Scores:

The CMWA Placement Exam consists of 50 multiple choice objective questions worth 1 point each and one (1) essay question worth 10 points for a total of 60 points.

ESSAY GRADING STANDARDS:

• 10 points= Paragraphs demonstrate excellent composition skills including a clear and thought-provoking thesis, appropriate and effective organization, lively and convincing supporting materials, effective diction, and sentence skills, and perfect or near perfect mechanics including spelling and punctuation. The writing perfectly accomplishes the objectives of the assignment.
• 9 points = Paragraphs contains strong composition skills including a clear and thought-provoking thesis, although development, diction, and sentence style may suffer minor flaws. Shows careful and acceptable use of mechanics. The writing effectively accomplishes the goals of the assignment.
• 8 points = Paragraphs contains above average composition skills, including a clear, insightful thesis, although development may be insufficient in one area and organization and style may not be consistently clear and effective. Shows competence in the use of mechanics. Paragraphs contain few errors in grammar, syntax, and mechanics.
• 7 points=Paragraphs demonstrate competent composition skills including adequate development and organization, although the assumptions may be unsupported in more than one area. Paragraphs contain some errors in grammar, syntax, and mechanics.
• Below 7 points=Composition skills may be flawed in two or more areas. Grammar, syntax, and mechanics are excessively flawed. Vocabulary, sentence structure and English language acquisition abilities not at the minimum benchmark.

BC 230 & BC 290 PLACEMENT

The considerations for BC 230 and BC 290 placement are based on the CM Writing Program and UMB educational learning goals of strengthening oral and written communication proficiency and critical thinking skills and placing students into a course with other students of a similar proficiency level.  Placement into BC 290 or BC 230 is based on the following guidelines:

• Students’ placement score will appear on WISER as a score of 1, 2, 3, or 4.
• Students who score higher than 48/50 on the multiple-choice portion and greater than 8 on the essay are placed into BC 290 with a WISER score of 1. Students with a score of 1 are eligible to register for BC 290 while taking other 300/400 level MGT/MKT courses.
• Students who earn a minimum score of an 80% on the multiple choice AND a score of 8 on the written paragraph are placed into BC 290 with a WISER score of “2” (Note: students who score above a 40 on the multiple-choice portion of the exam but DO NOT SCORE AN 8, 9, or 10 on the written essay will not be placed into BC 290.)
• Students who earn a minimum score of 70% on the multiple-choice section AND score a 7/10 on the written paragraph are placed into BC 230 with a WISER score of “3”. (Note: students who score above a 35 on the multiple-choice portion of the exam but DO NOT SCORE A 7 on the written essay will not be placed into BC 230.)
• Students who score below 7 on the written paragraph with a WISER score of “4” will not be placed into either BC 230 or BC 290. Students will be allowed to re-take the exam with permission from the Writing Program Director. (Please note students are not allowed to retake the CMWA multiple times unless they earn a 4 or receive permission from the Writing Program Director. Please email archard@umb.edu for more information.)
• Placement into either BC 230 or BC 290 is also based on students’ degree audit including overall GPA, ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 grades as well as performance in other documented written and oral communication skills courses.

Registration:

• Students who earn a “1’ or “2” on the CMWA exam are eligible to register for BC 290. All CM Students must successfully complete BC 290 with a grade of B- in order to register for 300/400 level MGT/MKT courses.
• Students who earn a “1” on the CMWA are eligible to register for BC 290 while taking other 300/400 level MGT/MKT courses.
• Students who earn a “3” on the CMWA are eligible to register for BC 230.
• CMWA Placement scores remain in place in WISER and do not expire.

Appeal of CMWA Placement Please contact CMWA@umb.edu