Writing Placement Assessment

Research shows that students are better able to choose the best writing course for themselves than traditional, timed placement exams. Choosing the best writing course pathway at APU is an important decision, and it’s one that we want to help you do well! To guide you in choosing the best writing course option, you will take The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire prior to registering for your first writing class. This self assessment helps you better understand the writing courses available to you at APU so that you can make an informed decision about the best writing pathway for you.

During the process of The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire, you will respond thoughtfully to important questions about your reading and writing past, receive information on course and support options, share evidence such as your high school GPA and standardized placement scores, and receive a suggested writing course pathway. You will refer to this suggestion when registering for your first writing course at APU. The first writing course you take will set you up for success for the writing you will undertake throughout the rest of your time at APU and beyond. Read more about The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire to find out how to get started.

Writing Program Pathways

All incoming students begin their Writing Program pathway at APU with The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire, a brief survey that assists you in making the best APU writing course choice for you. To fulfill the General Education (GE) Writing Program requirements at APU, most students begin with Writing 1 (with or without the optional Writing 1 Lab) in their first year, move on to Writing 2 in their second year, and complete Writing 3 during their third or fourth year. As reflected in the GE curriculum (beginning 2016-17), students take Writing 1 unless they have equivalent coursework or sufficient Advanced Placement (AP)¹ scores that they have transferred (or plan to transfer) to APU.

Students may potentially transfer eligible coursework (or AP test scores for Writing 1) to fulfill APU’s GE writing course requirements, but cannot otherwise “test out” of Writing 1, Writing 2, or Writing 3.²

Complete The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire

The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire is a brief online survey that gives you a chance to learn about the different course options and types of academic writing most often assigned and valued at Azusa Pacific University. This process will help you judge your own readiness for and comfort with college writing, and will assist you in choosing the best first writing course at APU for you.

The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire process consists of the following steps:

Step 1: Determine whether you should use The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire

Generally, all incoming students need to take The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire before registering for their first APU writing course. (Transfer students who have completed Writing 2 or equivalent are the only exceptions.) Even if you have already completed Writing 1 or equivalent via coursework or incoming AP scores, you still need to complete this brief online survey before you can register for your first writing course.

Step 2: Take The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire

Take The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire. You will need to log in to your APU email account to access the form, and you will need the following information when you sit down to complete the writing placement questionnaire:

APU student ID number
APU email address
High school GPA
SAT and/or ACT scores, if you have received them

Step 3: View and understand your The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire results

Once you complete The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire, you will receive a course recommendation based on the information you entered throughout the survey. If you have questions regarding the course option(s) suggested for you or APU writing courses in general, contact the Writing Program or your academic advisor for more information.

Step 4: Explore extra writing support options

WRIT 120: The Writing 1 Lab

The Writing 1 Lab (WRIT 120) is a 1-unit course designed to support students enrolled in Writing 1 as they move from high school to college-level writing expectations. The lab provides a space for you to engage with the foundational concepts introduced in Writing 1, such as developing process, understanding rhetorical situations, and crafting sound arguments.

Within a casual, interactive workshop format (up to six participants) that is practical and tailored to the unique needs of you and your group members, you will meet once weekly with a writing coach to further develop your writing skills and your individual writing processes.

Writing Center Appointments

All students are also encouraged to visit the Writing Center for free one-on-one appointments. The Writing Center coaches APU students to improve their own writing by employing a better writing process. The center can help any APU student, from developmental to advanced, with any kind of writing project at any stage of the writing process.

Understanding My Results

Once you complete The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire survey, you will receive a course recommendation. You will use this recommendation when registering for your first writing course at APU. If you have questions regarding the course option suggested for you, or regarding APU writing courses in general, contact your academic advisor or email [email protected] for more information.

Writing Assessment FAQs

When should The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire be completed?

The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire needs to be completed before you attend your scheduled Summer Orientation event. You will use the writing course recommendation offered at the end of The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire when registering for your first writing course at APU. Please note that completion of The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire is required before you are able to register for your first writing course.

How long does The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire take?

This process usually takes 20-30 minutes. Please be sure you have the time to answer all questions before beginning.

What will I need to complete The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire?

Have your high school GPA, as well as your SAT or ACT scores, handy when you sit down to complete The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire; you’ll be asked for this information along the way. You will also need your APU student ID number and your APU student email address.

I’m not a first-year student. Is The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire right for me?

Even if you’re not entering your first semester of college, The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire is probably still right for you. All students who have not yet fulfilled the General Education Writing 2 requirement need to complete The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire. That means you need to take The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire even if you have credit for Writing 1 via transfer work or AP credit. The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire will offer you valuable information about multiple General Education writing courses at APU, as well as help you understand the best first writing course for you!

I already have credit for WRIT 110 or ENGL 110. Do I have to complete The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire?

Yes. Even if you already have credit for Writing 1 via transfer work or AP credit, you will still need to take The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire. At the end of the process, you will receive a personalized writing course recommendation based on the information you submit.

What can I do if I have further questions about the course recommendation I was given? Can I talk to someone?

At the end of the process, you will receive a writing course recommendation to use when you register for your first APU writing course. If you have questions about your course recommendation, contact the Academic Success Center to speak with an academic success coach.

What happens if I do not complete The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire before my Summer Orientation event?

The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire must be completed before you will be able to register for your first APU writing course. So if you do not complete The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire before Summer Orientation, you may miss out on the opportunity to register for the writing class of your choice.

If I don’t like the suggested course, can I complete The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire again?

No, you will not be able to complete The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire again. The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire is an online placement tool, and it does not allow for multiple attempts. Take this process seriously and respond as accurately as possible the first time.

What course options are available to me after I complete The Writing Class Placement Questionnaire?

Writing 1: The Art and Craft of Writing (WRIT 110)

Writing 1 is a one-semester college writing course focused on writing studies. In this course, writing is the subject and the practiced skill. You will engage with the fields of writing studies and rhetoric by analyzing writing theory, studying the art and craft of writing, and improving your skills by producing your own written work.

The purposes of Writing 1 are for you to:

become familiar with writing process theory and development of improved writing processes.
engage with complex arguments and research in order to improve critical thinking skills.
learn to recognize elements of writing such as audience, message, purpose, and medium.
transition from high school to college writing expectations.
learn a lexicon of writing and rhetoric terms.

In this course you will:

write weekly responses, blog posts, or journal entries.
closely analyze writing studies texts.
participate in a peer writing group for workshops in and/or outside of class.
write an original writing-studies-based argument that is supported by researched evidence, among other assignments.
write approximately 7,000+ words of drafts, including 3,000 words of final products.

Writing 1 (WRIT 110) + Lab (WRIT 120)

This is a 4-unit experience that combines a Writing 1 class (WRIT 110, 3 units) with an additional Writing 1 Lab class (WRIT 120, 1 unit). Typically, the additional unit fits into your 12–17-unit load and doesn’t cost an additional tuition fee. The lab is made up of a group of 5–6 students and a writing instructor. The lab meets once a week for 55 minutes and offers small-group support to any students who feel they would benefit from some extra guidance.

In addition to all of the benefits and challenges of Writing 1, you’ll also receive the following:

individualized support from a writing instructor
support from a small group of student writers
additional time for questions and comments
connections to on-campus opportunities and resources

Writing 2: Genre, Evidence, and Persuasion

Writing 2 is a one-semester college writing course that builds on the skills learned and practices employed in Writing 1 by moving you into an exploration of writing within the wider field in which you plan to study. Students in Writing 2 critically assess the rhetorical strategies of their larger field in order to begin to enter into it themselves.

The purposes of Writing 2 are for you to:

practice critical thinking skills by engaging with a range of complex writing and research within your discipline and wider area of study.
assess the questions being asked in related fields and explore how researchers and scholars attempt to answer those questions.
build upon the writing skills gained in Writing 1: The Art and Craft of Writing by further encouraging recognition of rhetorical elements such as audience, message, and purpose, and how these elements shift depending on the discipline.
familiarize yourself with the academic writing styles of your individual field(s) of study.

In Writing 2, you will:

strengthen and reinforce your use of strong writing processes through structured assignments, feedback, and multiple drafts.
meet with your instructor for one-on-one conferences about your writing.
participate in a peer writing group for workshops in and/or outside of class.
receive instruction in research practices and conventions pertinent to your wider field of study, as well as in at least one documentation style (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.).
write a source analysis assignment such as an annotated bibliography or a literature review.
write an assessment of an argument or debate in your field of study.
write an extended argument as it relates to your field of study, drawing on the kind of knowledge that is persuasive to the field and using an appropriate documentation style.

Footnotes

Refer to the university catalog for details on qualifying AP scores, or consult with the Undergraduate Enrollment Services Center at (626) 815-2020 if unsure.
Refer to APU’s Transfer Guidelines for details on transferring eligible courses.