TESU Capstone Course - difficulty rating

[Cofffeee]

Does Major Field assessment contribute to course grade?

[P226mem]

Yes in Lib 495 the ets major field test (or the written communication assessment for other majors) counts for 10 percent of grade. See syllabus here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m5uA...obilebasic

[Cofffeee]

Ok thank u

[LevelUP]

I see you are graduating in June.
So did you just go blind and hoped for the best on the two assessments?

Either you don't take the test and earn 0% or you do take the test and earn 100%.

[tallpilot]

Does Major Field assessment contribute to course grade?

Completing it does (2% or so, IIRC). Performance on it does not.  Check the box.

[Cofffeee]

Thank u all for explaining

[onlinelearner99]

I see you are graduating in June.
So did you just go blind and hoped for the best on the two assessments?

Either you don't take the test and earn 0% or you do take the test and earn 100%.

Are you sure completion gets 100%? I do not think it is like SOC110 where just completing it gets you a perfect score. I think the grade is based on how well you did on the 10% assessment.

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This is kind of confusing: is it 0 or 100, or is it a score between 0-100? 

How is the test graded?
You will receive a total score on a scale of 400–500. This will translate into a grade. Your Proficiency Profile grade is determined on a broader scale than the one used for typical course exams. You do not, for example, need to get 93% correct to get an “A.” Students who make an effort and answer every question usually earn an “A” or “B,” even if there were a number of questions they were not sure how to answer. 

Performance on the test does not affect your eligibility to graduate, but you must take the test, submit your score, and receive a grade in your gradebook in order to pass LIB-495.

How is the Major Field Test graded?

You will receive a total score on a scale between 120 and 200. Upon receiving your score screenshot, your mentor will verify your score and translate it into a grade in your gradebook. This may take a few days or weeks, so do not expect your grade to appear instantly. 





You are not expected to know the answer to every question on the test. There will be some questions about material that is unfamiliar to you. Do not worry! The important thing is to answer the questions using the knowledge you have. Students who make an effort and answer every question usually earn an “A” or “B,” even if there were a number of questions they did not know. 







Your Major Field Test grade is determined on a broader scale than the one used for typical course exams. You do not, for example, need to get 93% correct to get an “A.” Performance on the test does not affect your eligibility to graduate, but you must take the test, submit your score, and receive a grade in your gradebook in order to pass LIB-495.

[Tlm]

I am chiming in late... Here are some tips:

1. Pick a topic before starting to save time and think about the research. I picked a bad topic... executive function skill interventions to close the academic achievement gap in socioeconomically disadvantaged youth. This involved psychology, education, economics, and data. DO NOT pick a topic with that brings together that many fields. I should have just evaluated EF skill interventions in the classroom. It would have been half the work, easier writing, etc. You can pick any topic and you need your topic right after you start.

2. Get paid Grammarly. The paid version is amazing. It will correct and rewrite you work. I think they have a free trial. You will have near perfect papers. It rewrites entire passages for clarity.

3. The final paper is really a combination of the previous papers. Putting it together at the end was the easy part, start the class by reading ALL of the final capstone requirements, visualize your final paper, and write your assignments as you go.

4. My mentor was responsive, gave samples of every assignment, recorded audio feedback, etc. I suggest reaching out after your first assignment to make sure you know exactly what they want. She stressed things in our one on one that I didn't get in my feedback and really fine tuned my paper. I got a 94 on my first paper and brought the rest to 99 as I knew what she didn't like.

5. KEEP A ANNOATED BIBLIOGRAPHY as you go. You will need this at the end. It is easier to do it as you go and eliminate what you don't need. Annotating as you go makes it much easier to remember what you want to add.

6. Go into Google Scholar and add NJSL library and TESU to your libraries. It will allow you to see what papers you will have full text access to immediately. It is the fastest way to research, although you will have to show that you used the school databases.

7. It isn't hard.... just time consuming. Pick your topic wisely... I cannot stress this enough.

[EeBee]

I am chiming in late... Here are some tips:

1. Pick a topic before starting to save time and think about the research.  I picked a bad topic... executive function skill interventions to close the academic achievement gap in socioeconomically disadvantaged youth.  This involved psychology, education, economics, and data.  DO NOT pick a topic with that brings together that many fields.  I should have just evaluated EF skill interventions in the classroom.  It would have been half the work, easier writing, etc.  You can pick any topic and you need your topic right after you start.

2.  Get paid Grammarly. The paid version is amazing.  It will correct and rewrite you work.  I think they have a free trial.  You will have near perfect papers. It rewrites entire passages for clarity.  

3.  The final paper is really a combination of the previous papers.  Putting it together at the end was the easy part, start the class by reading ALL of the final capstone requirements, visualize your final paper, and write your assignments as you go.

4.   My mentor was responsive, gave samples of every assignment, recorded audio feedback, etc.  I suggest reaching out after your first assignment to make sure you know exactly what they want.  She stressed things in our one on one that I didn't get in my feedback and really fine tuned my paper.  I got a 94 on my first paper and brought the rest to 99 as I knew what she didn't like.

5.   KEEP A ANNOATED BIBLIOGRAPHY as you go. You will need this at the end. It is easier to do it as you go and eliminate what you don't need.  Annotating as you go makes it much easier to remember what you want to add.

6.   Go into Google Scholar and add  NJSL library and TESU to your libraries.  It will allow you to see what papers you will have full text access to immediately.  It is the fastest way to research, although you will have to show that you used the school databases.

7.   It isn't hard.... just time consuming.  Pick your topic wisely... I cannot stress this enough.

 Per #5, I can't stress this enough - find a citation method BEFORE YOU START. Here's a great list: https://library.bu.edu/create_bibliographies  I use Zotero - every time I find something online, I toss it into Zotero and then, at the end, all my quotes, footnotes, reference page - just write themselves. I picked Zotero because it syncs online/offline but any work.

Also? YES TO PAID GRAMMARLY.

I was an AP tutor for 10 years and these two tips alone have secured dozens of 'A' grades for 'B' students.

Good luck!

[ss20ts]

I saw few courses specifically for academic research papers, but they were intended for PhD candidates only. Also there were quite pricy.
Dont understand why it should be such a mission to learn how to write research papers. It must be open for anyone who is interested.
But then academic  research is a money making business... sad

You learn how to research and write research papers in English Composition courses. Some schools have a class just on learning how to do research. This is quite common in grad programs.