GRADUATE STUDENTS

Grad Students with writing projects are invited to make a 45-minute appointment with one of our Faculty Writing Consultants to discuss graduate projects, theses, or dissertations. All appointments are 45 minutes; the last 15 minutes are reserved for your consultant to complete necessary paperwork. 

You can work together with one of our faculty consultants on a range of writing issues. Just bring in a question or concern, such as: 

My advisor says my writing is too informal.

My advisor says my sentence structure is hard to follow. 

How do I transition from this section to the next?

How do I wrap up this section?

How do I integrate my sources?

Is my literature review well-organized?

Given the time limit, only relatively short sections of a long project can receive attention. Come to the appointment focused with a plan for what you want to work on. 

Many of our consultants are faculty in the English or Linguistics departments and have years of experience working with graduate student writers. You can read their bios and find out about their available hours here.

Asynchronous Graduate Feedback

Usually available during weeks 3–14 of the spring and fall semester. The Asynchronous Graduate Student Feedback service is for graduate-level students working on their thesis or other larger projects (12 to 20 double-spaced pages at a time).

Here's how it works:

1. You email us at with a brief description of your work and any specific questions or goals you may have. Attach your work as a Word document (.docx).
2. If your submission request is approved, we will assign your work to a faculty consultant.
3. Once we are done with your work, your document will be emailed back to you with comments using Word's review function. This takes 3-7 days, depending on traffic. 
4. You will also have the opportunity to make an appointment to meet live with one of the consultants to discuss the comments and design a plan for your revisions.

Please note:

• We need explicit permission from your professor if you would like feedback on your comprehensive exam responses.
• If you email us on a Friday afternoon or during a weekend, you may not hear back from us until the following business day (most likely a Monday).
• In order to ensure the most productive experience, please check your email frequently and respond to us in a timely manner.
• In times of heavy traffic, we may take over a week to provide feedback.
• Although our consultants are happy to look at an assignment at any stage, asynchronous tutoring works best on projects that are further along in their development. For help with brainstorming, conceptualizing, and projects that are not fully formed, we recommend coming in to the Writing Center and meeting with consultants in person. 
• The consultant will not make any changes to your paper, but instead will make suggestions on how you can improve your work.
• Possible reasons why your request for feedback would not be approved: 
  • you are an undergraduate student
  • you are requesting feedback on a personal statement or application
  • you are not following our rules and policies outlined above

If you have any questions, please  send us an email at onlinelrc@csun.edu

We look forward to working with you!

Graduate Workshop Series and Drop-In Support Hours (DISH)

DISH is a weekly, open support session designed specifically for graduate students working on larger projects.

DISH will be held throughout the semester to try to provide all interested students an opportunity to build and engage with a graduate-student specific learning community. Each session will allow students a space to work independently on your project with a Faculty Writing Consultant on hand if you need any assistance.

DISH is meant to provide an open space for graduate students to network with others, help keep themselves accountable for completing their projects, and work independently with access to a writing consultant for questions.

How to sign up:

1. Log in to EAB (clicking the registration link will also take you to EAB).
2. Select the blue “Schedule appointment or view drop-in availability” button on the top right.
3. On the next screen, select “Learning Resource Center (LRC)” from the first drop-down menu.
4. Under “Reason for your appointment,” select the desired workshop (DISH). 
5. You may input your desired date. Then, select “Find Available Time.” You will be taken to a screen which displays all currently available workshop dates and times.
6. Select the “appointment” time (the day and time of the workshop, usually displayed within an oval). 
7. Then, read the appointment details for important information, such as the Zoom link for online workshops. In the “Would you like to share anything else?” box, please include the words "proof needed" and your professor's email address if you'd like us to send proof of attendance, and any other important information such as whether you will be joined by an interpreter.
8. Select what type of reminders you'd like to receive and then select "Schedule."
9. You can verify and cancel your workshop registration at any time by clicking "View Appointments."

IMPORTANT: If you need proof of attendance, please put "proof needed" and your instructor's name and email address in the comments box on EAB.

Please call us at (818) 677-2033 or email onlinelrc@csun.edu with any questions or for assistance with registration. 

• CSUN Graduate Studies Thesis/Dissertation and Graduate Project Information

http://www.csun.edu/research-graduate-studies/thesisdissertation-and-graduate-project-deadlines

This page from our University shows deadlines and offers links to pdf’s on formatting guidelines for theses/dissertations/projects.  It also links you to necessary guidelines for research on human/animal subjects.