Syllabus Writing
Juldyz Smagulova, April 2005
Syllabus Tutorial
Your syllabus is one of THE most important documents you
create for your class, serving as an agreement between you
and your students.
It conveys a first and lasting impression of you and the
course you've designed.
And it documents and shares your beliefs about teaching.
Even very good syllabi have incomplete elements that
could bear revision before you next teach the course.
 Your syllabus is a living, creative document
What is an Effective Syllabus?
An effective syllabus conveys what the class will be like, what
students will do and learn, as well as what they can expect of
you. A well designed syllabus achieves the following:
 It increases the likelihood of student success in your class. It
guides student learning in accordance with your expectations
and demonstrates to students that you care about their
learning.
 It decreases the number of problems which arise in the course.
Fewer misunderstandings arise when the "rules of the game"
are explicitly stated.
 It tacitly records and transmits your teaching philosophy. The
syllabus is a public document. When you are up a promotion,
your colleagues look to your syllabus for information about how
you teach.
What is an Effective Syllabus?
 It assists in your professional development. Writing and revising
your syllabi provide you the reoccurring opportunity to reflect on
both the form and purpose of your approach to teaching such
questions as:
Why do I select the content I do?
Should I present the content in this order?
Are these the best teaching strategies for this course?
Is there a better way to evaluate achievement?
 It provides pertinent information about your course to your
colleagues and department. For example, colleagues who
teach subsequent courses in your department will be able to
make assumptions about what students who took your course
know and are able to do.
 Now that we've confirmed what you probably already knew, let's
begin with the nitty-gritty.
Introduction
Your Basic Information section should consist of two types of
"course management" information:
 The information about the course itself :
Your course designator and title, e.g., Eng 5116: General
English 6.
The number of credits
The term and year, e.g., Spring 2005
The day, time, and location of your class meetings (e.g.,
MWF 10:30 11:45, 305, Academic Building).
 Contact information (name, office hours, phone number, etc.).
your name
office telephone number
office location
email address
office hours
mailbox location
Accessibility to Students
 Increase your accessibility to students by considering class
schedules when selecting your office hours.
 Vary the days and times of your office hours so that students
have a greater chance of being able to attend your office
hours.
 Always provide an alternative, such as scheduling time for
an individual meeting, for students who can't make the
regular office hours.
 Envision scenarios about when and why students might need
to contact you and provide the information they would need
on your syllabus.
 If it is necessary to cancel office hours, be certain to notify
your students. It is advisable to notify students through more
than one medium, e.g. announce it in class and post an email
Willingness to Communicate With Students
 You can encourage students to use your office hours by expanding this
section of your syllabus to include an explicit invitation to come talk with
you and suggesting ways students may use this time to their advantage.
These techniques also send a message to students which says, "I care
about your learning. Helping you is important to me." This friendly,
accessible attitude is important to students whether or not they choose to
see you during office hours
 Here are some statements included on University of Minnesota syllabi
along with the listing of the professor's office hours:
"Do not hesitate to ask for my assistance. Believe it or not, that's what they
pay me for!"
"I enjoy teaching and I enjoy talking with you. If you have questions or just
want to explore an idea, come by."
Description & Goals
 This section of your syllabus will help students answer such
questions as:
"Is this the course I thought it was when I registered?"
"Is this a class I'm going to enjoy?"
"Do I have the prerequisite courses and/or knowledge
base to succeed in this course?"
"Do the goals and objectives of this course correspond
with my needs and interests?"
 If the answer to any of these questions is "no," it's better for
both faculty and students to find out on the first day of the term
when adjustments can still be made. A description which
conveys your enthusiasm for this course can also be a positive
influence on the attitude the students will bring to the class.
Course Description Introduction
 The minimum course description required in the syllabus is
one which corresponds to the course guide. Embellish and
personalize this description and tell students the general
topics you emphasize in the course.
 This is an excellent opportunity to share your enthusiasm for
the subject matter and answer the question: "Why would a
student want to take this course?"
 After you have written the description of your course, ask a
friend or colleague to read it and respond to these questions:
Would you want to take this course? Why or why
not?
Based on my course description, how would you
describe my attitude toward this subject?
Goals vs. Objectives
 Goals are general statements about what you hope students
will gain from your course such as, "Students will gain an
understanding of ...." or "Students will develop an appreciation
of..."
 Objectives are more specific statements which include both an
action verb and a content reference. They may also include a
standard of performance ("with 80% accuracy") or a statement
of condition ("with a calculator"). Examples of objectives include
statements such as, "Students will be able to distinguish
between ... with respect to ...." or "Students will be able to list, in
consecutive order, ...."
 Some faculty make the distinction between goals and
objectives in their syllabus and include both. Others do not
distinguish between the two. It is usually of little importance to
students whether a statement is technically a goal or an
objective.
Statements to Include on Your Syllabus
A detailed list of performance objectives is important to class
planning and assessing student learning, however it is not
critical to include on the syllabus. Most faculty choose to
include only overall course goals and a sampling of high priority
course objectives in their class syllabus.
The goals and objectives for a course generally fall into two
categories:
 content objectives: " Students will be able to identify basic types
of business letters"
 general skill or process goals which go beyond the boundaries
of the specific subject matter: "Students will learn to work
effectively with others" or "Students will learn to use online
databases.“
You may wish to include the most important objectives of each
type.
Example:
 The principal objective of this course is to improve your learning
and analytical thinking skills. This includes developing good
study habits, time management, the ability to read and solve
problems, reasoning by analogy, formulating good questions,
and the use of model to visualize the atomic world.
 You will learn to apply your knowledge to new situations
(problem solving). This includes being able to recognize what's
being asked, evaluating the available information, and
conceptualizing how to solve problems. Often, this involves
breaking a complex problem down into smaller, more
manageable components and the use of tools such as
sociological analysis and common sense to solve the problem.
Expectations
 The purpose of the Expectations section of the syllabus is to tell students
what they can expect the class to be like and to provide them with a clear
understanding of their role in your classroom. You can prevent
misunderstandings and increase the likelihood of student success by
answering questions such as:
What approaches will be used in the class? Lecture? Discussion?
Group work? Why have you chosen these approaches?
Are students expected to attend all class sessions?
Are students expected to participate actively in class? If so, what do
you consider "active" participation?
Is it important to keep up with the readings on a daily basis or is it only
necessary to complete the readings before the exam?
How will issues of student diversity be addressed in the classroom?
Are there guidelines for student conduct which they are expected to
follow?
What special procedures will students need to learn?
 This section will provide examples and further information on ways to
discuss your teaching methods, student roles and responsibilities, class
atmosphere and conduct issues (including samples of 'ground rules for class
discussion'), and special procedures which will be followed in the classroom
(e.g., safety considerations in a lab course.)
Teaching Method
Telling students what teaching methods you will use in class and
the rationale behind them will help them set realistic expectations.
Providing your rationale can decrease student resistance to new
teaching methods and can increase their confidence in you as an
instructor.
Example:
TEACHING METHOD: This course is primarily a lecture course,
presented in module form, supplemented with discussion, films,
and guest speakers. I have purposely broken the material in
short segments to facilitate its absorption. During a typical class
period, I will begin with general business, and then will present
two (approximately 20 minute) segments of material broken up
by a "topic of the day."
Student Roles
On your syllabus, tell students what you expect them to do,
both in class and outside of class. Although some
expectations may seem self-evident, you are more likely to
have students meet your expectations when you state them
explicitly. Students have a better chance of being successful
when they know precisely what you expect.
Instructors usually include their expectations regarding the
following:
 attendance
 class workload
 when students should complete the assigned readings
 participation
 conduct policies
 using technology (such as email or the class Web site)
Class Atmosphere
 The atmosphere of a classroom is at least as important
to student learning as your choice of content and the
design of your assignments.
 An atmosphere which is conducive to student learning is
one in which is all students feel included, valued, and
respected. Most instructors certainly hope that such an
atmosphere will be present in their classrooms.
 Discussing your expectations for class atmosphere in
your syllabus tells students that this is an important issue
to you and increases the likelihood that they will take
their role in creating and maintaining a positive class
atmosphere seriously as
Examples
1. STUDENT CONDUCT
Instructors are responsible for maintaining order and a positive learning
environment in the classroom. Students whose behavior is disruptive either
to the instructor or to other students will be asked to leave. Students whose
behavior suggests the need for counseling or other assistance may be
referred to their college office or University Counseling Services. Students
whose behavior may violate the University Student Conduct Code may be
referred to the Director of the University Counseling Office.
2. Some instructors choose to establish course-specific ground rules and
include them in the syllabus:
 Observe starting times of the class and when we reconvene after a break
 Everyone tries to participate when working in teams
 Be brief and to the point when speaking in class
 Listen to what other people have to say
 Be open to suggestions
 Give everyone a chance to speak
 Build on other peoples' ideas
Texts & Materials
 The purpose of this section of your syllabus is to tell students
what books and materials they will need to purchase for your
class and where they can purchase these items.
 You may also wish to tell the students why these
books/materials have been chosen and how you expect them
to use them.
 Be clear about which books and/or materials are required and
which are optional.
 List any additional equipment, materials, or supplies they will
need such as a floppy disk, specific type of notebook, tape,
etc. and suggest where they might be purchased.
 If you have materials at a copy center on campus, give them
the location of the copy center and the price of the packet.?
Grading
Because students are very concerned about how they will be graded, this
section of the syllabus is often the first one they turn to. They will look for
answers to such questions as "Can I succeed in this class?" "Can I get a
good grade?" "Is the instructor fair?" "What does the instructor want from
me?" This section reflects your beliefs about student assessment and
about what is important in your field.
Grading is the most common area of student-instructor conflict. Many
problems can be avoided by carefully detailing your grading procedures in
your syllabus. This section of your syllabus should contain the following
components:
 Activities: a list of graded activities along with the weight of each activity
 Computation: an explanation of how you will compute final grades
 Evaluation Criteria: a description of the criteria you will use to evaluate
student work
 Policies: all grading-related polices, such as late work or incompletes
Grading
 Encourage students to discuss their grading concerns early in
the term. Keep students informed about their grades throughout
the quarter so they are not surprised when they receive their
final grade.
 After you've completed the grading section of your syllabus,
you may want to have a colleague review your grading system
and give you feedback. The following questions may be helpful:
How does my grading system compare to others in the
department? Others at the University?
What do my grading procedures tell you about what's
important in this field?
If you were a student in this class, what else would
you
like to know about how I assign grades?
Activities
The grading section should include a complete list of course
activities that contribute to the grade and an indication of the
weight (number of points or percentage) assigned to each
activity. Knowing the relative importance of the requirements
at the beginning of a course helps students budget their
time. Examples of course activities are:
 quizzes and examinations
 papers
 homework assignments
 journals
 projects
Plus, it should include information about a number and types
of activities (homework, presentations, quizzes, etc.)
Evaluation Criteria
You can promote student success by defining evaluation criteria
that answer such questions as:
 What kind of exams do you give? Essay? Multiple choice?
True/false?
 Will the exams test memory? Understanding? Ability to apply
knowledge in a new context? Ability to present evidence
logically?
 Are the mechanics of writing included in the grading for
papers and essay tests?
 Is it necessary for students to show their work in problem
solving?
 Do you give credit for a sound approach even if the answer is
wrong?
By also including a rationale for your evaluation criteria, you can
convey valuable information about your field.
Discussing Evaluation Criteria
You have many different options for discussing your
evaluation criteria. You can:
 Include a separate section with an appropriate
heading for each activity included in the grade (i.e.,
Paper 1, Group project, etc.). If the syllabus is over ten
pages, remember to include a table of contents to help
students access the information more easily.
 Link to more detailed explanations of the criteria for
particular projects on an on-line or L-drive syllabus.
 Make only a general statement about the project and
let the students know how and when they will receive
more detailed information about the assignment
Other Provisions
Some instructors encourage students to
track how they're doing in the class by
providing a place in their syllabus for
students to record their grades on each of
the assignments.
Definition of Grades
In some universities it is required to include the
definitions of grades as follows, and shall also
include the workload expectations
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Academic dishonesty in any portion of the academic
work for a course shall be grounds for awarding a
grade of F for the entire course.
WORKLOAD
One conventional credit is hereby defined as
equivalent to three hours of learning effort per week,
averaged over an appropriate time interval,
necessary for an average student taking that course
to achieve an average grade in that course.
Reviewing Your Evaluation Criteria
 When you have completed your evaluation criteria, ask
yourself:
Do my evaluation criteria accurately reflect what I
consider to be most important about this course?
 Be certain that there is a clear relationship between your
course objectives and the way students are evaluated.
Students often complain that they don't see this connection.
One frequent lament sounds similar to this: “Instructor X said
the most important thing she wanted us to get out of this
class is to be able to think critically about the material, but our
entire grade was based on two multiple choice exams which
tested our memory of names, dates, and definitions!"
Policies
Students need to know your policies about several important
issues related to grading practices. Including relevant policies in
your syllabus can help avoid future conflict with students. Some
of the policies listed below may not relevant to your class.
The following is a list of policies you might want to include:
incompletes
 Grade disputes
 Late work
 Exam retake and resubmission of coursework
 Extra credit
 Make-up work
 Academic integrity
 Other policies
Calendar
A complete course calendar usually contains several kinds
of information for each course meeting or every week of
class, including:
 the course agenda
 lecture and discussion topics
 special in-class activities, such as guest speakers and
films
 daily reminders, such as "Be sure to bring your tapes"
 due dates for readings
 due dates for assignments
 dates for exams and quizzes
Schedule Changes
 Because of the many demands on the typical student, it is important to set
a fairly detailed schedule to enable students to plan their time effectively.
It is particularly important that students have as much advance warning
about major tests and assignments as possible. Ideally all major
assignments and tests will be included in your syllabus, but it any case,
students should have all the necessary information no later than the
seventh week of the term.
 Despite careful planning, situations sometimes arise which can alter your
course calendar. For this reason, we recommend that you include the
following disclaimer:
This schedule is tentative and subject to change.
 It is also helpful for students if you clarify what is subject to change and
what is not. For example, you might want to state that:
Topics, guest speakers, and films are subject to change. The order
of the assigned readings may change slightly. Exams and
assignments will NOT change.
 If you need to change your calendar during the term, give students the
changes in writing as well as announcing them in class.