Why Some Students Fail
Why Some Students Fail
Listed below are some of the most common reasons students fail the WEPT. You can avoid these mistakes with careful preparation.
Plagiarism
Committing plagiarism is a serious mistake and results in automatic failure. You plagiarize any time you use the words or thoughts of another person in your work without attribution. This includes copying passages, phrases, and significant terms without giving the proper citation. It also includes close paraphrasing. You can even plagiarize an idea if you try to pass it off as your own. Learning to cite sources properly in your essay and works-cited page will help you avoid plagiarism.
Lack of attribution
This mistake is closely related to plagiarism. In plagiarism, no attempt is made to give credit to an original source. When you quote or paraphrase material but fail to fully cite and document it, you have failed to attribute. This happens when you forget to use the proper parenthetical citation within your essay, forget to include the name of the author or publication, or fail to correctly list a source on your works-cited page.
No thesis or point of view
Many students fail because they simply summarize the subject without developing a point of view. What is your opinion of the topic in question? What do you have to say based on the readings from the test packet? What evidence for your point of view do you find in the readings? What writers disagree with you and how do you answer or refute them?
Failure to support your argument
Even though you may attribute quotes, paraphrases, and data correctly, you might still fail to support your argument. Be sure that your evidence (quotes, etc.) actually supports your point of view.
Poor grammar
Grammatical mistakes can make your essay difficult to understand. If you need help with English grammar, make an appointment with the Writing Lab (235-1146).
Tirades
You commit a tirade when you espouse a point of view in a bellicose manner with no supporting or opposing sources. The point of view you choose to take is not nearly as important to your essay as your ability to offer support and refute opposition from the readings. You will not be failed for arguing an unpopular point of view. You will be failed for writing an unsupported tirade.
Poor organization
The WEPT tests your ability to craft an essay. An essay should have a coherent structure. The classic structure is the five-paragraph essay that has a beginning (introduction), middle (body) and end (conclusion). If you do not understand how to organize an essay, make an appointment to talk to a tutor at the Writing Lab (235-1146).
For further information about the WEPT, please contact Lindsey Martin-Bowen, Coordinator of Writing Assessment, by phone at (816) 235-2563 or via email at bowenlm@umkc.edu .
