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  • Writing Assessment

    Writing Assessment

    Stop wondering if you can be a writer—complete this free assessment to qualify to work with a one-on-one mentor at the Institute.

  • Answer questions and prompts with your natural responses. Your answers to assessment questions help your instructor to tailor your writing program to your individual needs and goals.

    As you fill out your answers, please be aware that you can pause and save your work at any time, by adding your email address at the bottom of this form and clicking the SAVE button. When you are finished, please click SUBMIT.

  • Prompt 1: Think Like a Writer

    The people you write about must "come alive on the page." In this exercise, select the important details that distinguish the person you're describing. In 30-50 words, describe one of the following:

      1. a person in a long supermarket line with an inept clerk at the checkout counter
      2. a member of your family trying to deal with a cantankerous relative
      3. a person telling his/her spouse about a promotion

    Tip: Think about facial expressions, gestures, body language, clothing style and voice inflections.

    Example:
    Bundled in a hairy overcoat, the man drummed his fingers on a box of oatmeal, tapped his feet, rolled his eyes, and set his lips in a thin straight line. Finally, he shrugged. Muttering something inaudible, he stomped off, abandoning his crammed shopping cart.

  • Prompt 2: Tap into Your Experience to Find Your Subject

    Think of several events that you have experienced or observed. They can be funny, annoying, or heartfelt.

    You may think of your first date, a holiday celebration, a championship game, a childhood escapade, or an incident involving your first car. The person involved may be you or someone you know.

  • Prompt 3: Write from Your Life

    Look back at the events you listed in the last question. Think about how you could write about each of them in a way that would allow readers to share what you experienced or observed. Now choose the one event that you most want to write about and tell us about it in 250-500 words. Consider the following as you write:

    • What happened?
    • Where did it take place?
    • Who was involved?

    Tip: Not all details are necessary. Choose those that will make this event memorable to your reader. (No poetry, please.)

    It's best to outline your idea and write the first draft in a separate document, then copy your final draft or upload in the space provided.

    Grammar and punctuation are important, of course, but our main interest in this prompt is originality, style, and your aptitude for conveying ideas and expressing yourself.

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  • Enter your info below so we can let you know your Assessment results. Please note these assessments are reviewed by professional educators (real, live people!); results are not instantaneous.

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  • Please note: The Institute's policy holds that "No sexually explicit, pornographic, or gratuitously violent entries will be accepted." This stands for our contest submissions, assessment submissions, and course assignment submissions.

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