Skip to Main Content

ENC1102: Final Exam

WHAT IS A PROCTORED ASSESSMENT?

Your final exam is a proctored assessment. This means your instructor did not create the exam and will not be “giving” you the exam.
 
The exam was created by the Virtual College through a course designer, and all students taking the virtual course must take the exam (it counts for 20% of your entire course grade) either by going to a testing center on one of the campuses or by taking it remotely from home using Honorlock.
 
Your professor will not see any part of the test until you have completed the exam and submitted it for a grade. At that point, the professor can see the prompts that were provided and the student essay written in response. The professor grades the exams based upon the requirements stated in the directions.
 
IMPORTANT:  Students are given a span of days within which to take the exam. DO NOT SCHEDULE YOUR EXAM FOR THE LAST DAY.  If there is a technical issue, a computer glitch, your car breaks down on the way to the testing center, etc. your professor will have NO WAY to reschedule the exam for you. Make sure to schedule your exam early on so that you have an option to reschedule if there is a problem on the day you are supposed to take your test.
 
This following info is found in module three of your course:


The proctored final exam must be completed within the testing window established by MDC Online. Please check the course calendar to find the testing dates for the proctored exam(s) required in this course.
Students currently have three options when taking a proctored assessment:

  1. MDC Testing Center(s)
  2. Remote Proctors 
  3. Technology Supported Proctoring

Please visit the MDC Online Testing page for very important information about proctored testing.

Ancillary materials allowed during proctored exam(s):

  • Scrap (Will be provided by the testing center)
  • Pen or Pencil

STUDENTS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO REFER TO THE SHORT STORIES DURING THE EXAM. EVERYTHING YOU WRITE WILL COME FROM MEMORY. FOR THIS REASON, DIRECT QUOTES ARE NOT EXPECTED AND COULD POTENTIALLY RAISE CONCERNS. 

The test score you see when you submit your test may change based on any manual grading that may be required.

PROCTORED ASSESSMENTS/ HONORLOCK INFORMATION
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FINAL

Your final assignment in the course will be to write a timed essay on one or more (some prompts ask for comparisons between two stories) of the stories in this unit. This is the proctored final for the class. You will be choosing among 5 prompts and developing a short composition of 4 to 5 paragraphs about it. Your composition should include an introductory paragraph, 2 to 3 body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. You will have 120 minutes to complete the essay. Please be aware that your instructors can see how long you have taken to write your paper. Use your time wisely and do not rush on the day of the exam. You have plenty of time to do a good job.
 
NO MATERIALS WILL BE ALLOWED DURING THE TEST. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE STORIES. YOU WILL BE WORKING FROM MEMORY. 


For this reason, you are not expected to include direct quotes from the stories as you did in your literary analysis. In fact, direct quotes would seem suspicious, as you would not have seen the writing prompts beforehand and would therefore not be able to select quotes to memorize.
Helpful Tip:  know the basics about each story (main characters, plot, conflicts).
 
Here are some ideas to consider about each story as you prepare for the proctored final.

  • In your opinion is Arnold Friend mostly like Satan, the wolf in “Little Red Riding Hood,” or just a plain criminal or psychopath? Give examples from “Where Are You Going? Where Have you Been?” to support your views.
  • What is the meaning of the advice the son gives his father in “The Shawl”? How does this advice heal the intergenerational trauma experienced by the characters? How is the story both true about the specific people in the story and about the Native American experience?
  • What are the causes of Gregor Samsa’s alienation and isolation in The Metamorphosis? What psychological and historical parallels are there for this story?
  • What is the nature of the conflict between Dee/Wangero and Mama in “Everyday Use”? Who is right?
  • In “Javi,” what reasons might Javi have for not staying with his mother? The author comments that he wanted to juxtapose a character who is beginning his life (Javi) with a character that is near the end of hers (the painter). What is the insight the reader gains through this juxtaposition?
  • What is the trauma of war as explored in “The Things They Carried”? How does O’Brien do justice to the experience of his fellow soldiers through this story?
FINAL EXAM INSTRUCTIONS TO PREPARE YOU

Here are the instructions you will receive on the day of the exam. You will see the topics for the essay after these instructions only on the day of the exam. Please note that the topics will not be the same as the ones provided for you to study, but those questions that you studied will prepare you for the exam.


Choose one of the topics below and respond to it in essay form. Your essay should have a clear introduction and thesis statement, at least two focused body paragraphs that have topic sentences, and a conclusion. Support the ideas in the body paragraphs with specific examples from the stories.


You will have two hours to complete the exam once you click below. At the end of the two hours, regardless of whether you have finished, the essay will be submitted.
Remember that the exam allows for no electronic devices or other aids unless these are required through an ACCESS accommodation request. Write your own responses to the questions and structure them as best as you can within the two-hour limit.


This proctored final essay will be graded according to the following criteria:

  • 20 points - Clearly articulated thesis statement (one or two sentences that respond to the prompt and give the paper direction)                
  • 10 points - Clear topic sentences in the body paragraphs                                             
  • 35 points - Specific details, discussion, and examples from the stories in the body paragraphs                                                                        
  • 35 points - Grammar, mechanics, and style adhere to standard conventions 

Total Points:  100 points