Writing for Proficiency with Georgie Ziff
 English 3000 is a course to help you meet the
University Writing Skills Requirement.
 You must submit a Final Course Portfolio to the
Testing Office the last week of the quarter that
consists of your writing work from the class.
 Who needs this class? Students who took the Writing
Skills Test and scored 6 or below, or students who
choose to take this class as an alternative to the WST
 You must pay the Portfolio Evaluation fee
to the Testing Office to have
your portfolio evaluated.
• A Scoring Rubric is available in
Blackboard in the course.
 Reading Critically, Writing Well - 10th edition
by Axelrod, Cooper and Warriner. ISBN: 978-1-4576-3894-7
 The book is available in both hard copy and
e-book editions at the campus bookstore and online.
 The bookstore offers a package that includes:
 the video access code you will need to watch the videos in
the course (Video Central)
The e-book version = ISBN 10-4576-4991-8. To buy the e-book
directly from the publisher, go to this
link: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/ebookstogo/default.asp
#t_895965____
Be sure to scroll down in the right column the find
the correct textbook title.
 First you have to download an e-reader,
then download the book.
 Here is a link to Amazon.com, however, if you do
buy the book elsewhere, you must purchase the
access codes for Video Central and the e-pages
directly from the publisher.
 Here is a link for Video Central:
. http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/videoenglish/VC
/Default.aspx and click on "purchase access online".
 Here is a handout with more information about
Video Central.
 Assignments are in the Weekly Schedule folder
 You will read an article, watch a video, and a power point
about writing topics, then write paragraphs answering the
following questions :
 1) What is the article/video/powerpoint about?
2) How will this information influence your understanding of
writing?
 3) Rhetorically, which media was more effective in terms of
audience and purpose?
 4) What strategies did the writer/creator/filmmaker use to
reach the specific audience?
 Weekly assignments are due by Friday 5 pm to receive 5
points; 3 pts the 2nd week, then 1 pt after that.
 Write your responses in the dialog box: DO NOT use file
attachments for assignment responses; attachments
are only for essays
Click here to download and view the
video “How to Submit Assignments”.
 To break the ice and get to





know your classmates, you will
participate in the weekly
Discussion Boards about:
being an online student
your writing process
your academic habits
readings in the textbook
NOTE: you must post to the
Board by Wed. midnight, and
then respond to TWO
classmates by Friday 5pm to
get the full 6 points of credit –
then it closes.
 The Portfolio evaluation will result in one of three





assessments:
Clear Competence (CC): You have fulfilled the
University Writing Skills Requirement, and no
additional writing courses are needed.
Developing Competence (DC): You may move
on to a second-tier writing course, e.g. ENGL
3003 to fulfill the University Writing Skills
requirement.
Limited Competence (LC): You must retake
English 3000 with a different instructor to create
an entirely new Portfolio for evaluation.
It is possible to receive credit for ENGL 3000 and
NOT receive a Developing or Clear
Competence score on the portfolio.
Evaluations are final and cannot be appealed.
 Cover sheet with your name, Net ID, teacher's name,
course/section number, date, quarter/year.
 Table of contents: lists the individual items in the
portfolio, in this order. *This is important!
 Questionnaire: This will be provided in the course
and will include your identification information.
 Reflective introduction essay and Turnitin Originality
Report - essay that introduces the portfolio and
argues that you should pass either this class or the WST
 Position Essay - 3 drafts + assignment sheet: click for
guidelines. Turnitin Originality Report: 10% or less
 Three Timed Essays - certified copies , earliest first
 Compare/Contrast Essay-3 drafts + assignment sheet.
Click for guidelines and, derived from the final draft:
Turnitin Originality Report: 10% or less similarity
 You must submit and share your Portfolio by Monday of the last






week with the class in order for me to check it.
If you don’t see your Portfolio in the Shared Portfolio area, this
means you have NOT submitted it, so I can’t check it.
Only share your Portfolio when it is COMPLETE
If you are sent a checklist to correct/add/fix documents in your
Portfolio, let me know when your tasks have ALL been
accomplished; I won’t contact you repeatedly.
Remember, you cannot get credit for the class unless you
submit your Portfolio.
Portfolios are due to me by MONDAY of the last week, and
then, once approved, are due to the Evaluation Team no later
than Thursday noon. Late submissions ARE NOT accepted.
I do not accept any work nor respond to emails after
Wednesday of the last week of class.
You will have one hour and fifty minutes to write a complete thesisdriven essay in response to a prompt.
SAVE your timed essay document with your name:
YOUR NAME Timed Essay One (or Two or Three).
Read the details about the test in Blackboard in Week One.
 The First Timed Essay is taken during the 1st week of classes.
 Timed Essay Two is available during the 5th week and MUST be
proctored through the online service – ProctorU.
 Timed Essay Three is available during the 9th week
and MUST be proctored.
 ALL Timed Essays must be submitted through Blackboard
 Certified copies of your test must be in your Portfolio;
they will be available in My Grades in feedback.
 If you experience computer problems, you
will be required to take a new test.
 Proctoring is REQUIRED for the second and third
timed essay.
 Any timed essays submitted outside the proctoring
service will NOT be accepted: NO EXCEPTIONS.
When you access ProctorU for the first time, you will
need to perform a computer check with ProctorU to
make sure your browser, webcam, and audio are
functioning.
 You MUST provide a photo ID during your proctoring
session. If you reside in the continental United States,
one photo ID is required. If you reside OUTSIDE the
United States, you must provide TWO forms of photo
identification at the beginning of the proctoring
session.
 ProctorU allows test-takers to take an exam on demand or by
appointment. All appointments should be made at least three
days in advance. To make an appointment, test-takers create
an account at http://go.proctoru.com . Test-takers will receive
an email confirming their reservation at the email address they
provided to ProctorU.
 Reservations made within 72 hours of an exam are subject to a
$5 late registration fee. Test-takers without an appointment can
take their exam on demand within 15, 30 or 45 minutes by
using ProctorU’s convenient Take it Now feature. This premier
feature is designed to give test takers added convenience
and costs $8.75. Late registrations and Take it Now features are
subject to availability.
 Should you experience technical issues with the timed essay,
you will not be allowed to retake the test with the same
prompt, but will be directed to a different test in with a new
prompt, which will require a fee through the online proctoring
service.
These useful instructional videos are
available on my Youtube channel.
Be sure to watch closely!
1. How to submit assignments
2. How to upload essays to
Turnitin.com through Blackboard
3. How to obtain the html version of
the Turnitin Originality Reports
4. How to upload documents to your
Online Storage for your Portfolio
5. How to Create Online Portfolios
6. How to Share Your Portfolio
• My contact:
georgie.ziff@csueastbay.edu
• Emails sent from outside
Blackboard MUST include the
school, your class section, and
your name in the subject line of
the email to receive a response
within a few hours.
• Emails received after 5 pm will be
responded to the next day; those
received after 5 pm Friday will be
responded to on Monday.
• Before emailing, be sure to read ALL
the Orientation materials, FAQs,
syllabus and the Schedule folders.
• The class is OVER on the last
Wednesday when the Portfolios are
due to the Evaluation Team. Work
will not be accepted nor emails
responded to after that Wednesday.
 Contact the Blackboard
Service Desk Phone Support for
help.
 The Service Desk is available
at 510-885-4357 from 8:30 AM to
4:30 PM. A dedicated team of
student assistants and staff will
do their best to help with IT
issues.
 If the issue is more complicated
a ticket will be opened and
assigned to the appropriate IT
teams. A ticket can also be
opened directly at:
http://www.csueastbay.edu/
servicedesk.
Additional help is available at the
Learning Commons: 510-885-4152
Email: stsc@csueastbay.edu
 Read the ALL of the Orientation Materials
and FAQs in Blackboard, and look through
the Schedule and Menu Bar folders
 Download and print out the Schedule doc
 Buy the textbook and register and/or
purchase access codes for Video Central.
 Submit work for Week One
 Post to the Discussion Board and introduce
yourself to the class
 Read the class webpage on my website for
more information:
 CSUEB 3000 Online