Preparing for the WPE or RJE Exam

Students must pass the Writing Proficiency Exam or Rising Junior Exam in order to graduate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. You must take it before you can register for classes at the Junior Level (60 credit hours). You do not have to pass the test before you can register for your classes. Preparation is the key to your success on the WPE or RJE.

Practice WPE/RJE

The best preparation for the WPE or RJE is a practice exam. We can arrange for a practice WPE or RJE in the Writing Center. You will need to make an appointment. Please allow about two hours to complete the practice exam. Make another appointment to meet with a Writing Center intern to go over your practice exam for feedback and suggestions.

Information about the WPE and RJE

When you arrive at the exam site, you will stand in line to have your identification checked. Then you will be seated in a classroom. The atmosphere may be tense. Good preparation will help reduce your stress levels. Remember to get plenty of sleep on the night before the exam and eat a nutritious breakfast on exam day.

What to Bring to the Exam

Bring several pens to the exam. Your rough draft may be in pencil, but your final draft must be in ink. Erasable pens are acceptable, but sometimes smear. Liquid paper made especially to use over ink may be helpful. Do not bring paper; you will be provided with two bluebooks. One bluebook may be used to list ideas and to write a rough draft. The second bluebook is for the final essay. Both bluebooks will be turned in when you leave. A large dictionary will be available, but you may bring a small dictionary if you wish.

Beginning the Exam

The exam must be completed within two hours. Use approximately 15 to 30 minutes for choosing your topic and planning your essay, approximately 1 1/2 hours for writing, and 15 to 30 minutes revising and editing your essay. Thirty minutes of prewriting will be time well spent. You may want to brainstorm, make lists, or employ other prewriting techniques to generate ideas.

Topic Selection

You will have a choice of three topics. Choose the topic you know most about. Many students choose to write about a topic in which they can include personal experiences. It is important to make your topic selection quickly and move into writing so you will have enough time to complete the exam. Writing in the first person ("I") is acceptable.

The Body of the Essay

Both the WPR and RJE are expected to be 500 words. This includes an introductory paragraph, 3 to 5 body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. In the final draft, you may skip every other line to leave room for editing. Make sure you begin with a serious idea and develop it substantially, including details to support your central theme.

Final Editing and Proofreading

One good proofreading strategy is to read your paper twice. Read it once from beginning to end, checking to make sure the message is clear. Then, read it backwards. Here's how: read the last sentence to see if it is complete and well written. Then read the next-to-last sentence. Keep reading until you have read every sentence from the end of the essay to the beginning. This is a good time to check for punctuation and spelling errors.

Grading

Graders of the exams are looking for focus, development, coherence, and structure. These generally outweigh any spelling or punctuation problems. If grammar, punctuation, and spelling reflect a lack of control in the writing, a paper may fail, but errors are not counted and deducted. Graders look for strong competence, not perfection. Evidence of revision is a plus. Some papers fail for lack of development or lack of length.

If You Do Not Pass the Exam

You may retake the WPE. Remember, it is important to take these tests early so you will have time to retake them before graduation if you do not pass. There are registration deadlines for the test. Arrange to do a practice exam in the Writing Center before taking the exam a second time.

Remember: Anxiety may lessen your ability to write well on the exam. If you are prepared, you have an excellent chance of passing the WPE or RJE. Good Luck!

Document Last Modified: November 13, 1996