English 106 online

In cooperation with Purdue’s Digital Education and the Center for Instructional Excellence, we have developed English 106DIST using the Digital Rhetorics and Academic Writing & Research syllabus themes. Here’s a sample 16-week syllabus, used for 16-week terms (Fall and Spring). In summer, the calendar is eight weeks; here's a sample 8-week (summer session) syllabus. 

English 106 online is identical to traditional 106 in key aspects:

• Course outcomes are the same.
• Every section includes directed writing instruction through sequenced assignments and attention to content, genre, processes, and rhetoric.
• Students are offered extensive feedback on their writing from instructors and peers.
• The course satisfies the written communication and information literacy requirements.
• Instructors are drawn from the same pool in the Department of English.
• Students can visit the Purdue Writing Lab in person or consult online for further assistance.

We recommend the course for fluent English speakers confident in their writing and time management. English 10600INTL and ENGL10600INOL remain the best choices for second language students.

The following statement is included in the course syllabus. Students considering online 106 should read it carefully and consider if the course is a good fit:

A virtual writing course is likely very different from other courses you’ve taken at Purdue. In an online course, your only contact with your instructor and classmates is through email, discussion boards, chat rooms, and web conferencing. This requires that you check your email regularly, maintain open channels of communication, and ask questions when necessary. You can’t fade into the background in this course: you have to participate in all discussion boards and forums in order to pass.

While there are no scheduled meetings, instructors may ask students to videoconference with them individually or in small groups. 

Some computing software and hardware is required:

• Laptop or desktop computer with an up to date operating system;
• Video camera and/or microphone;
• Software that can open PDFs (such as Acrobat or Preview);
• Microsoft Office, Apple’s office suite (Pages, Keynote, etc), or Libre Office;
• A high speed internet connection is recommended.

Sample Syllabus: Engl 106DIST: Digital Rhetorics with Debra Runshe (Spring 2023)

Questions? Please contact us.