Writing 121 and 122 waiver exams are available early each term (except Summer) for students who wish to be exempt from one of the University’s required writing courses by demonstrating writing proficiency.
The essay exams are read anonymously by three members of the Composition Committee of the English Dept. and graded simply Pass or No Pass. No record is placed in the official files of students who do not pass the exams. Such students are expected to take the appropriate writing course(s), however, and may not retake the same exam. Students who pass the exams will have an exemption by exam notation (for either WR 121 or WR 122) placed on their transcripts. No credit is awarded for either examination. Students must have successfully completed WR 121(by course or exemption) before taking the WR 122 exam.
It is the policy of the English Dept. not to return waiver exams to students, nor to use the exam essay as a teaching device by offering explanations of why essays did or did not pass. Students can expect such feedback on their writing and instruction in composition in the course(s) they will take, if necessary.
The criteria by which readers evaluate waiver exams are holistic. That is, each reader makes an independent assessment of the overall quality of the essay according to these standards:
- Does the essay demonstrate critical reading ability in its use of the source reading on which the question is based?
- Does the essay have a clear, reasonable and well thought-out thesis?
- Is the thesis developed adequately, consistently and effectively?
- Are the sentence and paragraph structures, diction, grammar, and mechanics of the essay correct and effective?
Because a passing essay demonstrates proficiency in the control of writing skills which WR 121 and WR 122 are designed to teach, the WR 122 exam is assessed with these additional criteria in mind:
- Is the logic of the argument reasonable and valid?
- Does the style of the writing demonstrate sufficient sophistication and individuality?
Each exam will require the student to read a brief selection of prose and to respond in essay form to a question at issue that the student has generated based on the reading. A two-hour time period is allowed for each exam. Students should bring a dictionary to the exam; no other reference materials are permitted. Computers are available for word processing the exam.
Results of the exams will be mailed to students approximately one week after the exam.
For information about exam schedules and to sign up to take the exam, contact the Testing Office, University Health, Counseling & TestingCenter, 1590 E. 13th Ave. Room 270, 346-3230, testing@uoregon.edu.
Writing 121 and 122 waiver exams are available early each term (except Summer) for students who wish to be exempt from one of the University’s required writing courses by demonstrating writing proficiency.
The essay exams are read anonymously by three members of the Composition Committee of the English Dept. and graded simply Pass or No Pass. No record is placed in the official files of students who do not pass the exams. Such students are expected to take the appropriate writing course(s), however, and may not retake the same exam. Students who pass the exams will have an exemption by exam notation (for either WR 121 or WR 122) placed on their transcripts. No credit is awarded for either examination. Students must have successfully completed WR 121(by course or exemption) before taking the WR 122 exam.
It is the policy of the English Dept. not to return waiver exams to students, nor to use the exam essay as a teaching device by offering explanations of why essays did or did not pass. Students can expect such feedback on their writing and instruction in composition in the course(s) they will take, if necessary.
The criteria by which readers evaluate waiver exams are holistic. That is, each reader makes an independent assessment of the overall quality of the essay according to these standards:
- Does the essay demonstrate critical reading ability in its use of the source reading on which the question is based?
- Does the essay have a clear, reasonable and well thought-out thesis?
- Is the thesis developed adequately, consistently and effectively?
- Are the sentence and paragraph structures, diction, grammar, and mechanics of the essay correct and effective?
Because a passing essay demonstrates proficiency in the control of writing skills which WR 121 and WR 122 are designed to teach, the WR 122 exam is assessed with these additional criteria in mind:
- Is the logic of the argument reasonable and valid?
- Does the style of the writing demonstrate sufficient sophistication and individuality?
Each exam will require the student to read a brief selection of prose and to respond in essay form to a question at issue that the student has generated based on the reading. A two-hour time period is allowed for each exam. Students should bring a dictionary to the exam; no other reference materials are permitted. Computers are available for word processing the exam.
Results of the exams will be mailed to students approximately one week after the exam.
For information about exam schedules and to sign up to take the exam, contact the Testing Office, University Health, Counseling & TestingCenter, 1590 E. 13th Ave. Room 270, 346-3230, testing@uoregon.edu.