Kits:

Personal Responsibility and Support From Peers

• Follow faculty expectations. Reach out to student success advisors for support with working with the committee.
• Read the page on Communication and Connections for tips on connecting with other students, interacting with the committee chair, and interacting with other Walden offices.
• Read the Multilingual Writing Tip: Communication and Responsibility
• Read the Multilingual Writing Tip: Most Helpful Supports for Writing a Dissertation
• Also, watch this short video on Following Faculty Expectations: 

• Remember that at the project study/doctoral study/dissertation stage, the writer must self-manage their own writing. See more on self-efficacy on this web page.
• Follow program-specific guidance documents, found on the Office of Research and Doctoral Studies website.
• Use the appropriate Doctoral Study Document Template, found on the Form and Style website.
• Also remember that all writers need feedback to improve. The amount or type of feedback multilingual capstone writers receive may differ from what they have experienced in their previous education or in a different culture. If writers receive feedback they do not understand, they should ask for clarification. For additional resources, see the web pages on Self-Editing.
• For more help, see the video on Tips for Revising and Proofreading: 

Attending an online institution can be isolating at times. Writing a project study/doctoral study/dissertation can also be isolating, especially once the coursework phase is completed, and most of the time is devoted to a specific research project. Being a multilingual or international student can add an additional layer to the level of isolation because of language or cultural differences. Paltridge and Starfield (2007) also noted that multilingual students often have less access to research culture and social networks than their native-speaking peers.

To help overcome this isolation,

• Seek out field-specific conference opportunities and other professional development.
• Develop peer support and peer review groups with classmates. Meet frequently and use these to help overcome social isolation as well as to develop language development.
• Use the resources for Walden Student Groups to develop a network of support. 
• Join the Walden University International and Multilingual Student Club, hosted by faculty member Judith Blakely.