As students in a first-year course at Carleton University, many of us have found ENGL1008A particularly challenging due to a lack of clarity, consistency, and support in both instruction and assessment. Despite consistent effort, many students have struggled to develop a clear and confident understanding of the course material, leading to widespread concern about overall performance.

A central concern shared by many students is the structure and weighting of the final exam. The exam represents a significant portion of the final grade and functions as a requirement to pass the course. This places an exceptional amount of pressure on a single assessment, especially in a course where many students already feel underprepared due to unclear expectations and inconsistent instruction. As a result, students’ overall success in the course is disproportionately dependent on one evaluation, rather than reflecting their performance and effort throughout the term.

In addition, practice materials provided during the course have at times included inconsistent or unclear answers, making them less effective as reliable study tools. This has further contributed to uncertainty surrounding exam preparation and has made it difficult for students to accurately assess their understanding of key concepts. Many students feel that they are not being adequately supported in preparing for such a heavily weighted and high-stakes final.

These concerns are not isolated. Feedback from a large portion of the class reflects ongoing frustration with unclear assessment criteria, inconsistent grading expectations, and limited opportunities for meaningful clarification. Together, these factors have created a learning environment in which students feel uncertain about how to succeed.

Given these issues, we are concerned that future students will face similar challenges unless meaningful changes are made. In particular, the current reliance on a heavily weighted final exam as a determining factor for passing the course should be reconsidered.

To address these concerns, we propose the following:

A more balanced distribution of grading weight across assessments
Removal or reconsideration of the requirement to pass the final exam in order to pass the course
Clearer and more consistent guidelines across whole course
Improved access to academic support, including more responsive instruction and additional opportunities for clarification 

By implementing these changes, the department can help ensure that students are evaluated more fairly and are better supported throughout the course, rather than being disproportionately impacted by a single exam.

We respectfully urge the department and university administration to consider this feedback and take appropriate steps to create a more equitable and supportive learning environment.

Please consider signing this petition to support positive changes in ENGL1008A for both current and future students.