Syllabus Construction

Send ideas for new workshops or comments to: Karen I. Adsit, EdD, Director

Last modified April 17, 2002

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The Purpose of the Syllabus

Leeds (1993), uses the metaphor of a map to describe the purpose of the syllabus. It tells students where you are going as a teacher and how you plan to get there, including what the students must do to arrive at their final destination. The most basic purpose of the syllabus is as a communication tool. In using a syllabus ìteachers seek to communicate with students the general purpose of the course and how it will be carried outî (Smith & Razzouk, 1993, p. 215). The syllabus can also be viewed as a contract, a legal agreement between you and the students. This is what the course is about, this is what is expected of the students. Concerning the contractual nature of the syllabus, Grieve (1984) states that the syllabus ì...is the legal document in the event litigation may arise due to student complaints or concerns. Thus, it is probably the most important document in the educational processî (p. 25).

Other purposes of the syllabus are offered by Hammons & Shock (1994), Zucker (1992), and Kellough (1990):

• Gives students information to decide whether or not they want to continue the course.
• A way for you to introduce yourself.
• To explain why the course should be taken.
• Helps you as a teacher to plan the course.
• Provides a record of your teaching career.
• Can help students to organize their learning.
• To prevent misunderstandings about grading, due dates, etc.
• Can provide important information for administrators.
• Shows that you have spent a lot of time and effort in planning the course.
• Communicates to students that you care about teaching and that you value their time.

What Should Be in the Syllabus?

Some argue that a syllabus should be a 2-3 page succinct document, while others promote a more comprehensive syllabus that could be as extensive as 15 pages. In reviewing various sources, however, some common elements of what should be in a syllabus emerges.

• Basic Course Information:
• Course Name and Number
• Meeting place, dates, and time
• Your name and official title
• Office Hours
• Office Phone
• Home Phone (list when it is appropriate to call)
• E-mail and web page addresses

 
• Course Description: Generally relates to what is written in the University Catalogue.

 
• Course Goals/Objectives: What will the students learn as a result of this course? When listing specific objectives, limit the number to about 10 (perhaps one objective for each learning unit of the course).

 
• Course Calendar: List dates for exams, projects, assigned readings, class topics, class holidays, etc.

 
• Course Requirements: What the student is expected to do and will be evaluated on. Is there an attendance policy? A policy on class participation? How much will each exam count?

 
• Texts and Other Materials: List all required materials and any recommended materials.

 
• Grading Policy: How will grades be determined?

 
• Course Policies: What are the penalties for late papers, missed exams, etc.?

 
• Caveat: A disclaimer statement. Inform the students that the syllabus is subject to change.

• A Course Rationale: ìShould explain the purposes of the course; should explain how and where this course fits into the studentsí degree program; and should show how taking the course will benefit themî (Hammons & Shock, p. 7).
• Conduct of the Course: Describe the instructional techniques you will be using: lecture, small groups, discussion, readings, lab, etc.
• Available Support Services: Tutors, computer labs, learning centers, study groups, etc.
• Evaluation Procedures: Details about the nature of tests and how they will be administered; thorough description of assignments and the performance criteria by which they will be evaluated.
• Teaching Statement: A brief statement of your teaching philosophy.
• Honor Code Policy: How you will deal with Honor Code violations.
• Inclement Weather: Make up policies for inclement weather, notification procedures, etc.

More Tips for Writing and Using Syllabi

Zucker (1992) asked students (194 undergraduates) what they first looked for in a syllabus. He found that students looked first for exam dates. The second most frequent response was number of exams, followed by the topics to be covered in the course. Five percent or more of the students looked for specific course requirements, whether or not there was a paper, and grading procedures. Zucker recommends that instead of a comprehensive syllabus, that instructors give students a ìnutshellî syllabus that briefly provides students with the information they want. Or, you may want to include a nutshell syllabus along with a more thorough description of the course.

Smith and Razzouk (1993) asked 152 undergraduate students to recall information from course syllabi. Typically, the students were unable to recall course objectives, evaluation procedures, and the discussion topic for the day. To improve the ability of the syllabus to communicate effectively with students, Smith and Razzouk suggest:

• Donít give a long syllabus on the first day.
• Provide a shorter syllabus that you can supplement over the duration of the course.
• Make sure that the content is clear and specific, especially your objectives.
• Review the syllabus periodically. Donít just hand it out the first day of class and then forget about it.

• Make is concise.
• Present the most important ideas first.
• Make expectations clear.
• List all known dates.
• Be very specific about all the components involved in grading.
• Give some information about how the course relates to the studentsí lives.
• Throughout the course, call attention to the objectives.
• Describe the consequences for not following the "rules." Does the student automatically fail if caught for plagiarism? Can papers be turned in late? Is there a make-up policy for missed exams?

References and Resources

• Altman, H. B. (1990). Syllabus shares ìwhat the teacher wants.î In M. Weimer (Ed.), Teaching college: Collected readings for the new instructor. Madison, WI: Magna Publications, Inc. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 397 699)

 
• Altman, H. B. & Cashin, W. E. (1992). IDEA paper No. 27: Writing a syllabus. (Report No. HE 029 193). Manhattan, KS: Kansas State University, Manhattan Center for Faculty Evaluation and Development in Higher Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 395 539)

 
• Danielson, M. A. (1995). The role of the course syllabi in classroom socialization. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 387 845)

 
• Gabennesch, H. (1992). The enriched syllabus: To convey a larger vision. The National Teaching & Learning Forum, 1(4), 4-5 (Report No. ISSN-1057-2880). Washington, DC: Office of Educational Research and Improvement. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. 348 932)

 

 

• Grieve, D. (1984). A handbook for adjunct and part-time faculty. Cleveland, OH: INFO-TEC, Inc.

 

 

• Hammons, J. O., & Shock, J. R. (1994). The course syllabus reexamined. The Journal of Staff, Program, & Organization Development, 12 (1), 5-17 (Report No. JC 950 252). Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press, Inc. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 383 355)

 

 

• Kellough, R. D. (1990). A resource guide for effective teaching in postsecondary education: Planning for competence. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, Inc.

 

 

• Leeds, J. D. (1993). The course syllabus as seen by the undergraduate student. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 356 747)

 

 

• Smith, M. F. & Razzouk, N. Y. (1993). Improving classroom communication: The case of the course syllabus. Journal of Education for Business, 68 (4), 215-221.

 
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Teaching and Learning Center. (1992). Step by step: Planning a college course. [On-line]. Available HTTP: www.unl.edu/teaching/PlanningCourse.html

 

 

• Zucker, E. L. (1992). What students look for in course syllabi. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 350 907)

Send comments to: Karen I. Adsit, EdD, Director

Last modified April 30, 2002