The following chart indicates the expected levels of college readiness and proficiency with academic literacy for first-semester students based on department research and multiple measures placement for reading and writing. Each column describes the academic literacy skills instructors across the disciplines can expect from students at different course placement levels.
The purpose of this chart is to help departments, instructors, and advisors make appropriate course enrollment recommendations for students. The charts can also serve as a starting point for helping instructors develop first-year courses that address the learning needs of students.
|
Course |
Reading |
Writing |
|
English 098 |
Limited proficiency in academic reading and/or no recent experience with nonfiction academic reading
Limited or no independent reading; texts are at a high school reading level; students have multiple opportunities to read and discuss texts in the classroom before completing graded assignments based on those texts
No on-demand timed tests
No expectation that students will engage in critical reading activities without substantial classroom and instructor learning support |
Limited proficiency in academic writing and/or no recent experiences with academic writing; sometimes limited proficiency in written English
No independent academic writing; writing assignments are accompanied by substantial instructor support, guided in-class process work, and feedback prior to grading; no expectation that students are able to write at a college level
No on-demand timed essays or long answer question exams
No research except for guided in-class work |
|
English 101 |
Limited on-demand timed tests; substantial portions of a course grade are based on non-timed assessments of student learning; graded learning activities are supported by classroom instruction on discipline-specific learning strategies
Assigned texts a) are specifically written for students or a general reading audience; b) supplement information that is thoroughly covered in class; c) include textbook reading clues; d) do not extensively discuss abstract, theoretical, or complex concepts with the expectation that students will master those concepts
Assignments and activities that require critical reading are thoroughly supported by instruction and in-class work |
Basic proficiency in academic writing with limited or no critical research experience
Writing assignments develop a main point or thesis with evidence; assignments are accompanied by consistent instructor feedback and classroom learning support for the writing process prior to grading; no expectation that students are able to write source-based or analytical essays without instructor support
No or limited on-demand timed writing or essay exams; timed writing is not a substantial part of graded coursework
Limited end-of-semester research with extensive instructor support for the research process |
|
English 102 |
Beginning college-level proficiency in academic reading; may or may not have recent experience reading academic nonfiction texts
On-demand timed tests based on independent reading
Assigned texts are appropriate for first semester students who read at a college level
Assignments and activities include limited independent critical reading supported with instruction and in-class discussion
|
Proficiency in beginning college-level writing; usually recent experience with college preparatory academic writing or intensive analytical workplace writing
Writing assignments that require analysis based on research or course texts; lengthy writing assignments that are a substantial portion of a course grade; writing with limited or no instructor feedback during the writing process prior to grading
Timed in-class essays or long answer questions that require analysis
Beginning-of-semester basic research and end-of semester independent research that uses scholarly databases or analyzes sources |