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What is English 1302?
English 1302 is the second and final course in the Writing Program of Mountain View College and the other campuses in the Dallas County Community College District. It is a fully accredited course which fulfills the requirements of most second-semester composition courses taught in colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Are there any prerequisites for the course?
Yes. You must have passed English 1301 or its equivalent at another accredited college or university.

Is there much difference between taking the course in-class and taking it online?
While the content covered in the course and the assignments are the same, many people find a great deal of difference between the two options. For a fuller introduction to online instruction, check out the Orientation page to the course.

What is taught in English 1302?
The focus of English 1302 is academic writing. More specifically, you will compose argumentative and research essays. Where the essays written in English 1301 were often written on topics of personal interest and expertise, those written for English 1302 will address ideas of others usually published in articles or textbooks. Additionally, at least one assignment will be a fully developed research paper.

What will I write about?
Many instructors of English 1302 will have you write essays about literature. While literary studies are appropriate, the course is not specifically an "introduction to literature." In fact, depending on the individual instructor, you may be directed to write academic essays in areas other than literature.

In this course, you will develop a research paper on some controversy associated with an important social issue.  You will choose the social issue and the controversy. You will develop an argumentative research paper in which you explore all sides of the controversy and positions and then develop a persuasive argument on behalf of your own position. You will be guided throughout the process of writing the research paper by instructions found in Unit 4.

Will I write other papers?
Yes. You will be required to compose a number of other papers including one literary analysis and several short exercises and essays related to your research topic. Including the Research Paper Project, you will complete most of the 26 exercises in all. (Although some exercises are optional, you will prepare yourself effectively for the required exercises if you complete the optional exercises as well.)  Depending on the semester, you have as many as  seven (flex entry format), four weeks (summer format), or three weeks (mini-semester format) to complete the work.

How will I be graded?
You will receive a numerical grade on each exercise. The final grade in the course will be an average of averages: The average of grades you make on the Research Paper Project will be worth 50% of you grade, and the average of grades you make on all other exercises will be worth the other 50%. You will find the exercises listed at the end of each unit's Table of Contents.

How long do I have to finish the work for the course?
You have 16 weeks from the day you enroll to complete all the assigned work.

Can I finish the work before the end of the semester?
Yes. You may finish the work at your own pace. Generally, since the course is set up on a sixteen-week format, your grade will be processed at the end of the 16 weeks; the same for other shorter term semester. You will find the "Course Exercises" schedule posted in the syllabus.

Is there a textbook for the course?
Yes. The name of the textbook is Writing From Sources (latest edition) by Brenda Spatt. The book is published by Bedford/St. Martin's Press. You can purchase the book directly from Follet's Bookstore (the Mountain View College bookstore) at 4849 West Illinois Avenue, Dallas, TX 75211. The cost of the book is about $85.00, including state taxes and a $5.00 shipping fee. The bookstore accepts major credit cards. You can call the bookstore at (214) 331-5474.

Who is the instructor for the course?
Your instructor is Dr. Geoffrey Grimes, the creator and facilitator of English 1301 Online, English 1302 Online, and several other online English courses offered through Mountain View College. Dr. Grimes is the former Chair of the Department of English and an instructor with more than forty years teaching experience in colleges and universities. (In fact, I'm the one who's writing this overview you're reading right now!)

If I have other questions, how can I reach you?
You can call me on my cell phone at (972) 740-3125.  At either number you are welcome to leave a voice message for me, or you can e-mail me. I'll be happy to get back to you.

How do I enroll in the course?
Check out the course Orientation and then the Registration link.

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