August 2020: Communication and Responsibility

A common struggle with completing a doctoral capstone in the United States is understanding your autonomy in the process and how to work with your committee.

Remember that in the United States’ educational system, you are encouraged and expected to ask questions. If you receive feedback that you do not understand, be sure to reach out to your committee to ask. See the Communication and Connections page for more ideas as well as the information about Personal Responsibility.

Also keep in mind that you are expected to self-manage your writing. Writing needs to become a habit instead of something that happens right before a deadline. In fact, revision may be the most time-consuming part of the process! Create a timeline to keep yourself on track and make sure to give yourself the time you need to fully revise. Use the Self-Editing pages for ideas.

As you near the end of the process, use the Form and Style Checklist to revise and self-edit your manuscript. This is the document that the editors will use to give you feedback during the Form and Style Review. The more of this that you have done on your own, the fewer revisions there will be to make after the review.

Finally, we receive frequent requests for outside editing. If you do choose to hire an outside editor for your doctoral capstone, see the page for Tips on Hiring an Outside Editor.