Write an initial substantive response of 150 words in length. Begin your response with a restatement of the question/prompt, and include in-text citation(s) and a reference for each scholarly source used according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide located in the Student Success Center. The restatement of the question/prompt, the references, and the citations are not included in your response word count.

Hi, Mia Young

One areas of the Self-Assessment I think I have mastered is the Writing category. In this part of the Assessment, there were several questions relating to knowledge of the American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines, grammar, and writing mechanics. With several years of experience in teaching, curriculum development, course planning, and technical writing, this is an area I feel confident in. Although I have achieved a level of certainty with writing mechanics, there are still areas I wish to improve.

One of the objectives commonly involved in the pursuit of a terminal degree is becoming proficient in scholarly writing. For doctoral-level students, scholarly writing and publishing should be more than a resume highlight or a skill used for promotion or advancement (Hite, 2013). Scholarly writing is the way one contributes to their area of expertise. Scholarly writing is very different from the type of "business writing" required by my professional role. When designing material or writing protocols for work, I write using company-specific acronyms, and often assume the readers are coming from a prospective of shared values. This allows me to omit a great deal of context and procedural language. This makes most of my pieces very short, clear, and concise. When writing a scholarly piece, it is essential to the integrity of the work that in-depth context, rationale, and relevant thought processes are included.

Scholarly writing at the doctoral-level can be a cause for anxiousness among students. The majority of students require a great deal of reassurance and support (Cotterall, 2011). Although, it will take a great deal of time and energy to master scholarly writing, it is something I am committed to. I have a supportive network of family, friends, and professionals who can help guide me in the right direction.

References:

Cotterall, S. (2011). Doctoral students writing: where's the pedagogy? Teaching In Higher Education, 16(4), 413-425. doi:10.1080/13562517.2011.560381

Hite, L. M. (2013). The Handbook of Scholarly Writing and Publishing, edited by Tonette S. Rocco and Tim Hatcher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2011. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 24(1), 131-136. doi:10.1002/hrdq.21138