After you qualify to begin C exam testing, you will receive a C exam test permit from me (included with your accepted Assignment 6 analysis in Submissions). See Course Guidelines for specific information on qualifying to begin the C exam. Be aware that if you have three or more late assignment submissions, you are not eligible to pursue a final grade higher than C.

Exams will be graded as accepted or not accepted. Exams cannot be revised to make them acceptable. If an exam is not accepted, you must rewrite it using a different reading selection. If your C exam is not accepted, you must return to the Testing Center to write a new exam on a different reading selection. If you must rewrite the C exam, you will need a C Exam retest permit from me.

Please Note: Read the End-of-Semester Details section in the Schedule for more information.

According to my information, the online tests are definitely available at these ACC campuses: Cypress Creek, Eastview, Northridge, Riverside, Rio Grande, Pinnacle, South Austin, and Round Rock. If you want to type your C exam, I recommend you visit one of those sites. Online testing may also be available at some of the outlying testing centers, such as at San Marcos or Fredericksburg. However, you should contact any outlying testing center to verify that English 1301 online testing through Blackboard is available at that site. Classroom English 1301 students may also be eligible to type their exams, so you need to plan your trip to the testing center accordingly.

As noted, I will retrieve your C exam attempt in Blackboard. When I have graded your C exam, I will let you know if your C exam has been accepted, and I will provide a few comments about your exam in your Messages under the Communication button in Blackboard. You will also receive a 1 or 0 in the C Exam slot in your grade list. Your graded C exam will not be returned to you.

The testing computer will probably have a basic text processor.

• You may not be able to double space.
• Please CAPITALIZE your thesis statement.
• If the word processor likely does not allow paragraph breaks, type [para] or something similar to indicate a break. You can also insert a couple of line breaks.
• Type your name and identifying information in the upper left corner as part of the exam analysis document.

Secure Online Testing

To learn about the procedures of the Testing Center, go to the ACC Testing Center page.

• Using the article as your subject, you will write a referential-interpretive analytical evaluation of at least 600 words that includes a clear CAPITALIZED thesis statement.
• In the CAPITALIZED thesis statement, indicate your analytical intent by identifying the purpose(s) and pattern(s) the author has used to write the article. Your thesis statement will be about the purposes and patterns you plan to analyze, not the events or content of the article.
• You will discuss the article's main idea and the methods of organization used in the article. You must identify and analyze the article's primary rhetorical purpose (expressive, literary, referential, or persuasive). You must also identify and analyze the primary pattern used in the article (description, narration, classification, or evaluation). In other words, tell how the article is written, not what the article is about.
• Though you are required to analyze only one pattern, I recommend that you analyze two patterns.
• Finally, you must evaluate the article, discussing the quality of the writing and using specific examples to support your comments.
• You may not use first-person or second-person pronouns to write your analysis.
• Limit your use of direct quotes to no more than 10% of your total word count.

Many students report having brain breakdowns or needing many hours to write the C exam. Neither event should occur if a few steps are taken.

• First, review the Purposes and Patterns Primer, especially regarding the characteristics of the purposes and the functions of the patterns. If you are writing about referential purpose in your analysis, indicate the form the writer has used (referential-informative or referential-interpretive). If you are analyzing patterns, indicate the various forms the writer may have used; for example, the narration pattern includes the forms of narration of event, narration of process, and cause-effect. The more specific and detailed your analysis, the greater your chance for success.

• Second, review the Assignment 6 lecture, especially the sample analysis. Notice how that sample directly discusses the purposes and patterns. Notice how the characteristics and functions are directly identified. You should do the same on your C exam.

• Once you enter the Testing Center to type or write the C exam, you may not leave, so be prepared when you enter. You may not take any notes into the Testing Center. The Testing Center will provide paper, a dictionary, a thesaurus, if needed, but you must provide your own writing pens; you should take at least two pens with you.

• Before you read the article you are supposed to analyze, jot down everything you remember about the purposes and patterns. Name the four purposes, then write the main characteristics. Name the four patterns and their forms, and then write the functions.

• Read the article you have been given. You will not be able to write on the article handout, so take notes as you go along. Find examples of the characteristics or functions you have identified in the preceding step.

• After reading the article and reviewing your notes, decide which primary purpose the writer has used. Identify directly three main characteristics of the purpose as they appear in the article. Write an example that illustrates each characteristic. If you decide to analyze a secondary purpose, repeat the process.

• Identify the prominent pattern used by the writer in the article. Identify the specific form and function of the pattern used by the author. Then provide an example that illustrates the form and function. (As mentioned above, I recommend you try to analyze at least two patterns.)

• If time permits, read the article again. Make any necessary changes to your notes.

• Write a brief outline for your analysis, identifying what will appear in each paragraph.

• Now you are ready to write your C exam analysis. Follow your outline and notes. Be sure to adhere to any guidelines, such as not using first-person and second-person pronouns or not exceeding the 10% limit on direct quotes. Be specific and direct in your discussion. Be sure to save your work frequently.

• When you finish writing, stop and just sit there for five or ten minutes. Think about what you will do later that day or during the semester break. The purpose of this step is to provide a distraction from the writing process you have just completed.

• Now, go back and read your analysis. Though you should not read out loud, you might read under your breath or by moving your lips. This approach employs two senses instead of one and helps to produce a more thorough proofreading. This step, if possible, should serve for both revision and proofreading. Try to catch any grammar or content problems. Make necessary corrections.

• To estimate the number of words in your analysis, count the number of words in ten lines on the screen (or paper). Divide the total by 10 to get your average words per sentence. Then count the number of lines in the whole analysis. Multiply the number of lines by the average words per sentence to get a close enough total. If your analysis is short, you need to add more details to your analysis.
  • Have you capitalized your thesis statement?
  • Have you directly identified the primary purpose and at least three main characteristics?
  • Have you identified the form and function of the pattern you are analyzing?
  • Do direct quotes make up no more than 10% of your word count? Have you quoted accurately?
  • Do you have a summative concluding sentence for each paragraph of analysis?
  • Have you proofread your analysis carefully?
  
  
• When you are satisfied you have done the best you can, submit your analysis by clicking the Submit button and then give any notes you have written to the Testing Center staff. Leave the Testing Center with the happy feeling you have just passed the C exam. (I will let you know otherwise later, if necessary.)

• If the online testing system is not operating or you go to a testing center in which you must handwrite the exam, you should follow the tips in this paragraph as Plan B. If you must handwrite the exam, the Testing Center will provide paper, a dictionary, a thesaurus, if needed, but you must provide your own writing pens; you should take at least two pens with you. Even if you plan to type the C exam, you might take these supplies along anyway.

Again, once you enter the Testing Center, you may not leave until you turn in a completed exam. If you must leave before your exam is completed, you may not return to complete it. You will have to start over from scratch, and your incomplete attempt will be considered not accepted. So prepare accordingly. The Testing Center will provide paper and a dictionary for your use. You should take at least two working pens to handwrite your exam. You may not take any notes or additional materials into the Testing Center.

My home campus is Rio Grande. If you type your exam, I can retrieve it over the Internet. If you handwrite your exam, it must be sent to me through intercampus mail, which requires 2-4 days travel time, or I can pick it up at the Rio Grande Testing Center if it is handwritten there. In either case, alert me by Blackboard message or Email when and where you have completed the exam.

You are responsible for the timely completion of your C exam. If you wait until the last few days of the semester, you will not have the time to rewrite the exam. (Remember, during the last two days of the course, you may submit only one item for grading.) If your C exam is not acceptable and you do not rewrite it successfully, you will not receive a satisfactory grade in the course.

Click here for Testing Center locations and hours.

NOTE: If you have three or more late assignment submissions, you are not eligible to write the B exam.

NOTE: The B exam is a "take-home" exam. It is not written in the testing center. You will submit this exam using the B Exam submission link in Blackboard.

NOTE: You may not submit the B exam until you have submitted the C exam.

Given a choice of topics, write an analytical/interpretive essay of 1000-1250 words that compares and contrasts two assigned readings on a similar topic. The B Exam is a "take-home" exam; it is not written in the Testing Center.

Click here for full requirements and a link to the B exam reading selections..

Submit this exam using the Submissions button in Blackboard.

NOTE: If you have three or more late assignment submissions, you are not eligible to write the A exam.

NOTE: The A exam is a "take-home" exam. It is not written in the testing center. You will submit this exam using the A Exam submission link in Blackboard.

NOTE: You may not submit the A exam until your C exam has been accepted and you have submitted the B exam.

Write a 1000-1250 word persuasive research report. The A Exam is a "take-home" exam; it is not written in the Testing Center.

Click here for a choice of topics and full requirements.

Submit this exam using the Submissions button in Blackboard.