Writing & Linguistics Department
The Facts and Only the Facts:
The Georgia Regents' Exam
- What is the Regents'
Test?
- The Regents' Exam is an
essay and reading competency test. The essay section requires a student
to write an essay on one of four topics provided. The reading section
is a comprehension and vocabulary test made up of 10 passages followed
by questions about each passage.
- The Regents' Exam is an
essay and reading competency test. The essay section requires a student
to write an essay on one of four topics provided. The reading section
is a comprehension and vocabulary test made up of 10 passages followed
by questions about each passage.
- Why is there a Regents'
Test?
- The Georgia Board of
Regents, the governing body of all state colleges and universities,
wants to insure that all students receiving undergraduate degrees from
the University System have achieved certain college level reading and
writing skills.
- The Georgia Board of
Regents, the governing body of all state colleges and universities,
wants to insure that all students receiving undergraduate degrees from
the University System have achieved certain college level reading and
writing skills.
- Who must take the test?
- Every undergraduate
enrolled in any public college or university in the state must pass the
test before receiving a degree.
- Every undergraduate
enrolled in any public college or university in the state must pass the
test before receiving a degree.
- When must a student take
the Regents' Test?
- Fact: Students must take
both sections of the test during their first semester of enrollment
unless they meet one of the exemptions listed by the
Georgia BOR.
Students that do not take the test while enrolled at Georgia Southern in
ENGL 1101 cannot enroll in ENGL 1102 until they have taken the Regents'
Test.
- Fact: Students must take
both sections of the test during their first semester of enrollment
unless they meet one of the exemptions listed by the
Georgia BOR.
Students that do not take the test while enrolled at Georgia Southern in
ENGL 1101 cannot enroll in ENGL 1102 until they have taken the Regents'
Test.
- What are the
requirements for transfer students?
- Fact: Transfer students
must take the test during their first semester of enrollment. Those
who have not passed the test before their third semester of enrollment
are subject to a review course requirement if they have earned 45 or
more hours.
- Fact: Transfer students
must take the test during their first semester of enrollment. Those
who have not passed the test before their third semester of enrollment
are subject to a review course requirement if they have earned 45 or
more hours.
- What are the
requirements for international students?
- International students
have the same requirements for this exam; however, non-native speakers
are allowed extended time on the exam.
- International students
have the same requirements for this exam; however, non-native speakers
are allowed extended time on the exam.
- What can I expect on the
test?
- The test lasts about three
hours. The essay section and the reading section are each one hour in
length. About 40 minutes is set aside for check-in, preparation and form
completion. The essay section requires students to write an essay on
one of four topics provided. The reading section is a comprehension and
vocabulary test made up of 10 passages followed by questions about each
passage. Additional information is provided under the Helpful Hints
section of this page.
- The test lasts about three
hours. The essay section and the reading section are each one hour in
length. About 40 minutes is set aside for check-in, preparation and form
completion. The essay section requires students to write an essay on
one of four topics provided. The reading section is a comprehension and
vocabulary test made up of 10 passages followed by questions about each
passage. Additional information is provided under the Helpful Hints
section of this page.
- How do I register for
the test?
- Fact: The Office of the Registrar and the Testing Office will register each student for the test within the first two weeks of the term. Date, time, and location of the test can be found by viewing your current WINGS detail schedule of classes. In addition, information about the exam is emailed to all students.
Tips for doing well on the
reading portion of the test:
On the reading portion, try to answer
all questions. Since you are not penalized for wrong answers, it pays to attempt
all questions. Since a number of questions will ask you to draw conclusions or
make inferences based on the reading, some students benefit by reading the
questions before they actually read the passage. In main-idea questions,
students shouldn't be fooled by some answers which are correct as far as details
go; the correct answer is the one that expresses the author's central point.
With detail questions, students will find the answers stated directly in the
passage. These are usually the easiest to answer. Be aware that most of the
questions will be inferential. Therefore, students should read the passages
carefully
and think about what is being said.
The Essay Section:
On the essay section, which is rated
from "1" to "4," a student is judged independently by three readers. An essay
must be rated a "2" or higher by at least two of the readers in order for the
essay to be passed.
Tips for doing well on the
essay portion of the test:
Regents' readers will be looking for
essays with a clear beginning, middle, and end. An essay does not have to have a
certain number of paragraphs, but each essay should have an introduction with a
clear thesis (statement of purpose), at least one well-developed body paragraph
supported with concrete, specific evidence or details, and a conclusion that
brings the essay to an end. The essay should demonstrate a student's ability to
select effective, appropriate words and phrases, to construct and organize
sentences and paragraphs, and to write using academic standards of grammar,
punctuation, and mechanics.
Since students have only sixty minutes, they should manage their time effectively. The essay will be graded holistically: content and grammar/mechanics count equally. Therefore, students should spend time planning (about 10 minutes), drafting (about 35 minutes), and proofreading (about 15 minutes). Students will be allowed to use a dictionary or an electronic speller during the last 15 minutes, but they will need to bring their own. For students with significant spelling problems, an electronic speller might be faster and more useful than a dictionary.
Because the scorers read the essays as first drafts, they expect clear communication and a sense of control of the topic, not perfection.
Note: Students must write on the assigned topic and write their essays in ink. Otherwise, essays will be rejected without being read.
Most frequent reasons students do not pass the Regents’ Essay:- Writing off the topic, whether by misinterpreting or misreading the prompt;
- Being vague, not using examples or details;
- Writing simplistically, whether in terms of style, vocabulary, or content;
- Having frequent and/or serious
errors. If an essay has six or eight errors in grammar/punctuation, graders
will probably begin thinking about whether the paper is of passing quality.
Spelling errors alone are not supposed to be sufficient reason to fail an
essay unless the errors are so numerous that they impede meaning.
- Don't write very much.
Brevity will improve chances of passing.
- Fact: Readers expect
college level readers/writers to be able develop adequately within the
60 minutes allowed for the essay exam.
- Fact: Readers expect
college level readers/writers to be able develop adequately within the
60 minutes allowed for the essay exam.
- Write simple, short
sentences to avoid making punctuation mistakes.
- Fact: Readers expect
college level writers to write on the college level, not like they are
writing for a first-grade reading textbook. Therefore, use a variety of
sentences, including simple, but also including compound and complex.
- Fact: Readers expect
college level writers to write on the college level, not like they are
writing for a first-grade reading textbook. Therefore, use a variety of
sentences, including simple, but also including compound and complex.
- Student have to write a
five-paragraph theme to pass.
- Fact: Narrative essays,
impressionistic pieces, satire, and other essay formats can and will
pass if they are well written and have met the stated requirements. Even
four-paragraph papers pass. If, however, the student is not comfortable
with alternative formats, then a paper with an introduction, body, and
conclusion is a safe structure to follow.
- Fact: Narrative essays,
impressionistic pieces, satire, and other essay formats can and will
pass if they are well written and have met the stated requirements. Even
four-paragraph papers pass. If, however, the student is not comfortable
with alternative formats, then a paper with an introduction, body, and
conclusion is a safe structure to follow.
- Don't use the pronoun "I"
in the essay.
- Fact: Many of the topics
lend themselves to the first person point of view because they clearly
ask for a writer's opinion. Also, many writers develop their ideas by
offering effective personal narratives which add to the content of their
papers.
- Fact: Many of the topics
lend themselves to the first person point of view because they clearly
ask for a writer's opinion. Also, many writers develop their ideas by
offering effective personal narratives which add to the content of their
papers.
- Most students fail the
exam.
- Fact: On average,
approximately 75% of students taking the test in a given semester pass
both sections of the test. The percentage of students passing at least
one section is even higher.
- Fact: On average,
approximately 75% of students taking the test in a given semester pass
both sections of the test. The percentage of students passing at least
one section is even higher.
- An exam with corrections or
cross-outs will fail.
- Fact: Readers expect
students to re-read and edit what they have written, so corrections and
cross-outs are accepted without penalty.
- Fact: Readers expect
students to re-read and edit what they have written, so corrections and
cross-outs are accepted without penalty.
- Don't worry about when to
take the test.
- Fact: Testing sessions fill as testing progresses so in order to take the test at the most convenient time, you need to take the test at your allotted time. If you fail to take the test at your allotted time, you should call the Testing Office or the Office of the Registrar to determine whether another space is available.