Writing Course Placement,
Prerequisites, & Policies
Short Cuts: WR Courses Placement Recommendations;
WR 121 Prerequisites & Override Policy;
WR 121 Final Exam & Retake Policies [Under Construction]

ASSET Placement Recommendations

1. ASSET Placement Testing: 
"All [New & Returning] students taking credit classes [with limited exceptions] must take the COCC placement assessment prior to registration in order to assess their current abilities in reading, writing and math. This information will help students choose the most appropriate courses for their skill level " (COCC Admissions).

Initial placement in COCC Writing Courses based on
ASSET Writing Placement Test Scores:

ASSET Writing Score          WR Course
43 - 54            WR 121 (see also WR 121 Prerequisites below)
38 - 42            WR 65, WR 75
23 - 37            WR 60

2. New, returning, and continuing students who ...

. . .  Please  review the following web pages for Writing course descriptions, placement recommendations or prerequisites, and sequential exit competencies to determine which Writing courses they wish to take and are prepared to succeed in:

COCC Catalog Writing Course Descriptions:
 http://current.cocc.edu/Degrees_Classes/Catalog/default.aspx
and
Writing Course Competencies:
http://www.cocc.edu/humanities/courses/writing/competencies.htm 

Writing 121 Prerequisites
& Override Policy

WR 121 Prerequisites: Beginning in Fall 2001, students may register in WR 121 only if they have met at least one of the following prerequisites:

1.  Completed a two-year associate degree or higher degree, supported by an official college transcript;
OR
2.  Earned an ASSET placement WRITING test score of 43 or higher (supported by a copy of their placement testing score if required);
3.  Successfully completed (with a grade of "C" or higher) WR 65, WR 75, or WR 95 (supported by a copy of their COCC transcript if required);
OR
4. Successfully completed (with a grade of "C" or higher) a course determined to be equivalent to WR 121 at a previous college supported by an official college transcript (and coded as SOATEST) ;
OR
5.  Are currently (at the time of registration) enrolled and are in good standing (i.e. earning a grade of "C" or higher ) in WR 65, WR 75, or WR 95.  

Students who cannot meet one of the above prerequisites will be prevented (by BANNER web) from registering in WR 121.  

WR 121 Prerequisites Override Policy: 
Students who do not meet one of the above prerequisites may be cleared to enroll in WR 121 only if they obtain the permission of the WR 121 instructor or an approved designee (e.g. the Humanities Dept. Composition Committee chair) by  meeting one of the following criteria:  

1.  Retake the ASSET Writing Placement test and earn a score of 43 or higher;

2.  Submit a single, college-level essay (or an essay equivalent such as a report) as a writing sample to the instructor of the WR 121 course in which you wish to enroll that is judged to demonstrate achievement of WR 65, WR 75, and/or WR 95 exit competencies and readiness for successful entry into WR 121.

(Approved Composition Committee, 5/30/01; CA update 3/06)

WR 121 Final Exam Policy

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 spell-check and thesaurus tools, but not grammar checkers.

4.   You may not refer to an outline, rough draft, or other notes while writing your exam.  You may, however, bring in bibliographic information of sources you intend to cite in your essay.           

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 sources other than the article on which your topic is based, 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.   The Final Exam is worth 20% of your course grade.  The grade you receive on it will be averaged with the remaining 80% of your coursework.  A passing grade in WR 121 is a “C” or above.

 Approved by the Composition Committee, 4/16/03; amended 2/25/04; revised 10/20/05


WR 121 FINAL EXAM SCORING GUIDE

HIGH PASS

1.   Clearly addresses the prompt and thoroughly explores the issues

2.   Shows 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 and suggest sensitivity to style; is virtually flawless 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.

 SOLID PASS

1.  More than adequately addresses the prompt and explores the issues

2.  Shows clarity of thought and focus, governed by a thesis

3.  Is well organized by a pattern of development appropriate to the topic

4.  Is more than adequately developed, with supporting detail

5.  Demonstrates competent word choice, sentence variety, and transition; may have a few flaws in mechanics or punctuation

6.  Integrates viewpoints and/or quotations from the article into the student’s own work, while responsibly citing the source within and at the end of the essay, with very few errors.

LOW PASS

1.   Addresses the prompt and explores most parts of the issue

2.   Mostly shows clarity of thought, but lacks complexity

3.   Demonstrates adequate organization

4.   Is adequately developed with some detail

5.   Demonstrates little sense of style in the use of sentence variety, word choice, transitions and punctuation; contains no more than three similar high distortion errors (such as fragments, comma splices, run-ons, subject­­-verb agreement, faulty tense shift)

6.   With occasional errors, integrates viewpoints and/or quotations from the article, and attempts to responsibly cite source/s within and at the end of the essay.

NO PASS

1.  Fails in its attempt to discuss the topic

2.  Demonstrates unclear thought and lacks focus

3.  Is seriously flawed in its 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, 10/05

Writing Program Home Page
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Writing Course Placement, Prerequisites, & Policies 
URL of this webpage:  http://web.cocc.edu/humanities/courses/writing/policies.htm
Last updated: 28 September 2006
Maintained by Cora Agatucci