College Writing Seminar (English 105)

What is English 105?

English 105, the College Writing Seminar, is where students learn to write for their college classes. They will focus on writing as a tool for learning and communicating. In English 105, students will develop critical thinking skills, build productive writing habits, and establish a style appropriate for college-level writing. Students will draft and revise several short papers and one longer paper. Instructional formats include class discussion, workshop sessions, and individual conferences. English 105 instructors will work with university librarians to introduce students to the use of Beeghly Library and online resources as an integral part of the liberal arts education.

Successful completion of English 105 with a C- or better is a graduation requirement. Students should take English 105 during their first year at OWU. We encourage students who have exempted from English 105 to enroll in a lower-level course that includes a significant writing component to practice college-level writing skills. The English department offers many of these courses. A grounding in college-level writing skills will help you succeed in the more advanced writing courses found in the Write and Speak Effectively Core Competency.

 Guide to English 105

All incoming students must take ENG 105 unless they are exempted on the basis of test scores, or in rare instances, at the discretion of the Director of First-Year Writing.

Students with any of the following scores are exempt from ENG 105:

1. A score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement English Examination.
2. A score of 710 or higher on the verbal section of the SAT.
3. A score of 710 or higher on the English Achievement Test of the College Entrance Examination Board.
4. A score of 30 or higher on the ACT sub-test in English.
5. A score of 5 or 6 on the High Level IB English exam.

Any special exemption made by the Director of First-Year Writing will be based on very high scores on one or more of the above or similar tests and outstanding writing done for OWU courses in the student's first semester, including a documented paper. Advanced transfer students will also be considered for exemption after presenting to the Director outstanding papers written recently at another institution.

In the event special exemption is granted, the Director of First-Year Writing will notify the Registrar to note the exemption on the student's record. If you have questions about the exemption policy, contact the English Department Office (Sturges 203, ext. 3590).