How to Write a Syllabus

Video Transcript

"Hi, this is Laura Turner and today I'm going to talk with you about how to write a syllabus. This is going to be a pretty step by step just general analysis of how syllabi are laid out. And it will be especially good for you if you're just trying to sit down and write your first syllabus. First of all, take, as I've done here, the course number and name and make that very clear along the top of the syllabus so the student, number one, does not lose it, and number two, does not end up in a class that they are not actually enrolled in. And also, what I like to do is take an image that sort of represents the course itself and put that onto your syllabus just to give it a little bit of extra creative flare. But you don't have to do that by any means. Put down your course name, your room number, your meeting hours, when do you meet with your class, and your personal information on the syllabus. Your office number, your phone number to your office, things like that. Don't leave it up to the students to write down that information for you. Next, include a synopsis of the class and the goals or objectives that you're going to tackle during the course of this semester so students are very clear about what is expected of them and what they're going to be doing. Next, you should include any required reading that is necessary for the course. Especially if the student doesn't really have enough money to buy lots of books and your course requires them to buy 20 books they're going to see the very first day of class on the very first page of your syllabus that there are 20 books required for your class. In that case that would give you the advice not to order that many darn books. But, list your required reading. Then list the distribution of the grades. Your students are going to want to know, first and foremost, before they can really get interested in the class, they want to know how much time they're going to devote to your class and how hard it's going to be and how much work they're going to have to do. So, include a grade breakdown. If you use a point system illustrate how many points each project is worth. If you use a percentage system do that as well. And discuss with the class in the very beginning what these percentages and points mean. Next, you'll want to outline your day to day schedule. I outline it usually by month and day of the week plus the number day of the week so no one gets confused. Put in bold the days on which things are due and test are about to happen and also when breaks are scheduled. You should also include any accommodation for disabled students or any other relief information you might need to provide. I include times for the writing center, the testing center, and things like that. And then, of course, release yourself from having to stay exactly to the syllabus by actually stating in the syllabus that it is subject to change. So, therefore, you can have the ability to either expand lessons or contract them as you need and as classes progress. And be creative and make it fun."