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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Capstone: Your Story by Wesleyan University

4.6
stars
400 ratings

About the Course

Everything comes together in the Capstone. You will draft a complete story, narrative essay, or memoir of 8–15 pages. With the advice of your peer readers, you will revise, rewrite, and complete it. The skills you’ve learned of plotting, setting, physical description, characterization, and stylistic clarity and innovation will culminate in an original work of art all your own. We’ll discuss the steps that professional writers take to bring their work into the public world. Along the way you’ll learn the patient habits of revision that make up the writer’s life....

Top reviews

SA

Jul 5, 2022

I have learnt a lot from this course about writing stories. All the teachers were excellent and contributed in taking our writing to a better level. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole writing experience.

TB

May 8, 2020

I got so, so much out of this! It's not only helped me with my own writing, but it's helped me with being able to be a better editor, also. Enjoyed being able to read other writers' works, as well.

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26 - 50 of 159 Reviews for Capstone: Your Story

By Sarmad A

Oct 3, 2016

You will get what you bring to the table - if you're an avid reader and have the smarts - you'll learn a LOT. Take note of the various books being recommended and read those too. Some of your classmates may not be producing the best work - don't worry - you do YOU and learn at your best level. It really helped me breakdown the basics of Writing and I now read books with a new eye. A new understanding of the art being disseminated. A wonderful course. Well designed.

By Jaime A

Jun 7, 2020

Mr Scibone is a great professor with unique bulletpoints and suggestions and I thank him for giving me the skills needed to further help me develop as a writer. As for my peers, I appreciate every response they gave me and although at times it was hard to listen to the depth of errors I made in my writing, I felt I needed it to further help me progress. Either way both the readers and professor helped out a lot and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

By Yelyzaveta P

Jun 23, 2017

I loved the course very much, so much feedback and good reasonable comments for my works. Although the next time it would be really nice to have kinda more reviewing weeks, I mean, clother to the end of the course I felt an inspitation and I needed some feedback from peers, but I couldn't get it bc it wasn't a feedback-week. But still this course gave me SOOOOO much knowledge! Thank a lot! :)

By Catherine D

May 30, 2023

I highly recommend this course. It has made me a better writer and editor. I took good notes that I will refer to often. The professors are all professional and very knowledgeable about their craft, encouraging students to persevere, sharing their own stories about writing and lessons they learned along the way. Each one made this course interesting and fun.

By Cornelia B

Mar 28, 2019

Had a feeling the Capstone Project will be good but it is truly excellent. I highly recommend completing the Capstone after doing the other four courses - it is like having dessert after a four course meal.

By Shehla A

Jul 6, 2022

I have learnt a lot from this course about writing stories. All the teachers were excellent and contributed in taking our writing to a better level. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole writing experience.

By Noureddine D

Nov 14, 2020

An impressive course that help you improve your writing skills and takes your creativity to the next level. If your future dream to be a writer than I recommend this course for you.

By Donna R

Feb 23, 2021

This course was very interesting and I learned a lot . The course materials and videos are relevant and of high quality. I would therefore recommend others to enroll.

By Carola S

Feb 21, 2023

Excelente. Soy Argentina, y pude acceder a este Programa de Especialización de Calidad. Gracias

By Maria J d C M

Sep 23, 2021

This course is a great value for money and perfect for a first, comprehensive deep dive into basic tools of the creative writing craft. The videos are very good, and the teachers have very different lecturing styles / personalities, which makes it livelier. In my experience, peer review quality was mediocre, before I adjusted expectations, to pretty good, after I did. This was the adjustment: accepting the reality of this being a MOOC, not a personalized teaching experience or a place of learning where all peers have equivalent standards, motivations and aspirations. Before adjusting, I expected to get 3 considerate, detailed, and usable peer reviews for each assignment, in exchange for my 3. After accepting the MOOC reality, I realized that GIVING the peer reviews is great practice and the greater value of the peer review part of the assignments; and if I got ONE single one that matched my standards, I took it as a fortunate bonus. I did get at least one usable review per assignment. Thanks much to Dean F for the extensive, usable and encouraging review of my Capstone story, in a genre you didn't like, and cheekily 5 pages over the ambiguous 15 page limit (in another video, it was said that the final submission could be longer.) Coursera Plus one year subscription is 300-something euros /dollars; Wesleyan in-person tuition is 60 thou a year or more. Summa sumarum: great value for money!

By Beladee N

Jun 3, 2022

The course was productive in exploring a longer piece of writing, reviewing other author's work, and editing and revising one's own work. The course gave seven weeks to complete the process , but for writers that work more quickly, the interest in one piece of work began to flag, and the requirment of more than a dozen peer reviews seemed excessive, however, it was interesting to read many different genre of writing and the videos with the Wesleyan University writers were informative. This writer was disappointed by the video that discussed publishing and felt it might have contained more concrete information for writers in the program. Overall, the course was compelling in exploring a longer piece of work and for the practice of editing a piece and revising it to its most perfect presentation for other readers as was possible.

By Ryan M

Aug 13, 2022

I loved this class! The teachers were excellent and the content was very helpful. My only problem was with the peer critiques. Especially in the later weeks of the Capstone project, I just received one word or even one letter responses. I didn't receive any helpful peer critique on my capstone. So that was disappointing. Is there a person who looks through the comments and makes sure people are actually critiquing? Overall I had a wonderful experience! Ryan

By Michael H

Dec 23, 2016

I enjoyed the time spent on the specialization and felt that the lesson exercises provided some use towards helping students develop their understanding of the craft. My only real criticism about the specialization is that I feel the curriculum could be a little more intensive. Keeping most assignments limited to a 500 word maximum is very constricting. I wish there were more meatier assignments to tackle building up to the capstone.

By Michael H

Dec 8, 2022

I liked the course in nearly all respects; however, I have been waiting now for nearly a week for a grade on my final submission. I turned the story in on time, on December 4th before noon Pacific Standard Time ( I live in the San Francisco Bay Area). I am very frustrated trying to get anyone's attention; I want to take another course but not until I know what grade I received on my short story. Help me, please.

Mike Hassett

By Kelly M

Oct 8, 2022

I do not like that the capstone project grade is only based on peer reviews only. If someone does not really like the subject matter they may base their grade on that. I do not think I deserved a 80 percent on my capstone. I know there were very few errors with spelling and grammer. My mom a formal school teacher was my editor.

By B E

Feb 10, 2021

I was a little disappointed in this last course. At the very beginning you are given the impression you will have a decent sized final project. This is reemphasized when your first assignment is 15 pages, and the course is 8 weeks. They were a very lean 8 weeks and the final project ended up being only allowed 15 pages. Mine went to 21 and I got rude people who apparently don't like to read and are taking English classes on writing but don't have time to read others work, despite others reading theirs.

By Abigail A

Jan 2, 2023

I loved learning everything I could in this Creative Writing Course. Believe me I sucked up every piece of information that I could, and where the Professors are concerned, the learning experience was fantastic! However, when it came time to the peer-graded assignments, my ‘fantastic experience’ ended. It took so long to receive a grade on my last Capstone:Your Story assignments. About a week and a half, to get feedback such as this, and I quote,

“A;adv;ajbdsv;kajbdv;kjahsdd”.

By Alex F

May 14, 2018

In general the specialization has been great!

I feel like the capstone project could be a bit more challenging, maybe having more active instances each week where students could improve and receive feedback faster.

By Florence L

May 13, 2020

Some issues were noticed in the discussion and this not seems to have been fixed in May 2020. From the presentation I could undertsand that, unfortunately, this course is not what I was looking for. I was lookig for to the point advices about building an outline for example on week 1. Like some sessions we have had in PLOT and STYLE courses. Reviews are too much (see what people says in the discussions) and efficient guidance too less.

By Lori B C

Mar 14, 2017

The entire 5 module experience was wonderful, enjoyable, stressful (in a good way), inspirational and encouraging. The Professors, the readings, the assignments coupled with the peer reviews made this online experience as close to a real classroom experience as I had hoped it would be. The course gave me the tools needed to keep going myself, as well as tools for reading generally, in a more critical way and, editing tips which are always, invaluable. I looked forward to each new week for the structure and, for seeing what would be required of me for that particular week's assignment and, most weeks, I surprised myself with what I did write. I am sorry that the course is over but I have taken away so much! Thank you.

By Antoinette W

May 4, 2021

The Capstone and all its courses have helped me see writing through a different lens than I originally saw. All the classes challenged what I thought I knew about writing and what I needed to improve. I thank all of the professors for giving insight to their best knowledge on all the writing subjects and giving everyone who wants to be a published author, whether through a publisher or self-publishing, the opportunity to explore our dreams and write our realities on paper. If you want to grow as a writer and understand what is needed to succeed? Take the time in these courses and devote your craft to grow. Good luck to all future writers. I can not wait to read your stories!

By Milagros V

Jan 20, 2019

This last course in the Specialization walks you through the process of writing, editing and submitting a short story. Salvatore's prompts, interviews and the advice form other writers are very helpful. This is truly a capstone of the other four courses in the Specialization. I never believed I could learn so much and improve my skills just by doing the exercises, understanding the principles and finding my way of putting them not practice. Many of the pieces form other participants that I had the opportunity to review were really great. An amazing specialization in all regards. Thank you to all the professors that shared their insights and experience and metored us!!

By Carlos B

Mar 22, 2017

This specialization was outstanding. It unveiled so many of the mysteries of creative writing that I've puzzled over for a long time. My skills are unquestionably improved. In addition, the courses guide you on the practice of writing. How important it is to make it a social aspect of your life and not write in isolation since that often leads to losing momentum. Joining a writer's group and/or attending writer's conferences and workshops are key elements in keeping up the writing and getting better. The professors and guest speakers for this specialization were fantastic. Can't say enough positive things about it - this specialization exceeded my expectations.

By Eileen M

May 2, 2021

This was a great course and I learned a lot about creative writing. The presenters were top class. Where the course falls down is in the appraisal system. I have looked forward to the suggested two-page appraisal of my story to be given by one person just a mark out of five and no comment at all. The next one said in one sentence that I had too much dialogue and gave a mark out of five. The third person did it correctly and gave great feedback. My point is that people whose English is not sufficient to give an appraisal should not be doing a specialisation Maybe there should be a prerequisite for such courses.

Best wishes.

Eileen McParland.

By Jacqueline M K

Feb 12, 2021

The steps from draft to "final" learned in this course and applied in the Capstone helped to find my true voice. The comparison between my first draft and my "final" showed me that if I force the story, it sounds that way. By using the skills taught in the rest of the course, I feel like my story is much more natural and brings the reader along with characters more effectively. Thank you to everyone involved in presenting this course. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in embarking on a writing project or anyone interested in honing their skills. Well done.