Need Help With a Paper?

Online CAP writing support services:

Before submitting your paper, please note the following: 

• You must be a currently enrolled student. If you have already graduated, please reach out to the Career Readiness Center for help with CVs and personal statements.
• Save your file name with your Last Name_Title of Paper. For example, “Smith_Personal Statement.” File must be saved as a Word document. 
• Your paper must be double-spaced with standard 1-inch margins and 12-point font. 
  • If your paper is not formatted correctly, you will be notified and required to re-submit the file after you have made the corrections. 
• CAP will only review up to 1500 words.  
• A paper will only be reviewed a maximum of three (3) times.  If the same paper is submitted a fourth time, it will be returned.
• Please allow up to four (4) business days to review a paper. 
  • If you have multiple papers you need reviewed, it may be more efficient to schedule an appointment with the CAP Writing Specialist. Submitting multiple papers may delay the response time. 

Individual appointments:

• 30-minute appointments are available for currently enrolled students.
• Please visit Symplicity to make an appointment.
• Appointments can be canceled in Symplicity if more than 24 hours prior to your appointment time. If it is less than 24 hours before your appointment, please email CAP@unthsc.edu.
• Appointments can be done in-person or virtually via Zoom.
• Appointment requests must have a Word doc attached for review and editing.
• You may only meet a maximum of three (3) times for a single paper.
• Students are only able to schedule one writing appointment at a time.

Purpose of writing support:

• Receive feedback on writing samples submitted to our office via the Writing Submission Form.
• Appointment based Writing Assistance
• CAP writing tutors will provide feedback on:
  • Rhetorical Situation
  • Content as it relates to the reader
  • Purpose and Focus
  • Organization
  • Development
  • Diction & Syntax
  • Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling
• Students have access to APA styling guides as well as other writing tips through the Center for Academic Performance’s CANVAS page. These are found within the Writing & Presentation Support module.

Faculty and staff requests:

• The Writing Assistant is available to provide support to departments through the following services:
  • In-class presentations on various writing topics
  • Providing writing samples to classes that the Writing Assistant can use to identify points of improvement for students on individual and group basis
  • Other support
• Contact CAP at CAP@unthsc.edu to schedule a presentation or other writing support.

Additional Information

Self-guided Writing Courses:

• Lesson 1: Composing a Formal Essay: A Quick Guide
• Lesson 2: Mastering Academic Language and Style
• Lesson 3: Revising and Editing at the Graduate Level

Editing services:

• CAP does not provide editing services for UNTHSC students
• A list of outside editors is available upon request by sending an email to CAP@unthsc.edu

Great Article on Writing Dissertations: My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Dissertation by Rachel Herrmann