English Exit Exam

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English Exit Exam

• Nov. 1 2006

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Agenda

• Exit Exam workshop
• Why we write it
• What to expect
• What to bring
• How to prepare
• How to succeed ?

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Why we write the Exit Exam

• MEQ requirement
• All colleges, all languages
• Language of instruction
• Importance of communication
• Comprehensive test
• Final check ?

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What to expect

• Four hours
• Read
• Write
• 750 words less than 600 words fail
• Revise
• Three texts
• Short stories
• Essays
• Two booklets
• Book One is for rough work
• Book Two is for the FINAL copy
• Markers will only read Book Two! ?

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Time management is essential!
Remember they will only read Book Two stop
drafting and start the final if youre running
out of time.

• 10 minutes to quickly scan
• 45 minutes to read ACTIVELY
• 15 minutes to brainstorm outline
• 60 minutes to draft
• 90 minutes to write the FINAL copy
• 20 minutes to revise Big 3!

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What to bring

• Your watch!
• Pens
• You must write in ink
• You should bring spares
• You can correct, so bring white-out
• A dictionary
• One youve used before!
• Language dictionary is OK
• Electronic dictionary is NOT! ?

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How to prepare

• Review corrected essays for recurring problems
  the Big 3
• Go to the learning centre web pages
• Sample readings
• Sample essays
• Sample mark sheets
• Good and not so good, so you can see where marks
  are lost, too. ?

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How to succeed

• Remember the three criteria
• Comprehension
• Organization
• Expression
• You must pass all three!
• The criteria are included use the instruction
  sheet in your revision ?

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Comprehension

• recognition of a main idea from the selected
  reading,
• identification of techniques and/or devices
  employed by the author,
• evidence of critical or analytical interpretation
  of the selection, and
• references which demonstrate understanding of the
  reading. ?

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The Short Story

• Fiction
• Tells a story
• Evokes emotions, reflections and memories
• Instructive
• We learn about human nature
• Underlying meaning theme ?

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The Short Story

• Main character protagonist
• Plot conflict
• Protagonist vs. Antagonist
• Protagonist vs. Society
• Protagonist vs. Nature
• Protagonist vs. Fate
• Protagonist vs. Self
• Climax turning point ?

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The Short Story

• Narrator
• Literary techniques and devices
• Setting
• Characterization
• Irony
• Tone
• Symbolism
• Imagery
• Simile and metaphor ?

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The Essay

• The four Ps
• Persona
• Who is addressing whom?
• Point
• What is the main point of this text?
• Thesis
• Purpose
• What is the author trying to accomplish?
• Plan
• How is the author achieving that purpose?
• Evidence
• Approach ?

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The Essay

• Uses various techniques
• Descriptive
• Narrative
• Persuasion
• Example
• Exposition
• Compare/contrast
• Definition
• Analysis
• Cause and effect ?

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Organization

• statement of a thesis about the text,
• structured development of the essay,
• use of detail to support the thesis, and
• unified paragraph structure. ?

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Your Introduction

• Approximately 100 words
• You must include
• The title of the work
• The full name of the author
• The genre (story or essay)
• The authors main point
• Your thesis
• Your plan
• The literary elements and devices. ?

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An example

• In A Scientist I Am the Enemy, Ron Karpati
  expresses his belief in the merits of medical
  testing on animals. His view is based on the idea
  that "life is cruel", the existence of no viable
  alternatives, and the belief that good comes of
  the testing. He also states that animal rights
  activists do not have reasonable arguments and
  that there is a limit to the amount of testing
  that should be done. He puts forward several good
  arguments in favor of testing, which he supports
  with scientific and medical examples, personal
  experience, and comparison of his position with
  that of the activists.

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Your Development

• Approximately 200 words each paragraph
• Topic sentence
• Supporting details
• Direct and indirect references (quotations and
  paraphrases) from the text
• Identify devices/techniques
• Analysis reflect on purpose
• Sum up main points and provide transitional
  sentence ?

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An Example

• A third argument is that good comes of animal
  testing. Personal experience contributes to the
  effectiveness of the article. Karpati refers to
  instances when he has seen children "alive and
  happy" due to recent advances in medical
  technology. His argument is also made by
  statement of fact. He lists techniques and drugs
  that treat conditions such as "heart disease,
  hypertension and stroke" that are based on animal
  research. These techniques would not be as
  reliable if it weren't for animal testing. Using
  medical facts makes the argument objective,
  rather than subjective. According to the author,
  families are still together, avoiding tragedy,
  thanks to medicine achieved through the use of
  animal testing.

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Your Conclusion

• Approximately 100 words
• Fiction and Non-Fiction
• Summary of the thesis/theme
• Summary of the subtopics
• Summary of the main devices
• State a final thought on the thesis/theme
• Non-Fiction
• State your reaction or opinion
• Agree or disagree
• Interpret
• Relate to your own prior experience or knowledge
  or values ?

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An example

• The author's arguments are effectively carried to
  the reader through the use of examples, personal
  experience and comparison of two positions. His
  ideas that activists do not have reasonable
  arguments, that there is a limit to the amount of
  testing that should be done, that good comes of
  the testing, that there are no viable
  alternatives, and that the world is a cruel place
  relay his opinion that animal testing is a good
  practice, and should continue.

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Expression

• appropriate use of words,
• varied and correct sentence structures,
• correct grammar, and 
• conventional spelling, punctuation, and
  mechanics. ?

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Final questions

• Take a minute to review all the information
  what do you still want to know?
• What needs clarification?
• Good luck!