The Purpose of a Syllabus

A FIRST IMPRESSION

We never have a second opportunity to make a first impression. And, a syllabus is often one of the most significant opportunities to make that impression with students. Whether we post it online or pass out paper handouts face to face, this document is our chance to tell students about our courses. 

Think about how you would like to intentional greet your students on day 1. 

PURPOSE?

Most faculty use a syllabus because either a.) they were told they had to, or b.) they need a place to put all the "must know" info in one place. Many of us inherited syllabi from colleagues, so it is sometimes rare for faculty to think through questions like: who the syllabus is really for? what does it accomplish? what is my own personal purpose behind a syllabus? These are questions that you should consider, and they are a good place to start here. 

WHY? 

Why do we create syllabi? What is our purpose behind the document? The answers might change from person to person, but it is worth thinking through. In a perfect world, where students read everything that you gave them, would your syllabus be:

  • a contract?
  • a plan?
  • a promise?
  • a manifesto?
  • a first impression?
  • a map?
  • an instruction manual?

Your answers may guide what you decide to put into your document, as well as future revisions. 

Many people refer to a syllabus as a course contract. And, while it is not a legally binding document, it is the first thing that an administrator will ask about if there is a student concern - "what does it say in the syllabus?" Do treat it as an opportunity to communicate your expectations. But, because a contract is designed to benefit both parties, a syllabus also provides opportunities to benefit you, to gather info from your students. Consider making some of your syllabus policies an open discussion: work together with students to make a list of class expectations, perhaps for bother students and you are the instructor. You can learn a lot about the group of people who make up your class by asking questions about what makes for a good learning environment and what should be the consequences for those who break the class norms. 

Again, asking why allows you to design a document that does more than simply list your contact info and late work policies. Consider the bigger picture ideas about syllabi to create a useful document. 

 

DOES IT WORK?

Holly Campbell completed some research about the purposes behind syllabi and shared this information: 

Effective course design and student engagement is connected to:

  • “increased student satisfaction, retention, and achievement of student learning outcomes in college” (Rienties & Toetenel, 2016; Stewart, Houghton & Rogers, 2012)
  • “higher levels of achievement at the college and university level” (Walker, Greene, & Mansell, 2006; Waschull, 2005)
  • “more effort on tasks, which in turn leads to higher level of academic achievement”

Designing a Motivational Syllabus, C. Harrington & M. Thomas, 2018

In other words, a syllabus is connected to student success. So, spending time making sure that it is well designed and complete does matter. 

Additionally, a well crafted syllabus can offer the following support to students: 

  1. To encourage and guide students
  2. To identify course learning outcomes
  3. To provide support for student success
  4. To communicate a teaching philosophy
  5. To communicate expectations
  6. To identify and explain course policies and student responsibilities

The Course Syllabus: A Learning Centered Approach, Judith Grunert O'Brien, Barbara J. Millis, and Margaret W. Cohen (2009)

FOR WHOM?

While every student should receive a syllabus, the research is clear that it impacts students differently. Some students already know the value of the document because they have seen them before. At the same time, some students ignore it because they have seen a thousand versions of documents like yours before. Others might ignore it because they have no idea what it is. Consider this: 

"For at-risk students, a detailed and all-embracing written syllabus is absolutely essential. Many at-risk students have trouble making inferences about course requirements and expectations…asking for clarification can be challenging. If a professor appears cold or unapproachable in any way, most at-risk students may feel intimidated and likely will not go to the professor’s office for assistance" (Gabriel, Teaching Unprepared Students: Strategies for Promoting Success and Retention in Higher Education, 2008). 

Always assume that you have first-quarter students in your class each quarter, unless you taught those students last year or know they are part of a cohort. Assuming that they already know how to "do college" and know the purpose and value behind a document like a course syllabus is dangerous. 

 

HOW TO GET STUDENTS TO READ IT?

Getting students to read your well-crafted document is key. And that brings up the issue of length... There is no perfect length for a syllabus. Make it too short, and you can't cover needed information. Make it too long, and no one reads it. A good general guideline is between 2 and 5 pages, but some research suggests that 6 or 7 pages is about the maximum, useful length.

If you would like to provide more information than easily fits into this length, consider this question: what is syllabus material and what is not? Perhaps your reading and assignment schedule is not technically syllabus material. It can be a developed document that you post to Canvas, but it is not a syllabus requirement. All those great resources and contact info for campus support? Again, those can live elsewhere. If you consider your syllabus prime real estate in your course line up, then you have to think carefully about what should be included and what should be excluded. For more information, I recommend Tom Dean's article, "Yes, Your Syllabus Is Way Too Long Links to an external site." (The Chronicle of Higher Ed January 20, 2019).

In addition to the length, larger student engagement issues also exist. For more general tips, take the advice of Kevin Gannon, whose 2018 article "How To Create a Syllabus Links to an external site." published in The Chronicle of Higher Education, provides some great advice: 

  • Make your syllabus visually compelling: Sure, a text-only format is an option. But that will make your syllabus as exciting as a car-insurance policy. Mix in some colors, varied headings, and images.
  • Make it accessible: You might hand it out on the first day of class, but that’s not the only way students will read it. Consider emailing a PDF of the syllabus or posting it on your course web page. You could even do both. Whatever method you choose, minimize any technical or accessibility issues.
  • Keep mentioning it. If you hand it out on the first day, never to talk about it again, are you really surprised that students don’t think the information is important?
  • Try a syllabus quiz. A low-stakes assignment is a good way to lessen students’ anxiety about grades. And they’ll absorb vital information. Everybody wins.
  • And my favorite: Hide an Easter egg. One professor went viral after sneaking a line into the middle of his syllabus. He asked students to email him a picture of the character ALF from the popular ’80s sitcom ALF — with the subject line, “It’s Alf!”