Welcome to the Online Orientation for English 2326: Survey of American Literature. This web document is the complete orientation for the course, and you are not required to attend any live sessions, either virtually or in person.

What makes this course any better than any other online course in American literature?
Several features make this course unique:

• First, this course is an instructor-developed course that reflects years of work and development by your professor, Dr. Geoffrey Grimes.  He will be updating and adding enrichment content periodically throughout the course.

• Second, it is a comprehensive survey, introducing major writings from the beginning of the Colonial Period through Walt Whitman. 

• Third, you have access to the entire course and its rich resources, all on this website without the restrictions of a password for entry.

• Fourth, you can work at your own pace within the sixteen-week framework, finish your work early, and receive your grade upon completion without having to wait for the end of the term.

• Fifth, each unit is supported by a rich library of online resources which take you way beyond just the readings and their introductions.

• Sixth, a message board keeps you apprised of new information, counseling, and opportunities for interaction with your instructor and others in the course.

• Last, this course complements other learning opportunities offered by Mountain View College students.  See information regarding the annual "Boston Excursion" offered in April each spring semester.  Additionally, you may request supplementary DVD's and CD-ROM's prepared for your further studies in the American cultural history.  Just email Dr. Grimes and include your mailing address to receive copies of these materials.

Profile of Successful Distance-Learning Students
Those who successfully complete online courses are those who

1) have successfully completed previous college courses,
2) prefer independent study,
3) can juggle several important tasks over a short period of time and keep on schedule,
4) exhibit good reading skills,
5) demonstrate effective writing skills,
6) can learn and retain information quickly, and
7) are not over-extended with other courses.

Profile of Unsuccessful Distance-Learning Students
Students typically who do not do well in online courses are those who

1) have had difficulty passing previous college courses,
2) prefer traditional classroom learning,
3) tend to procrastinate and have difficulty completing tasks on schedule,
4) exhibit poor reading habits,
5) still struggle with basic writing skills and conventions,
6) have difficulty retaining what they have learned, and
7) are enrolled in two or more additional courses.

If you exhibit any of the problems identified in the second profile, you should reconsider enrolling in this course; you probably will not complete this course.

How much is expected of me?
This course is a moderately heavy reading course facilitated over a period of sixteen weeks.  It includes reading selections of major writers from the colonial period to the present.  The works of these writers vary widely in content and style.  Some readings are relatively short--a poem or two, letters, or a short essay.  Others are long works--at least one complete short novel or several complex essays.  You should allow at least five hours per week for concentrated active reading in order to master the course materials.

You will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the readings through five writing assignments.  These are three-to-five page academic papers reflecting the conventions of the "thesis-support" essay which you developed in English 1301 and 1302.  Requirements and the grading standards for each assignment are explained on the individual exercise pages. For more information, see your syllabus.

How much are the course materials?
The textbook, The American Tradition in Literature: Shorter Edition (11th edition), costs approximately $85.00 and can be purchased through the Mountain View College Wallace's Bookstore.  Bookstore personnel will be happy to ship the text to you for an additional postage and handling fee of about $5.00.  Contact the Wallace's Bookstore at Mountain View College by calling (214) 331-5474.  This is the only required materials for purchase.

Are the course materials available in any other format than online?
Yes, your instructor will be happy to mail you a CD-ROM that includes the full online version of the course that you can access on any computer with a Web browser.

What's the difference between the Internet version of the course and the materials on the CD-ROM?
In addition to the complete website, the CD-ROM contains video and audio clips unavailable on the college server where the Internet version is hosted.

Who is my instructor?
Your instructor is Dr. Geoffrey Grimes, English instructor at Mountain View College.  To send me an email, click here.

When can I expect responses to my emails and submission of my work?
The DCCCD email system is set up in this course to send you an automatic email notice that I have received your messages.  If you do not receive one within an hour or two of sending me an email, then your security system settings on your computer are probably blocking them.  Otherwise, you should receive an automatic response.

As your instructor, I will make every effort to grade and return your assignments within the same week I receive them.  I will edit each exercise electronically and post a grade at the end of your assignment.  Then, I will return them to you as an attachment to an e-mail.

I grade work in the order I receive it.  However, I will open up "Comments," "Questions," and "Urgent" messages each day and respond as soon as possible.  Do NOT attach assignments to "Comments," "Questions," or "Urgent" messages.  I will delete them!

Can I finish the course early?
Yes, you certainly can finish before the sixteenth week.

I want to make a good grade in this course--how can I make an "A"?
Your grade will be based on an average of the grades you receive on the course essays. 

For a grade of "C":
To make at least a "C" on an essay, you must demonstrate your understanding of the introductory material to the unit in your text and a full reading of the assigned or appropriate text(s).  You do this by including quotations from the readings in each paragraph of the body of your essay.  This paper must be carefully edited and free of major sentence errors like sentence fragments, fused sentences (comma splices and run-on sentences), punctuation, and spelling errors.  Unedited essays will fail.

For a grade of "B":
To make at least a "B" on an essay, you must fulfill the requirements for a "C" explained above and include references also to the appropriate "Basic Concepts" provided for the course.  These can be paraphrased or quoted, both with appropriate citations in the paragraphs.

For a grade of "A":
To make a grade of "A" on an essay, you must fulfill the requirements for the "C" and "B" criteria explained above, but additionally, your essay must demonstrate a broad understanding of other readings included in your text that relate thematically to the period, movement, authors, or history surrounding the topic.

Can I receive my grade before the end of the sixteenth week?
Yes, if you are enrolled through Mountain View College and finish the course ahead of the sixteen week schedule, your grade can be posted with the Registrar at that point.  If you are enrolled through the Dallas TeleCollege, your grade cannot be posted before the end of the sixteen-week schedule.

Will credit for this course transfer to other colleges and universities?
Yes, credit for this course will transfer, at least for elective credit, to most other colleges and universities.  Before you enroll in this course, however, you should check with the academic advisor of the major discipline in which you plan to study to make sure if and how it will be accepted at the senior college or university to which you plan to transfer.  Some private colleges or universities may not accept this course, and it may not be accepted for credit as a survey course in American literature in other state-supported colleges and universities in Texas which offer survey courses in only early and modern American literature.

Does this course cost more if I live outside of Dallas County?
Yes, if you live outside of Dallas County, you will have to pay a higher tuition fee.  Contact the Registrar's Office at (214) 860-8600 for more information.  Registration fees are subject to change without notice.

What happens if I don't finish this course within the sixteen-week period?
You must finish each of the exercises satisfactorily to pass the course with a good grade.  Late work is graded for "C" credit only.  If you anticipate difficulties completing the assignments during your sixteen-week semester, you should drop the course on or before the drop date.  The drop date changes with each monthly enrollment period, so you should contact the Registrar at Mountain View College for the drop date.  Ask for the Registrar at (214) 860-8600 and be sure to specify your course number and section when you call.

In special cases, students may request an incomplete, but students must complete at least three of the five essay assignments to be eligible.  Dr. Grimes will not consider an incomplete grade for any student who has not finished at least three of the essays satisfactorily.

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This page was last modified on January 20, 2007,
and is maintained by Dr. Geoffrey Grimes.