Holistic, local, and process-oriented: What makes the University Utah’s Writing Placement Exam work

Abstract

Abstract This review of the University of Utah’s Writing Placement exam evaluates the possibilities of the exam’s construct, addresses the tool s limitations, and analyzes it in light of similar placement tools. The review concludes that although there are challenges specifically related to the scalability, security, and language ideology of the exam, its holistic nature, local assessors, and process-oriented view of writing ensure its effectiveness as a writing placement test.