What makes a great syllabus?
Dear Student:
Have you ever been frustrated by a course syllabus? In your opinion, what qualities in a syllabus best help you to learn?
Sincerely,
A BYU Professor
Dear Professor:
Having a syllabus is a great tool and is almost indispensible when done well, but if you receive one that doesn’t fulfill your needs as a student it can become a hindrance rather than a help.
I think the most helpful qualities in a syllabus are that it is straightforward, thorough, and organized in a way so that needed information can be located quickly. Sometimes you get a syllabus that is so simple that it mostly states just dates and the honor code; other times you get a syllabus that is so wordy it becomes daunting. The best syllabus outlines a clear set of expectations, gives a schedule of what is due and what is being covered on any given day, and has straightforward descriptions of assignments.
Sincerely,
A BYU Student
Dear Professor:
For the most part, I am the person who gets a syllabus on the first day of class, puts it in my folder, and never looks at it again. I appreciate teachers who not only put assignment instructions in the syllabus, but who also review the instructions in class to clear up any misunderstandings. When my teacher refers to the syllabus a lot (and sticks to it throughout the semester), so do I.
Sincerely,
A BYU Student
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Comments
Dr. Browne &mdash Feb 18, 2010 @ 1:11 pm
I post a detailed syllabus online, which we cover the first day of class. Then I print out a single-sheet with the course calendar on the front, and the major assignment descriptions on the front. It’s the best of both worlds.
Martin Cluff &mdash Mar 7, 2010 @ 8:28 pm
I like a syllabus that shows what assignments are worth; what percent of my grade or how many points out of the total. I also like to be able to see all that will happen in the semester so a calendar with all due dates is also priceless.
Bryce Bunting &mdash Mar 8, 2010 @ 8:12 am
In addition to the details of what is being covered during a given class session, it also seems important that a syllabus clearly articulate the goals of the course and what students can expect to learn at a thematic level. Sometimes we get so lost in the details of individual class sessions that we lose sight of the general objectives of a course and the more general questions that we should come back to again and again throughout the course.
Johann Taylor &mdash Mar 8, 2010 @ 11:02 am
When I attended a different university, in new student orientation they explained to us that a syllabus is a contract between the students and the professor. As such, everything should be clearly laid out as to the expectations for the course, what assignments are worth, is attendance mandatory, etc. Then neither students nor professors should stray from the syllabus without prior agreement. If the student didn’t agree, they could drop the course while there was still a chance to do so. At this particular university, students could even challenge the professor on anything that was not in the syllabus; something that came in handy several times in my experience.
Rebekah O'Connell &mdash Mar 8, 2010 @ 11:10 am
The syllabus for a class is a recurring lifesaver for me. First, some professors aren’t as clear about an assignment as they may think, and the syllabus almost always clears up confusion about what exactly is expected for a given project or paper. Second, it is helpful to refer to when doing the actual assignment, and allows for modifications in order to meet the expected standards. Finally, if the date when something is due is forgotten, its right there in black and white, and the professor doesn’t have to be bothered with unneeded emails and calls. The syllabus for a class is a great time and energy saver for both the teacher and the students.
Taylor Millett &mdash Mar 8, 2010 @ 4:14 pm
We are in the digital age. Professors should publish a homework/test calendar that could be accessed by their own Google Calendar, iCal, Outlook or other calendaring system. It will keep up with assignment date changes and allow access to more info regarding assignments. I know I would be more on top of assignments if they were automatically posted to my personal calendar.
dj258 &mdash Mar 10, 2010 @ 5:12 pm
Dear Professor,
Please don’t have the syllabus be a “living document”. Seriously, it isn’t really fair to make us check Blackboard weekly to see what is due. We have more than one class and having the syllabus change weekly is crazy!
A Tired Student &mdash Mar 10, 2010 @ 5:18 pm
Dear Professor,
When professors are able to make syllabi, why can’t they all be submitted online into an individual student course load designed to be downloaded and used as a single whole semester syllabus, rather than 4-7 separate and confusing syllabi that all have to be manually entered into an electronic calendar? Can Google help here, or is this a lost cause? I spend about 5 hours each semester entering in the individual syllabi each semester and dread it each time. I can only imagine how many other students have the same problem.
John &mdash Apr 9, 2010 @ 10:18 am
As having had many Syllabi, including one that was dozens of pages long (PL SC 200) as well as having written one for a class in which the TA does 99% of the work I have seen the importance of a good syllabus from both the student and teacher perspective.
The ideal syllabus is clear and concise. I think students are much less worried about the precise chronology of lectures are we are about due dates of assignments as well at assignment specifications. It is ok to push an assignment back but not move up the due date.
Details of assignments are great to have in the syllabus but that works if a teacher actually refers to the syllabus in class. There will always be students who will seldom look at a syllabus unless it is commonly referred to. The grade breakdown is very important in a syllabus so students know exactly what is needed to achieve an A, or other desired grade. An “A” seems to be a Different grade in every class – one class and A a 90% and another it was 95%. Vague syllabi will likely create an unnecessary headache for yourself and students. In many classes I dislike the “participation” grade in some classes which could either be a buffer to help or a way for professors to spread out the grades a bit more – simply vague. The more clear the better, even if that adds an extra page or so.