James Martel is a Psychology major at UMB. He attended Quincy College, where he completed English 101 and 102, and Gibbs College, where he completed English 103. In each class he finished with a 3.0 or higher.
Despite good performances in multiple English classes, James Martel has failed to pass the required Writing Proficiency Exam several times. Passing the WPE is a requirement of the University of Massachusetts for all degree seeking students.
Martel’s first attempt to pass was thwarted by a missing citation page in his portfolio, a shortcoming that was overlooked the first time his portfolio was read and evaluated. “So they denied my whole entire portfolio,” said Martel, “scrapped it.”
“Bombarded with papers,” and overburdened by school work, Martel switched tactics and attempted the timed written exam. He was excited because the WPE written piece was a “psychology topic and I’m a psych major.” He eagerly awaited the results, but when he finally received his score he had failed again. Administrators working with Martel told him that though he didn’t pass “it was 100 percent better.”
Martel expressed his frustration with what he considers to be an unfair test, saying, “The WPE timed written exam was measuring me on one day, not my overall ability.”
James Martel’s complaints about the Writing Proficiency Exam are not uncommon among other students. Many feel that given their past accomplishments such a test is unnecessary, even insulting.
In response to this sentiment, Director of Writing Assessment Anthony Patruzzi stated in an interview that the writing proficiency test is designed to measure the effectiveness of the English program. The seminar courses and English 101 and 102 classes are expected to drive home certain key elements of writing and comprehension for students. These elements are known as desired learning outcomes. It is these learning outcomes that the WPE is trying to ensure have been instilled in the students.
James Martel’s criticism of the timed test is shared by many, and presents a problem for many students. Such criticism was acknowledged by English professor and WPE test grader Itai Halevi. In an interview with the Mass Media, Halevi said, “The timed test is a much a test of students ability to handle stress as it is a test of their ability to write.” Halevi went on to say that he felt the portfolio approach was better because “it is historical and spans over a wide area of topics. The timed exam is hindered in this respect because many people find it difficult to write under pressure.”
While Professor Halevi is willing to admit that the timed test presents difficulties he still considers it a valid test of students’ abilities. “When I went into my first session I wanted to hate it. I felt like, how dare they subject the students to such nonsense as a standardized writing test? But by the end, my mind was totally changed by how analytical and fair the process is,” he said.
Graders are given a special and detailed rubric to follow and attend special two-hour sessions on how to use it. No one professor is responsible for a student’s final grade. The essays are graded many times by different professors. Eighty percent of students pass it on their first try.
In short, the people who administer the test and the professors who grade it find the WPE a necessary and valid barometer of a student’s ability to write. Passing a test like this validates our program to the state and adds credibility to students’ diplomas. The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education agrees; in 1998 they recommended that every UMass system adopt such a test.