About English Composition II
Welcome to English Composition II! This course is a key component of your college education because of its focus on research skills and academic argument. It is also an exciting class because you’ll have the chance to explore ideas that interest you as you develop your critical thinking, communication, and writing skills. We sincerely wish you success in the course.
To complete the course work, simply move in order from one unit module to the next following the instructions and deadlines in each. In this course, you will write and revise several major papers along with a variety of other short writing assignments. While grammar is important, we’ll focus largely on content, argument, organization, and research.
The Work Ahead
In this online course, you will produce a portfolio, including an 8-12 page research paper — with 7-12 research sources, listed in MLA style — as well as several other writing assignments in preparation for that.
The course will teach you how to complete this project in a series of steps — or units. Hopefully, this will give you an experience in the research process and help you build skills in correctly documenting, summarizing, and synthesizing sources to support a thesis.
This is a demanding course because strong research and writing take time, and you will be working on regular assignments and submissions. Take note that this course cannot be hurried or procrastinated. As an online student, you must be ready to read the step-by-step instructions completely so you understand exactly what you are to do. When you have finished the course, you will not only know how to research correctly for other courses and for future jobs, but you will also be one of the privileged few who don’t feel intimidated by research.
Former Students’ Suggestions
I asked former students to write some advice to my future students (like you) about how to succeed in this class. These are some of their responses.
- View each page of the units. Don’t skip or skim over information; trust me!
- Always go over your first draft multiple times before turning it in.
- Really look at what your first draft’s criticisms are. See what you can do to fix the problems.
- Establish good relationships with your course coach. It helps you to write easier when you feel comfortable with the people assisting you.
- Give the teacher what they want in your papers. Follow the instructions and meet the requirements!
What We Expect from You
- Respectful interaction with your course coach and any other students taking the course. This is especially important in an online environment where tone and intent can be misinterpreted.
- Regular effort in the coursework, including meeting requirements and working on writing quality.
- Questions! Be sure to let your teacher know if you are confused or would like to discuss something