Writing Center

Writing Proficiency Exam (sample) II

Your response to the following assignment should reflect your ability as an academic writer. Do your best to develop your essay clearly and thoughtfully.

The Preparation

In the article “College Not Apart from Real World” Timothy Miller refutes the idea that college students live an idealistic life. He says this common belief is not true.

In part, Miller says that college students struggle with everyday pressures of bills, job stress, and depression. These problems are just as real for college students as for people working on the job.

The article concludes with the author’s belief that college is the “real world,” and students gain valuable experiences in dealing with the pressures associated with the university life.

Sample Writing Assignment

For your two to four page essay, evaluate Miller’s points about college being “the real world.” You might first examine what he means by “the real world.” Then you might discuss several reasons why college life is/is not similar.

In order to develop your essay, you will need to include clear support for your points. Your examples should be detailed and should reflect your understanding of the topic. In addition, the essay should be effectively organized and easy to follow.

Evaluation Criteria

The readers will use the following criteria in evaluating your essay. Asking yourself these questions helps you meet the standards for this exam.

1. Does my essay present a central idea? 
2. Are all of my points developed with clear support? 
3. Is my essay logical? Does it make sense, and are my ideas reasonable? 
4. Is my paper organized effectively, both overall and within each discussion section? 
5. Is my paper focused on the topic? Have I stayed on topic throughout the essay? 
6. Is grammar, spelling, and word usage up to the standards needed for a writing exit exam? 
7. Have I avoided extensive quoting from the article?