USG Regents’ Exam

Presented by the Humanities Department

Clarkston Campus

Georgia Perimeter College

What is the Regents’ Exam?

The Regents’ Exam is a two-part test that determines whether students have the minimum levels of reading and writing skills required for graduation.

Who has to take the exam?

Every degree seeking student in a University System of Georgia institution must take and pass both parts of the Regents’ Exam.

Why do we have to take the exam?

To ensure that students receiving degrees from a USG system institution possess certain minimum skills in reading and writing.

To provide system-wide information on the status of student competence in the areas of reading and writing.

To provide a uniform means of identifying those students who fail to attain the minimum levels of competence in reading and writing.

When is the exam given?

The Regents’ Exam is offered every semester soon after the midpoint of the term.

When do I have to take it?

Students should take the exam in the semester after they complete ENGL1101.

Students must take the test in the semester after they have completed 30 semester hours.

What happens if I fail the exam?

Students who fail one or both parts of the Regents’ Exam may retake the part or parts they failed once if they have not reached the limit of earned credit hours.

What happens if I don’t take the test?

Students who have earned 45 semester hours and have not passed both parts of the test must enroll in remedial courses until they pass both parts.

What if I have not passed the exam (or taken the exam) by the time I earn 45 hours?

Students who have not passed both parts of the exam by the time they have earned 45 hours of college credit must take remediation each semester of enrollment until they have passed both parts.

What if I still have not passed both parts of the exam when I have earned 54 hours of college credit?

Once students have earned 54 hours of college credit, they may not enroll in any course work other than remediation until they have taken and passed both parts of the test.

THE READING TEST

How long do I have to take the reading test?

The reading portion of the Regents’ Exam lasts one hour.

How many items are on the test?

The test includes 60 multiple-choice questions.

The test includes ten reading passages with 5 to 8 questions about each passage.

What are the reading passages about?

The passages come from a variety of subjects including social science, mathematics, natural science, and humanities.

They include a variety of forms:– Exposition– Narration– Argumentation

What do I need to know to pass the reading test?

The reading test assesses four major aspects of reading:– Vocabulary– Literal comprehension– Inferential comprehension– Analysis

What score must I make to pass the reading test?

You must make 61 or higher to pass the reading portion of the Regents’ Exam.

What test-taking skills do I need to use?

THE ESSAY TEST

What is the essay test?

Students will be given four essay topics. They must choose one topic and write an essay about it. The essay will be written in a test booklet provided by the test administrator.

How long will I have to write my essay?

You will have one hour to write the essay.

What are the requirements for a passing essay?

A passing essay requires that you1. State and develop a central idea

2. Have an organization that is indicative of an overall plan

3. Deal with the assigned topic

4. Avoid serious errors in diction, sentence structure, and paragraph development

How should I use my time effectively?

Take about 10 minutes to think of a thesis and make a plan.

Use about 30 – 40 minutes to write the essay.

During the last 15 minutes, edit what you have written.

Will I be allowed to use a dictionary?

You may use a dictionary during the last 15 minutes of the test session.

What materials should I bring to the test?

You must write your essay in blue or black ink.

You should bring a dictionary. You will not be allowed to borrow from anyone in the test site.

You should not bring any other materials. DO NOT BRING CHILDREN!!!

What topics can I expect?

The topics are randomly selected from a published list of topics. Topics are about issues of general knowledge and current events. Some subjects that appear in many topics include television, sports, work, school, marriage, government, and parenting. You can look at the actual list of topics on the test website.

How will my essay be graded?

Your essay will be read and evaluated by instructors at other USG institutions in the state.

Three raters will read your essay and each will assign a rating.

The final rating is the score on which at least two of the three raters agree.

No essay can receive a failing rating unless two raters have given it a failing score.

What scores will the raters use?

The essays are graded on a four-point scale with 4 being the highest score and 1 being the lowest score.

An essay must receive two passing scores (a 2 or higher) to pass.

A rating of 1 is not a passing rating. A paper that receives 1’s from two raters fails.

How can I find out if I passed the test?

Near the end of the semester, scores are reported to your institution.

You will be notified of your scores by mail.

Can I appeal a failing score?

You cannot appeal a failing score in reading. You can appeal a failing score on the essay

test if one of your three scores is a passing score (2 or higher).

Where should I go to start the appeal?

On Clarkston campus, the essays are housed in the ISS. You should go there to start the appeal process.

Your essay will be reviewed at the campus level. If campus raters agree that the paper should be reevaluated, it will be sent to the Regents’ Testing Office for review.

What if I just want to look at my paper?

Tutors in the ISS can go over your Regents’ essay with you. You will not be allowed to take the paper out of the lab or make copies of the essay.

Where can I find out more about the test?

www.gsu.edu/~wwwrtp/index94.htm Your ENGL 1101 or ENGL 1102 instructor Instructional Support Services – JCLR The GPC Catalog