WR 121 Final Essay Exam Policy

WR 121 Final Essay Exam Policy - 2004-2005

NOTE WELL: Attendance is required at the scheduled Wr 121 Final Exam, as published in the current COCC Class Schedule and WR 121 Course Plan. However, you may be able to arrange with the WR 121 instructor to take the final early if you meet criteria established by COCC policy.

The Writing faculty of the Humanities Department require Writing 121 students to demonstrate satisfactory college-level essay writing skills at the end of the term, tested by a two-hour in-class timed examination essay, because such skills are important to success in academic classes and professional careers. All students in Wr 121 courses are required to write the final exam essay on an assigned topic selected from several choices. Final exam essay topics will be distributed the week before finals so that students will have a chance to plan their final exam essay in advance. Grading and scoring criteria will be discussed further in class, and in-class essays completed earlier in the term will provide essential preparation for passing the final.

WR 121 Final Exam Essays will be scored using a four-point rubric by two COCC Writing instructors: your regular Writing 121 instructor (i.e. Cora) and a second "outside evaluator" (that is, another COCC Writing instructor) to ensure objectivity in scoring. Each of the two evaluators must award the Final Exam Essay a passing score (3 or 4) for demonstrating satisfactory college-level essay writing skills. (Failing scores are 2 or 1.) Thus, a Wr 121 Final Exam Essay must earn a combined score from the two evaluators of 6 or higher to pass the WR 121 Final.

To summarize, there are 4 possible scenarios:

Students who pass the Final Essay Exam and have averaged a grade of "C" or higher on regular coursework will receive the course grade they have earned on regular coursework. In accordance with grading policy published in Cora's current WR 121 Syllabus, Cora will award the Final Essay Exam a letter grade, in addition to the score, and if it is one of the two highest grades earned on students’ three in-class essays, it will count as 15% of the final course grade.
Students who fail the Wr 121 Final Exam Essay but have averaged a grade of "C" or higher on regular coursework will be given an "INCOMPLETE" in WR 121. These students should return to meet with Cora as soon as possible during the following term to discuss the Final Exam Essay and to arrange to retake and pass it so that Cora can change the Incomplete to the grade earned on regular coursework. Departmental policy: You will have one term to retake the final. You may retake the final three times maximum. When you pass it, you will receive the grade you earned with your instructor. If you do not retake the exam, or if you do not pass the retakes within one term, the INC grade remains permanently on the student record, and you will have to retake the course to earn credit for WR 121.
Students who fail the Wr 121 Final Essay Exam and have averaged a grade LOWER than "C" on regular coursework will receive a grade of "F" in Wr 121 by departmental policy, and will be required to retake the course if they wish to earn passing credit for Wr 121.
Students who pass the WR 121 Final Essay Exam but have averaged a grade LOWER than "C" on regular coursework, will receive the earned grade (i.e. D or F) in WR 121, and will be required to retake the course if they wish to earn passing credit for Wr 121.

From Writing Course Placement, Prerequisites, & Policies
Humanities Dept. Writing Program
URL: http://web.cocc.edu/humanities/courses/writing/policies.htm

WRITING 121 FINAL EXAM GUIDELINES

1. You will have two hours to write, proofread, edit, and revise your essay.

2. You must write in a blank blue book using black or blue ink. Write only on one side of the page, double-spacing (skip a line) as you write your examination. You may use more than one blue book. Students in computer sections will use computers.

3. You may bring a dictionary, a thesaurus, and an electronic spell checker. Students in computer sections may use spellcheck and thesaurus tools, but not grammar checkers.

4. You may not bring notes, outlines, a rough draft, or writing of any kind.

5. Your instructor or the Writing lab may not discuss the topics with you, nor propose suggested strategies, nor coach you at any time before the final.

6. You are encouraged to use observation and experience. If you use reading or other sources, you must document them.

7. You may make corrections in the blue book by drawing a line through the word or phrase, and then writing the corrected version above the lined passage. Computer sections should print rough drafts, make corrections in pen, revise on screen, and print out final drafts.

8. Your essay is graded by another instructor according to the scoring guide. If your own instructor does not agree with the score, a third exam reader will resolve the difference.

9. There are four possible outcomes regarding your final and your grade:

i. If you pass the final, AND you are passing your course, your grade is the one earned with your instructor.

ii. If you pass the final, BUT you have not earned a passing grade with your instructor , you do not pass the course, but earn the F or D assigned by your instructor.

iii. If you do not pass the final, BUT you are passing with your instructor, you will receive an INC in the course. You will have one term to retake the final. You may retake the final three times maximum. When you pass it, you will receive the grade you earned with your instructor. If you do not retake the exam, or if you do not pass the retakes within one term, the INC grade remains permanently on the student record.

iv. If you do not pass the final, AND you have below a C with your instructor, you receive an F in the course.

Approved by the Composition Committee, 4/16/03; amended 2/25/04
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WR 121 FINAL EXAM SCORING GUIDE

PASS

SCORE OF 4:

1. Clearly addresses the question and explores the issues

2. Shows some depth and complexity of thought and has clear focus governed by a thesis statement

3. Is effectively organized by a clear pattern of organization appropriate to the topic

4. Is well-developed, with supporting detail

5. Demonstrates control of word choice, sentence variety, and transitions that promote coherence; may
have a few flaws in mechanics or punctuation

6. Smoothly and effectively integrates viewpoints and/or quotations from the article into the student’s
own work, responsibly citing the source within and at the end of the essay.

SCORE OF 3:

1.    Adequately addresses the question and explores the issues
2.    Shows clarity of thought and focus, governed by a thesis, but may lack complexity
3.    Is adequately organized by a pattern of development appropriate to the topic
4.    Is adequately developed, with some detail
5.    Demonstrates competent word choice, sentence variety, and transition; contains no more than three
       similar high distortion errors (such as fragments, comma splices, run-ons, subject-verb agreement,
       faulty tense shift)
6.    Integrates viewpoints and/or quotations from the article into the student’s own work, with occasional
       awkwardness, while responsibly citing the source within and at the end of the essay.

NO PASS

SCORE OF 2:

1. Distorts or neglects parts of the question

2. Is simplistic in thought or lacking in focus

3. Demonstrates problems in organization

4. Is underdeveloped: lacks supporting detail

5. Lacks appropriate sentence variety or word choice or demonstrates a pattern of writing errors serious
or frequent enough to distract or confuse the reader.

6. Uses viewpoints and/or quotations from the article, but may misinterpret the author’s viewpoint or
fail to clarify or cite the original source of ideas within the essay.

SCORE OF 1:

1.    Fails in its attempt to discuss the topic
2.    Unclear thought and lacking in focus
3.    Seriously flawed organization
4.    Is so incompletely developed as to suggest or demonstrate incompetence
5.    Demonstrates severe or persistent writing errors.
6.    Uses viewpoints and/or words from the article, but confuses the author’s position or plagiarizes by
       failing to use quotation marks or to cite responsibly within the essay.

Approved by the Composition Committee, 11/21/02