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ENGL 422: Writing for the Health and Human Sciences

This overview of ENGL 422 provides core information about the course for Purdue students, faculty, and academic advisors who have questions about the course in general. Questions about a specific section of the course should be directed to the individual instructor.

Course Background

English 422, Writing for the Health and Human Sciences is a course offered by the Department of English every Fall and Spring semester. The course currently has three sections enrolled by students chiefly majoring in the areas of pharmacy, science, pre-vet, pre-med, and liberal arts.

Sample Syllabus: ENGL 422, Fall 2023 

Catalog Description

Catalog: This course applies rhetorical principles to writing in health, hospitality, nutrition, nursing and related fields in the Health and Human Sciences. Credits: 3.00

Official Course Description

ENGL 422 focuses on the rhetorical principles and writing practices necessary for producing effective charting, reports, policies, and educational materials in the context of the healthcare industry. All assignments in this course have been developed in collaboration with medical professionals and though no specific medical knowledge is required to take this course, the material presented will most benefit those pursuing a career in medicine. The curriculum is informed by current research in rhetoric and professional writing and is guided by the specific needs and practices in hospitals, clinics, extended care facilities, and home health agencies, as well as by the expectations of Purdue students and programs. Like other sections, ENGL 422 is offered in networked computer classrooms to ensure that students taking the course are prepared for the writing environment of the high-technology medical workplace.

Course Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • Use theories and approaches from medical and science writing to analyze and solve problems individually and in teams.
  • Communicate information, processes, and procedures about healthcare and public health via a variety of media, genres, and technologies to a range of technical and non-technical audiences and stakeholders.
  • Innovate written and digital genre conventions and expectations to both expert and non-expert audiences with changing organizational and community needs.
  • Apply primary and secondary research methods and strategies to produce healthcare documents, public health documents, and other materials.
  • Design documents with an awareness of the human needs of patients, providers, and community members, paying special attention to accessibility, cultural diversity, and global sensitivity.
  • Interpret, contextualize, explain, and visualize data sets in specific rhetorical contexts or problems.