Syllabus Design
One of the first points of contact between you and your students will be through your syllabus. Rather than viewing the syllabus in a traditional sense (as a "contract" between the students and instructor), consider how your syllabus can be designed to foster a meaningful, genuine, and respectful rapport with students while still maintaining rigor.
Structure & Key Components
Syllabi must include several sections of information. Certain sections are mandatory (like course section details), while others can be added for additional benefits (providing resources for students, humanizing the instructor, and so on). Below are a list of sections that can make up a successful syllabus while keeping the students' needs and expectations in mind:
- Course Description - while the technical course description should be included, instructors can also write their own description of the course for a more personal touch.
- Instructor Statement / Instructor Introduction - instructors can include information about themselves as a way to humanize themselves. This introduction can include things like the instructor's background and interest in the subject, teaching philosophy, personal interests, and goals for the class. Instructors can also outline what the students can expect from them--for example, when can students expect feedback on their assignments? What can students expect during office hour appointments? How often can students expect to hear from you?
- Course Policies - see next section for more details about writing effective and equitable course policies.
- Resource List - in an effort to address students' needs beyond the classroom, instructors can include information about helpful resources on campus that all students can utilize (Student Health Services, Counseling, DSPS, The Stand, etc.).
- Class Schedule - because students often have other obligations (class, work, family time, etc.), it's helpful to include a general calendar of weekly activities and due dates of major assignments, projects, or exams.
Order and Organization: Once you've established the sections of your syllabus, consider what information students need first and foremost. The content will ideally be organized around the needs, knowledge, and attitudes of the students. The order in the bullet-point list above is a common one, but feel free to move sections around as needed.
Length: While there can be a lot of information to include in a syllabus, consider the overall length of the document. A syllabus that is ten pages long, for instance, will likely overwhelm readers and result in them missing important information. Are there sections that can be condensed or combined? Are there redundancies that can be removed? Is there information that could be presented in a separate document?
Equitable Course Policies & Language
Outlining course policies is important for setting both rigorous and equitable expectations. When developing this part of your syllabi, remember two key points: what the policy is, and how the policy is presented. The syllabus is a document primarily for students--how might a student experience the syllabus? What does the syllabus say about the class culture, the instructor’s teaching style, and student expectations?
Part of culturally responsive teaching is recognizing the needs of learners, and the syllabus signals to students how welcoming and encouraging the instructor is. This is oftentimes observable through specific policies:
- Attendance: What is the attendance policy? Penalizing students for missing class can further reinforce inequities. For instance, some students may be struggling with health issues or transportation issues that create barriers for attendance.
- Late Work: What is the policy for late work? Is there flexibility in the schedule to accommodate additional factors? For instance, what if a student is working on top of taking classes? What if a student couldn’t get academic support (like tutoring) in time to meet the deadline? What if a student doesn’t have access to the internet at home?
- Class Participation: How are students encouraged to participate? Are students penalized if they’re quiet? What about students who need additional time to process information? What about students who are not comfortable speaking to a large class? What about students who may be exhausted from working a long shift?
Once the course policies are established, phrasing those policies is the next factor to address. Here are some starting points for fine-tuning your syllabi:
- Point of View: How are students addressed? Is there a clear division between the student and instructor ("you" vs. "I")? Or is there a sense of community ("we")?
- Formatting: How are the policies presented visually? Are there lots of bold words, underlines, or ALL CAPS? What are the underlying messages with such formatting?
- Phrasing: What's the connotation or the tone with the word choice being used? Are there statements that can subtly insult the students? (Ex: "Since this is an introductory course, you likely don't have a lot of background knowledge on the subject.")
Below is an example of a revised policy from Professor Kim Lacher's English course.
Original Policy for Essay Revisions
You will have the option to revise two papers this semester. For the rewrites, you MUST include your original paper with my comments and the original rubric as well as highlights on the new paper. If you do not include these, your paper won't be considered for revision. Revision does not mean changing the grammar on one or two sentences, although that may be a part of it. Revision means looking at the whole paper. You must revise all areas (unless, of course, your paper only requires grammatical corrections). Also, if you turned in your paper late, you cannot get those points back.
Revised Policy with Equitable Language
Disappointed with a grade on your essay? Don't stress! You have the option to revise all of your papers this semester (with the exception of the final reflection because it's due on the last day of class.) I believe that learning to revise is learning to write. With this in mind, though, I have high expectations. Revision means looking at your work with new eyes. Your ability to see with new eyes will improve throughout the semester. The rewriting process asks you to revise all areas (unless, of course, your paper only requires grammatical corrections). When you make your revisions, highlight those changes on your new copy and submit using the original link. The grade you receive on your rewrite completely replaces your original grade.
Design & Visual Elements
While the words on the page of a syllabus are certainly important, the syllabus itself is still a visual document. As such, the overall design of the syllabus can help create a more appealing and accessible format for students. Two major design considerations are layouts and image choice.
Layout
Rather than having the syllabus read like one long document (or pseudo-contract), instructors can opt for a more dynamic layout. Fortunately, there are numerous free resources that can help with designing a unique layout for syllabi:
- Liquid Syllabi - these are syllabi that are designed as websites and updated each semester. Rather than having to create several individual document files for each class section, instructors can put everything on a liquid syllabus with each major section having its own page. Google Sites is a common resource for creating liquid syllabi, especially since it has numerous templates available.
- Visual Syllabi - these are syllabi that incorporate visual elements to break up the monotony of a long, text-heavy document. Canva is a free-to-use website that includes a wide variety of customizable templates. If you have subscriptions to Adobe or Microsoft 365, you can also use programs like InDesign and Publisher.
Image Choice
Using high-quality images that accurately represent the course, instructor, and students can contribute significantly to a well-designed syllabus. Intentional selection of images is also key: who is being represented in the images?
Some general rules for image selection:
- Avoid ClipArt and stock photos with watermarks.
- Use high-resolution images. Again, there are wonderful free resources available:
- Keep the proportions accurate when resizing the photo. (Always drag from the corner of the image when resizing.)
- Utilize pictures of people that reflect our diverse student population. These subtle visual cues signal to students from various backgrounds that they are welcome in this learning environment.
Below is the syllabus from Professor Mariam Kushkaki's ENGL 202 class that utilize the language and design principles above.
Sample ENGL 202 Syllabus (Kushkaki) by Mariam Kushkaki