week 5 assignment course syllabus

Welcome to ENG/210

• Post author By Jason Covert
• Post date January 19, 2022

English Composition II

Course overview.

This course extends practice in critical reading, writing, and thinking. Emphasis is given to developing an effective writing process that takes into account audience and rhetorical purpose.

“There is no direct route to learning to write. We should be giving students a range of experiences so they can build an array of tools and approaches to turn to for any given writing situation.”

– John Warner, Why They Can’t Write: Killing the Five-Paragraph Essay and Other Necessities

Life Resource Guide

Classroom Resource Center 

Student Resources Guide  

Academic Policies & Procedures  

Plagiarism: SafeAssign ®  Instructions  

Center for Writing Excellence  

Career Relevance

Each course outcome is aligned to an  In-Demand skill . The course outcome and skill are measured through specific assignments in the course that are typically labeled as Summative Assessments.

Course Learning Outcome

Analyze relevant characteristics of a target audience.

In-Demand Skill

Interpersonal Communications

Workplace Example

You might use your interpersonal communication skills to write a persuasive letter, such as a civic action letter, to persuade authorities to act on an issue you feel is important.

Construct a piece of writing appropriate for a career or discipline-specific situation.

Written Communication

You might use your written communication skills to write a brand story to promote a business or project. For example, if you work for a company launching a new product, you will need to engage and connect your audience to this new product through your written word.

Compose an original written work that employs appropriate rhetorical situation, genre, and organization.

Decision Making in Communication

You might use your decision making in communication skills to determine the best approach for creating a how-to guide to train others in their job functions. You can use your knowledge of target audiences and genre to create a clear, concise training guide with easy-to-replicate processes that will make it easier for a new employee to learn their job.

Course Tools

Hoeffner, L. (2022).  The writer’s mindset: A rhetorical guide to reading, writing, and arguing . McGraw-Hill Education. 

Course Tools:

This course includes a series of interactive videos designed to expand on the course topics. These videos were created by University of Phoenix and their interactive features are supported by the web-based tool PlayPosit®.

The textbook for this course is hosted in a system called BibliU. You can access the text via the links in Blackboard.

Warner, J. (2018).  Why they can’t write: Killing the five-paragraph essay and other necessities . Johns Hopkins University Press. 

Course Notes

University of phoenix mission, purpose, and learning goals.

Review the University of Phoenix Mission and Purpose , as well as the University of Phoenix Learning Goals . What learning goals do you feel will be most important to your academic and professional career?

Review the  University Library  resources available to support your completion of ENG/210. APA resources are provided in this course’s learning activities and there are opportunities throughout this course to engage your APA-formatting skills.

Overview of Interactive Videos in This Course

This course includes a series of interactive videos designed to expand on the course topics. An expert in critical thinking discusses specific concepts with you to help clarify their meaning, importance, and how they can be applied to your daily life. Completing each video activity is worth points; points are not based on the number of correct answers.

These videos were created by University of Phoenix and their interactive features are supported by the web-based tool PlayPosit®. Familiarize yourself with the basic functionality of the PlayPosit video player to ensure you’re comfortable with their use.

To access the videos:

• Click on the interactive video link in each week.
• Click Preview to launch the video and ensure that you earn credit for completion of the video and questions.

The video content can also be viewed without interactions at any time.

Summative Assessments

[assignments that evaluate completed segments of learned material]

There are summative assessments in Weeks 1, 2, and 5 that require you to apply the knowledge and skills you are learning in this course. 

Your faculty member will use a rubric to grade your assignment.  

The assignment instructions describe what you must  do  to complete the assignment. The rubric describes the  performance  levels.  

Ask your faculty member any questions you may have about the assignment instructions or the rubrics. 

• Review both the assignment instructions and the rubric at the beginning of the week so you can ask any questions in advance and understand what is expected in your finished assignment.
• Remember, Summative Assessments are worth a high percentage of points, so it’s important that you complete them.

Weekly Discussion

Discussion questions are designed as foundations for the weekly assignments. They are meant to either provide you with preparatory knowledge that relates directly to the week’s assignment or to direct your focus on the weekly topic.

Weekly Journal Entries 

You will be asked to write a weekly journal entry. These are to help you build your writing practice. To receive assignment credit, simply acknowledge that you completed it. 

• Try not to edit yourself as you are writing your journal. You can handwrite, type, or use whatever form is most comfortable to complete your journal entry.  
• You can write about any subject, including subjects that mean something to you. 
• Submitting your completed journal entry to your faculty member is optional and not required.

Faculty Member Feedback

Each week, you will be provided feedback from your instructor (faculty member) on your participation and assignments. The feedback is to help you understand areas of possible improvement and resources you can use to enhance your work. Carefully review your faculty’s feedback to apply it in future assignments.

Attendance and Participation Policy

One of the biggest factors to success is showing up and turning in your work. It is difficult to take advantage of opportunities if you aren’t present. Faculty cannot help you pass the class without assignments to grade. You will need to carve out time in your daily schedule for class discussions and for completing class activities and assignments We want you to have every chance for success in your education, so we strongly encourage you to read the Academic Policies & Procedures document, located in the Tools & Resources section, and Creating a Substantive Post to take an active role in your educational success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I take this course?

This course is designed to help you develop your writing skills. Although writing is an important part of your experience in class, there are many other reasons to engage in the writing process outside of the classroom. Some students write because it helps them express themselves. Others feel that they can put ideas on paper more effectively than they can express them verbally. Still others find writing a good way to relax. Whatever the reason you are writing; this course will help you develop the skills to do so more effectively.

There are “Interactive Videos” each week. Do I earn points for watching them?

Yes, you do. However, you must also answer the questions that are presented in the video to earn all the points for these assignments. Keep in mind, there is a question at the end of each video that you must answer in order for your points to be sent to the Blackboard gradebook.

Wait, I missed the last question in the “Interactive Video” can I go back and watch it again if I want to earn more points?

Yes, but you will need to notify your faculty member as your points will not automatically be sent to the Blackboard gradebook after your first attempt.

It looks like we have to write journal entries every week, do I need to turn those entries in?

Not really, journal writing is a low-pressure way to practice getting ideas from your head to the paper and does not need to be evaluated to be beneficial. Giving you the option of keeping your journal entries private means that you are free to explore and write about any meaningful topic that you choose, including ones that you don’t want your instructor to read. To earn credit for the weekly assignment, click the yes option when you open the assignment. If you would like to share your entry, add it to the textbox included in the assignment area.

Although you are not required to, you can share your journal submission each week with your instructor and request more detailed feedback. Who knows, you might just start a journal writing habit that continues beyond this class, a habit that has been proven to not only help with writing skills, but with anxiety, stress, and critical thinking as well.

Do some of the assignments have two parts?

Yes, many of the assignments in ENG/210 include a reflection requirement. To earn full credit for these assignments, make sure to complete both parts. Generally speaking, be sure to read all assignment directions carefully and scroll down to the bottom of each worksheet to confirm that you have completed the entire assignment.

There’s a Summative Assessment in Week 1 that uses a chart. What do I write in the chart?

Use the chart to record your observations about the pictures of the phones presented in the assignment. Remember that your observations will be what you see on the phone without interpretation or explanation. You will also write down the conclusions you make about the phone owner from your observations.

Do I have to write a formal essay in Week 3?

No, the Week 3 assignment is an informal exercise. You just need to take a position, support it, and wrap up your thoughts on your main points. You can select the format that works best for you. While a simple five-paragraph essay structure will work perfectly for this assignment, you are welcome to create something more informal.

The Week 4 assignment looks like I need to submit a video. In that correct?

You are not required to film your assignment. Filming your submission is optional. You can submit a written reaction or review. The week four assignment is another informal exercise to help you stretch your creative writing muscles. Your submission will be unique to you.

It looks like I can pick a genre to write in for the Week 5 Summative Assessment. That sounds like it could be fun. What topic can I use?

Please select one of the genres listed in the assignment directions. As for the topic, anything you can dream up is fine. It is helpful to narrow your focus first. While you are welcome to select your genre first, students often select a topic and then choose the genre that is most likely to help them reach their audience.

I turned in my assignment, why is the gradebook in Blackboard red?

No worries, all assignments will turn red after the week is completed whether they have been submitted or not.

Where do I see my grades and feedback?

You can view your points and feedback by going to the “Gradebook” link at the top screen in Blackboard. The graded assignments will show as “Graded”. For most assignments (besides the myBook activities which are auto graded), you should see a purple comment bubble which is where you can read the feedback from your faculty member.

Can I complete my work on a tablet or my phone?

You can access Blackboard on your tablet and phone. However, it is best to complete your work using your desktop or laptop computer, especially the Summative Assessments.

• Tags Archive , Course Guide , ENG/210 , v1

How to Write a Syllabus

July 24, 2016

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A well-designed syllabus is an essential tool for effectively managing a course. It gives students a clear understanding of your expectations and a road map for how the course will be conducted. When done right, a syllabus can prevent a lot of misunderstandings as the semester progresses.

As a middle school teacher, I put together a simple syllabus to communicate my plans and expectations to students and their parents. When I followed those years up with four years of college teaching, I had to take things to a new level: “The syllabus is seen as a legal agreement between you and your students,” my department head told me. It is a kind of contract. A promise. In other words, if a student ever wanted to contest their grade in my course, everyone involved in making the decision would refer to my syllabus to see whether I had kept up my end of the bargain. Whatever I wrote there needed to be something I could still stand behind months later.

With that in mind, it’s worth it to put some time and effort into your syllabus well before you ever meet your students, and to make it as thorough and detailed as possible.

In this post, I will share what I include in my own syllabi. I refined my own model over time, pulling from various sources and modifying things through trial and error every semester. It’s certainly not the only way to write a syllabus, but what I can say with certainty is that I had very few issues every semester in terms of students not understanding what was expected of them. No debates over how I calculated grades. No misunderstandings about when assignments were due. And even those few times, I was able to point those students to the syllabus, which they just didn’t happen to read very carefully. So if you’re looking for a syllabus writing model, this one will get the job done.

By the way, if you’re not too handy with page layout and would like a ready-made syllabus template , scroll to the bottom of this post.

Before Giving Your Syllabus to Students

It is essential that you get your syllabus approved by your administration prior to giving it to students, especially if this is your first time teaching in your current school. Doing this will ensure that your syllabus includes everything your institution requires, that it is in line with school policy, and that your administrator is aware of how you plan to handle certain situations.

At least a week before you share it with students, send your administrator a copy for his or her approval. Do this electronically so you have a record of the transaction. If you don’t hear back before it’s time to give it to students, send a follow-up email to get the approval. Although this all may sound like a bit much, and at the beginning of a school term, it may be hard to imagine any kind of trouble, there may come a time when a student issues a complaint about you; if your actions are in line with your syllabus, and you have it on record that your administrator has approved that syllabus, you can save yourself a lot of problems.

What to Include in a Syllabus

This list is for college, high school, or middle school syllabi. Items specific to college, but not necessarily applicable at the K-12 levels, are marked with an asterisk.

Your Details: Name, email, phone number, office hours*

Course Details: Course name, course number*, days and times the course meets, credit hours*

Course Description: A brief overview of what the course will cover for the term or year

Prerequisites/Corequisites: Any courses or other requirements that must be completed before taking this course. Corequisites are courses that must be taken at the same time as your course.

Objectives:  Describe what the student should understand or be able to do as a result of taking your course.

Required Texts and Resources: List all required textbooks, other books, online resources and subscriptions, or other materials students must have to take the course.

Attendance Policy: Be very specific about what constitutes an excused absence, what constitutes a “tardy” (be sure to consider early departures as well…I had some students who regularly had to leave class early), and how these will impact student grades, if applicable. Make sure your policy is in line with your school’s policy.

Communication Protocols:  Specify how often and through what channels students should be accessing course information, looking for updates and announcements, and contacting you. Because we have so many different means of communicating (online bulletin and discussion boards, social media, email and texting), it’s important to tell students exactly which channels they should be on for your course and how often you expect them to check those channels. For example, if you plan to post new information on a learning management system every Sunday night, tell students they should be checking the platform every Sunday night.

Electronic Device Policy:  Explain your policy on the use of cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices in class, including any information about whether exceptions are made for students with accommodations.

Food & Drink Policy:  Are food and drinks permitted in class? Explain your policy here.

Accommodations Statement: If you are teaching at the college level, find out what you are required to include on your syllabus about accommodating individuals with disabilities.

Course Requirements/Assignment List: Describe how students will be graded in the course. What assignments will you give? Will there be tests and quizzes? If each one is worth a certain number of points, specify that here. I found that rather than try to weigh assignments or make them a certain percentage of the grade, it was simplest to just assign points to every assignment, including tests, then calculate student grades as a percentage of the total points possible.

Academic Policies and Procedures: Explain how assignments should be submitted, along with your policy on late work, resubmissions, and plagiarism/academic integrity.

Course Calendar:  This probably requires the most work up front from you, but if you put the time in now to mapping out daily or weekly activities and due dates, you’ll be more likely to stay on track this term. If you aren’t sure about some activities, it’s okay to put TBA in those spaces; just having the spaces set up will help you and your students plan for the semester. It’s also a smart idea to include some kind of “subject to change” language about specific due dates and activities; this will give you some flexibility to adjust the schedule as needed.

This sample shows daily activities for a college course; if you are creating a calendar for middle or high school, it might make more sense to map your plans by the week instead of by the day.

How to Make Sure Students Read Your Syllabus

Simply handing the syllabus to students is no guarantee that they will read it. And delivering it electronically probably means even fewer eyes will actually make it to the last page. Students really should read your whole syllabus, so how can you make sure this happens?

Give them time: In my college classes, I would set aside about 5 minutes of the first class to allow students to read my syllabus. Just providing this time in class, rather than sending it home to be read, can significantly boost the number of students who actually read the thing. I asked students to read it with a highlighter and a pen, and to note any questions they had, which I would answer after the silent period was done. I would then give a brief lecture on the syllabus, covering some of the main points and explaining things that might be confusing to students.

Quiz them:  Some instructors create a brief quiz over the syllabus, to make sure students read it carefully. I never did this, but not because I was opposed to it. I just preferred the next option.

Play a Game: Once students have read the syllabus, you could do some sort of game or activity to “test” their knowledge, like Crumple & Shoot or a scavenger hunt. Another option would be to have students teach sections of the syllabus to each other in a Jigsaw activity.

Get Signatures: It’s a good idea to have students (or their parents, if you’re teaching in a K-12 setting) sign a paper attesting that they have read and understood the syllabus. Although this doesn’t guarantee that they read the syllabus, it may provide you with some legal protection should a student or parent appeal something later on.

Course Syllabus Template

If you want to get your syllabus done quickly, my Syllabus Template will help you knock it out in no time. It includes an editable Microsoft Word template using the same style shown in the above screenshots, my own 6-page sample syllabus that can help you envision and craft your finished product, and a Syllabus Acceptance Form you can use to collect student signatures acknowledging receipt.

What to Read Next

Categories: Classroom Management

Tags: college teaching , first-year teachers , Grades 6-8 , Grades 9-12 , organization

33 Comments

Some great tips/ideas here! Another great way to ensure students understand the most important parts of your syllabus is to create an infographic of it. I always review my syllabus using the infographic (as opposed to going directly from the syllabus) after the 5 minute silent period during which students review the syllabus on their own in class. Because the infographic is colorful/creative and because I am zooming in and out on my iPad, it is more likely to keep students’ attention and really stick with my visual learners and struggling readers.

That’s a great idea, Izabella! Any suggestions for free/ low cost infographic programs, anyone?

I use Venngage to make infographics. The free version has plenty to work with. Good luck!

piktochart.com has some wonderful templates

I use Canva. It has both free and pay features, but the free features are more than enough.

I am 97% sure that if you send Canva an email requesting the full version, telling them that you are a teacher and using your school email address they will upgrade you for FREE!!!

I’ve designed a graphic syllabus in the past right through Google Draw. You can download it as a pdf for students and parents.

I wanna know more about how to make my own syllabus. I never tried since I started to teach online. This time one of the students asked me if I have a syllabus to show and I don’t have any.

I’m not sure how Kristin creates her syllabi in Google Draw, but this post lays out some detailed steps for how you can create your own. At the bottom of the post there’s also a link to a Syllabus Template that can help you get started.

I’m working on my infographic syllabus as we speak (type)! I wanted to do something different than the typical 4 page white paper teachers normally hand out on the first day of school. Izabella, do you have a favorite infographic app or site? I’ve used Canva and am also trying Piktochart and Vengage. It’s a little slow going but I’m happy to try this!

Hello. What program do you use to make an infographic of your syllabus?

Hi Jennifer- Great information! Thanks for sharing! Can you explain the reading guides that you have students create? Thanks!

Hello Jennifer, I appreciate your attention to organizational communication. In a support role I previously held, we always emphasized the importance of the syllabus being the foundation of a school year. Thank you very much ~ Bernadette

Your syllabus is a great refernce throughout the year, It has all components

Jennifer –

Maybe my son is unique, but I don’t think so. During 5th and 6th grade he transitioned from a weekly/daily take home package that we helped him with, to the expectation that he would write down daily assignments for each subject, and be otherwise organized in a way that allowed us to help him effectively.

Well he didn’t have the skills and we were caught unaware. After two years he’s getting better, but there’s still more to do. While my wife and I will be focusing this year on his organizational skills and creating our own weekly summary of what he does in each class, I continue to beg my child’s teachers, principal and school district officials to institute a syllabus requirement and process, so students and parents can have a fighting chance to align with teacher goals daily, weekly and monthly

I’m glad to see you bring attention to the SYLLABUS. Most college students rely on it to organize and prioritize their efforts. If it is so useful to mature college students, I have to believe it is critical to far less mature and organized middle/high school kids, and the parent who struggle to help them.

Everything you mention make sense, but by far the most valuable section you mention for us, would be the COURSE CALENDAR. While I recognize this takes the most effort, I would argue there’s no better way (aside from weekly meetings) to have parents and students align with teacher expectations. The best syllabus communicates, in advance, what will be done each week/month in class. This allows not only students and parents to be organized and keep up, but even plan ahead.

Since middle school content is often driven by district/common core requirements why not have the district (not the teachers) generate a generic syllabus for each school year and subject, that teachers can tailor. Why not make it an online syllabus that is both impossible to lose and that can be easily updated?

I don’t want to burden teachers, but as an experienced project engineer the best way to meet project, or school year goals, is to constantly have the plan in front of your team: students, parents and support staff. If you expect success without a plan, and if you don’t expect the plan to change and evolve, you have been around very long. Let’s burden not our teachers, but their districts to generate (online) syllabus templates, teachers can post as is, tailor or update as needed.

How awesome would it be, and how much better would it be than looking at report cards or even online portals that report test and HW scores (after the fact), for students and parents to have a syllabus that lays out, in advance a detailed plan for what happens during the week, month or year. It doesn’t even have to be perfect. Anything is better than nothing. Every update would be golden and so appreciated.

I’m not a teacher, principal or school district official, but if I were, a detailed syllabus (process) would be high on my priority list for getting my entire team: student, parents, teachers, support staff aligned every day, every week, every month on classroom goals.

As a parent struggling to remain aligned with teacher goals, without weekly emails, I’d love to hear feedback …

Great thoughts sir.

One of my son’s teachers this year is using Google Classroom extensively. While not quite the SYLLABUS I’d like to see, this is a great step in the right direction.

It shows future assignments in detail, and allows a parent to subscribe to updates. It links “calendar” format. If this Calendar could be formatted and maintained in a chronological list format, showing past and future assignments, it would begin to replicate the concise and traditional SYLLABUS format that would be most helpful.

Our school districts “parent portal” continues to focus on past performance. When we can merge future assignments with past grades into a concise electronic syllabus format then we will have a powerful tool for student, teachers and parent to be aware, aligned and focused on future success.

In my experience teaching high school and English 101 at the local community college, teachers need to take time in class reviewing the syllabus. Many high school students won’t take time to read it at home. To make review of it more interesting I ask my students to work cooperatively to “chunk” the syllabus and make posters displaying the most important information. This activity has worked really well over the past few years!

I love this. I actually already do all of this, including the calendar, which I refer to as activities & assignments section. But your design is much cleaner than mine. I think I may take e to use your template! But I’ll have to stick a quote or meme or two in. ????

Love the detailed work.

Thank you for your thread, it definitely facilitated the process of developing a class syllabus for the upcoming school year.

This is excellent! I will be teaching my first college level course this fall and your blog really helped me write my syllabus. I loved many things I found (and purchased) from your TPT store! Thanks so much!

Rather than games, have them rely kn the syllabus. Directing them to the calendar to write content tested where it lists testing dates, highlighting content as it is covered, answer homework questions that return them to the syllabus content, etc.

Hi I really admire your work and your generosity your wisdom is very useful for teachers, new and old I would love the teachers of my school to learn from you Can I translate this article to share ir with them?

Thanks for the feedback! I’ll be sure to share this with Jenn. Yes, you have permission to translate the article, as long as proper attribution is given to the author of the original post and you provide a link so people can read the original in English. Thanks so much for checking with us on it!

Make sure that your syllabus is fully accessible to screen readers. This is both a legal and a moral obligation.

I have taught elementary, middle, high school, and college. While college rightly requires a syllabus, I tend to ponder the need for a syllabus at the middle and high school level. I think it is wise to communicate policies and perhaps assignment types in a syllabus-like document, having a rigid schedule is questionable. I do that for the college courses I teach because at the college level, students are expected to do most of their learning outside of class — studying for two hours per week for every credit hour they are taking. At the middle and high school level, we must adjust our teaching to whether or not students are learning. We cannot say, “Well, the syllabus says we are supposed to move on today so it is okay that you don’t get what we were supposed to learn last week.” For this reason, I would urge a bit of vagueness in the schedule. My other thought is that understanding a schedule, due dates, how to schedule one’s study times, etc., are soft skills that do not seem to be explicitly taught at any level. Another person commented on working with his son on this. His son is not in the minority on this! We need to be much more explicit on how we teach students those skills.

Love the idea of a graphic syllabus – does anyone want to share theirs as examples.

My biggest struggle in creating the syllabus is adding weekly assignments . I find that my roadmap is clear but that the week by week journey varies as I try to be responsive to each students interest and needs and to the energy and opportunities that each unique cadre brings. Any suggestions welcomed as I continue to consider this section of the syllabi I revise.

About to do my project on creating a syllabus and I think this has helped me much. Thank you.

I have never created a syllabus and from perusing and reading, I think this will be very helpful. Thank you

I have never created a syllabus, I guess this is the perfect time to start, the examples shown are really good to start my own and hopefully i get a good grade.

The websites/resources listed are great! Thanks for sharing.

So glad you found the resources helpful, Patricia!

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Designing your Syllabus: Backward Design

When you design a syllabus for any course, you begin with the outcomes that you intend for your students to achieve, and you work backwards from these to particular readings and writing assignments. This method, formalized, is called the method of backward design. Backward design is a useful method for any professor in that it ensures that all assignments, readings, and activities will connect students with the outcomes that the professor deems essential to the course.

At the first stage of backward design, writing instructors should consider two issues: what they want their students to know/experience in their courses, and what they want them to be able to do, in these courses and afterwards.  Put another way, instructors need to think both about their focusing questions and their course outcomes. 

You'll note that the first issue—what instructors want their students to know/experience—distinguishes between knowledge and experience. Indeed, this distinction is significant in a writing class, where course content (while important) does not drive the course. The best writing classes consider the students' experiential learning in their course design. To accomplish the aims of experiential learning, it's important to come up with a course question that can bring together the many smaller questions of the course and that can engage students intellectually and experientially. For instance: What is happiness? What are the roots of violence? What is the nature of the self? Technology: friend or foe? 

These are the kinds of questions that can focus course readings and class discussions. They are also the kinds of questions that students can engage with outside of the context of the writing classroom. Finally, they are the kinds of questions around which professors can build a course that is intellectually coherent. 

Even more important the the course questions, however, are the course outcomes — in other words, what students should be able to do when the course comes to an end.  In the first-year writing classes, an instructor's set of outcomes will be informed by the course outcomes (see the outcomes for Writing 2-3 , Writing 5 , or the First-Year Seminar ) . Take some time to review these outcomes, and to consider how every assignment and classroom activity might work to help students achieve them. 

Designing Your Assignment

As you design your assignments, you'll want first to determine the outcomes that each assignment will work to accomplish. If your aim is to ensure, for instance, that students learn how to shape good academic questions, you might ask them to compose, share, and then revise their questions.  If you want them to develop their research capabilities, have them take these questions to the library databases in order to look for appropriate sources.  If you want to ensure that students learn how to work with sources, ask them to compose a summary and synthesis document, in which they nutshell their sources and show how these sources are in conversation with one another.  Finally, if you want to ensure that they learn how to compose and revise, assign drafts and give them feedback.  Have their peers offer feedback as well.  Whatever you decide to assign, use the outcomes to guide you. 

Second, you'll want to scaffold your assignments, so that students can build on their capabilities.  You'll see in the examples cited in the paragraph above that each assignment builds on the one before.  Students work on one step in the process and get feedback on it (from the instructor or their peers) before moving on to the next challenge.  By scaffolding, instructors can be sure that students know how to successfully complete the final assignment.  Students can also track the evolution and transfer of their skills. 

Third, writing instructors frequently comment that Dartmouth's ten-week term is very short.  Assignments must therefore be designed to achieve multiple outcomes. Consider the first step of the assignment sequence outlined above: "Ask students to compose, share, and then revise their questions."  Several outcomes are achieved here:  students are composing, they are collaborating, and they are revising.  If you design your assignments to achieve multiple outcomes, you'll be surprised at how much your students can accomplish.  

Whatever assignments you design, do understand that simply making an assignment does not ensure that students will acquire the desired skills. For an assignment to succeed it should be transparent and progressive—that is, your students should understand your goals for the assignment, and they should be able to chart their own development in relation to these goals. The better students understand your assignments and your vision for your course, the better they'll be able to meet the course aims.

Spacing Your Assignments

When designing your syllabus, you will want to consider carefully the spacing of your writing assignments. It's important that students are given enough time to write and to revise their papers. Professors who use a writing assistant will also want to be sure that they provide the writing assistant enough time to read and respond to students' papers.

Here are some things to consider:

• Give students time to move through the writing process. If you are teaching a first-year course whose purpose is to make students able writers, you will have to give them time to move through the various inventions, composing, and revision processes. One way of making room for these various steps in the writing process is by assigning a paper in three parts: the pre-draft (which could consist of crafting questions, writing a discovery draft, creating an outline, and so on), the first draft, and the revised final draft.
• Give students time to revise. If we want our students to revise their papers substantively, we must give them adequate time. This means that we need to get their papers back on time, particularly the first drafts. Consider whether you'll need two days, four days, or a full week to return an assignment. Also consider whether or not you expect the student to see a writing assistant or to meet with you between drafts.
• Try not to make a reading assignment on the day a major paper is due. Let your students focus their attention fully on their writing. Schedule writing workshops the day that a paper is due instead.
• Long assignments (particularly those that involve research) work better if you break them up into smaller assignments. Ask students to bring in an annotated bibliography, a working thesis, an outline, etc. Scheduling these shorter assignments ensures that students remain engaged in the writing process. It also prevents them from writing the paper at the last minute.
• Consider what's best for you. Many students and instructors like Monday due dates: students get the weekend to work on their papers, and professors keep their weekends free. Other instructors prefer for papers to come in on Thursday or Friday, so that they can use the weekends to respond.  Think of your own rhythms as you plan.

Crafting Your Assignments

Professors often wonder, when creating writing assignments, how detailed the assignments should be. Some professors don't use prompts, requiring students to come up with the topics and questions themselves. Others create detailed writing assignments, arguing that this allows students to save energy for writing their papers (as opposed to generating topics and questions). Still others craft writing prompts that offer students ideas for writing but that leave plenty of room for students to come up with ideas of their own. We'll consider the options of prompting and not prompting here.

The Open Writing Assignment

Professors who don't use writing prompts believe that an important part of scholarship is learning to raise questions that will yield a good academic argument. Instead of creating a writing prompt, these professors craft an assignment process that supports students as they work through the various challenges of scholarly inquiry. In a sense, these professors are asking students to craft their own prompts, and to write the paper that will answer the questions that they outline there. The obvious pedagogical advantage of the open assignment is that it allows students to learn to develop topics on their own. In the open assignment, students are not only permitted to pursue intellectual questions that are of interest to them, they also gain some experience in framing a topic that is neither too narrow nor too broad.

If you elect not to use prompts, you should intend to devote class and conference time to assisting students in this process. For instance, you might ask students to come up with three good academic questions about the course's reading materials. Students can post these questions on the Canvas discussion board. You can then workshop these questions, using class time to talk about which questions will (or won't) yield a good academic argument, and why. You should also comment thoroughly on the questions submitted, raising further questions for the student to consider. You might also invite students to comment on one another's questions on the Canvas site. Students can then revise their questions and resubmit them for another round of feedback before they write.

Some professors find it useful to offer students models of good academic questions. Other professors give explicit instruction regarding what the paper shouldn't do and leave it to the students to determine what they want to do within these parameters. All professors ask students to submit their prompts in advance of drafting so that they can determine, before the students proceed too far, whether or not these topics are appropriate and promising.

Whatever you decide, do note that a prompt-less writing assignment needs a good infrastructure in order to succeed. Indeed, Karen Gocsik's research assignment for Writing 2-3 has twelve steps, indicating the many moments of support and feedback that first-year students require as they work through the process of writing a research paper Your assignment need not have twelve steps to be effective; it may have four steps, for instance, or five. Craft your assignment steps according to the aims of your assignment.

Crafting a Good Prompt

Writing a good prompt for a writing assignment is a difficult task. Too often, professors write prompts for writing assignments knowing exactly what sorts of essays they want their students to produce, only to get papers that miss the mark. How can you produce writing assignments that clearly convey the tasks and questions you want your students to undertake?

Before writing your prompts, you will want to consider a few matters.

• Consider what you want the assignment to require the students to do, in relation to the course outcomes.  What outcomes are most important at this point in your course? How can the assignment move students closer to achieving these outcomes?  
• Consider what you want the assignment to do, in terms of the larger questions of your course. What questions, in particular, do you want your students to consider? Are these questions related closely or peripherally to topics you've been discussing in class? 
• Consider what kinds of thinking you want students to do. Do you want your students to define, illustrate, compare, analyze, or evaluate? You will want to come up with prompts that clearly direct students as to the kind of thinking they will have to do.
• Consider your students' writing processes. Are you focusing on teaching students to place their arguments within a larger conversation or context? If so, your prompt should address the importance of context and suggest things that you want students to consider as they write. Are you hoping to get your students to understand the mechanics of the paragraph? Your prompt might ask students to write paragraphs that summarize, then analyze, then synthesize, so that they can see how different tasks require different paragraph development.
• If the paper involves research, consider outlining your research requirements in a way that educates students about the research process. You may want to require students to use a variety of sources, or to use certain sources that you've either put on reserve or listed in the course syllabus. Understand that students may need help with finding sources, evaluating them, and incorporating them successfully into their arguments. Craft your prompt accordingly.

Once you've determined the outcomes for your writing assignment, you're ready to craft the prompt. Here are some things to consider:

• Break the assignment down into specific tasks. If, for example, you want students to compare the effectiveness of two political movements, you might first ask students to define the goals of each movement; then to consider the history of each movement; then to discuss how the history of the movement affected the creation of its goals; and finally, to consider how history influenced the movement's ultimate success (or failure).
• Break the assignment down into specific questions. For example, if you want students to discuss the formal elements of a particular painting, you might, as Art Historian Joy Kenseth does, ask the students: What is the focus of the painting? How does the artist treat such things as light and shadow, line, space, and composition? How does this treatment communicate the painting's ideas? If you don't want students to answer all of the questions you put to them, but want them simply to consider these questions before writing their responses, make that clear.
• Provide context. A writing prompt that asks students to discuss whether or not the films of Leni Riefenstahl are propagandistic does not point students to the interesting controversy surrounding Riefenstahl's work. Nor does it indicate whether they should limit themselves to discussing the formal elements of Riefenstahl's films, or whether they should include biographical detail. The more contextual information you give your students, the more precise their responses will be.
• Craft each sentence carefully. You will want to be sure that there is no room for misunderstanding the assignment. If you ask students to analyze how a myth informed paintings and sculptors during the first century of the Renaissance, do you want students to examine the works themselves or the artists that produced them? Sometimes a slip in word choice or the careless placement of a modifier can leave students confused as to what, precisely, you are asking them to do.
• Be clear about what you don't want. If you don't want students to discuss Virginia Woolf's personal experiences as they relate to A Room of One's Own , then be sure to instruct them not to include biographical references. In addition, explaining why such information should be excluded will help students to understand better the questions and the desired response.
• Be clear about the paper requirements. Have you indicated the paper's due date? How many pages you require? How many sources you require? What special criteria (if any) you will use when grading this paper? If your requirements are rigid, say so. If you're flexible, let the students know. This may be the aspect of the prompt that students are most anxious about, so offer as much detail as you think is necessary.
• Try to write (or at least to outline) the assignment yourself. If you have trouble outlining a paper based on this prompt, your students will, too. You will want to think about ways of revising the assignment to make it clearer and more manageable.
• Discuss the assignment with the class. When you distribute the assignment to the class, take time to go over it. Ask for their questions. Make notes as to where their understanding of the assignment differs from yours so that you can improve the prompt the next time you use it.

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Teaching Resources

Constructing a Syllabus: A Checklist

Resource overview.

What is the purpose of a syllabus? What is included in it?

What’s the Purpose of a Syllabus?

Many students will recognize the syllabus as a reference guide for a particular course. It provides them with a compendium of information that they will consult throughout the course, including: logistical information, prerequisites, the instructor’s contact information, course policies, due dates and requirements, a list of resources, and grading criteria. It outlines clearly what a student must do to be successful in the course.

The most effective syllabi not only act as a reference guide for students, but also function as an invitation to learning (Bain,  What The Best College Teachers Do,  2004, p. 75). They set the tone for the course as they communicate with students about what they can expect from you, why they should take a course, and what they’ll have the opportunity to learn and learn to do while engaging in it. In this way, the syllabus acts as a “promise” as much as it is a contract.

The syllabus checklist below outlines the important sections of effective, learner-centered syllabi. If you are new to syllabus design or looking for suggestions on how to revise your syllabus, you may wish to consider using our  syllabus template . This template includes elements of effective syllabi, as well as recommended language related to University policies and resources for students. Content should be customized to fit the course, but instructors are welcome to copy any language from this document that they find suitable (this is particularly recommended for the “Resources for Students”  and the “University-Wide Policies” section). Note that this template was adapted based on suggestions developed by the Inclusive Teaching and Learning Fellows (2017), and also includes updated Fall 2023 information from the provost and campus partners.

Download the Syllabus Template as a Word Document

General Course Information and Course Title

Department, Course Number, and Section(s) Class Meeting Time(s) and Location(s) Semester Other Considerations:

• Consider adding a description of your mode(s) of instruction: In-person, online, hyflex, hybrid, etc.

Course Description and Course Goals

• Provide a course description consistent with that which appears in the course listings as well as any prerequisites for taking the course.
• You may also provide more detailed information about the course that will help students feel “invited” into the learning experience. You might answer the following questions: How will taking the course prepare students for future learning and/or professional work? How will the learning they will engage in during this course connect to their lives outside of the course? How will the course prepare students to be an engaged citizens of the world and their local communities?
• Consider listing 4-6 student-centered course goals or learning objectives. Objectives generally answer the question: What should your students learn or be able to do as a result of participating successfully in your course? Identify modes of thinking and transferrable skills when possible. The best constructed goals are specific, measurable, and attainable.

Texts, Materials, and Supplies

• List required and non-required texts including: title, author, ISBN #, edition, and where each text can be purchased, borrowed from, or found (e.g. Canvas course page).
• List all required materials or equipment (e.g. lab notebooks, specific calculators, safety equipment, supplies) and where to find these items.
• Include information about any required field trips or class events that have an additional cost or that will occur outside of regular class time.
• Note how students should plan to access any digital course content.
• Consider a statement indicating free or reduced-cost options that exist for obtaining course materials. Further, encourage students to speak with you if they experience logistical challenges in obtaining materials or participating in required experiences such as field trips or off-campus meetings.
• Provide a statement of your grading approach or philosophy that explains why you grade the way you do and offers some detail about how you will assess student work.
• Provide a grading scale (e.g. 90-100 A) and a breakdown of how much each individual assignment or group of assignments is worth in terms of the overall grade. Make it clear to students if you are using a points system or percentages. Example:

Grades for this course will be determined through a number of assignments. I recognize that different kinds of assignments feed into the strengths of different students, and I work to provide a range of opportunities for you to show what you’ve learned.

Final Grade Breakdown: Exam 1 __% of final grade or # of points Exam 2 __% of final grade or # of points Homework __% of final grade or # of points Participation __% of final grade or # of points Final Paper __% of final grade or # of points

• Indicate your policy on late work, missed exams, and regrading. Regrading is especially important to clarify if you have AIs or TAs that will be grading in the course.
• Provide a statement on academic integrity. This might include pertinent definitions (e.g. plagiarism), information about when collaboration is authorized, information about what appropriate collaboration looks like for various activities or assignments, and expectations for where and when content from the course is to be shared or not shared. Also consider including information about the consequences for an academic integrity infraction and links to further information about school academic integrity policies.

Assignments and Homework

• Describe each graded component in enough detail that students reading will have a general understanding of the amount of and type of work required. Include information about the assignment’s purpose. Example:

Exams: There are three in-class exams that will allow you to demonstrate your learning on each of the three course units. Exam format will be short answer and essay questions and they will cover material from each respective unit. In addition, the Unit 3 exam will contain a cumulative essay portion. I will provide you with a study guide before each exam, but students who do well do not wait until getting the guide to begin studying.

• Describe what students will be required to do to prepare for class and/or complete weekly homework. Include information here about “best practices” for maximizing their learning (e.g. attending study sessions, taking good notes).
• Clearly communicate your policies on the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) with students through the course syllabus and to reiterate the policies, where relevant, within individual assignment guidelines. It is also advisable to explain to students why you are implementing those policies so that they can better understand how the use or avoidance of GenAI will advance their learning. See the CTL’s Language for Course Policies on Artificial Intelligence (AI) resource for examples.

Attendance, Participation, and Classroom Climate

• Describe your attendance policy. Particular attention should be paid to describing how illness/quarantine will be handled.
• Describe the function of classroom participation within the context of your course as well as your expectations for how students should participate. Explain whether participation is required and how it will be assessed. Example:

Discussion and participation are a major emphasis in this course. This means that it is your responsibility to come to class ready and willing to take part in group knowledge building. Your in-class participation grade for this class will be primarily based upon the small group work and activities that we do in class. This grade will also reflect your level of investment in classroom discussion and how often you bring required materials to class. I will provide you with a provisional participation grade at three checkpoints during the semester.

• Consider describing what students should do if they or their loved ones get sick and they are unable to fully participate in the class.
• Explain your policy for students using technology in the classroom.
• Consider including ground rules for appropriate classroom interactions, as well as a clear statement of expectations that classroom interactions will remain civil, respectful, and supportive. You may wish to draw language from the Standing Committee on Facilitating Inclusive Classrooms’ Inclusive Learning Environment Statement .
• Encourage students to speak with you, the department chair, or their advisors about any concerns they have about classroom dynamics and/or classroom climate.

Other Sections You Might Consider Including

• If applicable: Ground Rules for Online Discussion & Zoom/Canvas Netiquette: What rules will you establish for appropriate participation in Zoom discussion? What elements of netiquette should students follow in live or face to face settings?
• Technical Requirements and Support Available: What kinds of technology and technology access will students need to participate successfully in your course? What additional EdTech tools will they need to learn? Where should the students go for tech support?
• Course Website/Canvas Usage Description: How will students use your course website or Canvas course shell? What will students do on your website or in your Canvas course? Where should they expect to find readings, assignment descriptions, discussion threads, grades, etc.
• For Remote Students: Description of Successful Online Learners: What are the characteristics of successful remote learners? What steps can students take to ensure that they make the most out of their courses if they are participating remotely?

University-Wide Guidelines & Policies

Reporting sexual assault and harassment.

If a student discusses or discloses an instance of sexual assault, sex discrimination, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence or stalking, or if a faculty member otherwise observes or becomes aware of such an allegation, the faculty member will keep the information as private as possible, but as a faculty member of Washington University, they are required to immediately report it to the Department Chair or Dean or directly to the Gender Equity and Title IX Compliance Office at (314) 935-3393 or [email protected] . They will also offer available resources, including confidential support resources through the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention ( RSVP) at 314-935-3445. Additionally, you can report incidents or complaints to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards or by contacting WUPD at (314) 935-5555 or your local law enforcement agency. See:  Gender Equity and Title IX Compliance Office

Disability Resources (DR)

WashU supports the right of all enrolled students to an equitable educational opportunity and strives to create an inclusive learning environment. In the event the physical or online environment results in barriers to the inclusion of a student due to a disability, they should notify the instructor as soon as possible.

Disabled students requiring adjustments to equitably complete expectations in this course should contact WashU’s Disability Resources (DR) and engage in a process for determining and communicating reasonable accommodations. Because accommodations are not applied retroactively, DR recommends initiating requests prior to, or at the beginning of, the academic term to avoid delays in accessing accommodations once classes begin. Once established, responsibility for disability-related accommodations and access is shared by Disability Resources, faculty, and the student.

Disability Resources: www.disability.wustl.edu ; 314-935-5970

Statement on Military Service Leave

Washington University recognizes that students serving in the U.S. Armed Forces and their family members may encounter situations where military service forces them to withdraw from a course of study, sometimes with little notice. Students may contact the Office of Military and Veteran Services at (314) 935-2609 or [email protected] and their academic dean for guidance and assistance. See: https://veterans.wustl.edu/policies/policy-for-military-students/.

Preferred Name and Personal Pronouns

Washington University in St. Louis recognizes that many students prefer to use names other than their legal ones to identify themselves. In addition, in order to affirm each person’s gender identity and lived experiences, it is important that we ask and check in with others about pronouns. This simple effort can make a profound difference in a person’s experience of safety, respect, and support. See: Pronouns Information and Preferred Name .

Emergency Preparedness

Before an emergency, familiarize yourself with the building(s) that you frequent. Know the layout,

including exit locations, stairwells and the Emergency Assembly Point (EAP). Review the “Quick Guide for Emergencies” that is found near the door in many classrooms and main lobby areas of buildings for specific emergency information and instructions. For additional Information and EAP maps, visit https://emergency.wustl.edu/. To ensure that you receive emergency notifications, make sure your information and cell phone number is updated in SIS, and/or download the WashU Safe app and enable notifications.

To report an emergency:

Danforth Campus: (314) 935-5555

School of Medicine Campus: (314) 362-4357

North/West/South and Off Campus: 911 then (314) 935-5555

Academic Integrity

Effective learning, teaching and research all depend upon the ability of members of the academic community to trust one another and to trust the integrity of work that is submitted for academic credit or conducted in the wider arena of scholarly research. Such an atmosphere of mutual trust fosters the free exchange of ideas and enables all members of the community to achieve their highest potential.

In all academic work, the ideas and contributions of others (including generative artificial intelligence) must be appropriately acknowledged and work that is presented as original must be, in fact, original. Faculty, students and administrative staff all share the responsibility of ensuring the honesty and fairness of the intellectual environment at Washington University in St. Louis.

For additional details on the university-wide Undergraduate Academic Integrity policy, please see: https://wustl.edu/about/compliance-policies/academic-policies/undergraduate-student-academic- integrity-policy/

Academic integrity is a serious offense that may lead to warning, suspension, or expulsion from the University. All instances of academic integrity allegations will be reported to Academic Integrity in the Office of the Provost, who will hold an initial meeting and then determine next steps with the student.  For more information on the academic integrity policy, procedures, frequently asked questions, and who to contact, visit Academic Integrity in the Office of the Provost.   The academic integrity policy, process, and information listed there applies to undergraduate students enrolled in all Schools and programs and master’s level students in the McKelvey School of Engineering, the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, and the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. For all other programs, please see the Contacts page.

In all cases of academic integrity violations, the instructor shall make an academic judgment about the student’s grade on that work and in that course, which shall not be considered a sanction for prohibited conduct under this policy.

(*Note Instructors are encouraged to include in their syllabus a link to information on Academic Integrity policies and procedures.  You are also encouraged to cover this information with your students and provide examples of what is permissible and what are the more common violations in your subject area.)

Turnitin ( *Note that this should be included if you might use TurnItIn in your course at any point) 

In taking this course, students may be expected to submit papers and assignments through Turnitin for detection of potential plagiarism and other academic integrity concerns. If students do not have an account with Turnitin and/or do not utilize Turnitin when submitting their papers and assignments, the instructor may upload your paper or assignment to Turnitin for processing and review.

Religious Holidays

As home to students, faculty, and staff of all the world’s major religions and as a non-sectarian institution, Washington University in St. Louis values the rich diversity of spiritual expression and practice found on campus. It is therefore the policy of the university that students who miss class, assignments, or exams to observe a religious holiday should be accommodated.  To ensure that accommodations may be made, students who plan to miss class for a religious holiday must inform their instructors in writing before the end of the third week of class, or as soon as possible if the holiday occurs during the first three weeks of the semester. Instructors should inform students on their syllabus and/or at the start of the class how they would like students to notify them of any accommodation needs related to religious observance.  The university’s Religious Holiday Class Absence Policy can be found here .

The Office of Religious, Spiritual and Ethical Life  maintains a calendar  of many religious holidays observed by the WashU community.

See the end of document for dates of some religious holidays or obligations that may pose potential conflicts for observant students. 

Unauthorized Recording and Distribution of Classroom Activities and Course Materials

Except as otherwise expressly authorized by the instructor or the university, students may not record, stream, reproduce, display, publish or further distribute any classroom activities or course materials. This includes lectures, class discussions, advising meetings, office hours, assessments, problems, answers, presentations, slides, screenshots or other materials presented as part of the course.  If a student with a disability wishes to request the use of assistive technology as a reasonable accommodation, the student must first contact the Office of Disability Resources to seek approval. If recording is permitted, unauthorized use or distribution of recordings is also prohibited.

COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols

Students experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or concerned about a possible exposure should contact Habif Health and Wellness Center (314 935-6666) to arrange for testing as indicated. If a student tests positive for Covid-19, they will receive a letter with instructions about any necessary isolation that they can share with their instructors. Any accommodation needs for COVID-related absence not covered in an instructor’s standard course policies should be discussed between the student and instructor.

** During periods of high transmission, it may not be feasible for all students to receive documentation from Habif. In these instances, please extend grace to students who indicate a need to isolate and allow their absence so that we may reduce the likelihood of illnesses being transmitted in our classrooms.

While on campus, it is imperative that students follow all public health guidelines established to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission within our community.

Masking:  Masking remains a valuable tool in the mitigation of COVID-19, particularly in light of new and emerging variants. Students and instructors are encouraged to treat requests to mask with care and consideration, keeping in mind that some individuals may be at a higher risk, caring for others at a higher risk, or feeling less comfortable in a mask-optional environment. Based on monitoring of regional and campus conditions, a mask requirement may be implemented as needed.

Students with disabilities for whom masked instructors or classmates create a communication barrier are encouraged to contact Disability Resources ( www.disability.wustl.edu ) or talk to their instructor for assistance in determining reasonable adjustments. Adjustments may involve amplification devices, captioning, or clear masks but will not allow for the disregard of mask policies should a requirement be in place.

Resources for Students

Confidential resources for instances of sexual assault, sex discrimination, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking.

The University is committed to offering reasonable academic accommodations (e.g. a no-contact order, course changes) to students who are victims of relationship or sexual violence, regardless of whether they seek a formal investigation or criminal charges. If a student needs to explore options for medical care, other services, or reporting, or would like to receive individual counseling services, there are free, confidential support resources and professional counseling services available through the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention (RSVP) Center. If you need to request such accommodations, please contact RSVP to schedule an appointment with a confidential and licensed counselor. Although information shared with counselors is confidential, requests for accommodations will be coordinated with the appropriate University administrators and faculty. The RSVP Center is located in Seigle Hall, Suite 435, and can be reached at [email protected] or (314) 935-3445. For after-hours emergency response services, call the Sexual Assault and Rape Anonymous Helpline (SARAH) at (314) 935-8080 or call 314-935-6666 or (314) 935-5555 and ask to speak with an RSVP Counselor on call. See: RSVP Center.

Bias Reporting and Support System (BRSS)

The University has a non-punitive process through which students, faculty, staff, and community members who have experienced or witnessed incidents of bias, prejudice, or discrimination against a student can report their experiences to the University’s Bias Report and Support System (BRSS) team.

Center for Career Engagement (CCE)

The Center for Career Engagement provides one-on-one coaching, resources, programs and events to support the lifelong career success of all students and alumni. In addition to having your resume reviewed or fine-tuning your interviewing skills, the CCE invites you to work with us as partners at every stage of your career development as you reflect, learn and experiment. Our Certified Career Management Coaches will listen, ask questions, and provide resources to help you understand yourself, envision possibilities, prepare, search and apply, and engage in your career development.

You can select a career coach based on availability and alignment with one of our industry-aligned career communities, or you can choose a coach in the Career Exploration community.

To make an in-person or virtual appointment:

• Log in to Handshake
• Click Career Center (left side tool bar)
• Click Appointments.

The CCE is conveniently located in the Danforth University Center, Suite 110 with several additional office spaces across campus in Knight Hall 210, Bauer Hall 250, Steinberg Hall and Brown Hall.

Counseling and Psychological Services

The Center for Counseling and Psychological Services’ professional staff members work with students to resolve personal and interpersonal difficulties, many of which can affect a student’s academic experience. These include conflicts with or worry about friends or family, concerns about eating or drinking patterns, and feelings of anxiety, depression, and thoughts of suicide. Individual, Conjoint, and Group therapy are all provided in addition to referrals for off-campus support. Information can be found on the CCPS webpage .

The Division of Student Affairs also offers a telehealth program to students called TimelyCare. While students are encouraged to visit CCPS during business hours, this additional service also provides after-hours access to medical care and 24/7 access to mental telehealth care across the United States, with no cost at the time of the visit. 12 counseling visits are provided at no charge as well as a limited number of psychiatry appointments. Students who pay the Health and Wellness fee are eligible for this service.

Additionally, see the mental health services offered through the RSVP Center.

WashU Cares

WashU Cares specializes providing referrals and resources, both on, and off campus for mental health, medical health, financial and academic resources by using supportive case management. WashU Cares also receives reports on students who may need help connecting to resources or whom a campus partner is concerned about. If you are concerned about a student or yourself, you can file a report here: https://washucares.wustl.edu/.

The Writing Center

The Writing Center offers free writing support to all Washington University undergraduate and graduate students. Staff members will work with students on any kind of writing project, including essays, writing assignments, personal statements, theses, and dissertations. They can help at any stage of the process, including brainstorming, developing and clarifying an argument, organizing evidence, or improving style. Instead of simply editing or proofreading papers, the tutors will ask questions and have a conversation with the writer about their ideas and reasoning, allowing for a higher order revision of the work. They will also spend some time looking at sentence level patterns to teach students to edit their own work.

The Center is located in Mallinckrodt, and appointments are available days and evenings Sunday through Friday.  Office staff hours are Monday through Friday 10:00am to 4:00pm. Students are seen primarily by appointment, with walk-ins accepted as the schedule allows. They also have dedicated walk-in hours for undergraduates on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons.Both in-person and online appointments are available. To make an appointment, go to writingcenter.wustl.edu. Email: [email protected] .

The Learning Center

The Learning Center provides peer-led support programs , including course-specific mentoring and academic skills coaching (study and test-taking strategies, time management, etc.), that enhance undergraduate students’ academic progress. Contact them at [email protected] or visit ctl.wustl.edu/learningcenter to find out what support they may offer for your classes.

Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI)

The Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) supports and advocates for all undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students, especially from underrepresented and/or marginalized populations, collaborates with campus and community partners, and promotes dialogue and social change to cultivate and foster a supportive campus climate for students of all backgrounds, cultures, and identities. Additional Diversity and Inclusion information can be found at https://diversityinclusion.wustl.edu/ . The CDI consists of the following offices and is physically located in the Danforth University Center (DUC) Suite 150 and the Women’s Building Room 102.

• Cross-Cultural Connections ( CCxN ) – DUC 150
• Dialogue across Difference (DxD) – DUC 150
• Office for International Student Engagement (OISE) – Women’s Building 102
• Office for Religious, Spiritual and Ethical Life (ORSEL) – DUC 150
• Spectrum Office (LGBTQIA+ Support) – DUC 150

Gephardt Institute

Students play an essential role in a vibrant and functioning democracy! In addition to the November General Elections, state and local elections take place throughout the year and have a direct impact on our communities. You can register to vote, request an absentee ballot, confirm your polling location, and get Election Day reminders at http://wustl.turbovote.org for any of the 50 states and Washington D.C. WashU students are considered Missouri residents, and eligible student voters can register to vote in the state of Missouri or their home state.

The deadline to register to vote in Missouri in this year’s general election is Wednesday, October 9, 2024. The election will take place on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

To vote in Missouri, you will need a photo ID issued by the state of Missouri (e.g., driver’s license or state ID) or a photo ID issued by the United States government (e.g., passport). More information about voter identification in Missouri can be found at https://www.sos.mo.gov/voterid .

If you are ineligible to vote, you can participate by encouraging your friends to register and vote, engaging your peers in local issues, and taking part in other civic and community engagement activities. For more resources on voting and other civic and community engagement opportunities, please visit http://vote.wustl.edu and http://gephardtinstitute.wustl.edu.

University Libraries

WashU Libraries include seven unique locations across the Danforth Campus, but they are much more than just beautiful, quiet spaces for studying and group work. The Libraries include librarians for every discipline on campus , with the expertise to work with you to develop research ideas and find the best resources to meet your needs; you are also encouraged to explore our research guides , tailored for each subject and available online. The Libraries hold over five million items in the collections—print books, journals, electronic resources, databases, and millions more accessible through interlibrary loan—and you can find it all at the search on our home page . Additional resources for students include special collections, data services, citation help, digital publishing, and more. Visit the Libraries website for more details about these and other ways that the Libraries are here to support your academic success.

[Note to faculty: You are welcome to list the contact information for your subject librarian directly on your syllabus, and/or reach out to your subject librarian to create a research guide curated to the needs of your class.]

Additional Considerations

As home to students, faculty, and staff of all the world’s major religions and as a non-sectarian institution, Washington University in St. Louis values the rich diversity of spiritual expression and practice found on campus. It is therefore the policy of the university that students who miss class, assignments, or exams to observe a religious holiday should be accommodated.  The Religious Holiday Class Absence Policy can be found here .

The Office of Religious, Spiritual and Ethical Life  maintains a calendar of many religious holidays observed by the WashU community.  Listed below are dates of some of the major religious or obligations in the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 semester that may pose potential conflicts for observant students.

The  Jewish holidays  that may pose potential scheduling conflicts begin at sundown on the first day listed and end at nightfall of the last day shown:

October 2-4: Rosh Hashanah

October 11-12: Yom Kippur

October 16-18: Sukkot Opening Days

October 23-24: Shemini Atzeret

October 24-25:  Simchat Torah

April 12-14: Passover Opening Days

April 18-20: Passover Closing Days

June 1-3: Shavuot

Additionally, the Sabbath/Shabbat is celebrated each Friday at sundown though Saturday at nightfall.

Baha’i students may require observance on the following days:

October 21-23: Twin Holy Days

May 22-23: Declaration of the Bab

Hindu students may require observance on the following days:

October 12: Dussehra

October 31: Diwali (also celebrated by Jains and Sikhs)

Muslim students may require observance on the following days:

February 28-March 30 (approximately): Ramadan

March 30-31 (approximately): Eid al-Fitr

Post-Break Assignment & Assessment Policies

The university recognizes that meaningful breaks from coursework are an important component in creating an environment that fosters wellness and balance in our campus community. To enhance students’ capacity to utilize scheduled breaks within the semester to support their well-being:

• No assignments of any kind should be due during break days as listed on the University Registrar’s website.
• No assessments or assignments (i.e., exams, quizzes, papers, projects) contributing to a significant portion of the course grade (>= 15% of the course grade) may be due on the first calendar day of classes following a break.
• Assistants in instruction should not be expected to return graded material on these days.

Routine preparation for class is still expected, including reading assignments. Exceptions may only be made for courses meeting once per week; however these courses are encouraged to avoid scheduling significant assessments or assignment deadlines for these days wherever possible.

The relevant dates on which classes are in session but for which assessments or assignments should not be scheduled (as above) are:

• Tuesday following Labor Day
• Wednesday following Fall Break
• Monday following Thanksgiving Break
• Tuesday following MLK Day
• Monday following Spring Break

Universal Design for Learning

One final important consideration when preparing a syllabus is in making sure that it is clear, and easy to read for all students. Instructors should consider following Universal Design for Learning  (UDL) guidelines for accessible texts by: using a clear, easy to read font style, avoiding italics, organizing the document clearly and with headings, considering color contrast when adding colored text or imagines, and adding alt-text to digital copies ( CAST UDL Syllabus ).

Instructors may also wish to consider where their syllabus will “live.” Frequently, the syllabus is distributed on the first day of class, but instructors may also wish to add the syllabus to the course Canvas page or course website as well. Having the syllabus available digitally makes it easier to update in response to unforeseeable circumstances (e.g. a snow day) or necessary changes (e.g. students are struggling with a particular concept and the class must review rather than moving on). While it’s important to be responsive to student needs, students may also feel disoriented if too many changes to the syllabus occur in a single course. It is critical to help students understand the reason for any change that is made to the syllabus mid-semester.

Finally, instructors should carefully consider how they will introduce the syllabus to students. While it may be tempting to read your syllabus to students on the first day, there are many other strategies that can be employed that may be more effective at helping students understand the course and setting the right tone for the rest of the semester. Some popular strategies include  creating a “syllabus quiz,”  asking students to identify information in the syllabus in small groups, and using the allotted syllabus time for individual reading and reflection followed by large group discussion that clarifies questions and concerns.

This checklist was revised August, 2 2024.

Creating Your Syllabus & Schedule

Main navigation.

Your syllabus is about more than simply providing your students with the “facts” of the course – the policies, rules, expectations, evaluation criteria and assignment overviews.  It is one of your first spots of interaction with your students and is an important site where you can promote habits of mind and an approach to learning that you feel will be most beneficial to students in your class.  Treat it as an opportunity to set the tone and the stage for the work you’ll be doing during the rest of the quarter.

Creating a syllabus is a key step in course design, the moment where you synthesize the disparate components of your course.  As much as possible, you should design a "learning-centered syllabus" (O'Brien et al xv) that focuses on the  learning  that will take place as much, if not more than, the content that will be covered.  A learning-centered syllabus addresses not only the work that students will do, but also the processes and resources that will support that work -- and the student learning.

You might find it helpful to ask yourself the following questions as you design your syllabus:

• How will your course reinforce the program's learning outcomes (see  PWR 1 learning objectives  and  PWR 2 learning objectives )?  How does the design of your assignments, the framing you provide for students, and the tone you use in your syllabus lay the groundwork for a productive learning environment that accomplishes these objectives?
• How can you design your syllabus so the students  understand  how the assignments align with these learning outcomes?
• What type of metaphor might you use to describe your syllabus? Is it a map? A guide book? A contract? A reference manual?  Deciding on your defining metaphor will help you shape your syllabus as a rhetorical document.
• What matters most to you about the learning students will be doing in the class? How can you convey that in your syllabus?

To create your syllabus and course schedule, see the following sections:

• Required syllabus content  
• Recommended syllabus content  
• Course schedule planning  
• Designing your syllabus and assignment sheets  

SEE ALSO SAMPLE SYLLABI (PWR ONLY: WILL NEED TO LOG IN TO CANVAS)

Additional Resources

Optimizing the Syllabus.  Teaching Commons website. Stanford University.

O'Brien, Judith Grunert , et al  The Course Syllabus: A Learning-Centered Approach , 2nd edition. Jossey-Bass, 2008.

Bell, Steven Embeton. Putting Together a Syllabus.  Teaching Talk Blog, Teaching Commons. Stanford University. 4 Jan 2016.

Syllabus .  "A peer-reviewed journal of course syllabi and other teaching materials."