GCU ENG-106: English Composition II
ENG-106 is the second composition course, centered on argumentation and research writing: building a researched argument essay through staged drafts with scholarly sources and GCU-style documentation. Many sections run the whole course around one extended argument developed and refined week by week.
Fennie is independent and not affiliated with Grand Canyon University. This is an unofficial study guide.
What makes it hard
Source quality and citation mechanics carry serious rubric weight: a persuasive essay built on weak sources or sloppy documentation bleeds points. The single-argument structure also means an unworkable thesis chosen early forces either a painful pivot or weeks of struggling uphill.
What you'll cover
- • Argumentative writing
- • Research and scholarly sources
- • Counterarguments and rebuttal
- • Citation and documentation
- • Drafting and substantive revision
- • Rhetorical appeals
The ENG-106 study guide
How to study for GCU ENG-106, step by step.
- 1
Pressure-test the thesis before committing
ENG-106 builds one extended argument for weeks, so an unworkable thesis chosen early forces a painful pivot later. Check the library databases first: a narrow, debatable claim with accessible scholarly sources beats a big important topic you can't support.
- 2
Research before you draft
Source quality carries serious rubric weight, and arguments built on whatever turned up at midnight read like it. Collect and evaluate your scholarly sources before the first full draft.
- 3
Build the counterargument in, don't bolt it on
Handling opposing views is a graded component, and a token paragraph at the end is visible to graders. Engage the strongest objection to your claim while structuring the essay.
- 4
Cite as you write, then LopesWrite early
Documentation errors are cheaper to prevent than to repair across a long researched essay. Format each citation when you use it, and leave time to act on the LopesWrite report.
Today's ENG-106 plan
What a Fennie Daily Plan looks like for ENG-106. Yours is built from your syllabus and adapts every day to your deadlines and progress.
- Review: Drafting and substantive revisionReview · 25 min
Work back through the ENG-106 material on drafting and substantive revision. In the app, Fennie builds this from your own notes and syllabus.
- Practice: Rhetorical appealsPractice · 20 min
Targeted problems on rhetorical appeals, the kind ENG-106 actually tests.
- Quick quiz: Argumentative writingQuiz · 10 min
Five generated questions to expose weak spots on argumentative writing before the exam does.
- Preview: Research and scholarly sourcesPreview · 10 min
A first pass over research and scholarly sources so the next session starts from familiar ground.
First plan free, no card required. Fennie is independent and unaffiliated with your school.
FAQ
Is ENG-106 harder than ENG-105?
Generally yes. The research requirements and source-quality expectations are a real step up, and the students who struggle are usually fighting a vague thesis chosen in week 1, not the writing itself.
What do you write in ENG-106?
A researched argument essay developed through staged drafts, with scholarly sources, counterargument handling, and strict documentation. Supporting assignments build the research and argumentation skills feeding into it.
How do I pick a good ENG-106 topic?
Choose something genuinely arguable with accessible scholarly sources, and check the library databases before committing. A narrow, debatable claim with available evidence beats a big important topic you can't support.