2.7 Organizing and Writing Your Syllabus

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Organizing and Writing your Syllabus

Writing a syllabus is one of the last things you should do in designing your course because your course design choices will inform what goes into your syllabus. It is critical to ensure the syllabus is well organized, readable, clearly written, and complete with a welcoming tone. Research on syllabus construction and its influence on learner motivations has demonstrated the importance of a learning-centered syllabus that communicates mutual accountability, informing students of their roles, as well as norms of the class, through learning outcomes (Habanek, 2005; Sulik & Keys, 2014).

Special considerations for remote and blended learning

Consider your expectations for students in light of the COVID-19 situation. Factors such as lack of internet connections or needing to care for family members can diminish students' capacity to meet course requirements. Be ready to equitably handle requests for extensions or accommodations. Your college may issue specific guidance or requirements for you to follow as well. Syllabi and course activities including graded work may need to be adjusted after the start of the term based on changing circumstances.

connection iconSee the recommended syllabus language in "Communicating with Students Before Classes (Even) Begin" Links to an external site. and the Remote Syllabus Template Links to an external site. from the OSU Center for Teaching and Learning.

How Approachable is Your Syllabus?

The language you choose to use in writing your syllabus reflects your expectations of students, and how they should interact with you, the course, and their peers. Writing your syllabus in the second person rather than the third person, academic style, will make it more approachable - using "you", "we" and "us" can help establish a sense of connection between the people working together in your course. Expressing and modeling your expectations will help students (and you) get off to a good start.

Please check with your Department Head or College Dean for local policies and modify these suggestions accordingly.

Layout:

In addition to readability, lack of clutter, and accessibility, a well-designed syllabus should include visually separated sections. Oregon State University has standard requirements for syllabi content which you can access online, including a sample syllabus template with suggested section headers.

Logistics:

  • How will weekly activities be structured?  Or are there cycles students will work through over the duration of the term? You can prevent learner confusion by being transparent about any patterns in how your course works (e.g., quizzes are weekly on Tuesdays) and if there is anything that will change during the term. Consider how you might use a diagram, such as the one below from Kari van Zee's BB 453 course, to let students know what activities are involved each week and how much time they can expect to spend working on them.
    A circular diagram of a week in your course
  • When and how are you available to your students? Consider online office hours by appointment compared to open office hours either by phone or video. It is important to include your contact information with the expected response turnaround time.
  • How will the time zone affect deadlines and other communication? Make sure to clarify time zones on due dates (e.g. assignments due at midnight in Pacific Time Zone is due at 9 pm Eastern Time Zone).

Responsibilities and Requirements:

  • Expectations and responsibilities: Outline clear course pace/progress expectations, what you expect for participation and how you'll grade it, late work policies, etc.
  • Technology Requirements: Is a headset with a microphone, a webcam, or specialized software needed to complete the course?
  • Academic Misconduct: A clear statement about types of academic misconduct, their consequences, and the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct is essential.
  • Learner Support: A section that includes academic and non-academic support and accommodations for learners.
    • Accommodations for Learners with Disabilities: Make every attempt to accommodate learners with disabilities (e.g., mental health, learning, chronic health, physical, hearing, vision, neurological, etc.). Formal accommodations are managed through Disability Access Services (DAS).  In addition to the required OSU syllabus statement about learners with disabilities, you might invite students to contact you if they encounter barriers in the course.
    • Academic Support Services: List any academic support services provided to your learners here and how to contact these offices.  Learners may not be aware that many services have moved to remote delivery as well.
      • Consider including the Where Do I Go for Help? page from the Remote and Blended Template in your Canvas course site. [Note: that page—by itself or as part of the template—can easily be imported from Canvas Commons into any course.]
      • Instructions for getting the Where Do I Go for Help? page:
        • Open your Canvas course site in which you would like to use the page.
        • On the right side of the homepage, click the Import from Commons button.
        • Type “Oregon State Help” in the search bar.
        • Then click on the name of the page and click on the blue Import/Download button.
        • Once it is in your Canvas site, go to Modules and add the page to the module of your choice. 
    • Other Student Support Services: List any student support services available to online learners here and how to contact these offices.

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