Why Create an Account? You will need to create an account in order to use the features of the Writing Studio. In addition, some courses will require that you have a Writing Studio account so that you can access class materials, complete class activities, and collaborate with others. The work you create in the Writing Studio is stored in a database, in a password-protected account, so that you can revise it, share it with other writers, or ask other writers to comment on it.
How to Create an Account: To create a new Writing Studio Account, from the Writing@CSU main page, click the "Create an Account" link in the "Log in to the Writing Studio" box.
On the "Create an Account" page, complete the form with the required information, (first name, last name, email, password and password confirmation). Also, please indicate whether you want to allow your instructors to add you to their Writing Studio class rosters, (if you plan on taking a class that uses the Writing Studio, you'll want to select "yes" for this option). When you've completed the form, click on the "Create Account" button at the bottom of the page.
How to Log In: On the Writing Studio main page, enter your email address and Writing Studio password into the form in the "Log in to the Writing Studio" area at the top right of the page. Once you've done that, click the "login" button and you are logged in.
Your Writing Page: Once you've logged in to the Writing Studio, you are sent directly to Your Writing page. This is a central location where you can access all of the tools and features available to you as a user of the Writing Studio. Your Writing page includes various tools including the To-Do List, Ideas, Sources, Source Notes, Outline, Drafts, Blogs, ePortfolios, Folders, as well as a list of your courses or co-ops.
On the top right of Your Writing Page is the "Customize" button, or in other layouts, this option is one of the tabs. Clicking on this button or tab takes you directly to the page where you can customize the layout, appearance, content, and display of Your Writing Page.
Personal Folders and Files: Your Personal Folders are a place where you can store and organize the work you do using the Writing Studio Tools and Activities, as well as other files that you upload. These folders can also be shared with other Writing Studio users and classes.
Your Personal Folders can be accessed and managed from Your Writing Page, in the "Folders" tab section. From here you can click on a folder title to view a folder’s contents and management options, create a new folder, or change the display order of your folders.
Once you click on a folder title, you are taken to a page where you can view or manage all the work and files saved in that folder.
Writing Assistance: There are numerous ways to get feedback on your writing using the Writing Studio. Another Writing Studio user might share their blog(s) or eportfolio(s) with you or you with them, a writer might request that you make comments on their work or you might request comments from another writer on your work, or you might be in a class or co-op with other writers. All of these connections facilitate giving and receiving feedback on your work, and if you’ve made such connections, you can access them from Your Writing Page. This page includes links to classes you are taking, co-ops you belong to, your work folders created or shared, blogs written or shared, eportolios created or shared, and comment requests made or received.
The other options for getting feedback on your writing can be accessed by selecting the "Assistance" section of the top bar menu, which will take you to the “Get Feedback on Your Writing" main page. Here you can access options to "Ask a Question," "Send a Draft to the Writing Center," "Use the Writing Studio Comments Tool," and "Chat with Other Writers."
Writing Classes & Co-ops: On Your Writing Page, you will find a listing for all of your current Writing Studio classes under the heading "Your Classes." Using this class list, you can link directly to any class main page by clicking on the title. Using the options menu to the right of any visible class listing, you can manage whether classes are hidden or shown, (as you may have classes from a previous semester still listed).
Writing Studio Co-ops provide an online space for groups of writers to work together. Any writer with a Writing Studio account can create a Co-op; any member of a Co-op can manage the Co-op; and any member can ask other writers to join the Co-op. If you are a member of a Co-op, the Co-op is listed on Your Writing Page, with the title functioning as a link to the Co-op.
How to Find Things and Get Help in the Writing Studio: To locate the help area from any page in the Writing Studio, select "Site Help" from the top menu. The online help materials are grouped by topic; such as "Get Started," "Manage Your Account," and "Get Feedback."
Each online help topic page includes help videos, transcripts of the help videos, step-by-step help guides that you can read or print, and links to any related help materials; all grouped by help topic.
From any page in the Writing Studio, select the “Site Info” option. This takes you to a page that includes many options for finding information and materials on the Writing Studio, including links to the complete site and resource indexes, information about the site, contact information, site news and updates, and a Google search option for Writing@CSU or the web.
Your Calendar: From Your Writing Page, click the Calendar icon. This takes you to Your Calendar, which shows the current month. From this page you can move to another month or year, add an entry to your calendar, or view an entry. Use your personal calendar to track homework due dates, appointments, class schedules, school holidays, etc.
Writing Tools: The Writing Studio offers a variety of Writing Tools including To-Do List, Ideas, Bibliography & Source Notes, Outline, Drafts, Blogs, and ePortfolios, which can be saved to your password-protected account. The Writing Studio Writing Tools can be accessed by viewing Your Writing Page and clicking on an icon or title link in the Writing Tools area to access a specific tool. They can also be accessed by selecting “Writing” from the main top bar menu and, on the resulting page, following the “Your Writing Tools” link which will take you to a page where you can link to and view descriptions of the tools.
Writing Guides: Think of our Writing Guides as online textbooks. Each guide is designed to help you find information quickly on a given topic. To view our guides, from Your Writing Page, click on the Writing Guides icon; or from any page in the Writing Studio, select “Writing” and on the resulting page, follow the “Writing Guides” link.
On the main Writing Guides page, click on the links to the left of the page to find a specific topic. Clicking on the link for a topic will open a list of related guides, with each guide title functioning as a links to that specific guide.
Writing Activities: Each Writing@CSU writing activity provides you with a series of prompts about a writing or reading process. You can use the activities to practice a new writing or reading skill or to help yourself make progress on a writing project. Each activity can be completed multiple times, with each version saved to the work folder of your choice. Writing Activities can also be printed, emailed, updated, or deleted.
To access the Writing Activities, click on the Writing Activities icon located on Your Writing Page; or from any page in the Writing Studio, select “Writing” and on the resulting page, follow the “Writing Activities” link. The main Writing Activities page will show you the current folder where any completed activities will be stored, as well as give you the option to change the current folder.
Right-Side Options Menus: As you navigate the Writing Studio tools and features, you will notice that the site uses right-side options menus. Often, the choices available to you through this menu are hidden and can be accessed by hovering your mouse over the menu.
One such menu is the “Back” menu. Sometimes, this simply functions to take you to the previous page or a main page and includes no hidden options. However, sometimes, if you hover your mouse over the menu, other options will be revealed. One example of a “Back” menu with hidden options is found on a Discussion Forum message page. Hovering your mouse over this menu reveals more choices: a link to the main page of the “Current Forum,” a link to the “Forums Main Page,” and a link to the “Class Main Page.”
The right-side “Options” menu always includes hidden choices. For example, on the main page of a Blog, if you hover your mouse over the “Options” menu, you’ll find: a link to “Add a New Entry,” a link to change the “Display Order” of your entries, a link to “Update Title or Description” of your Blog, a link to “Publish or Share” your Blog, a link to “Change Email Notification Settings,” and a link to “Delete this Blog.”
There is one right-side options menu that is simply an image, but if you hover your mouse over the icon, the choices are revealed. For example, if you view a calendar entry and hover your mouse over the right-side option icon, you’ll see links to “Update this Entry” or “Delete this Entry.” Remember that any time you see this right-side image icon, it includes hidden options that you can access by hovering your mouse over it.