Syllabus Checklist

• Embedding a Google doc is (option 3) updated automatically in Canvas if you make changes to the Doc. However, some students have issues with having to Log in to Authorize Google mostly due to their browser so switching browsers usually solves this issue.
• Copying and Pasting syllabus text along with a link to a PDF (option 1 and 2) is easy for students to read and download and there are no loading errors. However, if you make changes, you will need to update both the text AND the PDF.

• Course Name, Number, Section, Term
• Hamline Plan or/and other requirements the course fulfills
• Meeting Time, Location / Google Meet Link address, Modality 

• Course Materials 
  • The source of required textbooks & readings, recommended readings, course packs, e-reserves, etc. 
  • Required Technology (Canvas, Zoom, Google Meet, SPSS, R, Excel, Mathematica) and the way to get access to this technology

• • Other required supplies (googles, calculators, lab coat, etc...)
• Course Resources
  • Department Tutors, Teaching Assistants, Learning Labs, Study Groups, etc. 

• Name 
• Office Location and Hours
  • Consider re-framing "Office Hours" as "Drop In Hours" or "Student Hours" - clearly tell students that this is their informal time to talk to you about anything related to the class
  • Consider your student needs and schedules when setting up Drop In Hours - varied modality and varied time through the week might enable more of your students to drop in 
• The best way to contact me is…
• Introduction

• Inclusivity Statement

• Our institution values diversity and inclusion; we are committed to a climate of mutual respect and full participation. My goal is to create learning environments that are usable, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or accurate assessment or achievement, please notify me as soon as possible.
• My goal is to welcome everyone to [[your discipline]]. As your professor, I hold the fundamental belief that everyone in the class is fully capable of engaging and mastering the material. My goal is to meet everyone in the learning process. Our classroom should be an inclusive space, where ideas, questions, and misconceptions can be discussed with respect. There is usually more than one way to see and solve a problem and we will all be richer if we can be open to multiple paths to knowledge. I look forward to getting to know you all, as individuals and as a learning community.
• As your instructor, I am committed to creating a classroom environment that welcomes all students, regardless of race, gender, religious beliefs, etc. We all have implicit biases, and I will try to continually examine my judgments, words, and actions to keep my biases in check and treat everyone fairly. I hope that you will do the same, that you will let me know if there is anything I can do to make sure everyone is encouraged to succeed in this class.
• More amazing diversity and inclusion syllabus statement samples from Brown University 

• Course description 
  • Consider writing a description from the students' perspective.  How students will benefit from the course?  Why should they be excited?
• Course expectations
  • What prerequisite skills or knowledge is required to take this course?  How much work can students expect?  What are your expectations from student involvement over the term?  Are there specific points during the term when the workload is higher?
  • Consider explicitly stating your expectations of your students

• • Consider explicitly stating what they can expect from you

• The list of action verbs aligned with various levels of Bloom's Taxonomy from the Carnegie Melon University.
• Check out these page from the Teaching Commons of DePaul University for more information on the ways to formulate effective learning outcomes.  
• Iowa State University's Center for Excellence in Learning and teaching has a model of learning objectives, an excellent visualization incorporating action verbs from Bloom's Taxonomy. 
• For more information on what makes for clear, measurable learning objectives, you can also use Arizona State University's Objectives Builder tool.

• List of Assignments
  • What are the types of assignments the students will be expected to complete?  What is the frequency and distribution of the assignments through the term?  What is the grade distribution for these assignments and how will you calculate the final grade?

• Course Schedule/Calendar
  • Set up the week by week schedule for the course (you can use Google Sheets, Google Docs, or Canvas) adding the major assignment due dates and important course activities. 

• Faculty can consult with the Religious Holiday Observance Policy.  

• Attendance

  • Clearly explain the attendance policy.  Having set rules related to the consequences of missing classes is helpful to students.  

Consider taking attendance.  Doing so tells students you pay attention to and value their presence in class. 
Setting up specific rules for excusable absences and clear directions on how to make up absences (when possible) and on when making up absences is not possible helps students prioritize.

• • For an online course, clearly explain your policy on camera being on or off.  For an in-person course, clearly explain the policy on using cell phones, tablets, and laptops. Follow your policy! 

  • If your course includes any group or teamwork, clearly explain the attendance/participation policy.  Having a clearly stated participation policy will help you to navigate student disputes and will help students report and resolve issues when they arise.  Knowing where you stand will make a huge difference in students' attitudes towards groupwork.

Sample language

• Please remember that groups are only effective if everyone treats each other with respect. You are encouraged to communicate your thoughts, but please also allow others in your group to express their thoughts. You will be surprised how much you can learn by mutual respect of each other’s ideas, even if you are knowledgeable about a subject. Remember that you learn best by teaching a subject. Try to be receptive to constructive criticism, and open about accepting mistakes. Please come to the class prepared and take ownership of your group’s success.

• Participation is critical to success in the course and involves watching the online videos carefully and taking good notes. To increase the value of the class, I often teach content in the videos that is not found in the book. This content may not be available outside of videos and skipping them will make it harder to complete post-video quizzes, problem sets, and succeed on exams.

• Regular class attendance and participation will benefit you in several ways. I want you to learn and believe that you need to be in class to learn what I’m teaching.  If you attend every class, you will be given 10 extra credit points at the end of the semester. Note – Please make every effort to not only attend class but show up on time. If you are going to miss class (illness, doctor’s appointment, athletics, etc.) let me know before class if you can. If not, let me know as soon as possible so that we can keep you on track academically!

• Two “complete absences” in any combination = a free pass.  Each subsequent “complete absence” = 10% deduction in In-class engagement category contribution to your final grade.

• Late and Make Up Work 

  • Set up your policy on the late work, make up work, and missed work and spell it out in the syllabus.  Stick to your own policies. Lack of specific policies may lead to unequitable application of rules around late and missed work.  Students from underserved backgrounds are less likely to ask for exceptions.  Specific policy will help you treat all your students equitably.

Sample language

• Please reach out before the due date if you can’t make a deadline.  Submission of any assignment after the time and date due will result in an automatic grade deduction unless prior permission has been granted.  

• To count as “on time,” all assignments must be submitted to Canvas by the time and day indicated on the syllabus. Give yourself ample time to account for any technical difficulties when submitting assignments.  There will be a 10% deduction for each day an assignment is submitted late. Extenuating circumstances will be handled on a case-by-case basis at my discretion. 

• Without prior arrangements, late assignments will not be accepted. Students will be given a mark of zero if the assignment is not handed in by the end of class on the due date.

• There is no extra credit in this course. If you’re concerned about your grade or feeling overwhelmed, talk to me right away and I’ll do everything I can to help. Anyone should be able to do well in this course if they do the work on time and ask for help proactively. Don’t wait until it’s too late to ask for help! Grades will be reduced by one-third of a letter grade (3 points out of 100) for each day an assignment is overdue. Please see me if you need to miss class and want to make up the in-class project you’ll be missing. You can make up a maximum of one in-class project without a grade penalty, but the make-up version may have more rigorous requirements than the version we complete together during class. For medical issues, a death in the family, or other hardships that are beyond your control and may cause you to miss multiple classes or fall significantly behind, please talk to me as soon as you can. 

• 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.

• I recognize that many students will need to juggle multiple roles and responsibilities while enrolled in this course, and that there may be times where it is difficult or impossible for you to complete an assignment by the specified due date because of medical, personal, work, or family issues.  To focus grading in this class on your ability to meet the stated standards for an assignment, I do not apply late penalties for work submitted after the due date.  Instead, you are expected to complete the work late or request a make-up assignment.  If you miss the due date for an assignment and can complete it late, please do so and then e-mail me to let me know you’ve submitted the work.  If you do not think you will be able to complete the original assignment, e-mail me to request a make-up assignment or to discuss other options.

• As the group project requires active collaboration, all students must participate throughout the semester.  If this is a concern, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss the issue.

• Communication 

  • Clearly state your expectations for communication and explain what students can expect from you.

Sample language

• Students are expected to check Hamline's e-mail on a frequent and regular basis to stay current with University-related communications, recognizing that certain communications may be time-critical. 

• If you have questions about the course, please email me. We will use Canvas, Hamline’s Learning Management System, for all written communication outside of class. I check my email regularly during working hours.  However, if your email implies a very long answer, please come and see me during office/drop-in hours or schedule a virtual meeting with me. I am typically also available in the classroom right before/after the class begins.

• I will be in my office to welcome you during drop-in hours, and I am also available by appointment.  If you have any questions or problems, it is important to see me as soon as possible so we can appropriately address the situation.  I am also available via e-mail, but I do not respond on evenings and weekends.  Many issues are much better dealt with in person and I encourage you to come discuss them with me directly.

• Using Technology

Consider telling students up front what you expect from them in terms of using their cell phones and laptops. Be clear and follow your policy. 

Sample Language

• Because one of the goals of the course is to help you become familiar with XYZ software, there will be times in class when we will use technology. I will let you know in advance so that you can bring your own equipment to class. Or, if you prefer you may check out an available device from the Central Service Desk. When we are not using these laptop computers, I ask that you limit your use of technology in class because it distracts from your own learning and learning of those around you. You may use a computer to take notes in class, but all other uses of technology are strongly discouraged. Turn off your electronic devices so that they do not vibrate or make noise during class.

• Students consistently report that they find it distracting when other students around them use their phones or computers for non‐class related matters. For that reason, I prohibit the use of technology for any purpose other than note‐taking. If another student tells you that your use of technology is distracting, please be respectful and stop doing whatever it is that is distracting them.

"Drafting a policy on academic integrity and cheating is one of the thorniest areas of syllabus construction. The ready availability of online resources raises a plethora of issues around paraphrasing, attribution, and plagiarism. Some students cheat intentionally by buying papers from online essay mills, but many end up plagiarizing unintentionally simply because they don’t know how to use digital sources properly — a difficulty exacerbated by the often hazy line between paraphrasing and outright expropriation. Cheating has become a matter that’s both increasingly relevant for academe and increasingly byzantine for students. That trend is reflected in course syllabi, where academic-integrity policies have become both longer and more punitive in tone. Resist adding a long section of campus boilerplate that reads like a criminal statute. Once again, you’re essentially telling students you think that many of them will cheat, and you’re already weighing how to punish them.

• Focus on equity, not punishment.  Why is academic integrity such an important issue?  There are compelling intellectual, ethical, and legal reasons for a robust and effective policy on academic honesty. Academic honesty should be more than just a game of cops and robbers. Use your syllabi to make that point.

• Examine your assignment design and class requirements: Consider why your students cheat. Do they procrastinate and lose track of time? Many cases of plagiarism are the products of procrastination, followed by panic the night before an assignment is due and by poor decision-making skills that make copy-and-pasting from the internet seem like a viable solution. 

Consider modifying your syllabi to break down large assignments into smaller components — due at various points throughout the semester, with numerous check-in points to receive formative feedback.

Consider designing essay prompts to be so course- and context-specific that students can’t find an easy answer for them online. 

Consider framing this section with the key question in mind: What are you saying to your students? Tone and approach matter, especially when it comes to an issue as complex as academic integrity.

Modified from Kevin Gannon, Chronicle

Hamline University still has to adopt a formal policy on generative AI tools.  It might be tempting to ignore it.  In reality though, the use of ChatGPT and other AI tools is ubiquitous — and we have to pay attention.  So, yes, you probably do need to add an AI policy to your syllabi.  Be detailed in your dos and don’ts.  If it’s OK for students to use these tools for some things (generating ideas or creating outlines) but not for others (writing drafts or preparing bibliographies), say so directly on the syllabus.  

Consider explicitly describing, with examples, which types of coursework fall into which category.  Don't leave it up to students to read your mind.

Check out this collection of many-many-many samples for AI policy, from most flexible to most prohibitive (Thanks to Kris Deffenbacher and Catheryn Jennings). 

Including syllabus language spelling out expectations from the very beginning will help you and your students better prepare for course discussions and will set the tone for course conversations.

Sample Language:

• An Important Note: In this course, we will discuss a variety of sensitive topics, including trauma, suicide, sex, and eating disorders. In addition, we will be examining the causes and effects of mental health issues that you may have personally experienced or know someone who has. It is important that we discuss these issues respectfully, avoiding stereotypes and the impulse to diagnose ourselves and those around us. If at any point, you have concerns about class content or want to discuss your personal reactions, I encourage you to email me, come to office hours, or schedule an appointment.

• TRIGGER WARNING: At times this semester we will be looking at and discussing photographs of human suffering in the context of photographic theory and/or recent historical events. We may also look at contemporary art work that may have a sexual and/or political content which may be disturbing, even traumatizing, to some students. If you ever feel the need to step outside during one of these discussions, either for a short time or for the rest of the class session, you may always do so without academic penalty. If you ever wish to discuss your personal reactions to this material, either with the class or with me afterward, I welcome such discussion as an appropriate part of our coursework.

• As with many [specific discipline] classes, the readings and discussions will include a range of topics that may be emotionally distressing and difficult. Engaging with such topics is in the nature of [this discipline]: literature represents experience so that we know how others have thought about it before us, for good or ill. Since this class intersects with law, this dimension of our discussion may be amplified by our readings of cases and contexts. Some of our discussions may seem insensitive or politically incorrect. If a discussion is truly troubling to you, please do not hesitate to talk to me.

• In this class we will be discussing subject matter that some students may consider controversial.  Some students may find some of the readings and/or comments in class challenging. Our purpose in this class is to explore this subject matter deeply and consider multiple perspectives and arguments.  Students are expected to listen to one another (and the instructor) respectfully, but of course are free to disagree with views expressed, as long as they do so respectfully.

• This class is going to challenge you with difficult readings and concepts.  Some of these readings may even provoke discomfort, which I encourage you to explore as best you can.  I respect your willingness to tax yourself intellectually, and to allow yourself to be frustrated and to take risks with this material.  If you find some of the material distressing, let me know. I’m happy to flag up any content you may find upsetting in advance or to discuss any issues you might be having in office hours.

• Sample syllabus language for various University-wide resources

  • Disability center, food resource center, health and counseling resources, and many more  

• University-wide policies and statements

  • Land acknowledgement, civility statements, and many more