COR1100 Writing & Reasoning Assessment 1 Term 1 2025-26 | SMU

COR1100 LATE SUBMISSION POLICY

There will be a penalty for late submission. Assessments submitted past the deadline will be downgraded by TWO SUB-GRADES per hour-block. There will be an initial grace period of 5 minutes past the deadline.

For illustration:

• Student Tardy A. submits at 9.06am. She originally scores a B+ but after penalty, her grade will be B-.
• Student Laggard B. submits at 10.00am. He originally scores a B+ but after penalty, his grade will be C.
• Student Dilatory C. submits at 11.00am. He originally scores a B+ but after penalty, his grade will be D+.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION 

Reflection

On two occasions this term, you will be asked to write short reflections to accompany the written piece you will submit for the assessment. In both cases, the reflection is to help your instructor understand the thought process that went into your writing, so we can provide better feedback on both your work and the process behind it. The reflections are not a graded component in your assessment. 

If you write honest and careful reflections, you will not only find a value in it for yourself, but also give your instructor an extra insight into your writing.

Format

A1 (Opinion-piece)

The required format for your assessment is as follows:

• Microsoft Word Document ONLY (except what has been explicitly permitted by your instructor)
• Line spacing: double or 1.5
• Font type: Times New Roman or Arial (12 pt)
• Page number: Footer
• Use APA 7th Edition citation style for in-text citation and references
• Include the total number of words at the end of your assessments, before your references

Submission

You should include a completed assessment cover sheet when you submit your assessment. This can be downloaded from the eLearn merged section. Submissions without the cover sheet will not be accepted.

You will submit your assessments through the assessment folders in eLearn.  Please do not email your assessment to your instructor. The file should be named as follows:

COR1100 Section Your_official_name Assessment number.doc
E.g. COR1100 G9 Han_Ser_Ling_Gretel Assessment 1.doc

You are allowed one chance to submit your work to the folder. It is your responsibility to submit the correct assessment on eLearn. If there are any issues, your instructor will contact you within 12 hours from the due date and time.

Please do not wait until the last possible minute to submit your assessment on eLearn. The system may crash if too many students try to make a last-minute submission. Therefore, plan ahead and submit online well before the end of the submission period.

If you experience any difficulty submitting your assessment on eLearn before the deadline, please email your instructor and attach a screenshot of your failed attempt to submit your assessment and your assessment in the email as proof of your completion of the assessment. You will be asked to resubmit on eLearn later. Only assessments submitted through eLearn will be accepted as the official submission. 

COR1100 Assessment 1: OPINION PIECE (25%) 

Overview

The Centre for English Communication is holding a writing competition, ““The Most Authentic Student Voices” for first-year students. Share your views on how you can make your world a better place and you could win $100!

Here’s what you have to do to enter the competition:

• Choose a concern you have about something happening in the world today. This could be something you have personally experienced or been directly involved in.
• Identify the most important thing that should be done to improve the situation.
• Convince your readers to take action, supporting your argument with reliable evidence.
• Address the strongest counterargument you can find and respond thoughtfully.

With AI text generation becoming mainstream, it is increasingly important for students like you to write in a way that stands out from the crowd.  The key is to write with your own voice, and tailor your work carefully to your own situation and your instructor.

Your instructor will choose the best submission from your class to enter into the competition. A panel of experts will judge the entries and the top three winners for the term will be announced in Week 13.

The judges will be looking for evidence-based opinion pieces that are readable, engaging and persuasive. You can be serious, light-hearted, personal, or professional, but above all you must be human and authentic.

COR1100 Rubrics for Assessment 1:  OPINION PIECE (25%)