WPE changed; objective part eliminated
By Lot
Tan
Daily Forty-Niner
Cal State Long Beach
students may have a new reason to yell "Whoopee!" about the Writing Proficiency
Exam.
A revised WPE (also
known as "whoopee") was approved July 10 by CSULB's Academic Affairs committee.
The new test will now consist of a 75-minute essay, which is 15 minutes
longer than the previous one. The essay has added an analytical question,
and the objective portion of the test has been eliminated.
"Many students are
happy because they donít have to take the objective," said Erika Ferrule,
student assistant at Testing and Evaluation Services. "People who passed
the objectives are void. They need to pass the essay portion."
"The No. 1 reason
for dropping the objective is that we believe that knowing grammar has
no bearings on oneís writing proficiency," said Dr. Edward Borowiec, chairman
of the WPE Test Development Committee. "No research has suggested that
grammar influenced writing."
However, CSULB junior
Royce Mori disagrees.
"I think thatís a
terrible change because grammar is a very important part of writing," Mori
said.
Other students are
very elated by this change. Management major Jennifer Peng was completing
the WPE booklet when she heard the news.
"I didn't know about
the change until you told me," Peng said. "I'm very excited because it
might be a little easier for me."
Senior Michelle Mangune
agreed. "I'm glad I passed it the first time, so I'm OK," she said.
Public relations
major Christine Moat said, "I think the change is good for people who do
well on essays, so then they donít have to worry about the objective part
of the test."
Cal State Northridge
and Sonoma State also have the same exam for their students.
"Every school makes
their own determination on the writing exam," said Marilyn Jensen, associate
vice president of Academic Affairs.
As of July
1, the requirement of the WPE will be met if one of these four conditions
has been obtained:
-
Current CSULB students
receive a score of 11 on the essay portion of the WPE on July 10 and after.
-
Students receive a score
of 11 on the essay portion before July 10, regardless of the objective
score.
-
Students get an administrative
waiver from Academic Affairs.
-
Students who passed
the written part and have met all graduation requirements between 1988
and 1999 reapply for graduation.
The scores of
the WPE range from one to 18. An 11 is needed to pass the test.
"Three faculty members
read the essays, each giving a score of one to six -- then you add it up,"
Borowiec said. "We are the only college in the United States that has three
faculty members reading these essays. Others only have two or one reader."
The eight-member
WPE development committee decides the essay topics. The topic must apply
to a wide variety of students and must contain no hidden bias.
Students who have
taken the WPE and failed are encouraged by Borowiec to buy the WPE workbook,
attend a WPE workshop, register for special courses and visit the learning
assistance and writing centers for help.
"I would caution
students to take the exam seriously and ask an advisor in any department
for help with their writing skills," Borowiec said. "Students fail because
they blow it off and they need to prepare for the test."
The students not
attempting the WPE after completing 75 units will not be able to register.
However, if they make an attempt and fail, the hold will be lifted.
The next WPE test
date is Sept. 25. A workshop will be offered Sept. 17 at 11 a.m. in
LH-151. |
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