Freshman College Composition
Description of the Examination
The Freshman College Composition examination assesses skills required in most first-year English courses. It addresses elements of language and grammar; various types of writing, both formal and informal; and limited analysis and interpretation of short passages of prose and poetry. The examination assumes that candidates know the fundamental principles of rhetoric and can apply the principles of standard written English. In addition, the exam requires familiarity with the research paper and reference skills.
An optional essay section, which is required if the institution to which the candidate is applying requests a writing sample, is also available. This optional section requires candidates to demonstrate their ability to write clearly and effectively. Candidates respond to two essay topics, spending approximately 45 minutes on each essay. Faculty at the receiving institutions are responsible for scoring the essays; scoring instructions (scoring guide, commentary, and sample papers) are provided by CLEP to facilitate the process.
The examination contains 90 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. Some of these are pretest questions that will not be scored. Any time candidates spend on tutorials and providing personal information is in addition to the actual testing time.
Knowledge and Skills Required
Questions on the Freshman College Composition examination measure students' writing skills both at the sentence level and within the context of passages. Elements of language and grammar, different styles of writing, and limited literary analysis of short prose and poetry selections are tested. It is designed so that an average student who has completed the first-year English requirement in composition can usually answer about half of the multiple-choice questions correctly.
The subject matter of the Freshman College Composition examination is drawn from the following topics. The percentages next to the main topics indicate the approximate percentages of exam questions on those topics.
20% |
Ability to recognize and use standard written EnglishThe examination measures candidates' awareness of a variety of logical, structural, and grammatical relationships within sentences. The questions test recognition of acceptable usage relating to the following:
Two question formats are used to measure the skills above.
|
65% |
Ability to recognize logical developmentThe examination measures recognition of the following in the context of works in progress (student drafts) or of published prose:
The following kinds of multiple-choice questions measure writing skills in context:
|
15% |
Ability to use resource materialsThe examination tests familiarity with the following basic reference skills. Skills are tested both in context and in individual questions.
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Optional Essay Section
The optional essay section of the Freshman College Composition Examination requires candidates to demonstrate their ability to write clearly and effectively. Candidates respond to two essay topics, spending approximately 45 minutes on each essay. These essays are administered on paper, in test booklets. Local faculty score the essays.
Study Resources
To prepare for the Freshman College Composition exam, candidates can consult books that are typically used as reference books or textbooks for first-year English composition and rhetoric courses. The books in the first group include handbooks of grammar and manuals for writing papers and research papers. They offer guidance on the various elements of writing (sentences, paragraphs, essays) as well as examples illustrating acceptable usage and punctuation.
The books in the second group generally include examples of writing, usually written by professional writers but sometimes by student writers. The books in this group suggest ways to make writing interesting, effective, and suitable to a particular purpose. They provide examples of different kinds of writing and practice in reading comprehension.
Candidates are advised to visit a local college bookstore to determine which textbooks are used by the college for English composition and rhetoric courses. When selecting a textbook, they should check the table of contents against the "Knowledge and Skills Required" for this test.
