Your Course Syllabus Is Your

Friend

The info is all thereOne of the steps to becoming a successful

college student is to know how to read the syllabus for important course information; information that other students might miss

Unlike high school, the professor is letting you know ahead of time what topics will be covered each day and when exams are

Anatomy of a SyllabusThe first items on a syllabusshould give course

information: Course title/number Instructor Information Materials and Required

Textbook Days and hours of the

class Location of the class General information

(professor’s philosophy about the class)

Expectations regarding assignments

Grading Course Schedule

Instructor Information

Full name/titleOffice locationWhere to leave assignmentsOffice hoursEmail addressOffice phone number Pay close attention to any

restrictions ex. “No calls between 10:30pm

and 8:30am.”

TextbooksYour syllabus will list all required

reading materials for your class. Information should include:

Title Author Date/EditionPublisher

Although many courses only require print material, there are also some courses that require additional materials, such as: lab/safety equipment, art supplies, special calculators, etc.

Be sure you are aware of what special materials you are required to have for the

class, if any.

Materials

Course Descriptions & Objectives

This info will most likely be similar to the description in your course catalog : a paragraph describing the general content of the course.

Info about instructional methods may also be included

Course Calendar/ScheduleA daily or weekly schedule of topics to be

covered. Dates for exams, quizzes, and major assignments

Required special events may also be included ex. a lecture by a visiting speaker, a musical

performance, field trip, etc.

*This schedule can be tentative and subject to change depending on the

progress of the class*

Attendance & Tardiness A statement regarding attendance should be

included Professors should state how many absences are

allowed before penalization. Usually if you miss any more classes than

allowed, it will reduce your grade. Sometimes, too many tardies can equal an

absence. If this is the case, it should be stated in the syllabus.

Class Participation If active participation is required –

especially if it plays a part in your grade – then the syllabus will typically say so.

The syllabus will also usually indicate how participation will be graded.

Missed Exams or Assignments

The syllabus should give you the following information about missed exams and assignments: Whether or not they can be made up How many points are deducted each day for

a late assignment If the professor will take it later than the

specified due date

Lab Safety & Health If necessary, the syllabus should include a short

statement about the importance of these issues

In some courses, these issues can literally be a matter of life and death.

Academic Dishonesty The syllabus should address questions

related to academic dishonesty Cheating Plagiarism

These matters are very serious, and the end result of either

could be an Fx in the class.

GradingEach syllabus should indicate how the students will be evaluated.How grades are weighted Factors included in the grading process

Information regarding extra credit opportunities, if they are available.

Available Support ServicesThe library is probably the oldest resource,

and perhaps still the richest.Campbell’s Student Support Services

offers: One-on-one tutoring Tutoring Center Writing center Group reviews for specific courses Disability services Career guidance Retention assistance

Be proactive from the beginningAfter the first day of classes, go

through your syllabi and highlight all the important information – keep the syllabus for each class in your notebook for that class.

An even better way to ensure you know when assignments are due and exams will be held is to transfer all due dates onto a calendar.

Last But Not Least Whether your professor says it in class or not, if

it’s in the syllabus, you must adhere to it. Not knowing is not an excuse if it’s in the

syllabus.