FACT SHEETS - WRITING SAMPLE PLACEMENT TEST

University Policy
All students (with or without transfer credit for freshman composition) are required to take the Writing Sample Placement Test and, if necessary, follow a program that will develop their writing abilities.

Purpose
The Writing Sample Placement Test evaluates the writing abilities of all incoming students. The writing of students without credit for freshman composition is evaluated to determine placement in English 110C or in another course. (See Results section below for a description of other courses.)

The writing of students with credit for freshman composition is evaluated to determine any weaknesses that would affect performance on the Exit Examination of Writing Proficiency (a graduation requirement for all undergraduate students).

Description
The Writing Sample Placement Test is a 90-minute essay test. A student is expected to write a 400/500-word expository responding to one of two "should," "would," or "could" questions derived from three topic areas: Basic Human Rights, Television, and Education. The essay should have an introduction that contains a thesis statement, a body of paragraphs supporting the thesis statement and a conclusion.

Results
Incoming freshmen (those without transfer credit for ENGL 110C) may find their results on Leoonline three weeks after they have completed the test.

Students without credit for freshman composition will be placed in one of the following: English 110C, (freshman composition), General Studies 050 (basic writing), or ELC-ESL (a non-credit English as a second language course offered by the English Language Center).

Students with transfer credit for freshman composition may find their results on Leoonline; the results are generally available within two weeks of the testing date.

Retesting
There is a 10-week waiting period before a student may retake the Writing Sample Placement Test. Students may not take this test more than three times unless they can provide evidence of having had writing instruction after the third unsuccessful attempt. The results of the exam are good for five years.