week 5 assignment course syllabus

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HCA 505: Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare

Course description.

This course provides a framework for analysis of legal and ethical issues in the provision of healthcare. This course is an overview of health law issues and includes the conceptual foundations for societal, institutional, and individual dilemmas in healthcare delivery and the legal aspects of clinical and financial decision-making. It covers government regulation including legal constraints, liability, negligence, patient rights, confidentiality, as well as, corporate and administrative responsibility. (3 credits)

Associated Program Learning Outcome(s)

#3 Explain the role of the administrator in upholding the legal, social, and ethical responsibilities in the healthcare organization as they relate to patient/client rights

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

• Perform an in-depth search and interpretation of the seven elements of a compliance program and the role of the OIG.
• Formulate an enterprise-wide compliance-training program.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the healthcare employee responsibilities in maintaining compliance in ethics in healthcare.
• Discuss the elements of the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute, and Stark Law and formulate how these elements relate to the healthcare industry.
• Explain Corporate Integrity Agreements and apply recent litigation in this area.
• Create policy based on OIG sanction screening standards for hiring new employees, giving staff privileges to physicians and other healthcare professionals, and developing vendor agreements.
• Analyze a Board of Director's fiduciary obligations for compliance and how the duty of care may be exercised in overseeing the organization's compliance system.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the components of a healthcare risk management program by applying the principles to a given incident.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the basic components of the HIPAA privacy and security regulations and promoting interoperability standards.
• Examine regulations addressing identity theft, including medical identity theft.

Course Activities and Grading

Required textbooks.

Available through Charter Oak State College's online bookstore

• Wade, Robert and Alex Krause. Compliance Officer's Handbook . 4th. HCPro, Inc., 2020. ISBN-13: 978-1-64535-030-9

Additional Resources

• Journal Articles and other course material, including primary websites, will be provided as required reading within the course.

Course Schedule

COURSE OUTLINE

A. Overview of the Compliance function in a healthcare organization

• Establish standards and procedures
• Organization’s governing authority knowledgeable of program content and exercise oversight
• Exclude from authority personnel any person or organization who has engaged in illegal activities or conduct inconsistent with the program
• Provide education
• Ensure program is followed through monitoring and auditing activities
• Promote and enforce program through the organization
• If criminal conduct detected, take steps to appropriately respond
• Role of the Compliance Officer
• Budgeting and staffing
• Conducting investigations
• Training and education
• Federal False Claims Act
• Federal Anti-kickback Regulations
• Acting under a Corporate Integrity Agreement
• Research Billing/ OHRP/IRB
• OIG Compliance Guidelines
• Employment Law Basics for Compliance Professionals
• ERISA Fiduciary Duties
• Conditions of Participation/ The Joint Commission
• Risk management program
• Role of risk manager
• Conducting risk assessments
• Role of Privacy Officer
• General vs. medical
• Red Flags Rule

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at [email protected] .

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.

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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

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, Hyflex, Hybrid, etc.

Contact Information

Instructor(s) name(s) Preferred contact information (email address, office phone number) Office location; phone Office hours Contact information for AIs and/or TAs or other course support staff

• Let your students know the process for attending office hours: will they be in-person? online? If online, is there a permanent Zoom link for your office hours this semester?
• Note how students should expect to hear from you in an emergency. Make it clear where they should go for updates and announcements.

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 transferable 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.
• 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 & 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).

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 that 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 Policies & Guidelines

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. **Update: 9/1/23. Illness activity at the start of the semester is high, and students may not have documentation of their COVID status; instructors should NOT request students provide them with results of PCR tests in order to receive an excused absence. During this time, 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.** Any accommodation needs for COVID-related absence not covered in an instructor’s standard course policies should be discussed between the student and instructor.

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. The full set of University protocols can be found on the Health and Safety webpage . This includes:

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.

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 Ms. Cynthia Copeland, the University’s Associate Title IX Coordinator, at (314) 935-3411, [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/

Instructors are encouraged to include in their syllabus a link to school-specific information on Academic Integrity policies and procedures.

  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.

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 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.

Counseling and Psychological Services

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 Mental Health Services webpage .

The Division of Student Affairs also offers a telehealth program to students called TimelyCare. While students are encouraged to visit Counseling and Psychological Services 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 listed above.

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 open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm and Friday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. 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 undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students 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/.

Gephardt Institute

Students play an essential role in a vibrant and functioning democracy! 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. 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://washuvotes.wustl.edu and http://gephardtinstitute.wustl.edu.

University Libraries

University 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; or you are welcome to explore our research guides , tailored for each subject and available online. The Libraries hold five million items in the collection—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. Electronic resources listed on the Libraries’ website and catalog are restricted to current students, staff, and faculty for the purposes of research, teaching, and private study. For more information, please visit https://libguides.wustl.edu/RERU

[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

Religious holidays & class absence policies.

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 as follows: (i) absences should be counted as excused in any course in which attendance is a measure of academic performance; (ii) reasonable extensions of time should be given, without academic penalty, for missed assignments; (iii) exams should be reasonably rescheduled without academic penal ty.

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 occur s during the first three weeks of the semester. Absence for religious reasons does not lessen students ’ responsibility for course work or material covered during their absence. It is incumbent on the student who misses a class to catch up on any material discussed and assignments given during that class period. If you believe you have not received a reasonable accommodation despite engaging with your instructor on the topic, plea se follow the course grievance process outlined by your school.

Every effort should be made to avoid scheduling exams on religious holiday s , particularly those with work restrictions as noted on the holiday calendar. Faculty should be supported in establishing a teaching schedule that allows them to avoid conflict with their observance of religious holiday s . Where this is not possible, faculty should make up any missed class in the method most appropriate to student learning in their course; e.g., rescheduling for an alternate time, providing asynchro nous material, or engaging a guest lecturer. A ppropr iate advance notice should be provided to students.

The complete 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 holidays or obligations in the Fall 2022/Spring 2023 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:

September 15-17: Rosh Hashanah

September 24-25: Yom Kippur

September 29-October 1: Sukkot Opening Days

October 6-7: Shemini Atzeret

October 7-8: Simchat Torah

April 22-24: Passover Opening Days

April 28-30: Passover Closing Days

June 11-13: 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 15-17: Twin Holy Days

May 23-24: Declaration of the Bab

The dates this fall that may present a conflict for Hindu students are:

October 23: Dussehra

November 1: Diwali (also celebrated by Jains and Sikhs)

Muslim student may require observance on the following days:

March 10-April 9 (approximately): Ramadan

April 9-10 (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, 9 2023.

Have suggestions?

If you have suggestions of resources we might add to these pages, please contact us:

[email protected] (314) 935-6810 Mon - Fri, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Eberly Center

Teaching excellence & educational innovation, course policies and statements.

We encourage you to add the policies below to your syllabus (many of which are recommended by the CMU Faculty Senate ). Under each policy, you will find a paragraph with prompts and suggestions, followed by one or more samples.

Academic integrity

Accommodations for students with disabilities

Support for Students Well-Being

Use of Laptops in Classroom

Grading Policies

Student recording of class.

Attendance Policy

Statement about Units

Diversity Statement

One of the most important things you can do to promote your students’ academic integrity is to make it clear in your syllabus that you value academic honesty (and why). This naturally conveys that you take cheating and plagiarism seriously but does so from a positive perspective. In addition, it is important to explicitly define what behavior is and is not permissible in your class because these details often change from class to class and from instructor to instructor.

As you write your course policy, make sure to:

• Motivate the policy in terms of the positive dimensions of academic integrity (i.e. this is about enhancing your education and being a trusted member of the CMU community).
• Provide links to the University Policy on Academic Integrity and to the general student resource .
• Explain what is and is not permitted with respect to collaboration and/or outside assistance for each type of graded work in your course. Note that university policy is that no collaboration is allowed unless specifically permitted by a course instructor, so be sure to highlight where and how your policy departs from the default.
• Explain procedures for student acknowledgement of collaboration and/or assistance, when they submit graded work. Note that university policy states that assistance from campus resources (Academic Development, the Global Communication Center, and the Academic Resource Center at CMU-Q) is permitted and nothing else; as course instructor, you can choose to specify alternative boundaries for acceptable and unacceptable assistance. Just be sure to give students a method for reporting collaboration and assistance.

Sample 1: Academic Integrity

Any work that you submit should be your own work (i.e., not borrowed/copied from any other source, including our assigned readings and your classmates). When using other people’s ideas to substantiate your own, please properly cite the original source. We will review proper citation procedures in class, and you should ask for clarification whenever needed. I encourage you to rely on your classmates’ online posts posts – especially their primary sources – when writing your final paper, but you should be expressing your own ideas and not theirs.

Any act of cheating or plagiarism will be treated in accordance with Carnegie Mellon’s Policy on Academic Integrity, which can be found here: http://www.cmu.edu/policies/student-and-student-life/academic-integrity.html . Depending upon the individual violation, students could face penalties ranging from failing the assignment to failing the class.

Sample 2: Academic Integrity

Honesty and transparency are important features of good scholarship. On the flip side, plagiarism and cheating are serious academic offenses with serious consequences. If you are discovered engaging in either behavior in this course, you will earn a failing grade on the assignment in question, and further disciplinary action may be taken.

For a clear description of what counts as plagiarism, cheating, and/or the use of unauthorized sources, please see the University’s Policy on Academic Integrity (revised in April 2013):  http://www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/Academic Integrity.htm

I encourage you to work together on homework assignments and to make use of campus resources like Academic Development, the Global Communication Center, and the Intercultural Communication Center to assist you in your pursuit of academic excellence. However, please note that in accord with the university’s policy you must acknowledge any collaboration or assistance that you receive on work that is to be graded: so when you turn in a homework assignments, please include a sentence at the end that says either:

• “I worked alone on this assignment.”, or
• ____ on this assignment.” and/or
• ____ on this assignment.”

Sample 3: Academic Integrity

[Adapted from a Modern Language class]

http://www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/Academic Integrity.htm

Sample 4: Academic Honesty & Rules of Collaboration

• Homework Assignments: You are welcome to work with other students in this class on your homework assignments, but you must (a) list the names of anyone you work with on your assignment, and (b) write up your own solutions to homework problems, based on your own understanding of the material. Some students find it helps to take a half hour break between any work you do with other students, and the time you spend actually writing up your own solutions.
• Crib Sheets for Exams: You may work with others to develop your crib sheets, and you may use the same crib sheet as others in the class. Note, however, that it is in your best interest to be actively involved in the creation of any crib sheet that you use, as this process will help you learn and recall the right sort of material, and is therefore likely to contribute to a higher test score.
• In addition, you are required to cite all sources you use in your paper. This includes both direct quotations and cases where you use someone else’s ideas. “Sources” include papers, journals, conversations, anything found on the internet, and so on. Basically, if the thought did not originate with you, you should provide a source. If you need some guidance on the mechanics of citing your sources, please see the “Citing Your Sources” document on our Blackboard site.
• If you have any questions about what is expected of you in this class, come see me during my office hours, or ask me after class.

Sample 5: Acceptable/Unacceptable Collaboration

[Excerpted from Fundamental Data Structures and Algorithms]

• Clarifying ambiguities or vague points in class handouts, textbooks, or lectures. 
• Discussing or explaining the general class material. 
• Providing assistance with Java, in using the system facilities, or with editing, debugging, and Java tools. 
• Discussing the code that we give out on the assignment. 
• Discussing the assignments to better understand them. 
• Getting help from anyone concerning programming issues which are clearly more general than the specific assignment (e.g., what does a particular error message mean?).
• Copying (program or assignment) files from another person or source, including retyping their files, changing variable names, copying code without explicit citation from previously published works (except the textbook), etc. 
• Allowing someone else to copy your code or written assignment, either in draft or final form. 
• Getting help from someone whom you do not acknowledge on your solution. 
• Copying from another student during an exam, quiz, or midterm. This includes receiving exam-related information from a student who has already taken the exam. 
• Writing, using, or submitting a program that attempts to alter or erase grading information or otherwise compromise security. 
• Inappropriately obtaining course information from instructors and TAs. 
• Looking at someone else’s files containing draft solutions, even if the file permissions are incorrectly set to allow it. 
• Receiving help from students who have taken the course in previous years. 
• Lying to course staff. 
• Copying on quizzes or exams. 
• Reviewing any course materials (or software) from previous years. 
• Reading the current solution (handed out) if you will be handing in the current assignment late.

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Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Providing appropriate accommodations to students with documented disabilities is a requirement of federal law. Using our sample policy verbatim is a safe and easy approach. If you want to write your own policy on accommodations for students with disabilities, please be sure to include Catherine Getchell’s contact information and an assurance that you will work with students to accommodate their needs. 

Sample 1: Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

If you have a disability and have an accommodations letter from the Disability Resources office, I encourage you to discuss your accommodations and needs with me as early in the semester as possible. I will work with you to ensure that accommodations are provided as appropriate. If you suspect that you may have a disability and would benefit from accommodations but are not yet registered with the Office of Disability Resources, I encourage you to contact them at [email protected] . 

Sample 2: Statement of Support for Students’ Health & Well-being

Take care of yourself.  Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep and taking some time to relax. This will help you achieve your goals and cope with stress.

All of us benefit from support during times of struggle. You are not alone. There are many helpful resources available on campus and an important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Asking for support sooner rather than later is often helpful.

If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here to help: call 412-268-2922 and visit their website at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/ . Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for help getting connected to the support that can help.

[Optional additional language] If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal or in danger of self-harm, call someone immediately, day or night:

CaPS: 412-268-2922 Re:solve Crisis Network: 888-796-8226 If the situation is life threatening, call the police On campus: CMU Police: 412-268-2323 Off campus: 911

If you have questions about this or your coursework, please let me know. Thank you, and have a great semester.

Support for Students' Well-Being

Your syllabus can send a positive signal of your support for students' learning and well-being by including a section with recommendations and encouragement for students to take care of themselves and seek help when they need it. This section can also provide students with important information for getting help, including direct links and contact information for support services. And, if you feel so inclined, this section is also a place to directly invite students to reach out to you when they have questions or need help.

Sample 1: Take care of yourself

If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here to help: call 412-268-2922 and visit their website at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/ .  Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for help getting connected to the support that can help.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE:

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal or in danger of self-harm, call someone immediately, day or night:

CaPS : 412-268-2922

Re:solve Crisis Network : 888-796-8226

If the situation is life threatening, call the Police :

       On campus: CMU Police : 412-268-2323

•        Off campus: 911

If you have questions about this or your coursework, please let me know.

Sample 2: Take Care of Yourself

Take care of yourself.  Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep, and taking time to relax. Despite what you might hear, using your time to take care of yourself will actually help you achieve your academic goals more than spending too much time studying.

All of us benefit from support and guidance during times of struggle. There are many helpful resources available on campus. An important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Take the time to learn about all that’s available and take advantage of it. Ask for support sooner rather than later – this always helps.

If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or difficult feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for assistance connecting to the support that can help. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here for you: call 412-268-2922 and visit their website at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/ .  Over 25% of students reach out to CaPS some time during their time at CMU.

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, call someone immediately, day or night:

CaPS: 412-268-2922

Re:solve Crisis Network: 888-796-8226

If the situation is life threatening, call the Police:

•        On campus: CMU Police: 412-268-2323

Sample 3: Healthy Balance

Universities are in general vibrant communities, places of tremendous vitality and richness that offer abundant opportunities for meaningful work and play. This abundance brings with it the challenge of maintaining a healthy, balanced life – a life characterized by productive tension among such competing needs as work and play, sleep and wakefulness, solitude and sociability. All members of university communities – students, staff, and faculty – have the responsibility to promote balance in their lives by making thoughtful choices.

Balanced choices flow from an understanding that human flourishing requires the fulfillment of very real physical, emotional, spiritual, and social needs.

Balanced choices flow from an understanding that failure is part of the road to success in all endeavors, whether academic, extracurricular, or social. The diligent pursuit of success in the long term will not preclude failures in the short term. Conversely, unrealistic expectations of success in the short term can compromise both health and long-term success if basic human needs are neglected.

Balanced decision-making flows from an understanding that short-term imbalances are inevitable. Short-term decisions must respond to immediate context, but those decisions are forming longer-term patterns of healthfulness. Balance requires an ability to discern how long an imbalance may safely persist.

Balance results from two skills: avoiding imbalance through careful planning, and managing and containing imbalance when it occurs.

Sample 4: Basic Mental Health

As a student, you may experience a range of challenges that can interfere with learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, substance use, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may diminish your academic performance and/or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. CMU services are available, and treatment does work. You can learn more about confidential mental health services available on campus at: http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/ . Support is always available (24/7) from Counseling and Psychological Services: 412-268-2922.

Sample 5: Signs and Resources

The CMU community is committed to and cares about all students. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental health problems can help you or others to consider seeking care that can help. These are some signs that may be reason for concern:

• Feeling hopelessness, worthlessness, depressed, angry or guilt
• Withdrawal from friends, family and activities that used to be fun
• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
• Feeling tired or exhausted all of the time
• Trouble concentrating, thinking, remembering or making decisions
• Restlessness, irritability, agitation or anxious movements or behaviors
• Neglect of personal care
• Reckless or impulsive behaviors (e.g., drinking or using drugs excessively or being unsafe in other ways)
• Persistent physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, digestive problems or chronic pain) that do not respond to routine treatment
• Thoughts about death or suicide*

Treatment for mental health problems is effective. More information and resources are located at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/ . Immediate support is always available (24/7): 412-268-2922.

* CaPS : 412-268-2922

•    On campus: CMU Police: 412-268-2323
•    Off campus: 911

Sample 6: Personal Investment

Diminished mental health, including significant stress, mood changes, excessive worry, or problems with eating and/or sleeping can interfere with optimal academic performance. The source of symptoms might be strictly related to your course work; if so, please speak with me. However, problems with relationships, family worries, loss, or a personal struggle or crisis can also contribute to decreased academic performance. CMU provides mental health services to support the academic success of students. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) offers free, confidential services to help you manage personal challenges. In the event I suspect you need additional support, I will express my concerns and the reasons for them, and remind you of campus resources (e.g., CaPS, Dean of Students, etc.) that might be helpful to you. It is not my intention to know the details of what might be bothering you, but simply to let you know I am concerned and that help, if needed, is available. Getting help is a smart and courageous thing to do --for yourself and for those who care about you.

Use of Laptops and Mobile Devices in Class

Different instructors have different comfort levels regarding students’ use of electronics in class. A policy on laptops and mobile devices should communicate clearly to students what your expectations are and motivate those choices in terms of students’ learning. 

As research on learning shows, unexpected noises and movement automatically divert and capture people's attention, which means you are affecting everyone’s learning experience if your cell phone, pager, laptop, etc. makes noise or is visually distracting during class.

For this reason, I [insert the language that aligns with your sentiments]

• ask you to turn off your mobile devices and close your laptops during class.
• allow you to take notes on your laptop, but you must turn the sound off so that you do not disrupt other students' learning. If you are doing anything other than taking notes on your laptop, please sit in the back row so that other students are not distracted by your screen. 

Describe to your students your grading and re-grading policies. How many points are they eligible to earn if their work is late? What is the process to ask for an assessment to be re-graded? How will group work be assessed?

Sample 1: Flexible Grading policy

[George Duncan, Heinz School]

Evaluation of Student Performance

Students are expected to attend lectures and workshops, participate in class, complete memorandum reports on time, and take the examinations.  There will be one term examination and one final examination for each mini semester course.  There will be weekly assignments due.  These evaluative requirements allow the student to perform data analysis in two different circumstances; memorandum reports provide less structured problems with lax (1 week) time constraints.

All scores on exams and assignments will be based on 100 points.  The final grade for each term will be determined by a formula chosen at the beginning of each mini semester by each student subject to the following constraints.

• Class Participation                                                     5% - 15%
• (lowest grade dropped)
• Midterm Exam                                                           15% - 30%
• Total Percentage Must Be 100

Final grades will be balanced between prior criteria and the Heinz School guideline grade distribution.  The following table specifies both the prior criteria, by the relationships between the numeric score resulting from the formula and the letter grade assigned, and the guideline grade distribution.  Discretion in balancing prior criteria and the grade distribution remains the prerogative of the instructor.  (Quality points refer to the Heinz School nine point grading scale.)

Sample 2: Group Assessment

[Frenkel Terhofstede, Tepper School of Business]

A Model for Group Assessment

“Free Rider” Problem.  In the business world you live and die by the results of your team as a whole.  We prefer to give a single grade to all members of a group, but understand they there may be substantial “outlier” behavior by particular group members.  Within 4 days after handing in the final report, hand in a peer evaluation form rating the contribution of each team member.  I expect that 90 percent of these memos will not lead to major changes in grades.  However, if there appears to be consensus that one group member did not pull his or her weight (or alternatively, that one member was crucial to the team’s success) I will adjust an individual’s project grade up or down according to the peer evaluation from.  Please be fair in rating others. A copy of the peer evaluation form is attached to the course packet (see Appendix 1) and can be downloaded from the course website.

Sample 3: Late work and re-grading

[Example from History Class]

Flex Days/Late Work

Due dates for every assignment are provided on the course syllabus and course schedule (and posted in Canvas). Unless otherwise stated, assignments are due on those days. However, I recognize that sometimes “life happens.” In these instances, you may use your allotted two flex days. These days allow you to submit an assignment up to two days late without penalty. You can use these days for any assignment and for any reason. You do not need to provide me with the reason: simply email me and tell me how many of your flex days you would like to use.

Once you’ve exhausted your flex days, then point deductions will occur for any assignment submitted after the deadline. An assignment submitted 24 hours of the due date will only be eligible for 80% of the maximum number of point allotted. Assignments submitted more than 24 hours after the due date will not be accepted. If you experience extenuating circumstances (e.g., you are hospitalized) that prohibit you from submitting your assignments on time, please let me know. I will evaluate these instances on a case-by-case basis.

Re-grade Policy

If you would like me to review a graded assignment, I am more than willing to do so. All requests for re-grades must be submitted within one week of the graded assignments being returned. After requesting a re-grade, please schedule an appointment with me to discuss your assignment and grade. Please allow me a minimum of 48 hours between your request for a re-grade and our meeting. Exceptions to this policy may apply in the case of the final perspective paper due to deadlines for CMU grade submissions.  

If you do not want your classroom activities recorded, you should explicitly include this policy in your course syllabus with a reminder for students with disabilities that they may request accommodations with the Office of Disability Resources. If you want to allow students to record classroom activities for their personal educational use, you may still restrict further dissemination beyond members of the class.

Sample 1: No Recording

No student may record any classroom activity without express written consent from me.  If you have (or think you may have) a disability such that you need to record or tape classroom activities, you should contact the Office of Disability Resources to request an appropriate accommodation.

Sample 2: Recording Allowed for Personal Educational Use

Classroom activities may be recorded by a student for the personal, educational use of that student or for all students presently enrolled in the class only, and may not be further copied, distributed, published or otherwise used for any other purpose without the express written consent of [insert name of faculty member].  All students are advised that classroom activities may be taped by students for this purpose.

Attendance and Participation Policy

To convey the importance of attendance and how attendance/participation contributes to the final grade, include this policy in your syllabus.

A statement regarding how many class sessions a student is permitted to miss, including information regarding point deduction for absences (if applicable). 

• Frame your policy in a positive way, highlighting the value of attendance and participation for student learning
• Outline the circumstances in which an absence would be excused (e.g., religious holiday, college team event, medical or family emergency, etc.), and how unexcused absences will affect the final grade
• Explain how and when students should notify you of an absence.
• Clearly articulate your expectations around class participation and explain how participation will be assessed as well as how it will contribute to the final grade. A useful rule of thumb: Whenever class participation is worth more than 10% of the final grade, use a rubric for grading and feedback, and share it with students in advance.

Sample 1: Attendance and Participation

[Adapted from Frenkel Terhofstede, Tepper School of Business]

Class Presence and Participation. Class presence and participation points are given to encourage your active class participation and discussion.  You will be rewarded with a perfect score as long as you frequently come to class and actively contribute to the class discussion during recitations and lectures.

Presence:  Although it is not required, most students send their professor a brief e-mail to explain their absence in advance.  Students who repeatedly arrive late to the lecture or recitation will be eligible for 80% of the participation grade.  Please sign the attendance sheet when you come to the class.  Any false signatures will result in zero participation grades for all parties involved.

Participation:  We will devote one entire session to the case discussion.  The instructor’s role during a case discussion is that of a moderator.  When the cases are discussed, we are less concerned with “right” or “wrong” answers than we are with thoughtful contributions which follow the discussion and either add to the debate or move it in a new direction.  If you find it uncomfortable to speak up in class, we encourage you to visit your professor in office hours and work on this skill.

Sample 2: Attendance and Participation

[Example from a history class]

Within the first week of our course, please look ahead and see if you need to miss class for any excusable reason (religious observance, job interview, university-sanctioned event, etc.) and notify me as soon as possible. We may be able to make alternative arrangements for completing assignments. Everyone is permitted one absence without the deduction of points. If you do not use this absence, then the extra points you earn will be added to your lowest score when computing your final grade (i.e., extra credit). If there are extenuating circumstances that require you to miss more than one class session, please come and discuss this issue with me in advance of your absence(s).

Sample 3: General Course Expectations  

[Example from Mathematical Sciences]

Finally, the following guidelines will create a comfortable and productive learning environment throughout the semester.

You can expect me:

• To start and end class on time.
• To reply to e-mails within 24 hours on weekdays and 48 hours on weekends.
• To assign homework that adequately covers the material and meets the learning objectives of the course while adhering to the time expectations for a 9 unit course.
• To give exams that accurately reflect the material covered in class and assigned in homework.

I can expect you:

• To come to class on time.
• To be attentive and engaged in class.
• To refrain from using laptops, cell phones and other electronic devices during class.
• To spend an adequate amount of time on the homework each week, making an effort to solve and understand each problem.
• To engage with both the abstract and computational sides of the material.
• To seek help when appropriate.

We encourage you to share a set of study tips with your class. Consider addressing questions such as:

• What should students do to succeed in class?
• What help can they expect to get during office hours or by email?
• Can you provide a rationale (potentially even backed by research) for why your advice should work?

In addition, at the end of the semester you can ask your students what study strategies helped them and then incorporate this input into your next set of study tips, explicitly stating that some tips came from former students of this class.

Sample 1: Study Tips

[From Joel Greenhouse, Statistics]

Study Tips for Stats 201 or How to Use Your Study Time More Efficiently

• Highlight or make marginal notes for important words or concepts. This will help fix ideas and will help you to actively learn the material.  This review takes about 20-30 minutes and really yields a large return.
• Re-do examples yourself, step by step, with pencil and paper. Examples often look easy when explained in class, but often turn out to be much harder when you do them yourself.
• Write down questions about things you do not understand. Bring these questions to lecture, lab, and to office hours and ask them.
• Readings are assigned for each class.  Read them - if not before the class for which they are assigned then certainly after that class and before the next.  Also, as you read, highlight, re-work examples yourself, and write down questions, as suggested above.
• Start early. Do not leave assignments until the night before they are due.
• Try doing the problems yourself before discussing them with other people.
• Use office hours productively.  Ask thoughtful questions about things that you do not understand.  In other words, if you do (1)-(3) above, it will be much easier to isolate what is giving you trouble.  Please take advantage of the availability of office hours.
• Review solutions to assignments and exams.  Just because you do not lose points on a homework question does not necessarily mean you fully understand the question and answer.  Also, the solutions should serve as a model for how to write, using proper sentences and paragraphs, discussions and interpretations of data analyses.
• We will make every effort to help you learn the course material, but you must also make an effort to utilize the resources that are made available to help you.  Please come talk to us – not only when you are having trouble but also when things are going well.

Sample 2: Where to get Course help

[Used in Computer Science]

How to Get Help

Since the teaching staff for this class is large, you might wonder who you should see about what.  Here are some general guidelines.

• Clarifications on the homework : If the question does not give away any of the solution, you should post the question on the course discussion bulletin board.  Simply click on the Communication button and follow the link to the Discussion Board .  If you have the question, probably someone else in the class does too, so posting to the bboard will help everybody.  The course staff reads the bulletin board regularly and will try to answer your question as soon as possible.  It is also possible that a fellow student will have the answer and can respond.  If the question requires giving away part of the solution, send one of the TA’s email or see one of the course staff during office hours.
• You need help on the homework or class material :  Talk with the member of the course staff in the cluster, send one of the TAs or instructors email, or see any of the TAs or instructors during their office hours.  Please don’t feel intimidated about going to office hours.  We are all here to help you.
• Questions about your grade on a homework : See (or send email to) the TA in charge of the assignment.  Your recitation instructor will know which TA is in charge of which assignment.
• Questions about your grade on a quiz or test : See your recitation instructor. You can send email or come by during office hours.
• The course is taking too much of your time : This course is supposed to take, on average, 12 hours per week.  If on average you are spending significantly more than this, we want to know.  Please send one of the instructors an email message telling them.  Sometimes it is hard for us to judge the difficulty of an assignment and your message lets us know when there is a problem.
• General academic questions : The course staff is happy to answer general academic questions, such as “is it worth it for me to take 15-212?” You should catch one of us after class or recitation, or see us during office hours.

You may want to include a statement explaining to students how many total hours of work you expect them to do per week in your course. If applicable, include lab and recitation sections in your calculations. (For full semester courses, the number of units should, on average, equal the total number of hours students spend on your course – both in and out of class. For mini-semester courses, the conversion from units to number of hours per week involves multiplying by 2, i.e., a 6-unit mini should take, on average, 12 hours of work per week in the mini.)

Sample 1: Mini-Class in History

Units and Quality Points

Carnegie Mellon has adopted the method of assigning a number of “units” for each course to represent the quantity of work required of students. For the average student, one unit represents one work-hour of time per week throughout the semester. The number of units in each course is fixed by the faculty member in consultation with the college offering the course. Three units are the equivalent of one traditional semester credit hour.

Hence, a 9 unit semester-long course should require 9 hours of student engagement, on average, including class time; if the instructor requires 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of recitation, they can expect students to spend 5 hours outside of class engaging in class work. For mini courses that run for only seven weeks, the conversion from units to number of hours per week during the mini involves multiplying by 2. For example, a 6 unit mini course should on average involve 12 hours of student engagement ; if the instructor requires 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of lab, they can expect the students to spend 6 hours outside of class.

Diversity Statement on a Syllabus

Including a diversity statement on your syllabus can signal to your students your commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive climate for all students (see a review of research and strategies on teaching inclusively ). Because a diversity statement is specific to your teaching and course, we encourage you to write your own. When creating a diversity statement for your syllabus, please consider the following questions:

How do you, concretely, recognize and value diversity in your classroom? (For instance, do you have systems in place to ensure everyone's voice will be heard? Do you use a variety of examples to illustrate concepts? Do you have guidelines for respectful discussions?)

How can diversity – as represented in your discipline, course content, and classroom – be an asset for learning?

How will issues related to diversity arise in your course and classroom? And, how will you handle them (ideally) when they do? (For instance, does your discipline or course content explicitly or implicitly raise sensitive or controversial topics related to diversity and inclusion? How might students from different social and cultural backgrounds respond to disciplinary norms?)

Do you seek input from your students on classroom climate (i.e., to what extent they they feel included and how)?

What relevant resources exist on campus that could be useful to your students (e.g., Center for Diversity and Inclusion , Intercultural Communication Center , Office of Title IX Initiatives )?

A few suggestions to consider about your diversity statement:

Although we provide samples below, they are intended to be illustrative of one or more of the principles above, rather than to function as “boilerplate” language.

Your statement should articulate to your students why being inclusive matters to you, specifically, and how that relates to your discipline, course, and desired classroom climate.

It can be helpful to consider your discipline's history with underrepresented groups, and how disciplinary conventions might work to facilitate or become obstacles to inclusion.

After drafting your statement, check whether the rest of your syllabus and course design matches your diversity statement in tone and spirit, that is to say, is also positive and inclusive (see additional resources on creating an inclusive learning environment ):

Be inclusive by recognizing different types of diversity in your statement.

If you would like to get feedback on the statement you crafted, please don't hesitate to contact us for a 1-on-1 consultation ( [email protected] ).

Sample syllabus diversity statements:

“Respect for Diversity: It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups. In addition, if any of our class meetings conflict with your religious events, please let me know so that we can make arrangements for you.”

Source: University of Iowa College of Education

“The topics that we’re covering in this class are often difficult, not just intellectually but emotionally. While I expect there to be rigorous discussion and even disagreement in the course of our class discussions, I ask that you engage in discussion with care and empathy for the other members in the classroom. Aim to disagree without becoming disagreeable. In this class we will not shy away from the uncomfortable. Critically examining and assessing our most basic assumptions and values is not just one of the tasks of philosophy but is an activity vital to living an authentic life. I urge you to have the courage to the uncomfortable in this class. In exchange for your courage, I will work to ensure a classroom environment that supports your taking these intellectual and emotional risks.”

Source: Whitman College

"All people have the right to be addressed and referred to in accordance with their personal identity. In this class, we will have the chance to indicate the name that we prefer to be called and, if we choose, to identify pronouns with which we would like to be addressed...I will do my best to address and refer to all students accordingly and support classmates in doing so as well."

Source: University of Michigan, Center for Research on Learning and Teaching

“‘A university is a place where the universality of the human experience manifests itself.’ -Albert Einstein  In keeping with the spirit of Einstein’s viewpoint, the Department of Communication Studies is committed to providing an atmosphere of learning that is representative of a variety of perspectives. In this class, you will have the opportunity to express and experience cultural diversity as we focus on issues such as: gender and communication in small groups, communication in the multicultural group, and cross-cultural and intercultural work group communication. In addition, writing assignments and daily activities have been designed to encourage individuality and creative expression. You are encouraged to not only take advantage of these opportunities in your own work, but also, learn from the information and ideas shared by other students.”

Source: University of Alabama, Department of Communication Studies

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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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.

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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.