ASU Syllabus Examples: A Comprehensive Guide

This article explores various aspects of syllabus design, drawing upon examples and best practices to create effective and informative syllabi. It aims to provide insights applicable to diverse academic disciplines and educational levels.

Introduction

A syllabus serves as a vital contract between instructors and students, outlining course expectations, learning objectives, and assessment methods. A well-constructed syllabus ensures clarity, promotes student success, and establishes a productive learning environment.

The Importance of a Well-Designed Syllabus

A comprehensive syllabus sets the stage for a successful course by:

Clarifying Expectations: Clearly defining course objectives, grading policies, and assignment requirements.
Promoting Student Success: Providing students with the information they need to succeed in the course.
Establishing a Learning Environment: Creating a clear and respectful learning environment.

Key Components of an Effective Syllabus

An effective syllabus typically includes the following elements:

Course Information

Course Title and Number: Clearly identifies the course.
Instructor Information: Includes the instructor's name, contact information, office hours, and preferred method of communication.
Meeting Times and Location: Specifies the days, times, and location of class meetings.
Course Description: Provides a brief overview of the course content and objectives.

Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Course Objectives: Describe what the instructor will cover in the course.
Learning Outcomes: Indicate what students are expected to gain from the course.
- Address specific tasks, fields of knowledge, methodologies, and techniques.
- Should be at a level of expectation appropriate to the course content.
- Example: "Students completing course X will be able to…"

Course Requirements and Grading

Required Texts and Materials: Lists all required textbooks, readings, and other materials.
Assignments and Grading Breakdown: Describes the types of assignments, their frequency, and their weight in the final grade.
- Include a brief explanation of discipline-specific assignments such as fieldwork or collaborative projects.
- Descriptions should clarify such things as length and format of papers, structure of projects, nature of exams, and how they correlate with learning outcomes.
Grading Scale: Explains how letter grades are assigned based on numerical scores.
- To compute final course grades, the following values are assigned to the standard letter grades of A through E:
  - A+ = 4.3 (only used internally at ASU)
  - A = 4.0
  - A- = 3.7
  - B+ = 3.3
  - B = 3.0
  - B- = 2.7
  - C+ = 2.3
  - C = 2.0
  - D = 1.0
  - E = 0.3
  - No paper = 0.0

Course Policies

Attendance Policy: Specifies attendance expectations and consequences for absences.
- Students are expected to attend all class sessions.
- Only two weeks’ worth of absences will be allowed for the semester, regardless of reason, including documented illness or emergency.
Late Assignment Policy: Explains the policy for accepting late assignments and any associated penalties.
- All major project deliverables are due on the specified due dates but will be accepted late; however, late assignments will be penalized one letter grade for each calendar day they are late.
- Other assignments (not identified as a project deliverable), such as reading responses, will not be accepted late.
Academic Integrity Policy: Outlines expectations for academic honesty and consequences for plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty.
- Academic honesty is expected of all students in all examinations, papers, laboratory work, academic transactions and records.
- The possible sanctions include, but are not limited to, appropriate grade penalties, course failure (indicated on the transcript as a grade of E), course failure due to academic dishonesty (indicated on the transcript as a grade of XE), loss of registration privileges, disqualification and dismissal.
Classroom Conduct Policy: Describes expected behavior in the classroom, including policies on technology use and disruptive behavior.
- "Please refrain from any unauthorized usages of technology during our class sessions. In this usage, ‘unauthorized’ means unrelated to the tangible learning activity or activities taking place during the class period. Please put all hand-held electronic devices away. I will expect computers and laptops to be used for classroom activities only. Failure to abide by these guidelines may have a negative impact on a student’s participation grade. Repeat offenders may be seen as disruptive and asked to leave class.”
Accommodation for Students with Disabilities: Provides information on how students with disabilities can request accommodations.
- Qualified students with disabilities who will require disability accommodations in this class are encouraged to make their requests to me at the beginning of the semester either during office hours or by appointment.
- Note: Prior to receiving disability accommodations, verification of eligibility from the Disability Resource Center (DRC) is required. Disability information is confidential
- Establishing Eligibility for Disability Accommodations: Students who feel they will need disability accommodations in this class but have not registered with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) should contact DRC immediately. Their office is located on the first floor of the Matthews Center Building. DRC staff can also be reached at: 480-965-1234 (V), 480-965-9000 (TTY). For additional information, visit: www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/ed/drc. Their hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday

Course Schedule

Weekly Topics and Activities: Provides a detailed schedule of topics to be covered each week, along with associated readings, assignments, and activities.
Important Dates: Highlights key dates for exams, assignments, and other important events.

Additional Information

Statement on inclusivity: A statement that promotes diversity and inclusion in the classroom.
Student Support Services: Information on available resources for students, such as tutoring, writing centers, and counseling services.
End-of-Semester Portfolio Collection: All students will submit a portfolio of their work to the Writing Programs Portfolio Archive at the end the semester.
- This portfolio will consist of the final drafts of all major writing projects.
- This portfolio will be submitted digitally as a single PDF containing the major project final drafts in chronological order.
- Additional information and instructions for submission will be provided before the end of the semester.
Disposition of Papers/Grade Appeals: Students should keep all graded assignments for this course until the term is officially over and final grades are posted.
- If students believe their final grade is inaccurate or unfair, they must present all graded work in order for the grievance committee to review their case.

Examples of Syllabus Content

English 301: Professional Writing

This course focuses on the practice and study of selected types of discourse employed in professional workplace situations and helps prepare students for the different kinds of writing they will encounter in their professional lives.

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Course Objectives:
- Transition from academic to professional/business writing
- Demonstrate how a writer adapts to professional contexts
- Evaluate the strategies appropriate to various professional contexts
- Develop methods of inquiry allowing you to continue to research, question, read, write and reflect on professional discursive practices within your chosen profession
- Use rhetorical strategies and organizational techniques in the writing process
- Develop collaborative group communication and writing skills
- Develop strategies to facilitate communication online and across business and professional cultures.
- Demonstrate professionalism appropriate in tone and context
Major Course Projects:
- Employment: Plan and draft employment documents (resume and letter of application).
- Technical Description and Process Instructions: Collaborative project involving writing clear instructions about how to use/navigate a thing and process.
- Presentation: Deliver an oral presentation of a proposal for improving a company’s social media practices and web presence.
Professionalization Component: Each major course project will have a “Professionalization” component to account for the development of professional work habits.
Required Texts: Technical Communication Strategies for Today, by Robert Johnson-Sheehan,.
Weekly Schedule:

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- Week 1: Introduction and Syllabus, Workplace vs. Academic writing
  - Read Chapter 2.
  - Write about your writing experiences, include your strengths and the audiences you have written for. What do you specifically hope to gain from this class and how this class fits with your professional goals. 200 words.
- Week 2: Writing and your Career, Writing Routine business correspondence, Ethics
  - Read Chap 5 and Chapter 4.
  - Do “Revision challenge” and recommend changes on discussion board.
  - Write: 200 to 300 word post on the ethical issues you see in this case study. Post to discussion board
- Week 3: Introduction to the Employment Project, Fundamentals of the job search and Job skills assessment
  - Read chap 11
  - Post on discussion board: What is the one thing I can do and by doing it improve myself as an emerging professional or as a current professional. 100 Wds.
  - Begin to draft Job skills articulation in the job skills inventory
- Week 5: Scannable resume distinguished, Resume peer review
  - Read
  - Submit final draft job skills inventory
  - Speed draft of print resume
  - Draft of Job Analysis. Post to discussion board. Peer review comment on one classmates job ad analysis..
- Week 6: Job application letter verses the resume, Drafting and questions
  - Read
  - Short memo reflection on adapting the print resume to scannable format
  - Activity: Speed Draft job application letter. Post on discussion board
  - Final Job Ad Analysis Ask one or two questions concerning the connection of your resume and job application letter that is specific to your job.
- Week 7: Final drafts due resumes and job application letter, Introduction Technical description and Instructions project, Technical description verses Process Instructions
  - submit final print resume and scannable resume and job application letter.
  - Read Chap 6,
  - Read Chap. 6,
  - Discussion: general to specific and segmented thinking.
  - Page 159 exercise # 2 - Choose one of the items listed. On Discussion board post your short description. Max 300 words
- Week 8: Process instructions, Usability Testing
  - Read Chap 7,
  - Instructions for tea
  - Read Chap 20
  - Usability testing.Begin to draft usability questionaire.
- Week 9: Document design Revisited; visual rhetoric, Usability Reflection
  - Read Chap. 18 Document design. The Five Principles of Design
  - Design quiz: Read and do case study p. 518-521 of the text. Use the five design principles. discussed in chap. 18. Due draft of usability questionnaire. Review and comment with your partner
- Week 10: Draft Technical and Process instructions, Usability testing, Final documents due, Introduction to Report and proposal writing
  - Read Chap 19.
  - Draft due of technical and process instructions for peer review. Include usability questionnaire. Each team will peer review another team’s technical and process instructions.
  - Final Technical Description and process instructions and usability questionnaires, usability reflection and project summary.
- Week 11: Report Writing v. Proposal Writing, Research memo 1
  - Read
  - Creating primary research instruments, Research log 1
- Week 12: Data visualization, Reporting research findings
  - No class
  - Secondary research, Reporting research findings, Write in research log 2, Due: Research memo 2
- Week 13: Document design Review, Preparing for presentationsPresentations begin on 11/20
  - Due : Draft of Short report, Research log 3, Due Research memo 3
- Week 14: Draft of short proposal, Class Presentations, Presentations Draft of proposal Teams review drafts
- Week 15: Presentations, Final report and proposal and project summary

Infusing Climate Change into the Curriculum

Instructors across various disciplines are integrating climate change education into their courses. For example:

English 101: Holly Bailey-Hofmann redesigned her English 101 class to focus on climate change and community resilience. Students learn to write effectively and conduct academic research by exploring topics such as:
- Social norms as a barrier to addressing climate change.
- The effects of climate change on mental health.
- The impact of abnormally hot days on cognitive skills.
Chicano Studies: Felipe E. Agredano infused climate into his Chicano studies class by sharing examples from history of how Latinos and specifically Chicanos are connected to the land and have tried to preserve it.
- He talks about how the Aztecs used trees to create rectangular floating islands for farming, called chinampas, from which present-day hydroponics developed.
Art: Terri Hughes-Oelrich has been working to "climatize" her art curriculum for years.
English 102: After climatizing her English 101 class, Bailey-Hofmann went on to climatize her English 102 class, a literature course.
- She replaced the previous required readings with climate-related fiction, or “cli-fi,” including a traditional Navajo chant, essays, poetry and novels.
- Some of the texts she assigned fall under the “solar punk” umbrella, a utopian genre that imagines the potential for a better world.

Best Practices for Syllabus Design

Be Clear and Concise: Use clear, straightforward language and avoid jargon.
Be Organized: Structure the syllabus logically and use headings and subheadings to improve readability.
Be Accessible: Ensure the syllabus is accessible to all students, including those with disabilities.
Be Engaging: Use a welcoming tone and consider incorporating visuals to make the syllabus more appealing.
Be Flexible: Be prepared to make adjustments to the syllabus as needed throughout the semester.
Seek Feedback: Ask colleagues or students to review the syllabus and provide feedback.

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