How to Build a Student-Friendly Syllabus

By: Hannah Bollin (Doctoral Student and Graduate Assistant at Faculty Development Center) on November 14th, 2022

I asked myself this question when collecting resources on building effective course syllabi for the Faculty Development Center’s resources page. While on this search, I found a plethora of articles which spoke to the technical, logistical, and legal aspects of building a syllabus - all of which were both authored by and for faculty members and administrators. I wanted to find sources about making a syllabus approachable and comprehensible for student audiences, preferably one that was driven by a student voice - but I was left empty handed. Wanting to know more, I hosted a focus group at the FDC with the goal of asking Eastern Michigan University undergraduate students what they looked for in a course syllabus. When discussing ways to make a syllabus student-friendly, this focus group found that students most often spoke on the topics of welcoming language, organized formatting, and consistency.

Students made it clear that they “get a read” of their professors from their syllabi alone. For example, students spoke about how they often looked to the language used by a professor around topics such as extenuating circumstances, accommodations, and pronouns to gauge how approachable they are. Further, this language proved to act as either a bridge or a barrier for students in regards to communicating with their professors.

The focus group also emphasized the importance of using accessible language in a syllabus - more specifically, making sure that students can fully understand the syllabus and therefore can fully understand what is expected of them in the course. Jargon can be frustrating for students and the focus group made it clear that it makes them feel unwelcome in the classroom. To counteract this problem, students suggested keeping the language simple and, if technical language and/or jargon is used in a syllabus (particularly if it is relevant to course objectives), to define it in the same document.

Another element that students identified as raising their comfort level was a professor including an introduction of themself in a course syllabus. Moreover, students explained that a faculty member can break down social barriers and “make themself seem more human” in a syllabus by including a summary of who they are, their research interests, their professional experiences, and silly fun facts about themself. The group reported that introductions such as these make students feel more secure and more inclined to build connections with that professor. As one student pointed out, it is often expected for students to introduce themselves to the class - but it isn’t nearly as commonplace for faculty to introduce themselves beyond being the instructor of the course itself.

The focus group consisted of some students who reported reading and then referring to the syllabus often throughout the semester, some who only skimmed the document for due dates, and everything in between. Despite these different levels of engagement with a course’s syllabus, the focus group consistently emphasized the importance of format and organization in the document. More specifically, the group pointed out the importance of using emphasized headers, highlighting important information (while being mindful of color blindness), and indexes to make the document easier to navigate. Similarly, there was a resounding agreement that the legal and university-mandated information should be included at the back of a syllabus to make course-related information easier to find - one student even suggested the possibility of making clearly titled sections in the document divided up by “course content” and “university content.” In all, organization and accessibility in a syllabus appear to make students feel both supported in the classroom and confident in their own ability to succeed in the course.

Students also pointed out the need for consistency in these documents on various levels. The group sought consistency when it came to a syllabus setting clear expectations, with one student using the example of “if a professor wants work turned in by hand, it needs to be the syllabus.” Consistency is also important to students in regards to keeping the syllabus up-to-date. Understanding that plans and deadlines shift over time, students suggested that the document should unfailingly reflect those changes to avoid any confusions or misunderstandings. Moreover, students want a consistent and open line of communication with their professors in regards to the syllabus and course content. This means going further than just talking about the syllabus on the first day of class, but also welcoming questions and announcing updates to this document throughout the rest of the semester as well.

The academy has historically viewed faculty and administrators as the experts on all things syllabi and, perhaps not coincidentally, these documents are often read as dull and unwelcoming to their student audience. When asked how to make a syllabus more student-friendly, the student panel expressed a desire for welcoming language, clear formatting, and consistency. Further, students reported that these qualities in a syllabus benefit them in a plethora of ways, such as breaking down social barriers, forming connections with their professors, making them feel supported in the classroom, and giving them confidence in their own ability to move forward in the course. Understanding that these changes to one’s syllabus may require a change in routine for some, as they are not necessarily the “norm,” be assured that students will certainly benefit from them.