Writing Placement

The following section is dedicated to which Writing Course would be ideal for you during your first semester.

It is strongly recommended that you provide a writing sample to best allow our team to find the right fit for you this fall.

Before you complete the survey, view the instructional video "Writing Placement Instructions" to learn about the two different writing course options: Writing Intensive (WI) courses and IDIS 100 College Writing.

First Name*

Last Name*

Preferred Name

SNC ID (Nine-digit ID number)*

Have you completed watching the "Writing Placement Instructions" Tutorial?*

Writing Placement Survey

Please read the guidelines below for selecting the appropriate writing course.

You can choose between two (2) writing courses:

A writing intensive (WI) course, or
College Writing (IDIS 100)

Below are recommendations to help you determine which course is best for you.

Information about Writing Intensive (WI) courses:

Course description: These are courses across the curriculum, taught by professors across many disciplines—English, History, Honors, Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, and Music, to name a few. These courses have the common requirement of assigning a minimum of 3,000 words of polished writing, or the equivalent of 3-4 major writing projects, including at least one researched writing assignment. Students who enroll in a WI-designated course are assumed to have confidence and competence in researched essay writing, persuasive writing, and the writing process. These classes are designed to help you acclimate to college-level writing.

A writing intensive course is four credits, and it fulfills the College Core requirement of taking a WI course within your first two years at SNC.

Suggested Requirements:

GPA is above 3.5
English ACT score is above 23

Students should enroll in a WI (writing intensive) designated course if:

You do not need extra help with grammar, word choice, tone
You feel comfortable starting to write at the college level
You have experience using in-text citations, reading deeply, and doing research

Information about College Writing (IDIS 100):

Course description: IDIS 100 is taught by writing/composition teachers at SNC. This course is recommended for students who want an introductory college writing course that helps them develop their powers of written communication. Students learn about the composing process–planning, shaping, writing, revising, editing and proofreading–and how to apply this process to a series of college writing assignments. These assignments may include personal narratives, informational summaries, persuasive essays and documented research essays. IDIS 100 can be taken as an elective by students who feel a need for a composition course.

IMPORTANT: IDIS 100 is a course that is taken before enrolling in a writing intensive (WI) designated course. It is a four-credit course that counts as one of your electives. This means that if you sign up for IDIS 100, you will also need to enroll in a writing intensive (WI) course after you successfully pass IDIS 100.

Suggested Requirements:

GPA is below 3.5
English ACT score is 19-22 or below

Students should enroll in IDIS 100: College Writing if:

You want specific help with grammar, word choice, tone
You want to get more focused practice writing at the college level
You want more practice using in-text citations, reading deeply, and doing research

GPA

What is your current high school GPA?*

Below 3.5

Above 3.5

What is your current high school GPA?*

Please note: Your participation in this placement survey is part of an IRB-approved study (IRB 21-02-11c1), “Pilot Study: New Writing Placement Process at St. Norbert College.” By completing the survey, you consent to the study. Please click here to read the full consent form, and email any questions to the Principal Investigator Dr. Kat O’Meara, Director of Writing Across the Curriculum, at kat.omeara@snc.edu.

During your last two years of high school, how often did you do the following?

1. Write academic essays longer than four pages

Never

Once or twice

Three or more times

1. Write academic essays longer than four pages

2. Write an essay that used a thesis statement or controlling idea

3. Analyze/respond in writing to academic texts like research articles, textbook chapters, or literature

4. Incorporate quotes and/or paraphrases into your writing, using in-text citations and end citations (like a Works Cited)

How prepared do you feel to accomplish the following?

5. Use the writing process (invention/brainstorming, planning, drafting, revising, polishing) to write an essay

Not very prepared

Somewhat prepared

Very prepared

5. Use the writing process (invention/brainstorming, planning, drafting, revising, polishing) to write an essay

6. Select and integrate quotes/ideas from what you read and integrate them into your own writing/argument using direct quotes and paraphrases

7. Be successful in sentence-level skills, like grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice

8. Be successful in essay-level skills, like organization, flow, transitions, thesis statements

9. Provide constructive feedback to your peers about their writing

Proficiency and Course Selection

10. How would you rate your current proficiency in academic writing?

Below Average

Average or slightly above average

Above Average

10. How would you rate your current proficiency in academic writing?

11. Please UPLOAD a writing sample.

Including a writing sample is optional but strongly encouraged. If you do not, you may be asked to provide one at a later date.
This sample must be your own original work.
It should be an academic/scholarly assignment (like an essay).
If possible, it should be an essay that uses research (for example, it has a thesis statement and incorporates quotes and paraphrases, and it includes a Works Cited.)
ONLY Word or PDF files are accepted.

12. Please select the writing course you would like to be placed into.

13. Briefly discuss in 2-3 sentences why you feel your choice (WI or IDIS 100) would best support your skills in writing.

14. Would you like to meet with someone from SNC to discuss your options?

Thank you! The placement team will review your selection and may follow up with you via email.

Please direct any questions about Writing Placement to Dr. Kat O'Meara, Director of Writing Across the Curriculum: kat.omeara@snc.edu.