Crafting an Effective English Syllabus: A Comprehensive Guide

A syllabus serves as a roadmap for a course, outlining expectations, learning objectives, and assessment methods. For English courses, particularly those focusing on composition and rhetoric, a well-designed syllabus is crucial for setting students up for success. This article provides a comprehensive guide to creating an effective English syllabus, drawing upon best practices and incorporating key elements for a robust learning experience.

Introduction: Setting the Stage for Success

Welcome to the first-year composition (writing) course! This class is all about you practicing reading and writing for different contexts. You’ll learn strategies for analyzing different writing situations and then practice meeting (or purposely defying) expectations for those situations. You’ll thus study rhetoric (the art of communication) and practice writing across genres and for different purposes and audiences. You’ll also receive substantial feedback on your writing, provide extensive feedback on others’ writing, and get lots of practice revising and editing based on feedback received. As learning from each other will be a large part what we do, you are expected to be an active participant in the classroom community.

Core Components of an English Syllabus

Course Description and Objectives

The syllabus should begin with a clear and concise course description, outlining the main topics and skills that will be covered. It introduces students to the critical thinking, reading, writing, and rhetorical skills required in the college/university and beyond, including citation and documentation, writing as a process, audience awareness, and writing effective essays. Explicitly state the learning objectives, detailing what students should be able to do upon completion of the course. ENGL 1201 fulfills two Core Proficiencies: Critical Thinking and Reading/Writing.

Required Texts and Materials

Clearly list all required textbooks, readings, and materials. This is a “ZERO Textbook Cost” course. We will also read a collection of student writing (yours, your peers’, and others’). Word-processing software of your choice: Microsoft Office, Office365 (available for free to CCNY students), Google Docs, etc. Students must have access to a computer that can connect reliably to broadband internet, as well as the ability to navigate the school’s LMS (Learning Management System). For synchronous online courses, students must have web cameras, microphones, Zoom, and a reliable high-speed internet connection. Students must have at least basic proficiency in word processing applications (MS Word, Google Docs, etc.) and be able to submit files to an online system.

Suggested textbooks to include in the syllabus:

Lunsford, Andrea, et al, editors, Everyone’s an Author, with Readings.
Birkenstein, Cathy, and Gerald Graff, They Say/I Say.
Bullock, Richard, et al, editors The Little Seagull Handbook.

Everyone’s an Author should be the focus of class discussions and journal assignments. Have students read at least four of the text essays for each writing assignment. While the Reader may occasionally be supplemented with other materials, the text should be the major source for assigned readings. They Say, I Say should be used to teach students about the ways the sources can be used to develop, support, challenge, and extend ideas, as well as how to integrate them into students’ texts. Little Seagull Handbook should be used to supplement the reader to guide the students toward sound writing and to strengthen individual skills. Part I in the Handbook, “The Writing Process” should be studied along with prewriting skills in the first few weeks of the semester. From that point students should be instructed to use the Handbook as problems arise on an individual or group basis.

Course Schedule and Assignments

Provide a detailed course schedule outlining topics to be covered each week, along with due dates for all assignments. This includes specific details vs. final draft of paper 1, 2 and 3. List all major assignments, including essays, presentations, and projects, with a brief description of each. Four major writing assignments focus on developing mastery of a variety of rhetorical methods (narrative, description, definition, exemplification, comparison/contrast, evaluation, cause and effect, and argumentation).

Grading Policy

Clearly explain how student grades will be calculated, including the weight of each assignment. At least 60% of course grade is based on the three to five major essays you assign. It is important to specify your grading standards (including all percentages for grades-e.g. We will use a Grading Agreement for this course (see agreement doc for details). All major assignments must be successfully completed in order to pass this course.

Attendance and Participation

Outline the attendance policy, including any penalties for absences. The attendance policy should be adhered to in a consistent way by all instructors to be fair to our students. There is flexibility built in, but please be attentive to the details. Emphasize the importance of active participation in class discussions and activities. Everyone has different approaches to participation, so I welcome you to engage in class in a way that best fits you (by quietly but actively listening, writing in the chat, taking notes, asking questions, and/or offering comments). I care deeply about students being present and engaged in class, and I’ll do my best to make class meetings meaningful and useful. I ask that you come to class on time and prepared with all relevant readings or texts.

Late Submission Policy

State the policy for accepting late assignments, including any penalties. Much of your grade depends on you submitting smaller homework assignments, so do take these assignments seriously.

Academic Integrity

Clearly state the university's policy on academic integrity, including plagiarism. The English Department has a clearly articulated academic integrity policy that addresses plagiarism. And do make sure that it is posted in your Blackboard course. Please inform Dr. Aruna Sanyal, Director of First Year Writing, of any incidents of plagiarism. All writing submitted for this course is understood to be your original work. In cases where I detect academic dishonesty (the fraudulent submission of another’s work, in whole or part, as your own), you may be subject to a failing grade for the project or the course, and in the worst case, to academic probation or expulsion.

Classroom Etiquette

Outline expectations for classroom behavior, including the use of electronic devices. It’s essential that we are all courteous and considerate of each other at all times. As a group, we will represent diverse cultural, racial, linguistic, and gendered identities and abilities. We must all commit to honoring, respecting, and accounting for our differences. I ask that you please turn off all electronic devices that are not to be used during class time. We will sometimes rely on our cell phones, laptops, or university desktop computers (located in library computer labs). You are tasked with accessing and submitting documents online. In class requires vigilance. You must be aware at all times of what your students are doing. This means walking around the room, having students close laptops when they are not specifically in use, and giving students specific assignments and deadlines.

Students with Disabilities

Include a statement about accommodations for students with disabilities. It is the policy and practice of Seton Hall University to promote inclusive learning environments. If you have a documented disability you may be eligible for reasonable accommodations in compliance with University policy, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and/or the New Jersey Law against Discrimination. Please note, students are not permitted to negotiate accommodations directly with professors. To request accommodations or assistance, please self-identify with the Office for Disability Support Services (DSS), Duffy Hall, Room 67 at the beginning of the semester.

Writing Center

Provide information about the university's writing center and encourage students to utilize its services. The CCNY Writing Center provides a supportive learning environment where students can have one-on-one tutoring sessions with experienced writing consultants. The Writing Center is available for virtual meetings. Students can schedule an appointment. This is a free resource available to all students and recommended for all writing assigned in this and other classes. English 1201 students are required to attend the Writing Center at least once during the semester. This requirement may be adjusted after the professor reads the diagnostic or other early essays. Students should be told where the Writing Center is and how to make an appointment.

Key Strategies for ENGL 1201

The department syllabus is designed to help instructors put together their own syllabi for ENGL 1201, College English I. It includes specific guidelines for teaching the course, entrance requirements, a model course, and suggested assignments. We use Directed Self-Placement for all first year-students. This means that students who would normally be tested (i.e. with a verbal SAT under 550 or cumulative high school GPA less than 3.5) can place themselves into either ENGL 1201 or ENGL 1201-0160 (our basic skills course). Students complete a survey and write an essay in response to one of three readings. As part of this survey, the students tentatively place themselves into either of the two courses, according to guidelines provided on the survey itself. These responses and placements are then evaluated by the Director of Basic Skills, the Director of First-Year writing, or the Coordinator of Second-Language Writing. If the faculty member disagrees with a student’s placement, they contact the student and advise the student accordingly. In addition to strong ideas and organization, these papers should also demonstrate the students’ understanding of sound grammar, mechanics, and vocabulary. Prewriting and rewriting techniques are stressed as necessary to all papers; thus the importance of gathering information, organizing, clarifying, shaping, drafting, and revising is emphasized.

Diagnostic Essay

At the first class meeting, students must write an essay in class to be used for diagnostic purposes. A diagnostic question for you to use for this purpose will be distributed prior to the first class meeting. The instructor should comment at length on these essays and return them as soon as possible. This gives the instructor and the students an opportunity to assess strengths and weaknesses and plan accordingly.

In-Class Writing Assignment

Because students receive tutoring and other outside assistance, it is sometimes difficult to determine exactly how much progress they are making. Thus, each instructor is required to administer an in-class writing assignment at the mid-term in order to get a first-hand sample of students’ writing. This can also be used as a follow-up diagnostic to assess continuing needs and problem areas. The in-class essay should be scheduled into the syllabus from the outset.

Individual Conferences

All instructors in 1201 and 1202 are required to hold individual conferences with each student at the time the first formal writing assignment is returned; (this should be no later than the end of the fourth week of the semester in 1201).

Journals and Informal Writing

Journals (or other kinds of informal writing) are regarded as basic to any writing course. Require students to use them to record academic responses to the readings The journal should not be a personal diary but rather an extension of the course work. Some faculty use other forms of informal writing instead of the journal. The key thing is to make sure that your students have plenty of opportunity for informal and ungraded (in the formal sense) work.

Research Paper

At least ONE of the assignments for 1201 should involve research and be essentially a miniature term paper in preparation for the more extended research requirement of 1202. Overall, in the research paper, students are introduced to the basic elements and methods of research and the MLA style of documentation and formatting in ENGL 1201, which will prepare them for longer papers in ENGL 1202. This preparation should include, above all, critical analysis of texts and evidence the ability to link texts in a coherent and meaningful way. The English Department requires that students be taught the use of the MLA format for all papers. This includes such elements as the heading, title, margins, and pagination.

Final Exam and Self-Assessment

All instructors are required by the University to give a final exam. For 1201 this exam should include a self-assessment that should be graded as the final but also posted in the student’s content system to become part of his or her e-portfolio (and eventually accessible for assessment of our program). You will receive instructions on how to help students do the self-assessment and how to post it toward the end of each semester. You should also include a section on the final exam that tests students’ ability to cite and to use sources correctly, including quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing. If you decide to do the final exam as a take-home, you must still be present during the final exam period for your students to drop off their final and to allow for final conferencing.

Additional Elements

Prewriting and Rewriting Techniques: Prewriting and rewriting techniques are stressed as necessary to all papers; thus the importance of gathering information, organizing, clarifying, shaping, drafting, and revising is emphasized.
Patterns of Organization: Students will learn and may use as tools five patterns of organization throughout the semester in their formal essay assignments (Definition, Process Analysis, Cause and Effect, Division and Classification, Comparison and Contrast), thereby acquiring a variety of techniques for developing their ideas and arguments.
Assignment Sequencing: Instructors are encouraged to use “assignment sequencing” as they plan their writing assignments. This term refers, in general, to having a goal and working toward it, with a clearly planned series of assignments leading up to it.
Meta-writing: At the end of the semester, have students post their best essay and their self-assessment. Meta-writing is a technique whereby students analyze and write about their own writing in order to identify problems they are having during the composing process. It can be as directed or undirected as the instructor likes.
Peer Review: Peer review should be a part of every writing class. Students can exchange papers in class, working in pairs or small groups. They can also work at home, using Blackboard, and commenting on each other’s drafts. The entire class might be assigned a particular student’s essay for a group workshop. It is helpful to give students some guiding questions for peer review. It is also helpful to have them write (or type on Blackboard) their comments and to require that these comments be handed in.

Tailoring the Syllabus for Diverse Learners

I recognize that students come from different educational, linguistic, and racial backgrounds and that it takes several years, not a semester, to develop English academic language, especially if English is a student’s additional (and not first) language. As your instructor, I am committed to adopting approaches deemed most effective by the fields of Second Language Writing and Composition and Rhetoric: I will provide ongoing feedback on your writing to highlight potential areas to revise/develop (including language uses), and I will refrain from penalizing you for your language. NNES, when appropriately placed in your College English I class, will be able to succeed despite making a number of mistakes that native English speakers won’t usually make. But native speakers will often have the same challenges that NNES have when it comes to developing a thesis, finding appropriate sources for a research paper, or integrating quotations. They will need consistent work addressing errors in grammar or usage, but a focus on this should not overwhelm the other aspects of instruction.

Leveraging Technology

All 1201 courses have their own Blackboard courses. Faculty should make use of their Blackboard course for course information (where the syllabus should be placed), class discussion/assignments, announcements, and external links. Encourage your students to check their Blackboard course regularly.

Instructor Responsibilities and Support

I want to get to know you, and I care about supporting your learning. Do not hesitate to visit during office hours (or make an appointment). Please keep me informed about your work, your progress, and your problems, preferably BEFORE your grade is the central concern. In the First-Year Writing Program, we try to make sure students will have some kind of meaningful classroom experience even if as instructors we have to miss class due to illness, conference, or family emergency. We have set up a “buddy system” to help solve the problem. Adjunct, term-contract, and tenure-track instructors are observed at least once (twice for teaching graduate students) during the academic year by a full-time faculty member. Additional observations may be conducted on an as-needed basis. These observations are scheduled by the Assistant Chair, Director of First Year Writing or, for instructors of 1201-0160, the Director of Basic Skills. Instructors should submit two assignments, as well as a copy of an essay that they have commented on, to be included as part of the formal written evaluation. First year TAs and TFs are observed once each semester by the Director of First Year Writing; second year TAs and TFs must be observed by another full-time faculty member of their choice; they should notify the Director of First Year Writing of their preference for observer, and she can arrange the observation.

Poetry-in-the-Round

Seton Hall is fortunate to sponsor Poetry-in-the-Round, currently directed by Dr. Cara Blue Adams of the English Department. In the past, readings have been given by the late James Merrill, Geoffrey Hill, Thylias Moss, Joyce Carol Oates, Gwendolyn Brooks, Adrienne Rich, and many others. Students should be strongly encouraged to attend one of these readings since Poetry-in-the-Round offers cultural experiences that can enhance their studies. In 1201 students might be required to write an essay about their experience at a poetr…

Evaluations

There are two evaluations administered by First Year Writing courses. The first, which evaluates the course itself, will be available on-line toward the end of the semester. You will be sent instructions on how to administer this evaluation. You must set aside time in class for students to complete the evaluation so that we have high rates of return. The results will be available to you some time in the following semester. The second is the Writing Center evaluation for those students who availed themselves of this service; though all students are supposed to attend, only those who actually did should fill out this evaluation. This evaluation will also be available on-line.

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