effective writing test at UofC

[red sky]

loose ≠ lose

[Bob]

I did very poorly on my English 30 multiple-choice exam (I got like 56% or something terrible), but got 85% on my essay, so I was stuck doing that effective writing test. I think I wrote about soccer on my essay and ultimately got a "MP" (Marginal Pass) on the exam. At first I was like , but then I didn't care since it was good enough for Engineering!

[ok, ok,....I get it]

Originally Posted by red sky

loose ≠ lose

says you

[hatty]

I wrote this in my first year as well. its pretty simple, they give you about 4 topics and you get to choose one and write roughly 400 - 500 words. all they're looking for is that you know how to write a thesis, make arguments and support them properly. I passed it on my first time but i know several friends that took it 3 times to pass.

[Kipper is King]

Originally Posted by hatty

i know several friends that took it 3 times to pass.

With English as their first language? If so , tell your friends to pick up a book or two for once in their lives.

[jasonsryu]

I needed to take this test twice to pass, and here are REALLY helpful tips:
(I went in to see one of their tutors to see why I failed the first time. My mark improved from Unsatisfactory to whatever needed to pass - either Marginal satisfactory or Satisfactory)

1. Always answer what the question is asking throughout the paper. It is easy to go off topic and introduce new ideas and markers hate that.

2. Keep the sentences as simple as possible. As the tutor told me, "You won't get bonus marks for using more complex sentence structures and vocabularies but you will get marks deducted for using them even slightly wrong."

3. Pretty much half of the paper is marked based on grammar, spelling, sentence structures, and so on. Check over your work, as those can kill you.

4. Try avoiding 'it', 'this', 'that', etc. as much as possible becaues if those words are introduced quite a way after what those words represent, (i.e. I love Calgary Flames. They are great. ---- 'They' represent 'Calgary Flames') it becomes vague.

Other than that, it should be very simple and straight-forward.
First I thought that this paper needed to be complex and thoughtful since it's at a 'University Level' and all, but really, all they are looking for is a simple paper that shows your competence in the language of English, not the art of it.

[llama64]

It's a basic test of grammar, punctuation and spelling. The content barely matters, just that you have written it down in a comprehensible manner befitting a student in University.

Some may think it's a cash grab -- but it is cheaper then flunking out of your second semester because you can't write a simple essay.

[Berger_4_]

Originally Posted by ok, ok,....I get it

says you

Oh well played good sir