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Doctoral Writing Assessment
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Writing Assessment:
Essay Tips and Resources

Administered by the Academic Skills Center
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"The assignment prompt for this writing assessment has been very helpful in providing me with a sense of
what to expect as a doctoral student at Walden University.
I plan to refer to this assignment again to remind myself that this is a marathon and not a sprint and that
I have support available all along my doctoral journey.”

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Tips for Writing Your Essay

Before you start writing

  • Explore your DRWA Doctoral Writing Assessment classroom, including the announcement section.
  • Review the essay prompt and assessment rubric found under the Assignment area in your DRWA Doctoral Writing Assessment classroom.
Note: The prompt includes a reading excerpt from an academic journal article. You only need to read the excerpt, not the full article, and no outside research is required for this assignment.
  • Outline your essay to organize your thoughts and ensure that ideas are logically organized into cohesive paragraphs.
  • Allow time to draft, revise, and edit your essay before the due date.

Writing the essay

  • Ensure the central idea is focused, clear, and responds to the prompt and that ideas are developed.
  • Paraphrase relevant evidence from the reading excerpt to support the overall argument, and include analysis and some form of citation.
  • Organize your essay with logical structure, clear paragraphs, and appropriate transitional phrases.
  • Use grammar and mechanics to effectively communicate meaning.
  • Check that your essay aligns with the assessment rubric categories.

Check out these online resources:

  • Academic Skills Center resources to support you as start the writing assessment process:
  • Resources to support you if you are concerned about your SafeAssign score: 

How to Interpret a SafeAssign Originality Report 

Transcript: How to Interpret a SafeAssign Originality Report (PDF)

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