Department of English Composition, Literature and Professional Writing
Rockville Campus

Questions and Answers about the Basic English Essay Competency Exam

1. What is the Basic English Essay Competency Exam, and why do students have to pass it?

The Basic English Essay Competency Exam is an in-class, timed writing from prompts. Each student writes a multi-paragraph essay of at least three hundred words. The essay must include an introduction with a thesis, at least two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Students must pass this exam to ensure their correct placement in subsequent writing courses. (Students with disabilities who require accommodations should meet with a Disability Support Services counselor on their campus as soon as possible.)

2. Who makes up the essay topics, and how many topic choices will students have?

English instructors from all three MC campuses create the topics. Students will have three topic choices.

3. Who grades the Essay Competency Exams?

Instructors do not grade the competency essays of their own students. Other English faculty who teach EN001/002 score the essays. At least two readers grade each essay according to its development, organization, and technical control (grammar, mechanics, punctuation, and usage). Each reader evaluates the essays to determine students' next course placement.

4. What happens if a student fails the Essay Competency Exam?

On behalf of a student who has fulfilled all attendance and classroom behavior requirements and is passing the course, an instructor may file an appeal if the instructor believes that the failure does not represent the student's true writing ability. The appeal must include the student's in-class and out-of-class writing assignments throughout the semester.

5. What happens if a student passes the Essay Competency Exam but does not earn a passing grade for all other course work?

Students must earn a passing grade on their course work in order to pass Basic English. They must fulfill all requirements as stated on the collegewide syllabus and as assigned by the individual instructor, including attendance and classroom behavior requirements. In addition to passing the Basic English Essay Competency Exam, students must pass the Objective Competency Exam which is a one hundred-question, multiple choice test that covers English grammar, mechanics, punctuation, and usage. Also, students must meet RD prerequisite or assessment level requirements to enroll in EN courses: EN001 requires the pre- or corequisite of RD089 EN002 requires the pre- or corequisite of RD089 EN101A requires the assessment level of RD110 EN101 requires the assessment level of RD110

Assessment of basic skills and careful placement into appropriate courses are necessary to help students succeed at MC. Students with an Accuplacer English score below 80 and an Accuplacer reading score above 52 place into Basic English I (EN001). RD089 is a pre- or corequisite for all EN001 students except those exempted from this requirement by initial placement testing. Students with an Accuplacer English score of 80-89.9 and an Accuplacer reading score above 52 place into Basic English II (EN002). RD089 is a pre- or corequisite for all EN002 students except those exempted from this requirement by initial placement testing. Students must successfully complete five requirements to exit EN001/002.

Successful completion of Basic Writing I or II includes
1. Fulfilling all attendance and classroom behavior requirements
2. Fulfilling all requirements as stated on the collegewide syllabus
3. Fulfilling all requirements as assigned by the individual instructor
4. Passing the Basic Writing Essay Competency Exam
5. Passing the Basic Writing Objective Competency Exam

Based on their performance in all five categories, EN001 students will earn an A, B, C, or U:
A means students may take either EN101.1 or EN101A
B means students must take EN101A
C means students must take EN002
U means students must retake EN001

Based on their performance in all five categories, EN002 students will earn an A, B, or U:
A means students may take either EN101.1 or EN101A
B means students must take EN101A
U means students must retake EN002

During the week of final exams, instructors provide students with a placement form that students present to a counselor in order to register for the next appropriate English course. Instead of a placement form, students may present an MC transcript which must include the EN001 or EN002 final course grade.

Please direct further questions to the Montgomery College Developmental English Campus Coordinators.