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University of Arkansas

A nationally competitive, student-centered research university serving Arkansas and the world.

Advanced Composition Exam

ELIGIBILITY: To take the examination, students must have completed English 1013 and 1023 or their transfer equivalents, or have been exempted from taking these courses on the basis of ACT or Advanced Placement Examination scores, and have completed fewer than 96 hours toward graduation.

Students should note that the Advanced Composition Exemption Examination offers the possibility to be exempted from the Advanced Composition Requirement, not to receive course credit. Passing the Advanced Composition Exemption Examination remains one of four ways of completing the Advanced Composition requirement. To fulfill this requirement, a student may take English 1013 and 1023 and receive either an A or a B in 1013 and an A in 1023; or pass English 2013, Essay Writing; or pass English 2003, Advanced Composition.


TEST DESCRIPTION: The Advanced Composition Exemption Examination at the University of Arkansas is a 90-minute examination which requires students to read two brief texts, provided by the test administrators at the time of the examination, and to write a well-organized, well-developed argumentative essay that supports, refutes, or qualifies a point suggested by the readings. Essays will be evaluated on the basis of the clarity and thoughtfulness of their ideas, the incorporation of the required readings, and the organization and language of the composition. In addition to learning whether they have received a passing or a failing score-no "borderline" scores will be awarded-students will receive written feedback on their examinations, sent to their university email addresses, which will help them understand their strengths and weaknesses as writers at the mid-point of their undergraduate careers. Please note that you may only take this exam one time.

The examination will be given four times a year and begins promptly at 6pm in Kimpel Hall at the University of Arkansas. The Persons planning to take the examination should arrive at the test location by 5:45 p.m. so they can check in and show two required forms of identification: a government-issued identification (driver's license, passport, military or state identification card) and a University of Arkansas identification card. Anyone arriving after 6p.m. will not be permitted to take the examination. Registration deadline is approximately two weeks before each exam. Please see test dates and deadlines below. Students will be invoiced a $20.00 non-refundable fee once registered to take the examination.

What to Bring on Test Day: 

  • 2 forms of valid ID (driver's license & student ID)
  • Pens/ pencils/ highlighters
  • Print dictionary (non-electronic)
  • Wristwatch for pacing yourself


TEST PREPARATION:

The Quality Writing Center (QWC) offers students three options for test preparation: 1) a pre-exam workshop will be held in Kimpel 306 on Tuesday,  May 27, from 2:00—3:00 pm; 2) the QWC has a variety of exam-prep handouts available in their center (Kimpel 315) and online (www.uark.edu/write) under the “resources for students” link on the homepage; 3) students can make appointments to meet one-on-one with QWC tutors to practice techniques for writing successful argumentative synthesis essays. For information on how to make an appointment, call the QWC at 575-6747, drop by Kimpel 315 in person, or visit the center online at www.uark.edu/write.


Test Dates:
DATE
DEADLINE
TIME
RESULTS AVAIL.
June 4, 2008
May 21, 2008
6:00 p.m.
July 5 , 2008
July 16 , 2008
July 2, 2008
6:00 p.m.
August 16, 2008