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.
Testing Session
Students should contact the Testing Center, (757) 683-3697, Academic Skills Building (48th St. and Parker Ave.), to register for one of the regular testing sessions given during the academic year.
New for 2008-2009:
All incoming undergraduates will complete the WSPT online via Blackboard (https://www.blackboard.odu.edu). Incoming freshmen and transfer students who plan to attend an on-campus orientation should make an Orientation/PREVIEW reservation at www.odu.edu/preview; your PREVIEW reservation will serve as your registration for online placement testing. Transfer students who do not plan to attend an on-campus orientation should go to the PREVIEW website and complete the online orientation to register for online placement testing. Visit the PREVIEW website (www.odu.edu/preview) or contact placementtesting@odu.edu for more information.
Please note: Once you make your PREVIEW reservation, your MIDAS account and student email address must be active in order to access online placement testing via Blackboard. You should allow 2 business days from the time you made your reservation or completed the online orientation before attempting to login to Blackboard so your access can be updated.
Completing the test via Blackboard is an option available only to new students registered for 2008 PREVIEW. Students NOT enrolled in a PREVIEW section should contact the Testing Center, (757) 683-3697, Room 138, Gornto, to register for one of the regular testing sessions given during the academic year.
Results
Incoming freshmen (those without transfer credit for ENGL 110C) will receive their results from their advisors at Preview.
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 will be notified of their results by mail; the results are generally returned within four weeks of the testing date. A letter will be sent to indicate that the student's writing abilities correspond to one of the following levels:
Level 1 - writing abilities are superior to those of the average freshman student entering English 110C,
Level 2 - writing abilities are equivalent to those of the average freshman student entering English 110C,
Level 3 - writing abilities are weaker than those of the average freshman student entering English 110C,
Level 4 - writing abilities are equivalent to those of a student entering General Studies 050, or
Level 5 - writing abilities are equivalent to those of a student entering ELC-ESL classes offered by the English Language Center.
Recommendations for writing workshops will be included for those students whose writing corresponds to Level 3, 4 or 5.
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.
