Strategies for Passing the

Writing Proficiency Assessment (WPA)

Presented by

Student Support Services Project for Students

with Disabilities
San Diego State University
Spring 2007
Presented by Nalini Pankhania, SSS Writing Center Coordinator
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 Wh t is
What i the
th WPA?
According
A di tto th
the office
ffi of
f St
Student
d t TTesting,
ti A
Assessmentt
and Research (STAAR) at SDSU, “all undergraduates must
demonstrate competency in writing skills at the upper
division level as a requirement for the baccalaureate
degree. The Writing Proficiency Assessment (WPA) is a 90
minute examination used to evaluate writing competency.”

http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/testofc/gradwriting_reqs.htm

Note: If you receive SDS accommodations for extra time on

exams, you may also qualify for additional time on the WPA
exam. Please verify this additional time with the Test Office.

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 What do I need on the
day of the exam?

1. Two #2 pencils
T il and
d a pen
2. Valid ID with picture (SDSU ID or driver’s
license))
3. Entry Ticket

Note: Exam book is provided.

provided

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 How will
w the e
exam
am be
e scored?

The exam will be read by two professionally

trained SDSU faculty and/or staff. Each reader
scores between 1 and 6.
6 A combined number from
both readers determines your overall score.

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 WPA Format

• The WPA format is a short reading selection and a group of

questions/prompts. You will be tested on your ability to
comprehend
compr h n a wr
written
tt n passag
passage as w
well as ana
analyze
yz the
th author’s
author s
text from a critical perspective.

5
What Are the Readers Looking
g For?

9Focus

9Analysis
y
9Organization

9Development
D pm
9Syntax, Diction, and Grammar

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 Tips for Reading Comprehension

• First, review the

F h writing prompts and
d know
k what
h you will
ll
be asked to discuss in your essay.
• Next, skim the text to get a general idea of the article
and identify the author’s main argument.
• On the second and closer reading, annotate—underline
k words
key d andd phrases.
h In
I the
h margin,i note important
i
points that address the exam prompts.
• Spend aabout
out 15-20
5 minutes
m nutes carefully
carefu y and thoroughly
thorough y
reading the article.

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 Ti for
Tips f Writing
W iti Your
Y Essay
E
• Identify
d f your writing tasks.
k
• Brainstorm and utilize any prewriting techniques to
generate ideas.
• Develop an outline. Include your thesis and the major
points that will be addressed in the essay.
• Manage your time and allow time to edit. Do not worry
about spelling as you write.
• As you write your essay response,
response refer to the writing
prompt to make sure that you are on task.

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 Craft a coherent essay (i.e. one that is not just a series of
p
paragraph
ph responses
p to
t the
th prompt)
p mpt) ini which
hi h you respond
p d (in
(i an
appropriate order) to all of the following components:

Identify and provide a brief summary of the author’s argument;

Describe and discuss two strategies that the author uses to
support his or her argument; Describe the overall structure of the
reading selection and explain whether it furthers the aims of the
author’s argument; Discuss the premise(s) and/or assumption(s) on
which the argument is based; Evaluate the extent to which you
fi d th
find the argumentt convincing.
i i

9
 R
Remember!
b !
This essay is not an “agree or disagree” exercise, nor is it
intended to generate an extensive summary of the article.
Responses that emphasize personal opinion or summary will not
earn a passing score.

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 G
General
lOOutline
tli off Essay
E

{ Introduction with Thesis Statement

{ Summary
y of Author’s Argument
g
{ Rhetorical Strategy #1
{ Rhetorical Strategy #2
{ O
Overall
ll St
Structure
t of
fAArticle
ti l
{ Premise and/or assumption of argument
{ How convincing is the argument? (concluding paragraph)

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 Introductory Paragraph

¾ Before answering the prompts, you must first create a

context for your essay’s discussion.
¾ Begin with general principles and provide introductory
statements regarding the topic of article.
Example:. Many college students seek valuable opportunities
to develop marketable skills within their fields. The
internship is one such avenue that students can pursue.
¾ Set up
p what you
y are going
g g to do using
g the thesis statement.
This statement should provide organization for the essay.

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 Sample Introduction

Many college students seek valuable opportunities to develop

marketable skills within their fields. The internship is one such
avenue that students can pursue. Anya Kamanetz’s article, “Take
This
h Internship
h and
d Shove
h It,”” explores
l the
h issue of
f unpaid
d
internships and its impact on college students. Through careful
analysis, I will examine how Kamanetz successfully employs
rhetorical
h t i l strategies
t t i to t supportt h
her argument,
t hhow the
th article’s
ti l ’
structure and organization advances its position, and how the
assumption shared between the author and her audience
st
strengthens
th s the
th overall
ll argument.
t

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 Points to Remember!

9 An introduction
d f
for this
h exam should
h ld not b
be llengthy
h and
d can be
b
4-5 sentences.
9 You should state what the purpose of this essay is through a
THESIS STATEMENT.
9 Do not summarize the article. Readers of the exam are not
looking for a summary of the article
article. The purpose of the
introductory paragraph is to establish the context for your
essay’s discussion.

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 Body Paragraph #1

Writing
W i i C Component 1:
1 Identify
Id if and
d provide
id a b
brief
i f summary of
f
the author’s argument;

Points to Consider:
¾ From the text, locate the author’s key argument and
supporting reasons for her position.
¾ Ask yourself, “What is the author’s key argument and why does
she take this position?”
¾ Remember,
R b summarize
i th
the author’s
th ’ argument,
t nott the
th entire
ti
article.

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Sample Paragraph: Body Paragraph #1

In “Take This Internship and Shove It,” Kamanetz argues

that unpaid internships have little value because they do not
adequately prepare college students for careers after
college.
ll She
h also
l asserts that
h unpaid
d work
k creates financial
f l
hardships for these “lowly interns.” Moreover, Kamanetz
contends that unpaid internships have an adverse affect on
th American
the A i economic
i system
t b
because college
ll students
t d t
become “an oversupply” of individuals who work without pay
and consequently disrupt the balance within America’s
economy.

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 Points to Remember!

9 D not summarize
Do i the
h entire
i article.
i l
9 Readers of the exam are only looking for a brief summary of the
author’s argument.
9 Sample Format: Author X argues that ________________ because
___________________________________________________.

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 Body Paragraphs #2 & #3

Writing
W i i C Component 2:2 Describe
D ib andd di
discuss two strategies
i that
h the
h
author uses to support his or her argument;

Points to Consider:
• Refer to your annotations and choose 2 strategies used to
support the author’s argument.
• Use the language of the prompt to establish your topic sentence
and to begin your discussion: In her essay, Kamenetz effectively
employs various rhetorical strategies to further her argument.
O strategy that
One h sheh uses to support herh argument isi
exemplification, specifically the use of numbers and statistical
representations.

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 What are the most commonly
used Rhetorical Strategies?

• Irony: Exposes absurdity or something opposite to its literal meaning,

often
f using h
humor or sarcasm.
Example: As the rain poured down, Anne commented,
“What a beautiful day it is!”
• Repetition:
Repetition The repeated use of the same word, word
pattern, or key ideas.
• Metaphors: An expression used to represent another idea in
order to suggest similarity. An implicit comparison.
Example: “Life is like a box of chocolates”—Forrest Gump
• Aristotle’s Persuasive Appeals:
Ethos: Ethics, morals, values, and conscience.
Logos: Logic numbers,
Logic, numbers explanations,
explanations and facts.
facts
Pathos: Emotions and sympathy.
• Exemplification: The use of examples, factual information, and
statistics.
Example: According to the 2000 Census Bureau, 20% of all
Americans...
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 Rhetorical Strategies (cont.)

• A l
Analogy: Drawing
D i a comparison
i to
t show
h similarity
i il it
between two things.
Example: hot is to cold as fire is to ice

• Symbolism: A representation of something because of

close association.
Example: The tree as a symbol of life.

• Anecdotes: A short account of an event.

• Rhetorical Q
Question: A device used to encourage
g reflection or curiosity
y
within the reader, rather than illicit a
direct response.
Example: “Will there ever be peace on earth?”

• Appeal to Authority: Use of research,

research professional opinions,
opinions
and the author’s own authority.
Example: According to extensive research conducted by
Sociologist James Bruin, American society has…

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 Sample Response: Body Paragraph #2

I her
In h essay, K
Kamenetz
t effectively
ff ti l employs
l various
i rhetorical
h t i l
strategies to further her argument. One strategy that she uses
to support her argument is exemplification, specifically the use of
numbers and statistical representations. She states, for example,
that “…50,000 unpaid interns are employed full time for 12 weeks
each summer at an average minimum wage of $5.15 an hour.” The
number of unpaid internships at such a meager wage clearly
illustrates the reality of the situation and the exploitation of
students. In addition, Kamanetz provides data from national
surveys that clearly support her argument. The use of
exemplification, as a result, helps the audience visualize the
magnitude
it d of
f unpaid
id iinterns
t and
d its
it iimpactt on th
the economy.
Without this data, it would be difficult to conceptualize the
problem that exists for college students seeking to gain relevant
work experience.

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 Points to Remember!

9 Use specific
f examples
l to support your choice
h of
f rhetorical
h l
strategy.
9 Certain strategies, such as exemplification and appeal to
authority, are often used to further an argument.
9 Explain how the strategy chosen supports the argument.
9 As you introduce the next rhetorical strategy in Body
Paragraph #3, use a transition: “Another strategy used to
expand Kamenetz’s argument is the appeal to authority…”

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 B d P
Body Paragraph
h #4

Writing Component 33: Describe the overall structure of the

reading selection and explain whether it furthers the aims of
the author’s argument;

Points to Consider:
• How is the article structured? Sequence of paragraphs?
• How are examples arranged? How do they advance the writer’s
argument?
• How does the structure affect the coherence of the reading
g
as a whole?

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Sample Response: Body Paragraph #4

The structure of Kamenetz’s article furthers the aims of her

argument. She first begins with a short anecdote and introduction of
the topic, internships. In order to provide more background on paid
and
d unpaid
d internships,
h Kamenetz refers
f to a professional
f l survey that
h
was conducted. The context for the discussion is established within
the first few paragraphs, and the audience does not learn about the
argumentt until
til paragraph
h four,
f when
h it is
i implicitly
i li itl stated
t t d through
th ha
rhetorical question. The sequence of paragraphs effectively addresses
the reasoning of the author’s argument and each supporting point is
l id outt with
laid ith clearly
l l stated
t t d examples
l and
d various
i rhetorical
h t i l strategies.
t t i
As a whole, the organization enables Kamanetz to develop her ideas
and examples, and most importantly, leaves the reader with a better
understanding of the negative impact of unpaid internships.
internships

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 Body Paragraph #5

Writing
g Component
p 3: Discuss the p
premise(s)
( ) and/or assumption(s)
p ( ) on
which the argument is based.

Points
n to Consider:
n

• Considered to be synonymous in this writing exercise, premises/assumptions are

the values or beliefs upon which arguments rest.

• Address components of the argument that are generally accepted as true by

both the writer and audience. Find common ground.

• Use specific examples from the reading that support your position.

• D not summarize
Do i the
h article.
i l

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Sample Response: Body Paragraph #5

The assumption within Kamanetz’s article is that work by an individual

should be compensated and that an unpaid internship contradicts this
belief. It can be argued that this concept is supported by the
generall population,
l as well
ll as the
h majority of
f college
ll students,
d and
d
the article argues in more specific terms that unpaid internships do
more harm than good to an individual and to the economy. This
assumption
ti validates
lid t both
b th the
th author’s
th ’ argumentt as well
ll as the
th points
i t
developed throughout the article. For this reason, the assumption
presented in this article creates a shared understanding between the
author
th and
d audience
di and
d provides
id an overwhelmingly
h l i l convincing
i i
argument.

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 Body
y Paragraph
g p #6/
Concluding Paragraph

Writing
W iti T Task:
k Evaluate
E l t theth extent
t t tto which
hi h you find
fi d the
th
argument convincing.

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Sample Response: Body Paragraph #6

“Take This Internship and Shove It,” by Anya Kamenetz, proved

to be a convincing article. The belief that college students
should be paid for their work, which is the premise for the
article
l as well
ll as common ground
dbbetween the
h author
h and
d
audience, strengthens her argument. Furthermore, through the
use of specific examples, the use of Logos and appeal to
authority
th it as rhetorical
h t i l devices,
d i and
d a carefully
f ll structured
t t d li
line of
f
argument, Kamanetz establishes a persuasive argument for the
reader. By the end of the article, readers have a clearer
understanding
d st di of fh
how th
the unpaid
id internship
i t shi can plague
l b
both
th the
th
student as well as the economy and that one should “Take This
Internship and Shove It.”

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 As y
you take your
y exam,
remember to…

• Refer to your annotations of the article.

• Refer to your outline and to the writing prompts.
• Refer to specific paragraphs when providing examples. (For
example, in Paragraph 5, Singleton reiterates his key argument
by addressing…)
• Save 10-15 minutes at the end for editing.

Good Luck and call us at 619

619-594-5315
594 5315
to schedule a follow-up appointment!
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