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 cant perfectly predict what will happen
down the road
You may be absent
Students may be more or less advanced than you
thought
Work 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