College Composition Exams
On July 1, 2010, CLEP will launch two new exams: College Composition and College Composition Modular. Simultaneously, three CLEP exams will be retired:
- English Composition with Essay will be replaced by College Composition
- English Composition will be replaced by College Composition Modular.
- Freshman College Composition will be replaced by College Composition Modular.
Both of the new examinations will assess writing skills taught in most first-year college composition courses.
College Composition includes multiple-choice items and two mandatory essays scored by CLEP. College English faculty from throughout the country score the essays via an online scoring system. Learn more about scoring CLEP essays.
College Composition Modular includes a multiple-choice section that may be supplemented either with an essay section provided by CLEP and scored by the college, or an essay section provided and scored by the college. This exam is intended for colleges that want a valid, reliable multiple-choice assessment and greater local control over the direct writing assessment.
Review the self-paced College Composition tutorial for an overview of the new exams and how they apply to your college.
Benefits of the new exams
- Currency: New exams reflect current composition curriculum by emphasizing critical thinking, multiple writing modes and research skills assessment.
- Flexibility: The two exams offer a choice between convenient, centralized essay scoring or local control of essay scoring.
- Continuity: Correlation between the old and new exams streamlines policy decision-making.
College Composition and College Composition Modular include many elements of the three retiring examinations, with new essay prompts and question types.
| Composition Exam Components | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Freshman College Comp. | English Comp. | English Comp. with Essay | College Comp. | College Comp. Modular |
| Ability to recognize and use standard written English | X | X | X | X | X |
| Analyzing writing | X | X | X | X | X |
| Rhetorical analysis | X | X | |||
| Revision skills | X | X | X | X | X |
| Use of source materials | X | X | X | ||
| Argumentative essay | Optional | X | X | Three options* | |
| Source-based essay | X | Three options* | |||
* Colleges granting credit for College Composition Modular may choose from three options:
- An essay section provided by CLEP and scored by the college
- An essay section provided and scored by the college
- Another assessment or evaluation determined by the college, or no essay at all
The American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) has evaluated and recommended the awarding of six credit hours, or the equivalent, for a score of 50 on the CLEP College Composition and College Composition Modular examinations. If colleges do not elect to supplement the Modular version of the examination with the CLEP essay section or one of their own, the credit recommendation is three credit hours, or the equivalent, for a score of 50.
The American Council on Education, the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions, seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and to influence public policy through advocacy, research, and program initiatives. For more information, visit the ACE CREDIT website at www.acenet.edu/acecredit.
What will the new exams look like?
The CLEP College Composition examinations assess writing skills taught in most first-year college composition courses. Those skills include analysis, argumentation, synthesis, usage, and research. Candidates will be expected to apply the principles and conventions used in longer writing projects to two timed writing assignments, and to apply the rules of standard written English.
College Composition contains approximately 50 multiple-choice items to be answered in 50 minutes and two mandatory, centrally scored essays to be written in 70 minutes (for a total testing time of 120 minutes). Shortly after each administration of the College Composition examination, college English faculty from throughout the country score the essays via an online scoring system. Students usually receive their scores one to two weeks after testing.
College Composition Modular contains approximately 90 multiple-choice questions to be answered in 90 minutes, and depending on the option chosen, two essays to be written in 70 minutes. Some colleges may opt to provide their own locally scored writing assessment.
Knowledge and skills required
The exams measure candidates' knowledge of the fundamental principles of rhetoric and composition and their ability to apply the principles of standard written English. In addition, the exams require familiarity with research and reference skills. In one of the two College Composition essays, candidates must develop a position by building an argument in which they synthesize information from two provided sources, which they must cite. The requirement that candidates cite the sources they use reflects the recognition of source attribution as an essential skill in college writing courses.
The skills addresses in the College Composition examination include:
- Conventions of standard written English: 10%
- Revision skills: 40%
- Use of source materials: 25%
- Rhetorical analysis: 25%
What do the two new exams mean to you?
The American Council on Education (ACE) has recommended granting six hours of credit for a score of 50, equivalent to a grade of C, for College Composition and College Composition Modular.
Colleges granting credit for English Composition with Essay—You may use the same policy, including credit-granting scores and course equivalencies, for College Composition.
Colleges granting credit for Freshman College Composition—You may use the same policy, including credit-granting scores and course equivalencies, for College Composition Modular. For the direct writing component, you may choose to use our essays prompts or your own essay prompts. Both will be scored by your own faculty.
Colleges granting credit for English Composition—You may use the same policy, including credit-granting scores and course equivalencies, for College Composition Modular. We encourage you to include a direct writing assessment, either CLEP’s or your own, to be scored by your own faculty.
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