Syllabus Writing

Principles of Syllabus Construction

A syllabus is a tool

It exists to serve a purpose

You have to define that purpose

I suggest that there are two large purposes

The syllabus should make a PROMISE

The syllabus should provide a PLAN

The Syllabus as Contract

The syllabus should serve as a contract between

you and your students

It should say to the students

This is what you must do

This is when it must be done

This is how it will be graded

This is how your grade for the semester will

be determined

The Syllabus as Contract

The syllabus should also say to your

students

This is what I will do

This is when I will do it

In other words, the syllabus makes clear to

the students what their obligations are to

you, and what your obligations are to them

The Syllabus as Contract

The syllabus should present this

information in a way that is

Simple

Clear

Unambiguous

Straightforward, and

Easily found

The Syllabus as Contract

Reasons to make this promise

First, it is the kind and humane thing to

Second, it implies an attitude. It says, I

have planned this carefully and I expect

that you will plan your participation in this

course carefully, too.

The Syllabus as Contract

Objections

We can’t perfectly predict what will happen

down the road

You may be absent

Students may be more or less advanced than you

thought

Lectures may take longer or shorter than you

predicted

The Syllabus as Contract

These are not mere concerns

They are predictions: teachers know that

these things happen

Is it possible to write a syllabus that is clear

and specific, and still have flexibility?

Yes, if you have a PLAN

The Syllabus as the Explanation of

the Plan

What is a “plan”?

We use the word in a wide variety of

ways, depending on the context

What is the context here?

What is meant by a teaching and

learning plan?

The Syllabus as the Explanation of

the Plan

First, a word or two about what does not qualify

as a plan:

Plowing through the textbook one chapter after

another is not a plan

Picking out the three chapters that you really like

and concentrating on them is not a plan

Deciding at the end of class what will be done in

the next class is not a plan

The Syllabus as the Explanation of

the Plan

A plan requires a PURPOSE, a clear and specific

goal

The question is, What do I want to accomplish

in this course?

This requires

o Careful thought

o Precise definition

o Imaginative organization

Careful Thought

Who are my students?

What is their background in this area?

What are the most important elements

of this course for these students?

Precise Definition

What are the main goals of this

course?

Why are these goals important?

What are the main ideas that I want to

thread throughout the course?

Imaginative Organization

How do I arrange the materials and

activities of the course so that the

students have the best chance of

achieving the goals of the course:

How do I order the readings?

How do I incorporate other sources,

like videos, speakers, trips, etc.?

Imaginative Organization

How do I inter-relate the materials and activities

of the course so that everything we do is aimed

at achieving the stated goals of the course?

Reading and Writing

Discussing

Group work

Research

Observation

The Necessity of Reflection

To organize imaginatively, you must have clear goals for the course

Choose materials, activities, teaching methods, evaluation methods, etc., that are appropriate to the goals of the course

Create a rhythm for the course that encourages achieving the goals of the course

Choose attendance policies, etc., that are appropriate

The Necessity of Reflection

To determine the goals of the course takes time,

but it will be the most valuable time you spend

on your course

Ask yourself

Who are my students?

What do they need from this course?

What do I think is the purpose of this course?

How can I best organize to achieve these goals?

The PLAN Allows for the PROMISE

Reflecting on the purpose of the course, and

organizing everything in a way that will help

achieve that purpose, will help you stick to the

contract AND be flexible

First, because this process helps you edit down the

material, choosing what is necessary, what is

important, and what can be ignored

Second, because the content of any particular class is

not discrete but a part of an organic whole

The PLAN Allows for the PROMISE

But most important, going through

this process forces you to be realistic

About who your students are

About what their capabilities are

About what their interests are

About what their needs are

The PLAN Allows for the PROMISE

Syllabi do not exist in a vacuum

A syllabus exists in a context

In this case, the most important element of the

context is the nature of the students

Their intelligence

Their motivation

Their background

Their interest

The PLAN Allows for the PROMISE

The PLAN should be appropriate to

the students

The reading

The writing

The methods of instruction

The methods of evaluation

The PLAN Allows for the PROMISE

If you will define purpose and goals in light of a

full and rich understanding of who your

students are, you can write a syllabus that will

not have to be changed as you go along.

A syllabus that manifests a PLAN and makes a

PROMISE encourages both good teaching and

good learning

Encouraging Teaching and Learning

It encourages good teaching by

forcing you to think carefully about what you want to accomplish

forcing you to think carefully about how to inter-relate the materials and activities of the course

forcing you to think carefully about how most effectively to organize the materials, activities, and evaluation procedures of the class

Encouraging Teaching and Learning

It encourages learning by

informing the students about the purpose and goals of the course, so that they have a context in which to put the materials and activities of the course

informing the students about exactly what they are required to do, and when, and how

demonstrating to the students that there is coherence and meaning to the course

Self-Diagnosis for Your Syllabus

Ask yourself this question: Does my syllabus

provide students with all the information they

need to navigate this course, or will students

have to guess, or ask me questions along the

way, or make mistakes, because the syllabus was

not clear or not complete?

If you can answer “yes,” you have an effective

syllabus.

Specific Elements of the Syllabus

Basic Course Information

Course Number and Course Title

x Semester Credits

Semester, Year, Day, Time

Classroom

Specific Elements of the Syllabus

Instructor: Name

Office: Location

Phone: Number

E-mail: Address

Office hours: Days and times

If you have a disability that requires an

accommodation, please contact me immediately.

Specific Elements of the Syllabus

Course Description

Catalogue Course Description

Course Plan and Rationale

Course Goals

Specific Elements of the Syllabus

Assignments and Grades

Required Readings and Learning Resources

Recommended Reading and Resources

Graded Assignments

Grading Policy

Course Schedule