How much is too much in the syllabus
While we should strive to cover everything in the syllabus, how much is "too much"? Will students take the time to review something more than 2 pages?
Hi Daniel,
You are right about how a syllabus can get away from an instructor if not careful. The suggestions given are intended as a guide from which an instructor can select the components that he or she feels should be included. At my college there are numerous sections that they want included to keep us "legal" that do not have any real impact on the course.
Each instructor has to be comfortable with how and when they share the homework assignments with their students. I have found much success by giving the assignments for the course all at one time and then going back to them at they become due. Other instructors have much success by using the method you describe so it all depends upon your instructional style.
I like the idea of the master list of the course support documents and their roles and I will get started it. The value of this will be that new instructors can see the components and then decide when to introduce them and in what form.
Gary
Hello there, Gary!
Indeed, 30 pages in my mind constitutes a long syllabus, but remember the environment that we teach in. How much of that content is really the instructor's own ideas for the course and how many pages are policies required by the school where he teaches? How much is there because he might have been criticized by students or colleagues for not having had it there before? How many pages were added because he was given the third degree by a department chair or dean for not having it?
I do like to keep my syllabus as short and general as my institutional policy will allow. If I include everything in my syllabi that this lesson suggests that I should, then mine will probably grow into a 30-page document, too. Much of what I get "suggestions" to include constitute in my thinking a course outline or a list of assigned exercises. I like to keep my course outline a separate document from the syllabus. As for listing homework ahead of time, I don't like the practice. I like to assign exercises after discussing the necessary topics and often prefer to select those that relate to what arises during the discussion. I also find that if I list all the assignments in the syllabus, then students may take it as a license to skip class!
One of the issues that I believe that we're dealing with is how and when to keep our various course management documents (syllabi, outlines, lesson plans, lecture notes, etc.) distinct and how they support one another. So, Gary, how about a master list of course support documents and their roles?
Hi Amy,
The syllabus is a very important document and I want my students to not only learn about it at the beginning of the course but know the sections so I can refer to them throughout the course. The font and font size are great added highlights so you can focus the students attention to the specific sections easily. Good plan.
Gary
When I first started teaching, I overheard students in the elevator commenting on the amount of time taken in class to review the syllabus. I took those comments to heart, not focusing so much on the amount of time, but making sure the time taken was value added and assessing for understanding by the students of the course requirements.
I like the suggestiona about color coding. I have also used a convention with bold - italics - underline and a consistent theme throughtout. For example, all reading assignments in one style, supplemental activities in another. I am told that is helpful.
Yes, I did pass the course. Instructors like that cause me to dig in my heels; it brings out my stubborn streak.
Hi Karen,
That professor must have had the record for syllabus length. I'm not sure I would have gone back the next class time if the course was going to require 30 pages to explain in the syllabus.
The key question was "did you past the course?".
Gary
Having blocks of information separated by using different colors of paper works great for students, and instructors!
I agree that the initial information students receive on day 1 should be kept fairly short, so they aren't overwhelmed. When I was a college student, I once had a syllabus that was about 30 pages long!
Great suggestion about the different colored paper - I'll be sure to use that. Thanks!
Hi Catherine,
This is a very good question about how to construct a syllabus that has value to students. There are two parts to a syllabus. One part is the content that is required by the college, such as attendance policies, ADA requirements, etc. The other part of the syllabus is the nitty gritty of the specific course requirements and expectations. The goals, objectives, projects, etc. can be covered in approximately two pages, or at least I try to. This is so I won't overwhelm the students. I print my syllabus in sections with different colored paper so I can quickly refer to a section by color. The colored paper also helps the student to mentally break down the syllabus into sections so they don't see it as one giant mass of white paper.
I highlight the college information and then move right into what the students must do to be successful in the class.
Gary
