More About The Writing Program

Writing Program Student Placement Procedures

The following provides general information about our placement of new students, both freshmen and transfer, in the Writing Program at Rutgers-Newark. For more information, please call us at 973-353-5850 or send e-mail to: write@newark.rutgers.edu

Rutgers University-Newark Writing Program Placement Policy, revised June 2022

SAT and ACT Scores: Incoming students scoring above 550 on the old SAT Critical Reading exam, above 580 on the new SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing exam, or above 26 on the ACT exam are automatically placed into English Composition 101. Incoming freshmen who receive below these scores as well as transfer students who have not met the equivalents of the Rutgers University-Newark writing requirements must take the Rutgers-Newark Placement Exam.

Advanced Placement Credits: Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on the AP "English Language and Composition"exam receive credit for English Composition 101. Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on the AP "English Literature and Composition" exam receive credit for English Composition 101, unless they have already received English Composition 101 credit for receiving a 4 or 5 on the "English Language and Composition" exam. In that case, the AP "English Literature and Composition" will be accepted for English Composition 102. 

Transfer Credits: Transfer students’ placements depend upon whether their writing credits from their previous institutions are accepted and deemed equivalent by Rutgers. If the transfer students have not taken any writing courses or if their credits do not transfer, they can be placed into any of the courses listed for incoming freshmen. Transfer students whose 101 credits are accepted are placed directly into English Composition 102; those whose 101 and 102 equivalents are accepted place directly out of both 101 and 102. Under the New Jersey Statewide Transfer Agreement (NJSWTA), students transferring from a NJ community college with an AA or AS also automatically place out of 101 and 102, provided that they have completed both courses with a "C" or better or have earned a minimum grade of "4" on their AP exam.  The English Composition CLEP exam does not transfer as equivalent to our English Composition 101 or 102.

Rutgers-Newark Placement Exam:  A remote Placement Exam that has been created by the Writing Program is administered by the Office of Academic Services. Students take a remote reading and writing assessment that requires that they critically read an article and write an analytical essay in response to an assigned prompt. Each exam is then read by two Writing Program instructors to determine placement. Placements for writing are: Communication Skills 098 (355:098), Communication Skills 098 MLL (355:098), Communication Skills 099 (355:099 & 355:001), Communication Skills 099 MLL (355:099 & 355:001), English Composition 101 (355:101), or English Composition 101 MLL (355:101). Students scoring in the low proficiency range of 101 on the remote writing assessment also receive the co-requisite placement of a mandatory 100 Workshop (355:100), which provides supplemental instruction to 101.

 

 

Rutgers University-Newark Writing Program: Essay Evaluation and Grading Criteria 

The Writing Program grades holistically by evaluating the student’s essay as a whole, balancing its strengths and weaknesses, in order to arrive at an overall grade. 

Grade of A: An essay that earns an A demonstrates a high degree of competence and meets the following criteria:

□ Presents an argument that responds to the writing assignment thoroughly and insightfully
□ Demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the assigned texts
□ Is very well focused, organized, and developed at the essay level, integrating assigned texts and/or research
□ Is very well framed and developed at the paragraph level, including effective assertions, analysis, and textual evidence
□ Demonstrates strong facility with language, using effective vocabulary, syntax, and sentence variety
□ Demonstrates strong control of the grammar, rules of usage, and mechanics of standard English

Grade of B: An essay that earns a B is written in a clearly competent manner and meets the following criteria:

□ Presents an argument that responds to all of the elements of the writing assignment effectively and thoughtfully
□ Demonstrates a solid understanding of the readings
□ Is effectively focused, organized, and developed at the essay level, integrating assigned texts and/or research
□ Is effectively framed and developed at the paragraph level, including appropriate assertions, analysis, and textual evidence
□ Demonstrates good facility with language, using appropriate vocabulary, syntax, and sentence variety
□ Shows good control of the grammar, rules of usage, and mechanics of standard English, but may have some errors

Grade of C: An essay that earns a C demonstrates adequate competence but is limited in one or more of the following ways:

□ Presents an argument that responds to the writing assignment adequately, but may be somewhat limited
□ Demonstrates a competent, though sometimes superficial, understanding of the readings
□ Is adequately focused at the essay level, though the paragraphs could be more effectively organized or explicitly connected and the assigned texts and/or research could be better integrated
□ Is thinly developed at the paragraph level, inconsistent in its inclusion of assertions, analysis, or textual
□ Demonstrates satisfactory facility with language, but may have limited control of syntax and minimal sentence variety
□ Demonstrates adequate, though sometimes inconsistent control of grammar, usage, and mechanics

Grade of D: An essay that earns a D approaches competence, but has one or more of the following flaws:

□ Presents an argument that is unclear or seriously limited in its response to the writing assignment, or does not present any argument
□ Demonstrates an inadequate reading, or a misreading of the texts
□ Is unfocused, disorganized, or underdeveloped at the essay level
□ Is inadequately developed at the paragraph level, lacking assertions, analysis, and/or textual evidence
□ Demonstrates errors in the use of language or syntax, which may interfere with meaning
□ Demonstrates errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics, which may interfere with meaning

Grade of F: An essay that earns an F lacks competence, since it has one or more of the following flaws:

□ Fails in its response of the writing assignment
□ Is incomplete/severely underdeveloped
□ Contains severe grammatical or syntactical errors that persistently obscure meaning

 

The Writing Program provides specialized instruction and support for students with diverse language backgrounds.  We collaborate with the Program in American Language Studies (PALS) to provide further support for students requiring more intensive language study before taking courses offered by the Writing Program.

Writing Program Academic Integrity Policy

The Rutgers University Academic Integrity Policy defines plagiarism as “the use of another person’s words, ideas, or results without giving that person appropriate credit.”  In Writing Program courses instruction is given and emphasis is placed on attribution and citation skills.  Intentionally committing plagiarism is a serious offense that results in severe consequences.  Writing Program instructors are required to report students who intentionally violate this policy to the Director of the Writing Program and to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs.   

The most common academic integrity violations by writing students are:

  • “Copying word for word (i.e. quoting directly) from an oral, printed, or electronic source without proper attribution.”
  • “Paraphrasing without proper attribution, i.e., presenting in one’s own words another person’s written words or ideas as if they were one’s own.”
  • “Submitting a purchased or downloaded term paper or other materials to satisfy a course requirement.”

The Rutgers University Academic Integrity Policy establishes levels of violations and recommends sanctions.  Depending upon the severity of the case and the level of the violation, the sanctions for these violations include: failure in the course, mandatory participation in a series of noncredit academic integrity workshops, and/or suspension. 

If you are in doubt as to what constitutes plagiarism or are concerned that you are misappropriating someone’s words or ideas, speak immediately with your instructor. For more information, you can also consult the Rutgers University Academic Integrity Policy, which can be found at:

https://policies.rutgers.edu/10213-currentpdf

 

 

 

*All students are required to successfully complete English Composition 101 and 102 in order to graduate from Rutgers University-Newark. 

COMMUNICATION SKILLS 098: BASIC WRITING AND READING STRATEGIES

This developmental course calls for intensive work in basic reading and writing, including systematic reviews of grammar.  Students write and revise analytical, text-based essays, and emphasis is placed on effectively managing sentences, evaluating word choices, developing paragraphs, and maintaining coherence.  The course also stresses reading with accuracy, recognizing main ideas, and drawing upon sources as a means of expressing and comprehending complex thinking. 

Detailed Course Description and Learning Goals - Unified Writing Curriculum

Sample Course Syllabus ENG098

COMMUNICATION SKILLS 099: ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING

This course is designed to provide strong preparation for the work that will be expected of students in English Composition 101.  Emphasis is placed on the development of critical reading strategies and analytical writing skills, including the effective incorporation of sources, the systematic organization of ideas in analytical essays, and the effective presentation of complex ideas and information to a defined audience in precise language.  The course also stresses grammar and language skills.

Detailed Course Description and Learning Goals - Unified Writing Curriculum

Sample Course Syllabus ENG099

ENGLISH COMPOSITION 101: ANALYSIS AND ARGUMENT

English Composition 101 is the first writing course required of all non-transfer students and is usually taken in a student’s first semester.  Designed to introduce students to academic discourse, this course provides instruction in reading and thinking critically and in writing analytically in response to primarily non-fiction readings.  Through a series of sequenced assignments, emphasis is placed on writing as a process, which includes drafting, revising, and editing writings.  Instruction is provided in recognizing and assessing the argumentative and rhetorical strategies of other writers and in students effectively constructing well-informed, sophisticated, and logical essays, while maintaining an individual voice and synthesizing increasingly complex academic essays.

Detailed Course Description and Learning Goals - Unified Writing Curriculum

Sample Course Syllabus ENG101

ENGLISH COMPOSITION 102: INTERPRETATION, SYNTHESIS, AND RESEARCH

English Composition 102 is the second course in the sequence of writing courses required of non-transfer students and must be taken immediately following the successful completion of English Composition 101.  This course builds on the critical reading, thinking, and writing skills developed in 101 and further prepares students for the types of intellectual inquiry as well as critical analysis and writing required in upper-lever courses offered at the university.   Students engage increasingly complex texts of different genres and from a variety of disciplinary orientations.   Emphasis continues to be placed on writing as a process as students are required to conduct and to critically evaluate research as well as to maintain an independent voice as they negotiate multiple primary and secondary sources.

Detailed Course Description and Learning Goals - Unified Writing Curriculum

Sample Course Syllabus ENG102

HONORS COMPOSITION:  ENGLISH 103 and ENGLISH 104

These courses are offered to students who have been admitted to the Honors College as well as to students on the basis of their SAT scores and previous academic records.  Students can also be recommended by their 101 instructors.  These courses have the same goals as English Composition 101 and 102, but they are more rigorous and expect a higher level of sophistication in the thinking, reading, and writing skills and in the overall academic performance of students.

WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

After completing English Composition, students are required to take at least two further writing courses. These courses are to be chosen from an array of writing-intensive courses that are offered throughout the undergraduate program. Students must take at least one of these two writing-intensives within their major. These courses are  designated with a "Q" section in the Schedule of Classes.