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These are general guidelines for determining which course will be most helpful for a student. In addition, a student does not have to show competency in each area listed to enter a class. Students may be at 99 level in some areas and 101 level in other areas. When evaluating your own writing skills, think about what is easiest for you, then what is most difficult. Look at the criterion listed below to help find which class best suits you.

Class

Traits

I am an
English 98 student
if my writing

	lacks focus;
	is only one paragraph in length, possibly not indented;
	is extremely short and general;
	has sentences which are difficult to understand; and
	contains many punctuation errors.

I am an
English 99 student
if my writing

	focuses on one topic but does not show an understanding of the thesis;
	has basic organization -- perhaps it is only one paragraph in length;
	shows minimal development, with few, if any, concrete details;
	uses common vocabulary, with little use of synonyms;
	uses sentences that are short and simple, without much coordination or subordination;
	has many sentence boundary errors (fragments and run-ons); and
	contains a broad range of mechanical errors and more than one or two sentences may be awkward or unclear.

I am an
English 100
student
if my writing

	has a thesis and gives a clear focus to the essay;
	shows clear organization, with paragraphs which are unified;
	displays development that is logical and appropriate for the audience;
	contains nearly two pages of support for the focus;
	use sentences which are clear, with some complex sentence structure
	peppers the essay with well-chosen sophisticated word choices;
	has minimal sentence boundary errors (fragments and run-ons);
	makes few punctuation errors -- in general, an essay with many mechanical and sentence boundary errors will not be admitted into a 100 class; and
	shows a lack of comprehension in the written text.

I am an

English 101 student

if my writing

	provides, at minimum, a three point thesis and gives clear focus to the essay;
	has clear organization and paragraphs are unified;
	supports development in a logical and appropriate manner for the audience
	is nearly two pages or longer;
	has sentences which are clear, understandable, and use some complex sentence structure;
	attempts to use a sophisticated vocabulary;
	contains minimal sentence boundary errors (fragments and run-ons);
	shows evidence of thorough proofreading; and
	lacks punctuation errors -- in general, a paper with many mechanical and sentence boundary errors will not be admitted into a 101 class

I am an

English 201student

if my writing

	makes explicit what we do and do not understand;
	provides a thesis which is complex and shows evidence of deep thought;
	plumbs the depth and breadth of the topic presented in a consistent, logical manner;
	articulates clarity of organization, with paragraphs packed with specificity;
	shows relevance to a person in contemporary society;
	displays fairness is displayed throughout
	informs through in-depth research;
	analyzes with precision and accuracy;
	reflected in facts, citations, and quotations is the significance of the essay;
	lacks a majority of punctuation errors, and sentences show complexity of syntactical structure;
	appeases with minimal sentence boundary errors (fragments and run-ons); and
	delights with sophisticated word choice.

I am an

English 225 student

if my writing

goes beyond the short research paper into the realm of exploring the possibilities of longer research essay. Prerequisite: ENG 101 and 201.

Class

Traits

I am an English 98 student if my writing

I am an English 99 student if my writing

I am an English 100 student if my writing

I am an

English 101 student

if my writing

I am an

English 201student

if my writing

I am an

English 225 student

if my writing

I am an
English 98 student
if my writing

I am an
English 99 student
if my writing

I am an
English 100
student
if my writing