Resources for Instructors
UWP
Instructor's Guide
Designing Your Syllabus
Because your syllabus may be students' first contact with you
and the course, it is a very important document. The syllabus has both
an informative and contractual function.
As an informative document, your syllabus describes the goals,
content, and structure of your course so that students can plan their
work during the semester and understand what it is you hope for them to
accomplish. The syllabus also sets an attitude--it might be simple and
matter of fact or philosophical and challenging. It can emphasize
benefits to the student or proscribe rules for the conduct of the
class. Regardless of what attitude you convey, give your students
enough clearly stated information so that they can make decisions about
their own work. And craft the syllabus so that your course begins on
the footing that you design.
As a contract, your syllabus describes an agreement between you and
your students. Your students have certain obligations to make
satisfactory progress in the course--attending class, completing
assignments, etc. And you have an obligation to abide by the course
policies that you establish. Part of your obligation is practical: if,
for example, you were to change your attendance policy in the middle of
a semester, your students may not be able to plan for other demands on
their time or might be caught unawares. Your syllabus is also the
primary point of reference in grade disputes, which is why syllabi have
lengthened in recent years at a seemingly exponential rate.
Common vs. Open Syllabus Design
The University Writing Program wants to encourage ingenuity in the
teaching of composition and to foster the professional development of
its instructors. Consequently, the structure and content of syllabi for
ENC 1101 and ENC 1102 are closely governed by course goals and outcomes
rather than proscribed in a common syllabus.
Each semester, instructors submit their syllabi for recommendations
and approval by course coordinators. This process is designed to assure
that individual sections meet the goals of the course, while allowing
enough flexibility for instructors to use and develop their individual
strengths.
University Requirements and Online
Syllabi
UF requires that all syllabi be available online. To fulfill this
requirement, you don't have to recreate your syllabus as an html
document. You may, for example, simply place a Word document in your
web drive and give your students the correct web address.
If you work significantly from or make changes to an online
syllabus, be sure that any paper syllabi you distribute indicate that
the online version supersedes the paper copy.
Typical Parts of the Syllabus
- Course Title and Contact
Information. In your contact information, include an
e-mail address and office hours. As a part of the heading, you may also
include the web address of your online syllabus.
- Course Description. The
description of the course can take the form of goals or outcomes
statements or both. It may also include a brief statement about your
teaching method or philosophy.
- Textbook Information.
Identify the required and recommended texts, including the edition of
the books. You may also want to include a statement about online
materials and where they can be found.
- Major Assignments. A
brief description of each major assignment is perhaps the most helpful
information to orient your students to the course.
- Grading Procedures.
Indicate the value (in points or percentages) of each assignment. The
UWP requires a "10-point scale" (where 90%-100% is an "A," 80%-89% is a
"B," etc.). If you use point values, it is best to use values that are
easily understood by your students (for example, a 1000-point system
wherein most assignments are worth 100 points).
- Grading Criteria. At
minimum, include a statement about the rigor of the grading in the
course or the overall level of expectation. You may also include
specific criteria for each grade level.
- Schedule of Classes and
Assignments. Include a daily schedule of class topics or
activities and due dates for assignments.
- Class, Department, and University Policies. Include class policies on the submission of assignments, attendance, and even classroom behavior. The UWP has specific policy statements on attendance and plagiarism that are required in every UWP syllabus. In general, these policy statements are best appended to the end of the document; though they are very necessary, proscriptive policy statements can cast a negative light on the larger document.
