On Thursday, June 1, 2023, the Walden University Form and Style Editors hosted a Capstone Writing Clinic. The purpose of this clinic was to guide attendees through the steps involved in the capstone document phase of their degree. 

During this one-day event, attendees were guided through how the capstone is different from previous coursework, a demonstration of working with the university’s document templates, and guidance on the literature review process. 

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Introduction to the Doctoral Capstone 

This session will include an introduction to and overview of the capstone (dissertation, doctoral study, project study, or project) to fulfill the doctoral degree. Key areas covered include the differences between coursework and longform writing, the main sections of a capstone document and what each entails, and the overall context of the goals and purpose of this level of academic research. Available resources and other materials will be reviewed and an opportunity for Q&A will occur at the end as time allows. 

Grammar in the Doctoral Capstone 

In this second session of the clinic, an editor will review some basics of grammar in relation to the doctoral capstone. Key areas covered include English sentence structure, common grammar errors in academic writing, and suggestions for revision approaches for the capstone. Available resources and other materials will be reviewed and an opportunity for Q&A will occur at the end as time allows. 

Writing Organization and Structure for the Doctoral Capstone 

In this third session of the clinic, an editor will review organization and structure in writing as they apply to the doctoral capstone. Areas covered include the role organization plays in an effective capstone; key aspects of strong organization such as flow, credibility, and readability; and approaches at the paragraph level in a doctoral research document. Available resources and other materials will be reviewed and an opportunity for Q&A will occur at the end as time allows. 

Working With the Capstone Template: Tips, Common Questions, and Resources  

The Walden University document templates provide capstone students with a way to ensure formatting of their final study is consistent with the requirements of the university, APA Style, and ProQuest. In this fourth session of the clinic, an editor will review best practices for using the MS Word template along with tips and suggestions for addressing issues that might arise with the template. Available resources and other materials will be reviewed and an opportunity for Q&A will occur at the end as time allows.