PURPOSE:

• After two-thirds of English Composition 101, the students should have developed their writing skills to the point where they can successfully PASS a writing competency test.
• The purpose of this test is to demonstrate that students can write clearly, functionally, and effectively even when they don’t have extended time for pre-writing, planning, drafting and rewriting.

TOPICS:

• Topics will be announced one week before the test date.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum length of 300—400 words (5 paragraphs).
• Also, student essays should display the following characteristics:
  • a clear thesis, clear focus and content, adequate development using standard methods,
  • sentence variety, and appropriate word choice.
• While some mechanical errors may naturally occur, these should be limited so as not to interfere with the writer’s purpose.
• A dictionary may be used, but students may not bring an outline, rough draft, or any notes.

EVALUATION:

• The WCE will be evaluated by one reader, an instructor in the English Department other than the student’s own.
• The reader will mark the essay PASS (6, 5, 4) or REPEAT (3, 2, 1).
  • A PASS means the essay has a clear thesis, concrete support, and adequate organization and is reasonably free of mechanical errors.
  • A REPEAT means the essay lacks focus and/or concrete development, and/or adequate organization, and contains mechanical errors so obvious and debilitating that they interfere with understanding.
• In short, any essay that would receive a D or less in English 101 will be marked REPEAT.

CONSEQUENCES:

• Students will be notified of the results by their instructor.
• Those who must REPEAT will be referred to the Director of Writing who will review the results and arrange for remedial help in the Writing Center to prepare for a retake.
• Students may retake the exam only one time.
• Students must retake the exam before the end of classes in that semester.

RESULTS:

• Results of the test will appear on the student’s transcript (Writing Test: P or R).
• If the student passes on the second try, the R will be changed to P.
• In addition, the course instructor may or may not evaluate student performance on the Writing Competency Exam as part of the course grade.

 

• Official Preliminary Announcement
• Official Scoring Rubric

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