New Writing Program Classes A Success

After the first semester in which freshmen were required to take the Boston University Writing Assessment for placement into Writing Program classes, many students said they found the classes beneficial, although some said the placement test results were inaccurate.

Previously, students were either exempt from or placed into English composition courses depending on their performance on the verbal portion of the SAT. All entering freshman in the Class of 2005 were required to take the BUWA during orientation. Depending on their performance, students were then placed into WR classes. A student’s verbal SAT score is no longer a factor in his or her placement into writing courses.

This puts the burden of determining a student’s reading and writing ability entirely upon the BUWA. Upon receiving the BUWA, students are forewarned of the significance and weight of their test results. The test reads, “Your placement level in the Writing Program seminar sequence will be based upon the results of your BUWA; therefore you should take this examination seriously and do your best.”

The test asks students to construct an essay based on a text excerpt, designed to show the student’s understanding of the material. It also includes critical analysis that comprises an argument and at least two direct quotations. This must be done in 50 minutes.

The exam is then read by two graders out of a pool that includes professors, full-time instructors, preceptors, graduate students and part-time lecturers. The tests are marked on a five-point scale, with five being the highest possible score. Scores of two or below indicate a pre-100 level placement, and scores of 4.5 or above allow students to skip the WR 100 course and be placed directly into WR 150.

Some students felt the test did not accurately reflect their writing skills.

“I felt extremely rushed,” said Paul Shapiro, a College of Communication freshman. “I don’t think the writing assessment was a fair indicator of how well I write. I feel like if I had used bigger words and just filled up the page more, I would have gotten a higher score.”

However, Shapiro said the class he was placed into did improve his writing.

“Professor [Heather] Dubnick really helped refine my writing skills,” Shapiro said. “The class really taught me how to write much better.”

COM freshman Susie Richmond was placed directly into WR 150 and agreed the course was valuable.

“It definitely taught me new skills — how to put your thoughts more clearly,” she said. “I liked the emphasis on group discussion.”

Professor Michael Prince, assistant dean and director of the Writing Program, said he feels the BUWA is a very accurate predictor of students’ reading and writing abilities in college-level courses.

“It’s certainly better than the SAT verbal,” he said. “Students don’t always have a realistic sense of where they stand in relation to the requirements of college-level writing. The SAT verbal claims to be measuring aptitude. Our test measures actual achievement level — how well a student reads an actual text and writes about it.”

Prince said BU is not alone in its attempts to find other ways to measure students’ writing skills.

“Many colleges, not just BU, are at a point of reassessing their commitment to the SAT as an indicator of students’ aptitude in reading, writing and the verbal arts,” he said.

Prince pointed out that students’ performance in timed examinations is crucial in many college courses.

“Tests are timed instruments — some students finish early, some have just enough time and some feel rushed,” he said.

The skills students learn in the WR courses are useful in future college courses as well as post-college life, according to Prince.

“The summary is the equivalent of a business report or legal brief,” Prince said. “Summary skills are useful across the board. We also emphasize oral reports and speaking skills which are useful in many vocations.”