Version: 25 October 2006
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY NOTICE
FROM SOUTHEASTERN’S GENERAL CATALOGUE:
Students entering Southeastern are required by the Board of Regents to demonstrate proficiency in English as part
of the requirement for associate and baccalaureate degrees. Students who pass English 102 or its equivalent with a
grade of D or better will meet English proficiency requirements.
GENERAL POLICY
To pass English 102, you are required to satisfactorily complete all course requirements and to submit for
independent assessment a passing English proficiency portfolio containing three samples of writing done for the
course, an essay exam completed during the final exam period, and an initialed checklist confirming that you read
and followed these directions. Your proficiency portfolio must pass the independent assessment for you to
earn a passing grade for English 102.
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT BLACKBOARD SITE
This notice and other important proficiency materials, including the current semester’s exam readings,
suggestions for how to prepare for the exam, a sample proficiency exam, and model student documents, are
available electronically on the “English Proficiency Assessment” Blackboard site, located at
http://blackboard.selu.edu. You must visit this Blackboard site prior to the conclusion of your English 102
class this term.
PORTFOLIO
The portfolio is a folder containing multiple samples of your best writing for English 102. The purpose of the
portfolio is to allow university graders other than your teacher to judge your writing proficiency using a variety of
your best work. The portfolio—except for the exam—will be collected by your teacher during the last week of
classes, and then forwarded to the proficiency graders for independent assessment following your completion of the
exam during exam week.
Folder specifications:
 Use a light-colored, double-pocketed folder with your “W number” and teacher’s code name on the cover.
 Make sure that neither your name nor your teacher’s actual name appears anywhere in the portfolio.
 Place two “Revised Course Papers” and your “Proficiency Statement” in the right-hand pocket. Place your
completed “Proficiency Exam” and your initialed “Portfolio Checklist” in the left pocket.
 You must initial each item on your “Portfolio Checklist,” confirming you have read and followed all
directions in preparing, compiling, and submitting your portfolio.
Portfolio contents:
Two Revised Course Papers: The two papers that you select should represent your best writing completed
for English 102. Clean, typed revisions, containing no comments or marks by your teacher or other readers,
must be stapled on top of at least one prior draft. That prior draft must show evidence of being read by your
teacher (e.g., written comments and/or a grade), and possibly other readers. Critical, analytical, and
argumentative essays of at least 500 words (or roughly two double-spaced pages) are required. Both writing
samples must be on different writing assignments (not two versions of the same assignment). You may not
submit short exercises or papers that only summarize a work. Do not include extremely lengthy research
papers. Papers must demonstrate your ability to integrate and document sources effectively using MLA format.
At least one paper must integrate outside sources and include a “Works Cited” page corresponding to the
sources cited in that paper. If the second course paper integrates sources, it must include a “Works Cited” page
as well.
Version: 25 October 2006
Proficiency Statement: Your proficiency portfolio documents your successful completion of the Freshman
English requirement at Southeastern. In this sense, it allows graders to take a look back at what you have
accomplished. However, it is perhaps more useful personally to think of your portfolio as pointing ahead,
offering important evidence that you possess the writing and reading knowledge and skills necessary to
succeed in your academic degree program or in the workplace. In a statement of 500-600 words (or about two
double-spaced pages) written for an academic advisor, a major professor, or a potential employer (actual
names are not needed), make a compelling case that your portfolio demonstrates you possess the knowledge
and skills needed to thrive in your future course work or job. For your statement to succeed, you must first
identify some of the specific writing and reading knowledge and skills you expect you will need in your future
course work (and, yes, all Southeastern degree programs require at least some writing) or employment, then
point to particular concrete evidences in your portfolio that show you have met those needs. Your purpose is to
convince your reader that these evidences are substantial and compelling enough to support your progress.
Your discussion must refer by title to at least one revised course paper included in the portfolio.
The Proficiency Exam: The purpose of the open-book proficiency exam is to demonstrate your skill at
independent, critical reading; writing a timed essay on a prompt related to that reading; developing an
argument that integrates information drawn from the reading; and documenting your sources using MLA style.
About 10 days before classes end, you will be assigned a selection of four short readings and a general theme
connecting those readings. You will be directed to prepare to respond to an argumentative prompt related to
that theme, using the sources you were given to help develop your argument. The exam readings will be made
available electronically via the “English Proficiency Assessment” Blackboard course site, located at
http://blackboard.selu.edu. The exam is written in a “blue book” that you will purchase and bring to the
Freshman English exam. You must bring both your blue book and your printed copies of the assigned
exam readings to the scheduled exam meeting.
PORTFOLIO EVALUATION
A minimum of two trained graders other than your teacher will judge your portfolio’s proficiency. A
portfolio is “proficient” if it demonstrates that you have met the stated goals of English 102. Thus, a
portfolio should demonstrate skills in writing, reading, and critical thinking; an ability to write on various
subjects for different audiences and purposes; an ability to use research in writing; and evidence of
planning and revision processes leading to final drafts. Individual pieces of writing should consistently do
the following: state a thesis clearly; develop a thesis logically and in sufficient detail; integrate sources
effectively to develop that thesis; use well-formed sentences and paragraphs; and follow standard practices
in spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Pass: “Competent or Adequate.” The portfolio consistently demonstrates proficiency in argumentation,
research, and writing. The writing is characterized by clarity of purpose and recognition of audience as
well as by an ability to plan, focus, organize, develop, revise, and document essays. Mechanical errors do
not impede reading. The portfolio follows all the “Specifications” described above.
Fail: “Unacceptable.” The portfolio does not demonstrate proficiency in argumentation, basic writing, or
research. Or, the portfolio does not follow the directions offered on this “English Proficiency Notice.” A
failing portfolio will have been read by at least four trained graders. All four graders must agree that
a portfolio is deficient in one or more of the areas just described for that portfolio to be failed.
Version: 25 October 2006
SAMPLE ENGLISH PROFICIENCY EXAM
General Directions:
The purpose of this proficiency exam is to demonstrate your skill at independent, critical reading, writing a
timed essay on a prompt related to that reading, developing a claim that integrates information drawn from
the reading, and documenting your sources using MLA style.
This is an open-book exam. Use your copies of the assigned readings to integrate direct quotes,
paraphrases, or summaries of the sources into your response. You may also use your English 102 course
texts and a dictionary. No other books are permitted. Write your response in your blue book. Be sure to
write your university W-number and your teacher’s code name on the cover of your blue book. No other
identifying information should appear on your essay. You have 2 hours to complete this exam.
Assigned Readings: (Available electronically from the “English Proficiency
Assessment” Blackboard site, located at http://blackboard.selu.edu.)
John Steinbeck’s “Americans and the Land”
Jayme Stayer’s “Whales R Us”
Joy Harjo’s “Fire”
Simon Benlow’s “An Apology to Future Generations”
Respond in your blue books to one of the following two questions:
1. Consider the extent to which individuals and the natural world are linked and/or separated.
Drawing on your own personal experience and at least two of the assigned readings (which you
may quote, paraphrase, or summarize), what, if anything can be learned or accomplished by a
strong connection to nature? Organize your thesis to establish a clear claim regarding the
relationship between the individual and nature. Be sure to discuss at least two of the assigned
readings in developing your claim. Take care to integrate those sources into your essay
effectively, and document your use of the readings in appropriate MLA format. You do not need
to include a Works Cited list.
2. Each of the assigned readings discusses in some way humanity’s relationship with nature, and
that relationship suggests a responsibility of the general public toward the environment. Yet our
responsibilities toward the natural environment are challenged by many practical needs: our needs
for inexpensive fuels, for plentiful food, for travel and recreation, and so on. Write an essay
establishing your own claim concerning the public’s responsibilities toward nature and the
environment, including any limits you see on those responsibilities. Use at least two of the
assigned readings (which you may quote, paraphrase, or summarize) to develop your claim. Take
care to integrate those sources into your essay effectively, and document your use of the readings
in appropriate MLA format. You do not need to include a Works Cited list.