English FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. What if I only need a half credit?

If you only need a half credit for this course, you need to complete all of the ODD lessons.

2. What is the general grading system for English?

Because this is an English class, with more essays than specific questions, grading is more complicated. Each lesson will have its own grading requirements listed. If you have questions or comments on the grading scale, let us know.

Also be aware that you will have chances to revise your work (unless you are working on an assessment). However, if you revise more than twice to fix your errors (unless otherwise specified in the lesson), you will get a 9 instead of a 10, or even an 8 depending on how much work you've done on your own, or were prompted on.

3. What constitutes an error?

An error can be any or all of the following:

• incorrect spelling
• incorrect grammar (this includes capitalization, punctuation, verb tense agreement, etc.)
• if your essay lacks focus or clarity
• if you use run-on sentences or sentence fragments
• if you do not provide enough support for your essays or papers
• if you do not use parenthetical documentation where appropriate
• if you use the wrong word (for instance using the word effect, when you mean affect)
• if you do not follow the directions correctly (if you don't understand the directions, then ask for clarification before you begin!)
• if you are missing lesson requirements (this includes if you didn't meet the criteria of the lesson, like the set word length or specific instructions of how to complete the lesson)
• if you revise your work more than 3 times

If you have many errors, you may have a chance to increase your grade. You can opt for us to provide the corrections, and then you must tell us what  corrections we made and give us a good reason as to why (e.g. "because a comma needs to be there" is not acceptable, you need to tell us WHY a comma needs to be there).

4. What happens if I plagiarize?

Plagiarism is NOT acceptable, and there are penalties. Click here to read the Policy on Plagiarism

5. Do I have to read a book for this class?

Yes you do. You may have to read more than one. This is stated up front for each course.

6. What is spell check? How do I spell check my work?

A spell check is a program in a word processor that identifies misspelled words, giving you the option to correct them. There are a multitude of Word Processing programs (Word Perfect is another). You can access the help feature (click on the "help" menu and follow instructions) of these programs or do your own research to find out how a spell check works. Review this website for more information:  http://personalweb.about.com/od/spellcheckers/.

Here are three different ways to use a Spell Check:

For Microsoft Word

Step 1) Open the Microsoft Word document with the work you want to Spell Check. (If your work isn't already in Microsoft Word, copy and paste it into a new document.)

Step 2) Click on the "Tools" menu near the top of the screen.

Step 3) Then click on the "Spelling and Grammar" or "Check Spelling" option.  (This may differ depending on which version you are using.)

Step 4) Follow the directions and let the Spell Check show you where your errors are.

Step 5) Correct your errors.

Step 6) Copy and paste your corrected work back into the CompuHigh Submission form to submit your final draft.

Free Spell check online:

Step 1) Go to: http://spellcheck.net/

Step 2) Copy and paste work to be spell checked in the box under "Body of text to spell check:".

Step 3) Click "SpellCheck Text" button.

Step 4) Select the correct words from the drop down boxes. (If the correct word isn't there, make a note to change it later.)

Step 5) Click "Apply Changes".

Step 6) Double check your work. Fix any words that didn't show up on the list, but were shown as being misspelled.

Step 7) Copy and paste your corrected work back into the CompuHigh Submission form to submit your final draft.

For Email (Note: We'd prefer you to use your word processor's spell check feature as opposed to email. Please only use email you have no other option.)

Step 1) Pretend you are going to send an email.  Access the work you want to Spell Check, then copy and paste it into your email form. 

Step 2) Click on the Spell Check button. (You may need to use the help feature if you aren't sure which button it is.)

Step 3) Take note of your errors and correct them. 

Step 4) Don't forget to copy and paste your corrected work back into the CompuHigh Submission form to submit your final draft.

Also, keep in mind that not all words will show up in a Spell Check.  For example, if you write, "Todd when to the store and stole a lollipop."  The error will not show up.  The error in this sentence is with the word "when".  It should be "went".  "When" is not the proper word in this context, but it is spelled correctly.  This is why Spell Check won't find it.  Keep that in mind.