Departmental Diagnostic: Fall 2012

Here are the Fall 2012 diagnostic materials previously distributed. 

Irvine Valley College Departmental Diagnostic

Fall 2012

excerpt from the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

The Context:

The IVC Departmental Diagnostic is administered in all writing classes on the first day of class. Faculty have been trained to use a uniform rubric (scoring guide) as they evaluate your essay. While the Departmental Diagnostic has no bearing on your right to remain in a given class (you have earned this right by establishing prerequisite status), writing this essay, an essay based on the analysis of a text similar to those you will be reading in your writing class, will provide the faculty of the English Department (and our colleagues in reading and ESL) a basis for assessing your placement appropriateness.

Please remember that objective tests such as the CTEP (The College Tests for English Placement) are limited in their ability to assess writing ability. The Departmental Diagnostic, on the other hand, directly assesses the kind of reading, thinking, and writing required in the courses in our writing sequence.

Although both reading and ESL recommendations are advisory only, these recommendations are important because they represent the professional judgments of faculty in Reading, Writing, and English as a Second Language.

If you are willing to give IVC permission to use your essay to train readers, please write the following sentence on the first page of your essay: “I give the English Department at IVC permission to use my essay for training.” Your name will not appear on copies for training.

The Prompt:

            Please read carefully the following passage from the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845.) In his Narrative, Douglass recounts his experiences while living as a slave (someone who is forced to work without pay) in the United States. In his essay, Douglass tells how and why he eventually escaped slavery and gained his freedom.

Write an essay in which you do the following:

1.      discuss why Mr. Auld tells his wife that “it was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read” and

2.      discuss how teaching someone to read could be “unsafe,” and

3.      discuss why, as a result, governments might make teaching a slave to read “unlawful.”

4.      Then, discuss why Douglass, despite, its being unlawful and unsafe, devotes himself, “at whatever cost or trouble, to learn how to read.”

In your discussion, use specific examples from Douglass’s passage. Feel free, also, to use relevant examples from history, current events, and/or personal experience.

The Time Frame:

You have one hour to read the passage and complete your essay. You may underline the passage and make marginal notes as you read. Plan your essay before you begin writing, using the “Notes” section provided; writing that appears in this area will not be read. Allow time to review and proofread your essay and to make any revisions or corrections you wish.

The Prompt:

            Please read carefully the following passage from the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, (1845). In his Narrative, Douglass recounts his experiences while living as a slave (someone who is forced to work without pay) in the United States. In his essay, Douglass tells how and why he eventually escaped slavery and gained his freedom.

Write an essay in which you do the following:

1.      discuss why Mr. Auld tells his wife that “it was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read” and

2.      discuss how teaching someone to read could be “unsafe,” and

3.      discuss why, as a result, governments might make teaching a slave to read “unlawful.”

4.      Then, discuss why Douglass, despite, its being unlawful and unsafe, devotes himself, “at whatever cost or trouble, to learn how to read.”

In your discussion, use specific examples from Douglass’s passage. Feel free, also, to use relevant examples from history, current events, and/or personal experience.

Excerpt from “Chapter VI” of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

An American Slave, Written by Himself

            Very soon after I went to live with Mr. and Mrs. Auld, she very kindly commenced to teach me the A, B, C. After I had learned this, she assisted me in learning to spell words of three or four letters. Just at this point of my progress, Mr. Auld found out what was going on, and at once forbade Mrs. Auld to instruct me further, telling her, among other things, that it was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read. To use his own words, further, he said, "If you give a [slave] an inch, he will take an ell. A [slave] should know nothing but to obey his master—to do as he is told to do. Learning would spoil the best [slave] in the world. Now," said he, "if you teach that [slave] (speaking of myself) how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. As to himself, it could do him no good, but a great deal of harm. It would make him discontented and unhappy."

These words sank deep into my heart, stirred up sentiments within that lay slumbering, and called into existence an entirely new train of thought. It was a new and special revelation, explaining dark and mysterious things, with which my youthful understanding had struggled, but struggled in vain. I now understood what had been to me a most perplexing difficulty—to wit, the white man's power to enslave the black man. It was a grand achievement, and I prized it highly. From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was just what I wanted, and I got it at a time when I the least expected it. Whilst I was saddened by the thought of losing the aid of my kind mistress, I was gladdened by the invaluable instruction which, by the merest accident, I had gained from my master.

Though conscious of the difficulty of learning without a teacher, I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to read. The very decided manner with which he spoke, and strove to impress his wife with the evil consequences of giving me instruction, served to convince me that he was deeply sensible of the truths he was uttering. It gave me the best assurance that I might rely with the utmost confidence on the results which, he said, would flow from teaching me to read. What he most dreaded, that I most desired. What he most loved, that I most hated. That which to him was a great evil, to be carefully shunned, was to me a great good, to be diligently sought; and the argument which he so warmly urged, against my learning to read, only served to inspire me with a desire and determination to learn. In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the bitter opposition of my master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of both.

Directions: Departmental Diagnostic

The English Department at Irvine Valley College conducts a first-day departmental diagnostic in all developmental writing classes. To facilitate the diagnostic essay process, please read the following guidelines carefully and use them as you administer the departmental diagnostic.

Before the first day of class

On or before the Friday preceding classes, you will find in your mail file two manila envelopes for each writing section you will be teaching. Be sure to check that the ticket number on the envelope matches the ticket number for the class in which you administer the test.

Read carefully the electronic documents from the departmental norming session. These attachments include the prompt, a scoring guide, sample papers, and the scores and comments for each paper. You will also receive electronic copies of the Writing Placement Recommendation sheet. These documents will prepare you for reading and scoring the diagnostic essay. Once you have familiarized yourself with the materials from the norming session, turn to the prompt for the diagnostic essay.

Duplicate class sets of the following electronic attachments:

·        the prompt

·        the Writing Placement Recommendation Sheet

Class sets of the prompt and the recommendation sheet will not be provided by the department.

On the first day of class

1.    Administer the departmental diagnostic.

2.    Have students complete the information requested on the Writing Placement Recommendation Sheet (name, student ID, teacher name, ticket number). They should also sign the Writing Placement Recommendation Sheet. Do not require students unwilling to grant permission for duplication to sign.

3.    Read aloud the information about the diagnostic essay (on the Writing Placement Recommendation Sheet and copied below).

a.      The IVC Departmental Diagnostic is administered in all writing classes on the first day of class. Faculty have been trained to use a uniform rubric (scoring guide) as they evaluate your essay. While the Departmental Diagnostic has no bearing on your right to remain in a given class (you have earned this right by establishing prerequisite status), writing this essay, an essay based on the analysis of a text similar to those you will be reading in your writing class, will provide the faculty of the English Department (and our colleagues in Reading and ESL) a basis for assessing your placement appropriateness.

b.      Please remember that objective tests such as the CTEP (The College Tests for English Placement) are limited in their ability to assess writing ability. The Departmental Diagnostic, on the other hand, directly assesses the kind of reading, thinking, and writing required in the courses in our writing sequence.

c.      Although both reading and ESL recommendations are advisory only, these recommendations are important because they represent the professional judgments of faculty in reading, writing, and English as a Second Language.

d.      If you are willing to give IVC permission to use your essay to train readers, please write the following sentence on the first page of your essay: “I give the English Department at IVC permission to use my essay for training.” Your name will not appear on copies for training.

4.      Give students 60 minutes to complete the diagnostic (in ink). Do not read the prompt aloud.

5.      Collect the diagnostics and the Writing Placement Recommendation Sheets.

Before the second day of class

1. Do a quick read through and set aside any essays that indicate that a student might be better served in ESL or Learning Disabilities. Paper clip and label each stack either “ESL” or “LD.”
2. Attach the Writing Placement Recommendation Sheet to each possible ESL/LD paper and place the papers  in the manila envelope labeled “ESL/LD.”
3. Drop your ESL envelopes off in the Writing Center ASAP. Try to separate the papers immediately after your class so that ESL/LD faculty will have time to read and score your papers in time for you to return recommendations to your students on the second day of class.
4. ESL/LD faculty will read and score the possible ESL/LD papers and complete the Writing Recommendation Sheet for each student. It is our goal to score and return these essays to you prior to your second class meeting. Pick up the envelope with scored ESL/LD papers in the Writing Center.
5. Turn to the rest of the essays.
6. Using the scoring guide provided, score the papers and record the scores on the Writing Recommendation Sheet. Please use a single score rather than scores such as 5+ or 5/6.
7. Complete a writing recommendation for each student.

·        As a general rule, for students enrolled in WR 1 or WR 2, check “Remain in your current writing class and add WR 180 for students who score one point or more below the cut-off score for placement in the class. (5 for WR 2; for WR 1; 3 for WR 201; for WR 301; 1 for ESS 310).

·        As a general rule for all students, check “Remain in your current writing class and add a reading class” for students who score two points or more below the cut-off score for placement in the class. (5 for WR 2; for WR 1; 3 for WR 201; for WR 301; 1 for ESS 310).

On the second day of class

1. On the second day of class, return to your students the diagnostics and recommendations sheets.
2. Allow students time to look over their essays and recommendations; then, collect the diagnostics.

By the end of the second week of class

1. Check to be sure that you have recorded student scores on the Writing Placement Recommendation sheets and that you have attached the recommendations to the student essays. Arrange the student diagnostics in descending score order (6s on the top, 1s on the bottom, ESL and LD beneath the 1s).
2. Put all the diagnostics in the envelope with your name and ticket number. Do not include the prompts.
3. At a later time, you will submit your diagnostic scores online, using the link provided in a Departmental Diagnostic email. This link will bring up a roster of your students and a scoring grid.
4. Discard the envelope labeled “ESL/LD.’” Return manila envelopes with the student essays to the Writing Center by the end of the second week of classes.
5.  

Thank you! 

Departmental Diagnostic Scoring Guide

In holistic reading, raters assign each essay to a scoring category according to its dominant characteristics. The categories below describe the characteristics typical of papers at six different levels of competence. All the descriptions take into account that the papers they categorize represent one hour of reading and writing, not a more extended period of drafting and revision.

6	The 6 paper ·        presents a cogent analysis of or response to the text, elaborating that response with sufficient well-chosen examples and persuasive reasoning; ·        conforms to an organizational pattern that facilitates reader understanding, using organizational patterns to demonstrate the relatedness of ideas and to enhance the power of the argument; ·        displays a sophisticated style that reflects aptly chosen words and rhetorically effective sentence variety; ·        exhibits mastery of the conventions of written English.
5	The 5 paper ·        presents a thoughtful analysis of or response to the text, elaborating that response with sufficient appropriate  examples and logical reasoning; ·        conforms to an organizational pattern that facilitates reader understanding, using organizational patterns to convey the argument; ·        displays a readable style that reflects well-chosen words and effective sentences; ·        demonstrates competence in the conventions of written English.
4	The 4 paper ·        presents an appropriate analysis of or response to the text, elaborating that response with sufficient acceptable examples and sensible reasoning; ·        conforms to an organizational pattern that facilitates reader understanding, using organizational patterns to illustrate the argument; ·        displays a style that reflects appropriate words and sentence variety; ·        observes the conventions of written English.
3	The 3 paper ·        presents an inconsistent or illogical response to the text that reflects an incomplete understanding of the text or topic, or that lacks elaboration with sufficient appropriate examples; ·        deviates from an organizational pattern that facilitates reader understanding, so that organizational structures may detract from the argument; ·        displays a style that reflects imprecise word choice and/or little sentence variety; ·        may deviate from the conventions of written English, displaying occasional major            errors in grammar and usage or frequent minor errors.
2	The 2 paper ·        presents a simplistic, inappropriate, or incoherent analysis of or response to the text, one that lacks sufficient and relevant development or one that may suggest some significant misunderstanding of the text or the topic; ·        lacks an organizational pattern that facilitates reader understanding; ·        displays a style that reflects at least one of the following: simplistic or inaccurate word choice; monotonous or fragmented sentence structure; ·        repeatedly deviates from the conventions of written English, displaying many repeated errors in grammar and usage.
1	The 1 paper ·        presents an inadequate response to the text, ignoring the topic’s demands; ·        lacks any appropriate pattern of organizational structure or development with sufficient and relevant examples; may be inappropriately brief; ·        displays a style that creates a disconnect between sound and sense, one in which language word choice and syntax obscure meaning ·        consistently deviates from the conventions of written English, displaying a pervasive pattern of errors in word choice, sentence structure, grammar, and usage.

 RECOMMENDATION FOR WRITING PLACEMENT

Irvine Valley College

Your Student ID #______________ Diagnostic Score: _______

Your Name______________________________________________________

Your Instructor’s Name_______________________________________________

Your Ticket Number __________________ Day/Time of Your Class: ___________

If you are willing to allow the English Department to copy your essay for training purposes, please write this sentence on the first page of your essay:

“The IVC English Department has my permission to use my essay for training purposes.”

Because the writing courses at Irvine Valley College require that students read, analyze, and write about texts, success in your writing classes is dependent on both your skills in writing and your skills in reading. The Departmental Diagnostic is designed to help you and your instructor decide whether the course you are currently enrolled in is right for you. The recommendation from the writing, reading and ESL faculty is that you do the following:

£ remain in your current writing class

£ remain in your current writing class and add WR 180 (for students in WR 1 or WR 2 only)

£ remain in your current writing class and add a reading class.

(See the handout regarding reading classes.)

£ remain in your current writing class and add ESL 387 (Advanced Grammar Review) or ESL 388 (Advanced Grammar and Writing).

If your time and schedule permit, ESL 388 is the preferred course because it focuses on both grammar and writing.

    (See an ESL instructor or a counselor for more information about these courses.)

£ Contact Dr. Brooke Choo.

£ drop your current writing class and take the ESL Assessment Test.

Contact Information for ESL Instructors

Susan Stern

A-235

Email Address: sstern@ivc.edu

Phone: (949) 451-5330

Jeff Wilson 

A-237

Email Address: jwilson80@ivc.edu

Phone: (949) 451-5241

Susan Fesler (Do not contact during fall, 2012, please.)

A-237

Email Address: sfesler@ivc.edu

Phone: (949) 451-5486

  

Contact Information for Professor Brooke Choo.

Dr.  Brooke Choo

Phone: (949)451-5390

Email address: bchoo@ivc.edu

Office hours are posted on the bulletin board in the faculty office area and on faculty office windows. If you are having difficulty locating office hours, you may email or phone the instructor.