Ask OASIS As an online doctoral student, you often represent yourself and your academic work in writing.
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.
Post-Assessment Pep Talk
After being placed in a Graduate Writing course following the Doctoral Writing Skills Assessment, students often react with a range of emotions—anger, disappointment, and fear. It is natural to have these concerns. However, to gain the most from the Graduate Writing course, it is important to shift focus away from these initial reactions and approach the course with a strategic mindset.
This transformation—from a place of humiliation, resentment, or anxiety to one of acceptance and openness—is necessary to focus on what matters: your writing journey and how that journey leads to a degree. You can do it! Write on!
Read through the questions below to find answers to common questions and provide guidance to move forward successfully.
Why do I need this writing course if I’ve earned A’s?
Completing a writing course is a program requirement for all doctoral students to ensure they develop strong academic writing skills. Program faculty primarily assess students based on content mastery rather than conducting an in-depth evaluation of writing. As a result, earning A’s in coursework is possible while still having areas for writing improvement. Even if additional writing support does not seem necessary, the Graduate Writing courses provide valuable strategies, techniques, and post-assessment resources that can be used throughout the doctoral journey. Embracing this experience will contribute to long-term academic and professional success.
How can I manage this course with my full workload?
The Graduate Writing course(s) were designed to sit alongside students’ program courses. You will likely find the workload more manageable than other courses. Even so, juggling multiple courses, discussions, and assignments can prove difficult. Past students have recommended planning studying time into your schedule, using a calendar application for reminders, and completing the Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services’ Success Strategies self-paced modules. If you find yourself falling behind, communicate with your instructor via the Contact Your Instructor page. Your instructor is there to support you.
Does this mean I’m a bad writer?
No! You are not a horrible writer. Your writing skills assessment was simply marked as one whose author may benefit from extra support for one reason or another. For example, you may be transitioning into scholarly writing from a more informal style, writing in a language other than your native one, or returning to school after a hiatus. Writing skills tend to get rusty if they are not used regularly, just like any other skill. These courses are meant to get your writing machinery operating smoothly again.
Will I be dismissed from my program if I struggle?
You will not get kicked out of your program if you put in the effort required of students in a Graduate Writing course. This effort includes submitting all discussions and assignments on time, reflecting on your writing abilities, and applying instructor feedback from week to week. (Students who earn an Unsatisfactory grade in a Graduate Writing course twice could be dismissed from the university—but let’s not get ahead of ourselves!)
Time after time, at the end of a term, Graduate Writing students post evaluations like this:
“When I was directed to take this course, I felt humiliated. After the first week, I realized that it was the best decision someone ever made for me. It was worth my time, and I recommend it as a foundation course for all students.”
Writing Assessment Petition Options
Students can submit petitions concerning the required doctoral writing assessment for the reasons listed below.
Petition to have your assessment re-scored
If you believe your assessment was scored incorrectly or should have received a different score, you may request a second review. To do so, submit the standard Student Petition Request Form through your MyWalden portal, along with a written explanation (150-200 words) outlining why the essay should have received a different score based on the Doctoral Writing Assessment course rubric categories.
Petition to have your writing course postponed
Students may postpone their required writing course once, by one term. To request a delay, submit the Student Petition Request Form via your MyWalden portal, explaining the reason. This type of petition may only be approved once. If you are required to complete two writing courses, you may only delay one of the courses for one term. Petitions must be submitted by week 2 of the course.
Petition to retake your writing skills assessment
If extenuating circumstances prevented you from completing your writing skills assessment, you may petition for a retake. Submit the standard Student Petition Request Form available on your MyWalden portal specifying the reasons why reenrollment is needed. Petitions citing a lack of awareness of the assessment requirement will not be accepted, as the Walden Writing Assessment team sends multiple reminders to your Walden email.
Petition to prevent academic dismissal due to a writing course
To request a third attempt at a required writing support course or an extension to the one-year deadline, submit the Student Petition Request Form via your MyWalden portal, explaining the reason for the request.
Contact Us
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!