“It’s In the Syllabus”: Tips to Write a Robust Document for Your Class

Best practices in syllabus construction suggest that the syllabus is generally thought to serve as a contract, a permanent record, a communication device, as a learning tool/cognitive map, and requires considerable planning.  Every university has a set of minimum requirements for a syllabus (Oregon State University’s here and a checklist below). Many colleges also have other required or suggested inclusions. While some faculty may think that reaching out and being cognization of issues beyond direct academics goes beyond the call of duty, statements like the one below could help build rapport, a critical element in the classroom. For example, in order to address the growing concerns about student mental health, Oregon State University suggests including the following statement for syllabi:

Reach Out for Success: University students encounter setbacks from time to time. If you encounter difficulties and need assistance, it’s important to reach out. Consider discussing the situation with an instructor or academic advisor. Learn about resources that assist with wellness and academic success at oregonstate.edu/ReachOut. If you are in immediate crisis, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting OREGON to 741-741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

If you want to be a model teacher, then your syllabus should communicate that you are a model teacher. For instance, research suggests that model teachers use specific teaching behaviors (e.g., approachability, flexibility, etc.) and have strong student professor rapport. Cullen and Harris (2009) suggest that syllabi should establish community by having instructors highly available for students (e.g., multiple means of access and open office hours), provide strong learning rational (e.g., rational provided for policies and procedures and tied to student learning outcomes), and highly encourage collaboration (e.g., use of group work).

When organizing your syllabus it is important to consider the students’ perspective. Garavalia and colleagues (2000) found that students primarily viewed the syllabus elements of grading, assignment, and assessment policies to be the most important, whereas faculty viewed these elements as less important. They suggested that, teachers would better serve their students’ needs if they reorganized the syllabus to reflect what students thought were most important.

Creating model syllabi requires considerable planning (Boysen et al., 2015). There are several ways that teachers can create a model syllabus through explicit course planning. These include the planning course goals and student learning objectives, providing an attractive and readable layout, adapting and changing your syllabus based on student and peer feedback, and organizing the syllabus based on student needs.  As you look ahead to your next class, use the checklist below.

SYLLABUS CHECKLIST: Some Recommendations From Teresa Ober, Ph.D. Notre Dame University

• Course Information
• Course name, number and section
• Course mode of instruction (e.g., in-person, hybrid, online, etc.)
• Class days and times: Dates times (for online courses, and also note the time zone)
• Class location: Room number and building (for online courses, include access instructions for real-time online meetings)
• Requisite courses that are expected to have been completed for enrollment in the course
• If using a course website, consider listing that up here as well.Contact Information
  • Instructor’s name and title
  • Institutional email address
  • Office room number and building (if you have one)
  • Office phone number (if you have one)
  • Office hours: day(s), times, location or link to online meeting room for virtual office hours. (Note that if you are an adjunct, simply listing office hours “by appointment” maybe within your contract obligations.)
  • Webpage and/or social media (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn, Skype, etc.), if you like to communicate that way.
  • Teaching assistant(s): Name(s) and contact information
  • Department office information: Room/building, phone number, etc.
    
    Course Materials
• Required (and suggested) readings / texts: Full citation with ISBN and link to the college bookstore
• Instructional technologies (e.g., Blackboard, Moodle, Sakai, Pearson MyLab/Mastering, etc.)
• Course materials on reserve in the libraryAdditional considerations, especially for online course materials:
• Display materials in formats that can be viewed on most computers and mobile devices (.doc,.pdf, .mp3, .mp4).
• Instructional materials, such as Word, Powerpoint, PDF, videos and other digital formats, should be created to be accessible to all learners, including students with disabilities.
• Evaluate websites and digital content assigned to students for compliance with accessibility standards. Guides such as National Center on Disability and Access to Education Cheat Sheet(http://ncdae.org/resources/cheatsheets/accessibility.php)are recommended.
  Course Description
  Brief statement on teaching philosophy or approach
  • Goals and Rationale for the Course
    • Statement/s of intent or vision for how course will benefit students (e.g., position them to take other courses or advance toward a particular career, etc.)
    • Learning Outcomes: Specific measurable results expected subsequent to a learning experience
    • Knowledge (cognitive): Knowledge of disciplinary content that students learn
    • Skills (behavioral): The learned capacity to do something
    • Attitudes and values (affective): Changes in views and beliefs about an issue or problem
    • Integration of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that facilitate successful learning
  • Pre-requisite skills for successful course completion (e.g. use of library databases, participation in online forums, use of specific software, creation of media files, etc.)
• Course Calendar and Content
• Class meeting dates and topics
• Schedule with deadlines clearly indicated (e.g., assignments, exams, etc.)
• Holidays/other non-meeting dates/days when classes follow a different schedule (e.g., a Wednesday that follows a Monday schedule)
• Other academic dates (e.g., last date to drop a course (delete from record), last date to drop without a “W”)
• Grading Method and Scale
• A clear and explicit explanation of evaluation methodology
  • Format and weight of course performance requirements for participation, quizzes, assignments, homework, projects, exams, etc.
  • Indication of grading rubric(s), if applicable
• Policy for late and missed assignments or exams
• Communication
• Preferred method to contact instructor for urgent / non-urgent matters
• Estimated instructor response time for emails / phone calls
• Estimated instructor response time for feedback on assignments
• Expectations for appropriate behavior in online forums
• Resources (Include all that apply)
  • Websites and online resources
  • Laboratories and studios
  • Study groups / review sessions
  • Tutoring (e.g., from peers, at college learning centers)
  • Example/s of excellent performance for applicable requirements
  • Library homepage or course guide created by librarian
  • E-reserve password
  • Technical support information
  • Other types of help
• Course Policy Information (Include all that apply. If applicable, each item should include a statement indicating how eachwill have an impact on grades or degree progress).
  • Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
  • Accessibility and Accommodations
  • Attendance / Lateness
  • Academic Referrals or Writing Center
  • Behavioral Conduct
  • Expectations around the frequency of checking course website or school email
  • Exam dates and scheduling make-up exams
  • Extra Credit
  • Late Work / Missed Tests / Incompletes
  • Sexual Misconduct
  • Use of instructional technology and/or personal technology (e.g., cell phones, laptops, tablets, etc.)
  • Other instructor / classroom policies

Additional Resources

Boysen, G. A., Richmond, A. S., & Gurung, R. A. R. (2015). Model teaching criteria for psychology: Initial documentation of teachers’ self-reported competency. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 1, 48-59. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/stl0000023

Cullen, R., & Harris, M. (2009). Assessing learner‐centredness through course syllabi. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 34(1), 115-125.

Gannon, K. (n.d.). How to create a syllabus: Advice guide.Retrieved from: https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/advice-syllabus.

Garavalia, L., Hummel, J., Wiley, L., & Huitt, W. (2000). Constructing the course syllabus: Faculty and student perceptions of important syllabus components. Journal of Excellence in College Teaching, 10(1), 5-22.

Graduate Center CUNY, Teaching and Learning Center. (2019). Teach@CUNY Handbook (Version 3.0). Retrieved from: https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/projects/teach-cuny-handbook.

Society for the Teaching of Psychology. (n.d.). Project Syllabus. Retrieved from: https://teachpsych.org/otrp/syllabi/index.php/

Society for the Teaching of Psychology. (n.d.). Teaching of Psychology Idea Exchange (ToPIX). Retrieved from: http://topix.teachpsych.org/w/page/19980993/FrontPage

Volk, S. (2012). Size matters: How much reading to assign (and other imponderables).Retrieved from: http://languages.oberlin.edu/blogs/ctie/2012/09/23/size-matters-how-much-reading-to-assign-and-other-imponderables/

University of Rhode Island, Faculty Development. (n.d.). Blank syllabus template. Retrieved from: https://web.uri.edu/teach/blank-syllabus-template/.

Washington University in St. Louis, The Teaching Center. (n.d.). Syllabus template. Retrieved from: https://teachingcenter.wustl.edu/resources/course-design/syllabus-template/.