important purpose – they allow you to exchange ideas, academically debate, and see topics through the perspectives of other people. "

July 2021

How to Develop a Successful Discussion Post: 5 Tips from Walden Students

"A dynamic discussion board lies at the heart of any productive online learning experience. In the absence of live or in-person class conversations, the discussion board serves as a space to reflect on course concepts, consider the views of others, and engage in thoughtful dialogue with classmates. "

JUNE 2021

Reading Skills Part 1: Set Yourself Up for Success

"I enjoy reading what I want to read, I still struggle to get through a dense research article or textbook chapter. I have noticed, however, that if I take steps to prepare, I am much more likely to persist through a challenging reading. "

JUNE 2021

Reading Skills Part 2: Alternatives to Highlighting

"It starts with the best of intentions: trusty highlighter in hand or (for the tech-savvy crowd) highlighting tool hovering on-screen, you work your way through an assigned reading, marking only the most important information—or so you think."

JUNE 2021

Reading Skills Part 3: Read to Remember

"It’s happened to the best of us: on Monday evening, you congratulate yourself on making it though an especially challenging reading. What a productive start to the week!"

May 2021

4 Tips for Adjusting to Online Learning

"Cats crawling over your keyboard. Doorbells ringing. Dishes piling up in the sink. Dogs barking. Ah, the joys of studying at home. It sure is nice to wear sweatpants to class, but for all the comforts of remote study, online learning has its challenges."

April 2021

Tips for Avoiding Burnout

"My experience as a Walden student has been—in a word—enriching. I have learned so much about social change, culture, systemic racism, leadership…the list goes on. I love being a student. However, the trouble is that I’m not just a student. "

March 2021

Familiarizing Yourself with Stats Again or for the First Time

"One of the benefits of attending Walden University is the ability to take courses online. This feature is especially important for returning-adult students who typically balance work, life, and family. As we get through each semester, we figure out how to find a nice work-life-school balance. "

March 2021

Staying Positive, Despite the Negatives

"Life is a journey that comes with all sorts of ups and downs that catch us by surprise. Often we are also surrounded by many opportunities and possibilities. Nothing in life is set in stone; our perspective and outlook can help us respond to whatever comes our way."

JANUARY 2021

Being a Lifelong Learner at Walden University

"When I was younger, I didn’t know what lifelong learning meant; I just knew I enjoyed being in school. To illustrate my love of school — I was the kid who cried about missing days because I had chickenpox in elementary school."

2020

DECEMBER 2020

3 Strategies for Breaking the Cycle of Procrastination

"If you are like me, procrastination has taken you on a rollercoaster throughout your educational career. Maybe you planned well, but things came up. Or maybe you enjoy the thrill of the countdown of time ticking before an assignment was due."

November 2020

Don't be Afraid to Ask for Help!

"It can be hard to reach out for help, even when we need it. Maybe asking for help strikes at our desire for independence, triggering fears of appearing incapable, lazy, or incompetent. It might be that we prefer to only ask family members or inner-circle friends for help. "

OCTOBER 2020

6 Tips for Successfully Managing Your Time

"As a Walden student, you are likely managing several important responsibilities. Whether you’re balancing a full course schedule and a full-time job or part-time coursework and full-time parenting duties, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed."

October 2020 - School/Life

October 2020

Our Work-from-Home Stories

"Many Walden staff, faculty, and students have transitioned from offices, work spaces, or our favorite public study spot to working full-time from home. Although this has been a difficult transition for many of us, it is an experience that we all share, sympathize, and empathize with."

August 2020

SMART Goal Setting

"The world we live in today is very goal oriented. Goals are often a measurement we use to determine success. While goals can be great, as they can give us focus on tasks that need to be completed, they can also be detrimental if not done appropriately."

JULY 2020

Choosing a Doctoral Capstone Project: Where do I begin?

"Having trouble identifying the perfect topic for your doctoral capstone project or dissertation? Well, rest assured that you are not alone."

JUNE 2020

Reading a Research Article Assigned as Coursework

"Reading skills are vital to your success at Walden. The kind of reading you do during your degree program will vary, but most of it will involve reading journal articles based on primary research."

JUNE 2020

Selecting and Reading Articles for Your Capstone

"When writing your capstone, you will sift through large amounts of research to determine if it is relevant. Thus, you need to be systematic and approach your reading with a strategy."

May 2020 - Self-care

MAY 2020

Balancing Quarantine Fatigue and Wellness

"As someone who works from home full-time already and enjoys a healthy level of solitude the constant barrage of contact, albeit virtually, was causing my anxiety to rise and my ability to cope plummet."

MAY 2020

Feeling like you don't belong? You're not alone!

"When I began my program at Walden, I remember thinking “I don’t belong here” because my peers all had more experience than I did or had already completed additional academic programs. I felt very out of place."

APRIL 2020

The Blackboard App: What Students Should Know

"As a student at Walden University, you already know you have the flexibility to meet coursework deadlines around your busy schedule."

MARCH 2020

Completing my Doctoral Capstone

"I graduated with a PhD in Psychology with a focus on Educational Psychology from Walden in 2017. I suppose I’ll start by answering the most common question I get from current students: how long did it take me to complete my dissertation?"

MARCH 2020

Getting the Most Out of Your Virtual Residency

"First, it’s important to know the virtual residency experience provides you with the same opportunities to connect with the Walden community and learn valuable information for your doctoral journey, just without the travel!"

FEBRUARY 2020

Critical Reading for Analysis and Comparison

"Critical reading generally refers to reading in a scholarly context, with an eye toward identifying a text or author’s viewpoints, arguments, evidence, potential biases, and conclusions."

FEBRUARY 2020

Critical Reading for Evaluation

"Whereas analysis involves noticing, evaluation requires the reader to make a judgment about the text’s strengths and weaknesses. Many students are not confident in their ability to assess what they are reading."

January 2020

Building Confidence for Your Upcoming Math Course

"No matter your area of study, you will most likely be required to complete at least one math course during your academic journey. Many times math courses can be intimidating for students because it is possible that years have passed since completing a previous math course. "

2019

DECEMBER 2019

Finding Balance by Saying "No"

"If you struggle with finding a balance between your academic work and other obligations in your life, you aren’t alone."

NOVEMBER 2019

Increasing Your Cultural Sensitivity

"I am a Latina from Puerto Rico. I made a good friend from Bermuda during my master’s program at Walden. As I move forward in my doctoral journey, I continue to interact with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds."

OCTOBER 2019

3 Writing Center Resources that Helped my Dissertation

"Writing my dissertation was the most challenging, yet most rewarding of endeavors. With over a decade of graduate school experience, I have had many opportunities for academic and professional writing."

JULY 2019

5 Essential Tips for Email Etiquette

"Email has easily become one of the quickest ways to communicate, especially in online learning environments, where most forms of communication are virtual. Even so, communicating with staff and faculty can be daunting for students new to the online setting."

June 2019 - Technology

June 2019

Becoming Tech Savvy at Walden University

"Going back to school in the online environment presents numerous challenges, including keeping files and documents organized, becoming comfortable with new software applications, and learning how to properly save and back up documents."

MAY 2019

Four Lessons in Times of Crisis

"Being a student is one of the most intense and exciting adventures of our lives. In this academic journey, we focus all our energy and keep organized, but sometimes the unexpected happens."

APRIL 2019

3 Things Needed to Complete my Doctoral Capstone

"Are you worried about the challenge of the dissertation or capstone process? If so, then you are not alone. When I started, I was unaware of all the considerations and requirements needed for a successful journey."

March 2019 - Communication

MARCH 2019

5 Tips for Presenting at a Conference

"When I was a doctoral student at Walden, I had the opportunity to co-present at a conference with an Associate Director in the Academic Skills Center. Though I had been teaching college courses, this was my first experience presenting at a professional conference with peers in my field of study."

February 2019

Demystifying the Purpose and Function of NVivo

"If you are a student in qualitative coursework or a doctoral candidate working on a qualitative capstone project, then you have probably discussed or read about NVivo software. You may be under the impression that NVivo software has the capability not only to code your data or resources but also analyze it for you."

JANUARY 2019

5 Reasons to go International for your Residencies

"Going abroad for my second residency was one of the best decisions I have ever made."

2018

SEPTEMBER 2018

5 Reasons You Should Join a Facebook Group

"There are many platforms students are using to connect with other students. One way I found was to use Facebook. We can share our triumphs, our struggles, ask for advice, or even share our own advice!"

AUGUST 2018

4 Steps for Creating an Online Presentation

"Creating and sharing a presentation in an online environment is a new experience for many students. When I was first given this kind of assignment, I found it helpful to remember that, in some ways, the fundamental components are the same as presenting in person."

July 2018

Learning and Growing from Instructor Feedback

"At Walden, you receive ongoing feedback from your instructor on your discussion and assignment submissions. How do you usually respond to feedback in professional or academic situations?"

JULY 2018

4 Strategies to Prepare for Your Doctoral Capstone

"You’ve likely heard many references to the final ‘capstone project,’ the dissertation or doctoral study that will be the culmination of your work as a doctoral student."

APRIL 2018

Five Tips for Getting (and Staying) Motivated

"One of the fascinating topics for me has always been understanding those who are able to push themselves to go above and beyond to reach higher and higher goals. What gets them there and what keeps them going?"

JANUARY 2018

Making the Most of your First Residency

"Perhaps one of the most common questions I receive from the Doctoral Mentees I coach is: “What will I get out of attending residency?” The answer is simple – you will forge lifetime relationships!"

2017

November 2017

Balancing School Life During the Holidays

"As students, professionals, and family members, we already have high expectations for ourselves, and this becomes even more evident at this time of year when our “to do” lists become longer than ever, as we add a multitude of tasks to our busy schedules. "

October 2017 - MS Word

October 2017

A Little TOC (Part 2)

"For the Walden Template, the easiest method to use, the TOC is pre-made, with pre-set styles, and headers based on the APA standard used by Walden University. In MS Word in the Home tool Ribbon, you have a styles section."

September 2017

A Little TOC (Part 1)

"You have done the hard work, typed your document from start to finish, stroked the keys on your keyboard, dotted your I’s and crossed your T’s, now it comes to the final stages of creating a table of contents (TOC) for your document. "

AUGUST 2017

Recognizing Your Level of Academic Literacy

"This past November, I purchased a home and found myself, for the first time in those 10+ years, face-to-face with a driveway full of snow and a big, klonking snow blower standing between me and the ability to back my car out of the garage."

JULY 2017

The ABC's of Financial Statement Analysis

"Accountants capture raw data gathered from business ventures, translate it into meaningful information for the management to use in decision making."

June 2017

Adjusting to Life as a Doctoral Student

"Beginning a doctoral program is a huge transition, one that requires time to adjust and support from those around you. Your free time is no longer your own, as there are suddenly papers to write and deadlines to meet, all in addition to the usual demands on your time."

May 2017

10 Best Practices and Tips for MS Word

"Writing papers, creating tables, creating reference pages; the list is endless when it comes to creating documents for scholarly studies. "

APRIL 2017

3 Tips on Being a Savvy Reader

"A little over 4 months ago, I became a mom. I immediately began picturing future milestones in my son’s life: talking, crawling, walking, and—of course—reading."

March 2017 - Math

March 2017

Academic Skills Center: Savvy Student Blog

Profiles in Social Change: Education for Good in Action

Setting Reasonable Expectations When Starting Capstone

Quieting the Skeptic: Overcoming Doubt with a Growth Mindset

My Experience with the Blended Academic Year in Residence (BAYR)

Allowing Our Motivations to Evolve

Continuing Your Journey: Adjusting to Graduate-Level Expectations

February 2022

Who Am I? The Importance of Doctoral Identity and Tips to Develop One

Growing and Staying Gritty in Higher Education

Embracing the Challenge: Three Helpful Writing Mantras to Change Your Mindset

Professional Mentorship: 3 Ways a Mentor Can Boost Your Career

3 Strategies for Self-Examining Stereotypes and Hidden Bias

Video Games as Resilience Practice

On Becoming Elastic: The Role of Resilience in Facing Challenges

4 Strategies to Successfully Transition from Coursework to the Doctoral Capstone

Building Connections with Others: What Being a Peer Mentor Has Taught Me About Being a Student

My Doctoral Journey: Completing the Doctor of Public Heatlh

AIM-ing Higher: How the AIM Program Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

Setting Yourself Up for Sucess as a Doctoral Student

5 Insights We Gained During an Appointment with a Career Advisor

Developing Discussion Board Peer Responses: 5 Tips from Current Walden Students

How to Develop a Successful Discussion Post: 5 Tips from Walden Students

Reading Skills Part 1: Set Yourself Up for Success

Reading Skills Part 2: Alternatives to Highlighting

Reading Skills Part 3: Read to Remember

4 Tips for Adjusting to Online Learning

Tips for Avoiding Burnout

Familiarizing Yourself with Stats Again or for the First Time

Staying Positive, Despite the Negatives

Being a Lifelong Learner at Walden University

3 Strategies for Breaking the Cycle of Procrastination

Don't be Afraid to Ask for Help!

6 Tips for Successfully Managing Your Time

October 2020 - School/Life

Our Work-from-Home Stories

SMART Goal Setting

Choosing a Doctoral Capstone Project: Where do I begin?

Reading a Research Article Assigned as Coursework

Selecting and Reading Articles for Your Capstone

May 2020 - Self-care

Balancing Quarantine Fatigue and Wellness

Feeling like you don't belong? You're not alone!

The Blackboard App: What Students Should Know

Completing my Doctoral Capstone

Getting the Most Out of Your Virtual Residency

Critical Reading for Analysis and Comparison

Critical Reading for Evaluation

Building Confidence for Your Upcoming Math Course

Finding Balance by Saying "No"

Increasing Your Cultural Sensitivity

3 Writing Center Resources that Helped my Dissertation

5 Essential Tips for Email Etiquette

June 2019 - Technology

Becoming Tech Savvy at Walden University

Four Lessons in Times of Crisis

3 Things Needed to Complete my Doctoral Capstone

March 2019 - Communication

5 Tips for Presenting at a Conference

Demystifying the Purpose and Function of NVivo

5 Reasons to go International for your Residencies

5 Reasons You Should Join a Facebook Group

4 Steps for Creating an Online Presentation

Learning and Growing from Instructor Feedback

4 Strategies to Prepare for Your Doctoral Capstone

Five Tips for Getting (and Staying) Motivated

Making the Most of your First Residency

2017

Balancing School Life During the Holidays

October 2017 - MS Word

A Little TOC (Part 2)

A Little TOC (Part 1)

Recognizing Your Level of Academic Literacy

The ABC's of Financial Statement Analysis

Adjusting to Life as a Doctoral Student

10 Best Practices and Tips for MS Word

3 Tips on Being a Savvy Reader

March 2017 - Math

5 Success Tips for Quantative Reasoning and Analysis

Academic Skills Center Tutor Successes

Academic Skills Center:
Savvy Student Blog

Building Connections with Others: What Being a Peer Mentor
Has Taught Me About Being a Student