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Writing Placement Assignment

Writing Placement Prompt, Spring 2013

Please read Guy Deutscher’s “Does Your Language Shape How You Think?” Then, draft and compose an argument summary in which you articulate Deutscher’s central claim and explain how he uses evidence to explore and develop it. Please provide a title that reflects your interpretation of Deutscher’s point.

Keep in mind as you draft and compose that you will include neither your own argument nor your opinions about Deutscher’s ideas. Your task is to identify Deutscher’s claim accurately, to summarize the key evidence he uses to develop it, and to emphasize the relationship between his evidence and his argument. Please do not quote more than a short phrase or two from the article, and do your best to avoid close paraphrases.

It’s a good idea to use your introduction to introduce the author and the subject of his article, and to explain fully what you consider to be the fundamental or the most significant argument. You cannot summarize every example that Deutscher uses in his article, so carefully select evidence from the text to include in your summary.

As you write, keep in mind that summaries should:

  • Make explicit the author’s claim
  • Have unified and coherent paragraphs
  • Contain relevant and detailed support from the text

Deadline

You must submit your completed draft no later than 11:59pm on Monday, January 14, 2013.

Format

  • Your completed draft should be 500 words.
  • Do not include your name in the document that you paste into the text box below.

Important Notes

  • Do not wait until the last day to write your first draft; leave some time to revise and carefully edit your draft, and submit as polished of a final draft as you can.
  • We ask that you complete this assignment on your own, without seeking assistance from others.
  • Please do not do any research for this assignment, or any reading beyond the article provided to you.
  • If you choose not to complete the placement assignment, you will be enrolled in English 101 for Spring semester, 2013.

If the Writing Program believes you are ready for the challenges of English 102, we will make the schedule change for you and notify you via email. Please indicate your top three preference for the section of ENG 102 you would like to be enrolled in.

Writing Placement Form

Step 1: Fill out this form.

Step 2: Follow the directions at the end to submit your essay.

* Required
  • (You will have received your G# when you registered, but if you don't know what it is, skip to question #3)

  • If the Writing Program believes you are ready for the challenges of English 102, we will make the schedule change for you and notify you via email. Please indicate your top three preferences for the section of ENG 102 you would like to be enrolled in. Please specify first, second or third choice in the spaces below.