Writing Assessments

The requirement applies to all first-year students, as well as transfer students, who have not transferred over the equivalent of WRT 1010 and/or WRT 1020 or transfer students who are not MTA-satisfied. Following are four exceptions:

• Students who scored 5 or higher on the writing portion of the SAT
• Students who scored 6 or higher on the writing portion of the ACT
• Students who have already earned a bachelor's degree
• Students who are enrolled in only a Certificate of Completion

 

Undergraduate students are required to complete the writing assessment online before or during orientation. They will not be permitted to register for classes until they have completed the writing assessment.

 

If an undergraduate student has taken the writing assessment only once, and is dissatisfied with the score, they may retake it one more time. We will honor the higher score.

 

No undergraduate will get an exemption for the writing assessment based on papers they have written in the past.

There is no cost for undergraduate students to take the writing assessment. 

Below are the instructions for students taking the writing assessment online via Blackboard.

 

How to access the online writing assessment on Blackboard:

1. Visit https://madonna.blackboard.com. You will be asked to log in:
   • Enter your Madonna University email when prompted.
   • Enter your email password when prompted.
     • If you receive an error when attempting to log in to Blackboard, try logging out of Outlook and clearing your web browser’s cookies.  Then, try to log in to Blackboard again.
2. Enroll in the Undergraduate Writing Assessment:
   1. Click on the "Courses" tab.
   2. In the "Organizations" search box, type "Undergraduate Writing Assessment" and click "Go."
   3. Click the small grey button next to the organization name and then click "Enroll."
3. Read the information about the assessment and click “Undergraduate Writing Assessment (click here to begin!)” when you are ready.
   • You may take up to 7 hours to complete the assessment.
   • The timer will start as soon as you click "Begin."
   • You can save and resume at any point, but the timer will continue to run.

 

If you experience technical difficulties while completing the writing assessment, please send an email to writingcenter@madonna.edu and helpdesk@madonna.edu. Be sure to include your full name and student ID along with the fact you are trying to log in to the online undergraduate writing assessment.

After submitting your writing assessment, our panel of composition professors will score your essay. Within one week, you will be able to find your score in “My Grades” on Blackboard.

What will I be writing about?

You will respond to a topic that asks you to use your personal experience in order to write a freshman-level essay.

 

I have AP credit and/or I took the CLEP to place out of WRT 1010. Do I still need to take the Writing Assessment?

No. If you scored a 4 on the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition test or if you passed the College Composition CLEP test, you are exempt from the writing assessment requirement.

 

I’ve never attended a college before. What happens if I get a low score on the assessment?
If your score is low, the essay readers will place you in a brush-up course for first-time college students, WRT 1000: Writing Workshop. Depending on your score, you will be advised to take it for one, two, or three semester hours.

 

If I score a “4,” does that mean I can skip WRT 1010 and 1020?
No. You don’t have to take WRT 1000, but you still need to complete WRT 1010 and 1020.

 

I got a low score on the assessment, and I disagree with the essay readers. What can I do about it?
If you think your assessment essay doesn’t accurately reflect your abilities, you may re-take the writing assessment once. We will use the higher of the two scores. If you think the essay readers made a mistake, see below.

 

What can I do if I’m not satisfied with my second score?
Begin by contacting the Writing Center Coordinator. He will check for any possible scoring error and talk with you about your concerns. If the Writing Center Coordinator doesn’t find an error, you may contest your score by making an appointment with the Director of Writing Programs.

 

I’m going to graduate soon, but I (1) never took the assessment, or (2) took it but ignored my placement. My graduation audit says I can’t graduate because I didn’t fulfill the writing requirement. What can I do?
In either case, contact the Writing Center Coordinator and take (or re-take) the writing assessment as soon as possible. Your goal will be to place out of whichever writing class is still required. If your score does not exempt you from further writing courses, contact the Director of Writing Programs to discuss your next step.

 

Why can’t I just submit some papers I’ve written and ask for an exemption?
We don’t have enough faculty or resources to make this option available to each student.

The graduate writing assessment is required for the following graduate programs:

• Pastoral Ministry

Graduate students who are required to complete the writing assessment are asked to fulfill their writing assessment requirement before or within their first two semesters.

However, we strongly encourage graduate students to complete their writing assessment before meeting with their advisor and registering for classes. The score will help advisors and students determine their appropriate class schedule for the first semester.

There is a $50 fee to take the graduate writing assessment. 

Below are instructions for students taking the writing assessment online via Blackboard.

How to log in to Blackboard

• Visit https://madonna.blackboard.com  
• Enter your student number as your username
• Enter your student PIN as your default password
• Click on the "Courses" tab
• In the "Organizations" search box, type "Graduate Writing Assessment" and click "Go"
• Click the small grey button next to the organization name and then click "enroll"
• If you have difficulty logging in, send an email to helpdesk@madonna.edu. Be sure to include your full name and student ID along with the fact you are trying to log into the online undergraduate writing assessment.

Online writing assessment

• When your Blackboard screen opens up, look for the
• Graduate Writing Assessment under "Organizations."
• Read the general information
• Complete the student information section
• Access and complete the writing assessment within the one-and-a-half-hour time limit 
• You will submit the student information and writing assessment to the Writing Center via Blackboard

If you experience technical difficulties while completing the writing assessment, please send an email to writingcenter@madonna.edu and/or helpdesk@madonna.edu. 

After submitting your writing assessment, our panel of composition professors will score your essay. Within three or four days, you can find your score in “My Grades” on Blackboard.

What happens if I get a low score on the assessment?
Graduate students with a writing assessment score of 3 or lower are expected to complete 1, 2, or 3 semester hours of WRT 5000 within their first three semesters at Madonna University. However, students in the graduate nursing programs must take WRT 5000 in their first or second semester.

 

I got a low score on the assessment, and I disagree with the essay readers. What can I do about it?
If you think your assessment essay doesn’t accurately reflect your abilities, you may re-take the writing assessment once. We will use the higher of the two scores. If you think the essay readers made a mistake, see below.

 

What can I do if I’m not satisfied with my second score?
Begin by contacting the Writing Center Coordinator. He will check for any possible scoring error and talk with you about your concerns. If the Writing Center Coordinator doesn’t find an error, you may contest your score by making an appointment with the Director of Writing Programs.

 

I’m going to graduate soon, but I 1) never took the assessment, or 2) took it but ignored my placement. My graduation audit says I can’t graduate because I didn’t fulfill the writing requirement. What can I do?
In either case, contact the Writing Center Coordinator and take (or re-take) the writing assessment as soon as possible. There is no additional charge for a re-take. If your score does not exempt you from further writing courses, contact the Director of Writing Programs to discuss your next step.

 

Why can’t I just submit some papers I’ve written and ask for an exemption?
We don’t have enough faculty or resources to make this option available to each student.