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Welcome to the Accuplacer Workshop

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Title: Welcome to the Accuplacer Workshop


1
Welcome to the Accuplacer Workshop
  • Tutoring and Learning Center
  • University of Texas at El Paso

2
The Accuplacer Workshop
  • This workshop provides a quick introduction to
    the Accuplacer, the test used at UTEP for course
    placement and to satisfy the requirements of the
    Texas Success Initiative.
  • It has been designed for students who are about
    to take the Accuplacer for the first time and who
    have time to study and prepare before actually
    taking the test.
  • Attendees will learn about the test format, the
    types of material that will be covered on the
    test, test taking strategies, and resources that
    can assist students preparing for the test.
  • Students may also wish to enroll other Accuplacer
    workshops offered by the Tutoring and Learning
    Center Math 0300 (formerly BASK 0306), Math
    0301 (formerly Math 0300), Math 0310, Math 0311,
    Math 1508/1320, Writing, and Reading.

3
Testing Protocols
  • First - All incoming freshmen students at UTEP
    must take the Accuplacer test first, unless the
    Admissions Office has determined otherwise.
  • Your Accuplacer scores are used to meet the Texas
    Success Initiative pre-enrollment assessment
    requirement for entering students.
  • If you do not pass all portions of Accuplacer the
    first time you take it, then you will continue to
    take it until you have passed all portions or
    until it has been determined by UTEPs Academic
    Advising Center that you are compliant with the
    Texas Success Initiative.
  • Should you decide to also take classes at EPCC,
    then your UTEP Accuplacer scores will count at
    both institutions. This way you dont have to
    retest.
  • Your Accuplacer scores are also used to determine
    into which courses you place at UTEP (or EPCC).

4
Procedures
  • Apply for admission to UTEP. The Office of
    Admissions will determine which Accuplacer tests
    you need to take. Only the Office of Admissions
    can determine if you are exempt from taking the
    Accuplacer tests.
  • Reserve a seat online at http//testing.utep.edu,
    or in person at the Student Assessment and
    Testing Office, Education Building Room 210, or
    by calling the Test Reservation line at (915)
    747-5009.
  • Report to the Student Assessment and Testing
    Office at least 15 minutes early to check in. If
    you are late, you will not be allowed to take the
    test.
  • You must present an acceptable form of
    identification.

5
Acceptable Forms of ID
  • US Drivers License
  • UTEP ID Card
  • Passport
  • US Military ID Card
  • US Alien Registration Card
  • US Department of Public Safety ID Card
  • Notarized letter with notary stamp on the
    document photo
  • US High School Yearbook
  • NO OTHER FORMS OF ID WILL BE ACCEPTED

6
Register Early!!!!!
  • IMPORTANT!
  • Register early space is limited. If you have
    not pre-registered, you may test on a standby
    basis but you will be admitted only if space is
    available.

7
Test Placement
  • Your Accuplacer scores will determine into which
    courses you will place.
  • Know This/Believe This You need to take the
    Accuplacer tests seriously and do your very best
    work as your test results will impact on how much
    your college education costs and how much time it
    takes to complete your degree.

8
Test Placement
  • Reading
  • Depending on your Accuplacer reading score you
    may place into one of the following courses
  • READ 0307 a pre-college reading course taught
    by EPCC (formerly BASK 0323).
  • READ 0308 a pre-college reading course taught
    by EPCC.
  • ENGL 0310 Reading Communication Skills. A
    student who places at this level or below is not
    eligible to take reading-intensive courses, for
    example HIST 1301, PSYC 1301, POLS 2310.

9
Test Placement
  • Writing
  • Depending on your Accuplacer writing score you
    may place into one of the following courses
  • ENGL 0300 a pre-college writing course taught
    by EPCC (formerly BASK 0303).
  • ENGL 0311 Basic English Composition.
  • ENGL 1311 Expository English Composition AND
    ENGL 0111 Expository Composition Workshop.
  • ENGL 1311 Expository English Composition.

10
Test Placement
  • Math
  • The Elementary Algebra test is administered first
    to determine which math placement test the
    student will take.
  • If your Elementary Algebra score is 20-62 you
    will take the Arithmetic Test.
  • If your Elementary Algebra score is 63-120 you
    will take the College Level Math Test.

11
Test Placement
  • Math
  • Depending on your Accuplacer math score you may
    place into one of the following courses
  • Math 0300 a pre-college math course taught by
    EPCC (formerly BASK 0306)
  • MATH 0301 a pre-college math course taught by
    EPCC (formerly Math 0300)
  • MATH 0310 Introductory Algebra.
  • MATH 0311 Intermediate Algebra.
  • MATH 1320 Math for Social Sciences or
    MATH 1508 Precalculus.
  • MATH 2301 Math for Social Sciences II or
    MATH 1411 Calculus I.

12
The Texas Success Initiative
  • Reading students who score 78-120 have satisfied
    the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative.
  • Writing students who score 6-8, and those who
    score 5 combined with a Sentence Skills score of
    80-120, have satisfied the requirements of the
    Texas Success Initiative.
  • Math students who score 63 or higher on the
    College Level Math section have satisfied the
    requirements of the Texas Success Initiative.

13
Talk to Your Academic Advisor
  • For specific questions about your scores, class
    placement, and requirements of the Texas Success
    Initiative, contact your academic advisor.
  • The Academic Advising Center is located in the
    Academic Services Building, Room 201
    Telephone
    (915) 747-5290 www.utep.edu/advising/

14
Taking the Test
  • The Accuplacer Test
  • The only section that is timed is the essay for
    the writing test. You will have one hour.
  • For all other sections which are multiple choice,
    you take as much time as you need.
  • You take the test on computer.
  • You branch to harder or easier questions
    depending on the answers you give.
  • You may use a standard four-function calculator
    which will be supplied by the testing office.

15
Pre-Test Resources
  • Know This The language used in the study guides,
    the test bulletins, and on the tests themselves
    is generally very formal, very academic sounding,
    and very intimidating. If youre familiar with
    the language before you test, then youve already
    dealt with these issues, and youre ready to do
    your best on the test.
  • Websites
  • www.utep.edu/testing - offers sample test
    questions for you to review and information about
    registration and costs.
  • http//www.milwaukee.tec.wi.us/profile/studentserv
    /admiss/Accu_Sample_Questions.htm - a sample
    test.
  • http//www.Accuplacer.nesinc.com - offers another
    sample test for you to take
  • http//www.tlc.utep.edu/fallmathworkshops.htm -
    offers a Quick Basic Math Review
  • www.mymathtest.com offers help with preparing
    for standardized math tests
  • Study Guides
  • The Official TASP Test Study Guide by NES
  • Any study guide for the SAT or ACT tests
  • Software
  • The Princteon Review Inside the SAT ACT 2003
    Deluxe

16
Practice Venues
  • The Tutoring and Learning Center (Library 300)
  • Computer Access
  • If you dont have a computer at home, you can
    come to the TLC and use one of the computers in
    the Learning Assistance Lab (Room 326). You can
    access the Web sites in this manner.
  • We also have some SAT software that you can work
    with if you wish.
  • Practice Accuplacer Tests
  • You can come to the TLC and take a practice
    diagnostic Accuplacer test. We will then grade
    it or let you grade it.
  • Once you know the areas on which you need to
    work, then you can go to either the Math Room or
    the Writing Room and ask for help with the
    specific problems that you got wrong.
  • Study Guides
  • If you dont wish to buy a study guide, then you
    may come to the TLC and work with one of ours.
  • If you have questions, then you can go to the
    Writing Room or the Math Room and ask for help.
  • Note Check in with the front desk and get a
    temporary ID if you arent a registered UTEP
    student.

17
Before the Test
  • Do not party the night before. Get a decent
    nights rest.
  • Eat something before the test. A nutritious
    breakfast would be best, but something in your
    stomach is better than nothing.
  • Dont overdo the caffeine before the test.
  • Allow plenty of time to get to the Testing
    Center. Arriving late will mean that you are not
    allowed to enter and take the test.
  • Do not buy a study guide the night before the
    test and try to cram 600 pages of information
    into your brain. Youll just make yourself a
    nervous wreck.

18
During the Test Anxiety Control
  • Spend a couple of minutes monitoring your
    breathing In through your nose for the count of
    five and out through your mouth for the count of
    five.
  • Try some isometric exercises in your seat.
    Tighten various muscle groups throughout your
    body starting with your feet for a count of five,
    then release.

19
General Test Taking Strategies
  • Read the directionseven if you think you know
    what they say. Read them anyway.
  • Since the Accuplacer is a computer adaptive test,
    there is no test to write on. But you can use
    scratch paper to jot down key words, make notes,
    work out problems, and so on.
  • Do double check your answers before you submit
    them.

20
More Test Taking Strategies
  • If you dont know an answer, then GUESS. Guess
    smart, but guess. Accuplacer is computer
    adaptive. This means that you must answer each
    question in order to move on and once you have
    moved on you cannot go back.
  • If you dont KNOW the correct answer to a
    question, try to eliminate the obviously wrong
    answers. Use the process of elimination to make
    it easier for you to make an educated guess.

21
Testing Room Rules
  • The majority of national and institutional tests
    (including Accuplacer) discourage test-takers
    from leaving the testing room. You are allowed
    to leave the test room only under the most urgent
    of circumstances.
  • If you do leave the room, be sure not to take any
    of your scratch papers with you.
  • Also, you MUST receive the room proctors
    permission before leaving the room. Be sure to
    follow the rules about where you may go and where
    you may not go. You dont want to get kicked out
    of the test just because you felt the need to
    stretch your legs.

22
More Testing Room Rules
  • Leave and re-enter the room quietly so as not to
    disturb the others taking the test.
  • Do not bring pagers, beepers, cell phones, CD
    players, or other electronics into the Testing
    Room. Be sure to turn off any noise makers on
    your watch.
  • Try not to not leave the room if you can possibly
    help it as it is usually a form of avoidance.
    Most people do NOT come back more focused and
    better able to perform.
  • Know This Are these all of the rules associated
    with Accuplacer? No, there are many more. Pay
    attention to your room proctor.

23
Accuplacer Reading Comprehension
  • The Skills
  • Identify word or phrase meanings through the
    context in which they are presented
  • Understand literal and interpretive meaning
  • Understand the writers assumptions, opinions,
    and tone
  • The Format
  • You will read either sentences or short reading
    selections and then answer questions based on the
    information read.

24
Sample Questions for Sentence Skills
  • Question 1 Select the best version of the
    underlined part of the sentence. The first
    choice is the same as the original.
  • 1. Ms. Rose planning to teach a course in
    biology next summer.
  • a) planning
  • b) are planning
  • c) with a plan
  • d) plans

25
Question 2 You are asked to rewrite a sentence
in your mind. You will be told how to begin your
new sentence. Your new sentence should be well
written and should have essentially the same
meaning as the original sentence.
  • Being a female jockey, she was often interviewed.
  • Rewrite, beginning with She was often
    interviewed
  • The next words should be
  • a) on account of she was
  • b) by her being
  • c) because she was
  • d) being as she was

26
Question 3 Reading Comprehension. You will read
a statement or passage and then choose the best
answer to the question. Answer the question on
the basis of what is stated or implied in the
passage
  • There are two types of pottery that I do.
    There is production pottery mugs, tableware
    the kinds of things that sell easily. These pay
    for my time to do the other work, which is more
    creative and satisfies my needs as an artist.

27
  • The author of the passage implies that
  • a) artists have a tendency to waste valuable
    time
  • b) creativity and mass production are
    incompatible
  • c) most people do not appreciate good art
  • d) pottery is not produced by creative artists

28
4. In other questions, two underlined sentences
are followed by a question or
statement. Choose the best answer to the
question, or the best completion of the
statement.
  • The Midwest is experiencing its worst drought
    in fifteen years.
  • Corn and soybean prices are expected to be
    very high this year.
  • What does the second sentence do?
  • a) It restates the idea found in the first.
  • b) It states an effect.
  • c) It gives an example.
  • d) It analyzes the statement made in the first.

29
Accuplacer Essay Section
  • The Skills
  • Demonstrate knowledge about using standard forms
    of written English
  • Connect ideas appropriately
  • Maintain consistency in writing
  • The Five Characteristics
  • Focus Keep your main idea clear
  • Organization Your essay should follow a logical
    sequence and structure
  • Development and Support Elaborate and provide
    supporting details
  • Sentence Structure Sentences should be
    effective
  • Mechanical Conventions Your writing should be
    free from mistakes in usage and mechanics

30
The Essay Section
  • The essay
  • Must be multi-paragraph
  • Will always be persuasive
  • DO NOT skip the essay portion. Some people think
    that the Math and Reading Sections are all that
    they have to worry about. WRONG!
  • If you pass the Writing Section of the
    Accuplacer, then you will place into ENGL 1311
    Expository English Composition.
  • The Accuplacer is not looking for the best piece
    of writing you have ever done. It wants you to
    show that you can create a competently written,
    decently organized, nicely supported essay. Do
    not try to get fancy. Do not get overly
    creative. A plain Jane, by the book, five
    paragraph essay works.

31
Sample Essay Question
  • Some schools require each student to participate
    in an organized school sport chosen by the
    student. People at these schools argue that
    athletics is an important part of the educational
    experience and that there should be a rule
    requiring participation. Others argue that
    students should be free to decide whether or not
    they wish to participate in organized school
    sports.
  • Write an essay for a classroom instructor in
    which you take a position on whether or not
    participation in organized school athletics
    should be required. Be sure to defend your
    position with logical arguments and appropriate
    examples.

32
Del Valles Six Steps for Passing Accuplacer Essay
  • Analyze essay prompt. Identify SOAP elements and
    all specific instructions. SOAP Subject,
    Occasion, Audience, Purpose
  • Turn essay prompt into THESIS STATEMENT that
    answers the prompt question.
  • Think of THREE POINTS to support thesis
    statement.
  • Turn essay prompt into INTRODUCTION that includes
    the thesis statement and demonstrates awareness
    of SOAP elements.
  • Turn each point into a well-developed PARAGRAPH.
  • Write a CONCLUSION which restates main point(s)
    in different words. Do not introduce a new point
    in the conclusion.

33
Math Section
  • The Accuplacer will test your knowledge
    of
  • Basic Math
  • Elementary Algebra
  • College Level Math

34
  • Know This
  • Standardized tests are heavy on word problems.
    You will be asked to demonstrate not only that
    you can solve equations but that you can also
    create equations based on the information
    provided in a specific word problem. Your
    reading skills will be very important when taking
    this section of the test.
  • The test makers are tricky. For each question,
    they figured out the common mistakes that
    students make and included those wrong answers
    among the possible answers. Just because you can
    create an equation that delivers an answer that
    is listed as a possible answer, does not mean
    that you are then ready to cruise on to the next
    question. Be sure to double check that your
    answer is truly correct.

35
Sample Question for Arithmetic
  • 1. 10 3
  • a) 7
  • b) 13
  • c) 30
  • d) 40

36
Elementary Algebra Skills
  • The Skills
  • Demonstrate your knowledge of algebraic
    operations
  • - factoring
  • - squaring binomials
  • - factoring polynomials
  • Find the solutions of equations and inequalities
  • Demonstrate your knowledge of basic geometry
  • Demonstrate your knowledge of applications in
    statistics, probability, and data interpretation

37
Sample Question for Elementary Algebra
  • 2. 2x 3x y
  • a) 6x
  • b) 5x y
  • c) 5(x y)
  • d) 6x y

38
Sample Question for College Level Math Skills
  • 3. If the 1st and 3rd terms of a geometric
    sequence are 3 and 27 respectively, then the 2nd
    term could be
  • a) 6
  • b) 9
  • c) 15
  • d) 18

39
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
  • How long will it take to get my scores from the
    Accuplacer Test?
  • Your scores will be available in about
    twenty minutes.
  • How much does it cost to retake the Accuplacer?
  • Math retake 20
  • Writing retake 20
  • Reading retake 10
  • When can I retake the Accuplacer?
  • Tests cannot be taken more than twice in 120
    days. You must present the score reports from
    previous tests in order to retake Accuplacer.

40
GOOD LUCK!!
  • Visit the Tutoring Learning Center
  • 300 Library
  • http//academics.utep.edu/tlc
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