Ask OASISAs an online doctoral student, you often represent yourself and your academic work in writing.
To help you do that effectively, this assessment is designed to:
- Identify your individual writing strengths and needs, and
- Match your current skills to a specific writing course aimed to help you hone your skills.
By completing this writing assessment, online doctoral students can build strong academic writing habits targeted to their individual strengths and needs early in their studies at Walden.
How Do I Complete the Writing Assessment
- Review the Doctoral Writing Assessment (DRWA) classroom, assignment prompt, rubric, and instructions.
- Write and submit your assessment essay to the classroom by the assignment deadline.
- Receive your essay score from the Writing Assessment team one week after the course ends.
- Complete any required Graduate Writing course(s) in the next term.
Writing Assessment Scores and Next Steps
You will receive your assessment score in an email one week after the DRWA Doctoral Writing Assessment course ends. Your score email will indicate if you tested out of any of the required writing courses and your next steps if you did not test out of those courses. Any required writing courses are free on the first attempt. Walden’s Writing Assessment team will automatically register you for your required writing course, alongside program courses, in the term following your DRWA course.
Scoring Outcomes
Score: 4 or 5
You have tested out of Graduate Writing I and Graduate Writing II by demonstrating competency in the following writing skills:
- Central idea is focused, clear, and directly responds to the prompt
- Relevant and accurately paraphrased or quoted evidence is provided from the reading
- Ideas are well organized
- Use of grammar and mechanics effectively conveys meaning
If you'd like to further develop your writing skills, consider taking Graduate Writing III: Advanced Composition Skills.
Learn about Graduate Writing III
If you'd like to take Graduate Writing III, please contact writingassessment@mail.waldenu.edu to register for the free course.
Score: 3
You have tested out of Graduate Writing I by demonstrating the following writing skills:
- Central idea is clear and connected to the prompt and ideas are somewhat developed
- Clear connection to the reading is provided through paraphrase or quotation
- Ideas are generally organized
- Few inaccuracies in grammar and mechanics distract reader from meaning
You will need to complete Graduate Writing II, which is a free course that will help you develop scholarly writing skills such as paraphrasing and evaluating main ideas.
You will be enrolled in this course in the following term.
Score: 1-2
You need to complete both required writing courses, Graduate Writing I and Graduate Writing II as listed on your Program Progress Guide.
You will be enrolled in the first required writing course in the following term. In these courses, you practice and develop scholarly writing skills such as critical reading, summarizing, paraphrasing, and evaluating main ideas.
Score: 0
You received a score of 0 because you did not submit an assessment for review or there was evidence of plagiarism in your essay. Your score email will indicate if no essay was submitted or if plagiarism was present in your essay.
You need to complete both required writing courses, Graduate Writing I and Graduate Writing II, as listed on your Program Progress Guide.
You will be enrolled in the first required writing course in the following term. In these courses, you practice and develop scholarly writing skills such as critical reading, summarizing, paraphrasing, and evaluating main ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Walden's doctoral writing assessment requirement?
How will I complete my doctoral writing assessment?
How do I determine eligibility for an exemption from completing the doctoral writing assessment?
What is the DRWA Doctoral Writing Assessment course/classroom?
What are my options to petition the doctoral writing assessment?
What does my score for my doctoral writing assessment essay mean?
When will I learn my essay score for the doctoral writing assessment?
Do I need to follow APA style in my doctoral writing assessment essay?
What happens if I do not satisfactory complete my required Graduate Writing course(s)?
How will I register for CAEX Graduate Writing support course(s), if required?
Who do I contact for help or with questions?
If you have questions about your writing assessment or your writing course, please contact us at writingassessment@mail.waldenu.edu. We are here for you and happy to help!
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