Walden University Writing Center

Where instructors and editors talk writing.

M- Utilizing Walden Writing Center’s resources is an effective way students can advance their writing skills and reduce stress. E- Mattingly (2019) reported that students often come to the Writing Center lacking confidence but walk away with greater knowledge and awareness of their writing abilities. A- This recommendation highlights students’ potential to advance their writing skills through the Center’s resources and reflects a welcoming environment of instruction and learning. E- Philbrook (2019) similarly noted that many students find the Writing Center a safe place to explore writing anxiety and locate related resources on writer’s block, mindfulness, and self-reflection. A-Each author highlights a unique way Walden’s Writing Center works with students to develop stronger writing skills and reduce stress. L- The Writing Center, in this regard, can have a meaningful and healthy impact on students’ scholarly writing skills and overall wellbeing.

M- The Writing Center’s paper review service is a vital resource for Walden students seeking to become not only better writers but also scholarly communicators. PE- Upon enrolling at Walden, I contacted the Writing Center to learn about resources available to students and was invited to set up a paper review appointment. E- These paper reviews, according to Walden’s Writing Center (n.d.), are designed to “help students develop their academic writing skills as emerging scholars and encourage students to engage in an ongoing writing process” (para. 4). A- The Writing Center promotes an environment where students’ writing projects are viewed as part of a larger process of professional and scholarly development. PE- Though reluctant at first, I quickly found the paper review service to be an invaluable experience in my growth as a scholar because I received personalized feedback that highlighted patterns in my writing style and made me more prepared to communicate my research. L- The Writing Center’s paper review service helps students see how daily writing projects relate to an ongoing process of scholarly development and communication. 

Miranda Mattingly is the Manager of Writing Instructional Services and a former Writing Instructor at the Walden Writing Center. When working with students, her primary focus is on encouraging students to have confidence in their skills as writers and to cultivate their voices as critical thinkers in an increasingly global community. 

1. 1.) Introduce: Introduce the quote in your own words. The introduction to a quote is often called the signal phrase, and the signal phrase can be as simple as introducing the author’s name within your sentence or as complex as embedding the quote into the narrative of your sentence structure.
2. 2.) Cite: Cite the author by including quotation marks, the author’s name, the year of publication, and the page or paragraph number of the information. 
3. 3.) Explain: Explain how the quoted information relates to the main idea in your paragraph or paper. In other words, you will show readers how the quoted information relates to your chosen topic.

• Using learning analytics can illustrate individual and team contributions to a classroom by “combining specific data, precision, and speed to create a unified picture of classroom contribution” (Doe, 2016, p. 240). Instructors can use learning analytics in the classroom to assign more accurate grades to group members, specifically for complex projects that require students to work outside of the purview of the instructor.

• Because of the specific information about student actions in the classroom that learning analytics provides, Doe (2016) argued that “using learning analytics in education is the door to end all windows” (p. 244). However, while learning analytics may provide individualized information about student contributions in the classroom and therefore seem to answer many problems in the online classroom, instructors must take care they use learning analytics as a teaching tool rather than as a justification for assigning grades.

Katherine McKinney is a writing instructor in the Walden University Writing Center. She received an M.A. in English from Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Education at Walden. Katherine's goal as an instructor is to show students that the best writing results from practice, and she aims to provide feedback and resources that will guide students through the invention, composition, and revision process.

Never miss a new post; Opt-out at any time

• Academic paragraphing basics
• How to transition within and between paragraphs

The Walden University Writing Center helps student writers at all points of the writing process by providing one on one writing instruction, modules, webinars, a podcast, and blog.

Flex your creativity for your next writing assignment.

• What information can I present to my readers that they will not have known before reading my paper? How can I captivate my readers while still maintaining academic tone?
• What ideas do I want to end my paper with? Is a standard "A. B. C. outline" the best way for me to get there? Is there a way I might outline my text differently to lead to this conclusion?
• What ideas do I want to discuss in depth in my paper? How will these areas of depth impact other areas of my text, and how can I balance this depth?

The Walden University Writing Center provides information and assistance to students with services like live chat, webinars, course visits, paper reviews, podcasts, modules, and the Writing Center's webpages. The Writing Center supports students through all stages of their writing process and develops the writer as well as the writing.

• Sign up for an account in myPASS (my Paper Appointment Scheduling System).
• Make an appointment up to two weeks in advance with a writing instructor. 
• Attach your paper in myPASS by 5 a.m. EST the day of the appointment (you’ll even receive a reminder email two days before). 

The Walden Writing Center provides information and assistance to students with services like live chat, webinars, course visits, paper reviews, podcasts, modules, and Writing Center webpages. Through these services they provide students assistance with APA, scholarly writing, and help students gain skills and confidence to enhance their scholarly work.


Never miss a new post; Opt-out at any time