Basic Composition
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Department of Basic Composition?
The department of Basic Composition is part of the School of General Academics, which is located on the second floor of the new Liberal Arts building.
The department chair's office is LA 234e, and the Basic Composition advisor is in LA 234a. Faculty offices are located in this same hall.
If you need a department stamp to add a class or have general questions about ENGH 0890 or 0990, the second floor of the LA building is your destination. (ENGL 1010 is offered by the Department of English and Literature, and its department office is downstairs in LA 114.)
Also located on the second floor of the same building in room LA 201, is the Writing Center where you can talk with writing tutors about papers assigned from any of your classes.
Who should take ENGH 0890 or 0990?
Many students who take ENGH 0890 and 0990 have been away from school for an extended period of time. This two-course sequence provides the opportunity and support for these students to succeed.
Some students may be high school graduates who may lack confidence or skill in writing. For many ENGH 0890 and 0990 students, our writing instruction represents new lessons because sometimes in high school, there are few opportunities to write several drafts of papers and receive adequate feedback.
In a sense, ENGH 0890 and 0990 are "bridge" courses between a high school education and college education. These courses also form a bridge between a bilingual or international experience and the experience of earning a college degree by writing academic English, as well as fulfilling other requirements.
Some students are required to take and pass courses in basic composition before they can enroll in ENGL 1010.
How do I get to ENGL 1010?
The Department of English and Literature has established the following prerequisites for ENGL 1010:
An ACT Test score of 19 on the English portion of the ACT Test.
OR
A score of at least 80 on the Compass Writing Skills test (CWS) AND a score of at least 77 on the DRP Reading test. OR
Completion of ENGH 0990 with grade of C- or better.
Successful completion of ENGH 0990 will prepare you for the writing half of the 1010 prerequisite. If your DRP score is below 77, you will also need to take CTRS 1170, a college textbook reading class offered by the College Success and Academic Literacy Department. See the GA advisor in LA 221p for more information.
The DRP Reading and Compass Writing skills test can be retaken in the Assessment Center (AD 002) once each semester by paying a fee.
Check with the Department of English and Literature (LA 114) for information about any challenge tests available for placement directly into ENGL 1010.
GA Advisement
How do I register for ENGL 1010?
Before you can take ENGL 1010, you need to finish ENGH 0990 and earn a grade of C- or better.
It is possible to register for ENGL 1010 while still taking ENGH 0990 by requesting an "ENGH 0990 to ENGL 1010" registration form from your ENGH 0990 teacher or a GA advisor (LA 221p).
This form will be available after midterm during the registration period for the next semester. It must bear the appropriate stamps and signatures and be submitted to the registration window in the administration building.
What is taught in ENGH 0890 and 0990?
ENGH 0890 prepares students (in a student-centered teaching environment) for ENGH 0990, ENGL 1010, and additional writing in other courses. In 0890, students:
+Distinguish informal writing from formal writing.
+Learn to edit papers for correct usage and mechanical accuracy.
+Use the writing process and peer review strategies
+Create portfolios, a collection of their assigned writing (informative, persuasive, and research).
In 0990, students are being prepared to write for ENGL 1010 and their other college courses. In 0990, students:
+Prepare for ENGL 1010 by learning peer review skills, critical thinking skills, and understanding writing for different audiences.
+Work online and collaboratively.
+Edit their papers for correct usage and mechanical accuracy.
+Focus on informative, persuasive and research strategies.
+Write mixed-genre papers where multiple sources are integrated into their essay writing.
+Create portfolios, a collection of assigned writing which show student progress over the term.
What are the prerequisites for ENGH 0890 and 0990?
Placement into ENGH 0890 and 0990 is accomplished by using scores from two tests offered in the Assessment Center, AD004. The first test, the Compass Writing Skills test (CWS), is a computerized proofreading test. The second test, the Degrees of Reading Power test (DRP), is a multiple choice, paper-and-pencil reading comprehension test.
Many students will need to take CTRS 0800, 0900, and 1170 in order to meet ENGL 1010 prerequisites. These courses are offered by the Department of College Success and Academic Literacy.
If your DRP scores is below 77 or if you don't know what your DRP score is, see an advisor (LA 221p;863-8176) to register for the appropriate CTRS course(s).
If you don't know what your scores are, check with an advisor in LA 221p or call 863-8276 or 863-8356.
How do I register or add/drop ENGH 0890 and 0990?
Prior to and within the first week of a semester (see class schedule for specific dates), a student may add a course through their UV Link account. If a section is full, however, a student can not add the course throughUV Link. In this case, a student has two options.
To speak with the instructor; if he or she agrees and signs the add card, then a student needs to take the add card to Lisa Williamson to verify test scores, prerequisites, and to obtain the department stamp.
To wait until the online schedule (accessible through UV Link) says that another student has dropped the course so that a seat is available for a new student to add the course.
After the first week of classes, a student will have to pick up an add card from Lisa Williamson, the Basic Composition (ENGH courses) advisor. She can be reached by phone at (801) 863-8279; her office is located in the Liberal Arts Building (LA 234a). Then, a student is required to have the instructor sign the add card. A student then takes the signed add card to the registration window (Registration Office-AD 106), and pays $5 to add the course.
Registration is not complete until a student takes his or her add card to the registration window.
Should it be necessary to quit attending any class, a student must officially withdraw in the Registration Office (AD 106) by the dates published in the class schedule or risk a failing grade. A UW (Unofficial Withdrawal) is equivalent to an E (failing grade) on a student's transcript.
How do I register or add/drop ENGH 0890 and 0990?
Prior to and within the first week of a semester (see class schedule for specific dates), a student may add a course through their UV Link account. If a section is full, however, a student can not add the course through UV Link. In this case, a student has two options.
1. To speak with the instructor; if he or she agrees and signs the add card, then a student needs to take the add card to Lisa Williamson (LA 234a, phone: 801 893-8729 to verify test scores, prerequisites, and to obtain the department stamp.
2. To wait until the online schedule (accessible through UV Link) says that another student has dropped the course so that a seat is available for a new student to add the course.
After the first week of classes, a student will have to pick up an add card from Lisa Williamson, the Basic Composition (ENGH courses) advisor. She can be reached by phone at (801) 863-8279; her office is located in the Liberal Arts Building (LA 234a). Then, a student is required to have the instructor sign the add card. A student then takes the signed add card to the registration window (Registration Office-AD 106), and pays $5 to add the course.
Registration is not complete until a student takes his or her add card to the registration window.
Should it be necessary to quit attending any class, a student must officially withdraw in the Registration Office (AD 106) by the dates published in the class schedule or risk a failing grade. A UW (Unofficial Withdrawal) is equivalent to an E (failing grade) on a student's transcript.
What is the Basic Composition "ADD" policy?
- Class size for basic writing classes is strictly limited to 23 students
- No add cards are allowed during a semester's first week of classes. This means that if you can't add it on the computer, you can't add the class during the first week, since the computer is tied to the maximum enrollment for the class.
- Instructors may (at their discretion) add during the second week of classes in the semester. The instructors must take roll and only add the number of students that correspond to "empty seats" in the class.
- No "ADD's" will be processed from the 3rd week of school forward
I need to drop my English class, but it's after the drop deadline.
After the drop deadline, students with documentation of "exceptional circumstances" will be allowed to drop classes by obtaining a stamp on a Registration-provided clearance form. If you are dropping ALL classes, including English classes, you should have the Chair in your major department sign a form to drop all classes; otherwise, bring your documentation to the department for examination.
Can you help me find my instructor?
- Every Basic Composition teacher provides contact information on his or her syllabus distributed during the first week of classes. Many syllabi also appear on Blackboard.
- If your Instructors have an office at UVU, we can give you their office number, location and email address. You can leave items like papers and messages to teachers in a teacher’s mailbox in LA 234b. Make sure you put both your name and your professor's name on the outside of the paper!
- If your instructor is an adjunct instructor (part-time) he or she might not have an office here, but we may have access to his or her contact information each semester. Come by the office, or call and we can look it up for you.
- If we don't have a syllabus on file, we can contact the teachers and provide them with your contact information and ask them to contact you. We cannot give out any number or address that the teacher hasn't put on the syllabus, due to confidentiality requirements.
How do I leave a paper for my instructor?
Teacher’s mailboxes are located in LA 234b. Make SURE your name and your instructor's names are on the front of the paper.
If I have a complaint about my instructor, what can I do?
Please first approach your instructor and see if you can work out your difference. If that fails, you may speak to the instructor's supervisor. Adjunct instructors report to a member of the "Writing Program Committee", and full-time faculty report to the Department Chair and or Assistant Chair. Check with the office to determine whom you should see, after first working with your instructor.
How do I find the English & Literature office?
We're part of the main UVU campus at:
800 West University Parkway
Orem, UT, 84058
The office is the Liberal Arts building (LA), in room LA 234 on the second floor. If you're on campus, the LA building is at the north end of the long hallway that runs from the Administration Building (AD), through the Hall of Flags, the Science building and the PE building. If you're driving to visit our offices, you can park in the free parking to the north of the McKay building and west of the Liberal Arts building, or you can park in "Paid Parking" just to the east of the LA building. Student parking, with a permit, is available north of the LA building.
I lost my textbook / purse / cell phone in an English class! Have you seen it?
As soon as something is turned in (that does not have contact information easily discernable on it), it is turned in to the Lost and Found, located at Campus Connection in the Student Center (SC 106g). Their phone number is 863-8797. Try checking the classroom to see if it's still there or check with your instructor (whose contact information should be available on your class syllabus). You can also check with the teacher of the class that followed your class to see if someone in that class found the item.