Ask Doctoral Advising

Smarthinking is Capella’s tutoring service that helps learners guide their own growth with academic writing. To help learners utilize this service, at Track 1 colloquia, writing program faculty are now working directly with learners to help them get their Smarthinking accounts established. We are also teaching them how to use our WAC ( Writing Across the Curriculum) tools to ask specific questions of their Smarthinking tutors.

Smarthinking tutors speak the same ‘language’ about writing that we use in our Writing Across the Curriculum and Writing Center tools. Learning that language early in the degree program helps learners to better communicate their writing needs.

Learning that language also provides a clearer path for communication with faculty, as faculty are now using the Writing Feedback Tool in the courserooms.

All learners have access to Smarthinking, free of charge, by setting up an account from the link on the writing center home page. To create an account, visit www.capellawritingcenter.org. The first link under ‘resources’ on that page is called ‘tutoring.’ The tutoring link takes learners through the process of setting up an account. Once the account is established, learners can submit their writing for review.

When registering with Smarthinking, Capella learners are given 20 hours of tutoring time with Smarthinking e-structors. Once a learner has used those 20 hours, we will recharge the account with an additional 20 hours.