The Writing Programs in the Department of English offers many versions of First-Year Composition, each designed to maximize student learning and success. Courses for non-native speakers and honors courses are all taught by dedicated teachers motivated to meet specialized student populations where they are to ensure all students have the opportunity to reach their academic potential. The Writing Programs is dedicated to meeting students where they are and providing meaningful instruction for a diverse student population.
What is the composition requirement?
English 101 and 102, or one of the versions of these classes described in this section, are required for graduation. Students must earn a grade of "C" or better to fulfill the graduation requirement.
Can I test out of English 101 and 102?
No, you cannot test out of ENG 101 and 102. However, partial credit can be earned by certain scores on Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests. Please visit the Transfer Credit Guide to search credit by exam.
What course do I take during my first semester?
Effective Summer 2021, no placement test scores are needed for enrollment into ENG 101. For students for whom English is not the native language, enroll in ENG 107. Other students may qualify for English 105; placement test requirements are listed below.
Placement Exam |
Score | Course |
---|---|---|
No Exam Needed |
N/A | ENG 101/107 |
SAT Read/Write Effective March 2016 |
660 or above |
ENG 105 |
SAT Verbal (Critical Reading) Prior to March 2016 |
620 or above |
ENG 105 |
ACT English |
26 or above |
ENG 105 |
Accuplacer score |
8 (8-point system, effective Fall 2009)/11 |
ENG 105 |
I am an international student who has not taken an English placement test. What test should I take?
All students must have a qualifying test score in order to enroll in first-year composition courses. Admitted students who have not had TOEFL, IELTS, PTEA scores reported to ASU may take the placement test through the Office of Evaluation and Educational Effectiveness, https://uoeee.asu.edu/testing, telephone: 965-7146. ASU uses the ACCUPLACER as a placement test for first-year composition courses. The Duolingo English test is not an acceptable exam for English placement and cannot be used.
What is English 105?
English 105 is a one-semester course that practices the various ways of reading and writing that are studied in English 101 as well as the research and argumentation strategies that are studied in English 102. The pace is faster so the workload is heavier.
You may qualify for placement into English 105 by:
- an ACT score of 26 or more.
- an SAT score of 660 or more (620 or more if taken before 2016).
- Either of these two CLEP test scores:
1. English Composition with essay -- the General Examination.
a score of 610/1978 scale or 500/1986 scale or more.
2. Freshman College Composition -- the Subject Examination.
a score of 50 or more.
Are there any awards, publications, or honors I might be eligible for through Writing Programs?
What is the policy for adding or dropping a Writing Programs course?
Course Withdrawal Deadlines
The drop/withdrawal deadlines listed on the Academic Calendar apply to classes scheduled in the regular 16-week term. If your class is scheduled in a session that is less than 16 weeks, the deadlines are prorated. The best way to determine the registration deadlines for a class you are registered for is to sign into My ASU and click on the calendar icon next to the class in your My Classes box.
May I get an override to enroll in a closed section?
What is the attendance policy?
- Hybrid classes: In the case of a hybrid course, a student who misses more than four classes -- either face-to-face, online, or a combination -- will fail the course with a grade of E.
- Online classes: More than four absences will result in failure.
- Definition of attendance in online classes: The instructor will define attendance in the syllabus. Generally, a student who fails to post an assignment to the class website during the assigned "window" of time will be counted absent for that class day.
- Technical problems online: While these do occur either at home or from an on-campus connection, they are usually not valid reasons for failing to fulfill the requirements for attendance on that day. Students are responsible for allocating enough time to complete online assignments, and they should include the possibility of technical "glitches." Thus students need to allow enough time to try again later or to travel to a campus computer lab or alternative place to complete the assignment and therefore avoid an absence for the day.
- Exceptions may be made by the instructor in the event of widespread computer viruses or some other large-scale event affecting ASU's computer network, but exceptions will not be made for routine computer problems.
What if I have to miss the first week of school?
What is an instructor initiated drop?
What are the policies about submitting work, grading, and classroom expectations?
Can I dispute a grade that I received?
If you are dissatisfied with a grade you have received on an individual assignment during the semester, you are advised to meet with your teacher and ask for an explanation of the grade. The Writing Programs administration will not hear appeals during the semester.
If, after the semester is over, you feel you have been awarded an incorrect final course grade, you should also first discuss it with your teacher. If you would like to pursue a formal appeal after that, you may submit to the Writing Programs administration a packet containing the following (only complete packets will be considered):
- a formal letter with a full and detailed explanation of your grievance
- your name, student ID number, and contact information (e-mail address and phone number)
- copies of the course syllabus
- the assignment sheets complete with rubrics/grading criteria
- all graded work complete with teacher’s comments
- a copy of your Canvas grade report
- any other documents you feel substantiate the appeal
Please submit these documents as a single PDF by the end of the semester immediately following the semester in which the class was taken. Do not include links, but copy and paste documents so that they are directly accessible in this file.
After receiving the complete packet, the Writing Programs Grievance Committee will review your materials, investigate your claims, and inform you in writing of their decision. During the investigation, the committee may also contact you for follow-up questions or additional materials.
Please email your packet to the Director of Writing Programs, Dr. Kyle Jensen. His email address is dr.kjensen@asu.edu.
What is plagiarism? I hear a lot of talk about it, but I’m not exactly sure what it is.
- Using all or part of another writer's work word-for-word without quotation marks and proper acknowledgment.
- Closely paraphrasing or summarizing another writer's work without acknowledgment.
- Using original ideas expressed by another, in writing or in speech, without acknowledgment.
- Copying another student's composition or allowing another student to copy one's own composition. This includes copying a paper from an online source—copying a paper written by someone else—in part or whole—does constitute plagiarism, regardless of the source.
- Submitting a composition significantly revised by another person.
- Submitting as one's own work a paper written by another student or supplied by a professional paper-writing company.
- And, at ASU, turning in a paper that you wrote in one class for credit in another.