Writing Self-Assessment
Carleton College
Writing Self-Assessment for New Students
September 2005
Since 1998, new students have been required to take a writing placement exam that was scored by faculty readers. Results placed students in English 109, required them to take English 109 at some time during the first year, or allowed students to take any Writing Rich (WR) course for that part of the Writing Requirement. Students with AP credit were excused from this first part of the requirement. The second part, the portfolio due at the end of the 6th term, applied to everyone.
This year, the Writing Across the Curriculum Advisory Board worked with the Writing Program and the Dean’s Office to pilot a new system. New students completed an online inventory of themselves as readers and writers (see below*), examined sample papers from first-year courses, and used all of that information to place themselves in a wide variety of special courses for first-year students, including English 109. After completing the inventory, over twice as many students requested English 109 as there were places available. The result is that everyone teaching English 109 should have motivated students. Students not placed into an English 109 may worry that they will not have the benefits of a writing course during the first term. We all know that Carleton students really do write across the curriculum, and that most of the special first-year courses offer the writing opportunities (along with specific instruction) that help students become college writers. Some students, however, may need reassurance.
Furthermore, the WAC Advisory Board wants to follow all new students at midterm to give them and their advisors information about their progress as writers that can be taken into consideration during Advising Days for winter registration. Anyone teaching first-year students will be asked to respond to a very brief online questionnaire for each student at midterm. You will hear more about this at the Advising Workshop on Wednesday, 7 September, and during the term.
*Writing Self Assessment (from the New Student web site)
One thing you’ll discover at Carleton is that students write a lot! Many of the first-year courses you just made selections from are designated as “writing rich” (WR) courses. In addition, Carleton offers several 109 courses, which focus specifically on writing. Should you enroll in one of these 109 courses? To help you answer that question, please take the following diagnostic inventory.
Directions: Please consider the following statements and how they apply to you as a writer and reader and choose Yes, No, or Not Sure for each one:
Yes No NS
o o o 1. I read English newspapers and magazines regularly.
o o o 2. During the past year, I have read several books in English for my own pleasure.
o o o 3. I do most of my reading and writing on line.
o o o 4. I use a computer for writing and drafting essays in English.
o o o 5. I have well-developed listening and speaking skills.
o o o 6. In the last year, I have written five or more thesis-driven essays using the approaches of compare and contrast, cause and effect, process analysis, narration, description, definition, commentary and argumentation.
o o o 7. If my professor asks for a well-developed, analytical, critical, logical argument, I know exactly what s/he wants.
o o o 8. My TOFEL score is above 250/600 and/or or ACT English score is over 27 and/or my SATV score is over 600.
o o o 9. I consider myself a good writer.
o o o 10. I like to write.
If you answered 6 or more questions “YES,” then you are well prepared to take any of Carleton’s special courses for first-year students.
If you answered 5 or fewer questions “YES,” then you should consider enrolling in a course devoted exclusively to writing to give you a good start on the academic writing you will do at Carleton.
If you would like to see samples of Carleton student writing to help you decide if you will need to take a writing course your first term at Carleton, go to: www.carleton.edu/student/new. Remember that these are all excellent papers, usually written after a term’s work at Carleton; all writing rich courses are designed to help you improve your writing.
