Basic Composition Myths

Ten Common Myths about English 100: Basic Composition

1. "I was placed in Basic Composition, so I must be a bad writer."
   No one is "naturally” a good or bad writer. The way to acquire college-level writing skills is to practice, with guidance, over time. Basic Composition is designed for those students who have had less practice in the kind of writing expected at Rutgers. Many students who are initially placed in English 100 or 100R go on to be very successful in their English 101 classes and other writing courses; some even become English majors!
   

2. "The course is called Basic Composition. 'Basic' means 'easy,' right?"
   In this case, the word "basic" means "fundamental" and "foundational." Basic Composition is a college-level course. It requires the same amount of time and effort as any other first-year course, including Expository Writing. The main difference between the two classes is this: 100 and 100R instructors provide more structured in-class and homework assignments that guide students through the writing process, while 101 instructors assume that you already have these skills and that you will practice them on your own. Both classes may require 8-10 hours per week of out-of-class work, including reading, writing, and revision.
   

3. "This course has nothing to do with my intended major. I don't need to learn how to write English papers."
   At a university, writing doesn't just happen in English classes. Writing will be required in almost all of your classes, including many advanced science, math, and business courses. In the Writing Program, you won't be learning how to write traditional "English papers" about novels and poetry. The Writing Program courses are designed to help you practice the kind of critical thinking, argument, organizational, and presentational skills that will be useful in all of your writing assignments at the university.
   

4. "The homework doesn’t affect my grade. Only the papers count toward my final grade."
   The homework assigned between paper drafts is extremely important because it helps you to compose your papers step-by-step. Your instructor will often design homework as the first step towards a Rough Draft. You may not realize it at the time. But count on it. Students who do not complete their homework assignments tend to do poorly on their papers because they haven't learned or practiced the techniques that these homework assignments are designed to teach.
   
   In 100R, the 099 assignments directly affect your ability to pass the course. You MUST pass 60% of the 099 assignments during the semester in order to advance on to 101. You may pass your papers, and both final exams, but if you only pass 59% of the 099 homework assignments or quizzes, you will retake 100R.
   

5. "The midterm and final exams don't affect my final grade."
   The midterm and final exams are graded on a pass/fail basis. The midterm provides an important assessment of what you've learned so far and what you need to work on for the rest of the semester. While the grade on your midterm does not affect the grade for the course, the midterm exam is important practice for the final exam. Students who fail their midterms should see their instructors immediately and develop a strategy for getting to the passing level by the end of the semester. These students are also strongly encouraged to sign up for tutoring at one of the Writing Centers, if they haven’t already done so. The final exam ensures that you have achieved and sustained a passing level of writing. You must pass the 100 final exam, and if you’re in 100R, the 099 final exam, in order to pass the course. In this way, your exams absolutely affect your final grade.
   

6. "Peer review is useless. My fellow students aren't writing experts. I can't learn anything from them."
   Peer review provides you with direct and specific written feedback on your rough drafts. Keep in mind that your fellow students are learning the same skills you are and can help reinforce what your instructor is teaching you; they also bring a variety of writing strengths and experiences to the class; your writing weakness could be someone else's strength, and vice versa. Your fellow students can bring an objective critical eye to your work and raise questions that you hadn't thought of before. Remember, it is Writing Program policy for instructors not to comment directly on rough drafts. Peer review may be your only opportunity to receive direct suggestions for the revision of your specific paper. In addition, peer review is a way for you to practice reading and critiquing academic writing. So, reading your peer's papers and giving them advice for improvement should help you to learn to revise your own work, too.
   

7. "My grade is based on improvement."
   While we expect you to improve during the course of the semester, your grade is not based on improvement. The Writing Program has a set of standards that papers must meet (see 100 Gradatorium). In order to receive a B, for example, a student must achieve and sustain B level writing by the end of the semester. Here are two example scenarios. Student X begins at a NP (not passing) level but works hard and receives B's on her last two papers. Student Y begins at a C+ level, and gets a B's on his last paper, and writes an extremely strong final exam. Both students would receive B's because that is the level they achieve and sustain, even though Student X showed greater improvement. The lesson: do not intentionally do poorly on your first two papers in the hopes that getting a B on your last two papers will give you an A for the course "based on improvement." Work hard on all five papers to meet the standards set forth by your instructor.
   

8. "My instructor grades harder than everybody else's instructor."
   All Writing Program instructors are guided by the same set of grading criteria, available on the web for even you to look at. The Assistant Directors of the Writing Program work to ensure that these criteria are used by all instructors throughout the semester; all grades are subject to departmental review. See the Gradatorium for more details.
   

9. "Going to see my instructor during office hours or signing up for tutoring is a sign of weakness."
   In fact, the opposite is true. Seeking advice from instructors and tutors is a sign that you are committed to improving your writing. Instructors will recognize that you are taking responsibility for your work and may give you additional support in your efforts. You will also benefit from individualized instruction. Each writer approaches writing in a unique way. Talking to an instructor or tutor may help you discover a technique that is tailored to your specific work methods. See the Writing Center for information. See also your teacher's Class Page at http://classguide.net/rutgers/.
   

10. "I should never use 'I' in my paper writing."
    You’ll notice that in Points of Departure, the Basic Composition reader, many of the authors use the pronoun “I” in their own writing. This is a sign that we allow you to refer to yourself in the first person in 100 and 100R. But notice, too, that these authors include themselves “critically” in their own writing. When they write “I” they are not simply giving a personal opinion, but offering a critical position, often in reference to someone else they cite in their essay. That said, some instructors at Rutgers may not want you to use the pronoun “I” in certain kinds of writing. You should ask any teacher at Rutgers this question, because to some extent it depends upon the audience and format of your paper.