English Composition Placement & Appeal Process
Students will need one of the following English courses or sequences based on their ACT English or
comparable SAT scores.




23-36 on ACT English – need to take ENGL 105
18-22 on ACT English – need to take ENGL 103 and ENGL 104
Below 18 on ACT English – need to take ENGL 099 and ENGL 103 and ENGL 104
Honors Program – need to take ENGL 195
New students with ACT English scores of 16-17 and 21-22 will have the right to appeal their placement
in ENGL 099 and ENG 103, respectively.
Students without an ACT or SAT score will need to take the COMPASS placement test in the Academic
Resource Center. The essay will be scored by ARC staff and by relevant faculty.
Placement Appeal Option
The placement appeal option is for students with an English ACT score of 16-17 (or comparable SAT)
who are placed in ENGL 099 and for students with an English ACT score of 21-22 (or comparable SAT)
who are placed in ENGL 103 who feel that standardized test scores do not accurately reflect their writing
ability. Students who wish to appeal their ACT placement may only appeal to move up one course, so a
student with an ACT English score of 17 may not petition to place into ENGL 105.
These students may demonstrate their preparation for the written communication competency through a
portfolio.
The portfolio must include the following:

A one-page, single-spaced cover letter that identifies the class in which each portfolio essay was
originally written, the assignment that was given, and the learning outcomes that each essay
demonstrates. Students should identify which of the following outcomes are demonstrated in each
essay and articulate how the outcomes are met in each essay:
1) Context of and Purpose for Writing: Align the writing task with audience, purpose, and context.
2) Content Development: Use appropriate, relevant, and compelling content to support a thesis and unify the
work.
3) Genre and Disciplinary Conventions: Consistently apply disciplinary conventions, including
organization, content, presentation, and style.
4) Sources and Evidence: Consistently support claims with credible, relevant, and appropriate sources.
5) Control of Syntax and Mechanics: Communicate in direct, error-free language.

Two essays of at least 500 words each that are clearly focused around a central idea, developed with
specific supporting details, organized to provide a logical flow of ideas, and edited to observe the
conventions of standard written English. Lab reports are not acceptable.

A $20 check payable to Viterbo University to cover the cost of evaluating the portfolio
Students should submit their portfolio and payment along with their Viterbo ID number to
Dr. Rolf Samuels
Viterbo University
900 Viterbo Drive
La Crosse, WI 54601
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English Composition Placement & Appeal Process
The deadline for submission is August 15. Results of the portfolio assessment will be sent to students’
Viterbo e-mail accounts within ten days.
The portfolio will be assessed using the Written Communication VALUE rubric that applies to the firstyear writing courses at Viterbo University. To override the AP English placement, a portfolio must reach
certain targeted levels on this rubric.
ENGL 103
ENGL 105
Learning
Outcome
7
8
(novice level for at least two SLOs)
(novice level for at least three SLOs)
Milestones
Apprentice
3
Novice
2
Benchmark
1
1
Demonstrates adequate consideration of
context, audience, and purpose and a
clear focus on the assigned task(s) (e.g.,
the task aligns with audience, purpose,
and context).
Demonstrates awareness of context,
audience, purpose, and to the assigned
tasks(s) (e.g., begins to show
awareness of audience's perceptions
and assumptions).
Demonstrates minimal attention to
context, audience, purpose, and to
the assigned tasks(s) (e.g.,
expectation of instructor or self as
audience).
2
Uses appropriate, relevant, and
compelling content to explore ideas
within the context of the discipline and
shape the whole work.
Uses appropriate and relevant content Uses appropriate and relevant
to develop and explore ideas through content to develop simple ideas in
most of the work.
some parts of the work.
3
Demonstrates consistent use of important
conventions particular to a specific
discipline and/or writing task(s),
including organization, content,
presentation, and stylistic choices
Follows expectations appropriate to a Attempts to use a consistent system
specific discipline and/or writing
for basic organization and
task(s) for basic organization, content, presentation.
and presentation
4
Demonstrates consistent use of credible,
relevant sources to support ideas that are
situated within the discipline and genre of
the writing.
Demonstrates an attempt to use
credible and/or relevant sources to
support ideas that are appropriate for
the discipline and genre of the
writing.
5
Uses straightforward language that
generally conveys meaning to readers.
The language in the portfolio has few
errors.
Uses language that generally conveys Uses language that sometimes
meaning to readers with clarity,
impedes meaning because of errors
although writing may include some
in usage.
errors.
Written Communication 2 targeted level
Written Communication 1 targeted
level
Demonstrates an attempt to use
sources to support ideas in the
writing.
When the portfolio score is ambiguous, students may be required to write a timed essay that shows their
ability to apply critical reading and writing skills and will be evaluated in four areas: reading
comprehension, focus and content, organization and coherence, and correctness. Students who are
required to write the timed essay be scheduled for the proctored essay on Friday, August 26 or Monday,
August 29.
If the cover letter does not address the five learning outcomes for written communication, then the
portfolio assessor will give the student one opportunity to revise the essay by the August 15 deadline.
If the portfolio papers themselves do not show evidence of sufficient development towards the five
learning outcomes, then the portfolio may not be resubmitted.
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English Composition Placement & Appeal Process
If any of the papers in the portfolio are demonstrably plagiarized, the student will not earn placement into
a higher level course and the evaluation fee will not refunded.
Students with questions regarding the placement appeal portfolio are welcome to contact Dr. Rolf
Samuels, Director of General Education, risamuels@viterbo.edu.
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