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HOME = Writing Your Syllabus =

** SYLLABUS DUE DATE: **

Your syllabi are a part of the Faculty Evaluation System and it is important that you **electronically submit** your syllabi to your Division Assistant (see the Administrative Support section of this orientation if you do not know who your Division Assistant is) by the due date. The Faculty Annual Checklist states the syllabi due date for the spring semester as January 2nd and the fall semester as August 1st. ** SYLLABUS CHECKLIST: **

Below is a GENERIC syllabus checklist. Many departments have a specific syllabus template that faculty are required to use. It is, therefore, very important that you check with your Department Chair or Division Assistant before writing your syllabus to find out if there is a required template.

**WRITING EFFECTIVE COURSE OBJECTIVES FOR YOUR SYLLABI: **

Identifying appropriate learning objectives is an important first step in organizing your course and preparing your syllabus. Deciding what you want students to do with the course material will not only help you develop assignments and evaluation measures but will also help you determine what content is most relevant and how to sequence the information you will convey in the course. By focusing on outcomes (student learning) rather than inputs (topics), you will be making student-centered decision-making primary from the very beginning of your course preparation. This will not only allow students to understand clearly your expectations for them but will allow you to access their progress most effectively. The following are links to online material on how to write effective course (or learning) objectives:
 * [|Major Categories in the Taxonomy of Educational Ojbectives]- Bloom's Taxonomy
 * [|How to Write Clear Objectives]- from Penn State University
 * [|Writing Quality Learning Objectives]- from Park University
 * [|Writing Performance Objectives] - from Honolulu Community College

CLICK HERE FOR IMPORTANT SEMESTER ACADEMIC DATES

**//__SYLLABUS CHECKLIST__//** **(Please check with your department before using this)**

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR - **Your name and contact information** Include a telephone number and your current SU email (you must use your Stevenson email address and NOT a personal email address on your syllabus and for student communications) - **Times when students may phone you** - **Office hours and location**. If you do not have an office, please indicate meetings are by appt.

COURSE INFORMATION - **Course name, number, section and semester/year** - **Classroom Location** and information on any sessions to be held elsewhere - **Scheduled Class Time** and any exceptions - **Course Description** Use catalog descriptions when appropriate. If a “topics” course, please adjust catalog description to suit needs. Descriptions are online at http://catalog.stevenson.edu/ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">- **Learning Objectives** Our accrediting agency requires that all syllabi include a statement of expected learning outcomes. For guidance on writing objectives please visit the Center for Excel¬lence in Teaching online at http://www.stevenson.edu/fas/cet/evaluation/objectives.asp <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">- **Required and Recommended Texts and Materials** title, author, edition, cost, and where to obtain <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">- **Instructional Methods used in this course** e.g., lecture, lab, group projects, guest speakers, fieldwork, online components, etc.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">COURSE SCHEDULE INFORMATION <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">- **Class Calendar Dates** of each class meeting, listing the tentative topics to be covered and any special class activities that are tentatively scheduled. (The University enrollment calendar can be found at http://apps.stevenson.edu/enrollment-calendar/. Click on the link for the specific semester to find beginning and ending semester dates.) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">- **Exam Dates** Final exam dates can be found on the Registrar’s website http://ssc.stevensonuniversity.org/registrar/final-exam-schedule/

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">GRADING INFORMATION <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">- **Grading Scale** Please use the University grading scale <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">//__University Grading Scale__// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">//In general, the grading scale in the table below serves as the basic numeric standard that faculty use in evaluating student performance. Grading systems may vary according to discipline and instructor preferences. Some grading practices recalculate "on the curve," while others use only letter grades without assigning numeric values, and still other grading protocols may also exist. In all cases of variance from the standards below, the instructor will explain the grading system clearly on the course syllabus. When a standard numeric scale is used, the instructor will base grades on the standard below.//


 * ** Grade ** || ** Numeric Standard ** ||
 * A || 93–100 ||
 * A- || 90–92 ||
 * B+ || 87–89 ||
 * B || 83–86 ||
 * B- || 80–82 ||
 * C+ || 77–79 ||
 * C || 73–76 ||
 * C- || 70–72 ||
 * D+ || 67–69 ||
 * D || 60–66 ||
 * F || 0–59 ||

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- **Standard**s Describe what constitutes an A, B, C, D, F, in your course–this can be developed as a rubric against which students can be measured <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- **Course Requirements** Exams, quizzes, projects, papers, presentations and the proportion each counts toward the final grade. If class participation is factored in, explain how you will evaluate it.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">POLICIES AND STANDARDS & ACADEMIC SUPPORT INFORMATION <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- **Policies regarding late work, make-up exams, and classroom conduct** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- **Attendance Policy** //__University Attendance Policy:__// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">//Each student is responsible for his or her own class attendance, and regular attendance is expected. Every student is responsible for the material covered or the skills exercised during scheduled classes. Grades will be based on demonstrated achievement of the objectives of the course, not on attendance in class as such. Although attendance alone does not determine grades, students should be aware that grades may depend on class activities, experiments, discussions, or quizzes for which consistent attendance is necessary. Students who stop attending and fail to officially withdraw from a class will be given a grade of "FX" which calculates as an "F."// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- **Statement of Academic Integrity** Include the academic honesty policy, but also be sure to clarify what the consequences for plagiarism will be in your course. Our University policy leaves it to the discretion of the faculty member as stated in the syllabus. The policy is at http://www.stevenson.edu/services/dean/honesty.asp <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- **Your policies on submission of assignments** e.g., standards for written work, preferred citation style, how and where to submit assignments, etc. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">- **Academic Support Information** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">// **The Academic Link**, located in KH 201, provides free tutoring. If you are having difficulty understanding the material, seek help immediately. Tutoring often makes the difference in a student’s grade. For more information regarding hours, scheduling appointments and helpful study strategy links visit //[|//http://academiclink.stevensonuniversity.org///]//. // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">// **Smarthinking**, providing free online tutoring 24 hours of every day in select courses, is available by logging on to Blackboard with your username and pass¬word. // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">// Supplemental Instruction (SI), available in select courses, provides two or more free coach sessions a week. //

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR DEPARTMENT CHAIR OR DIVISION ASSISTANT BEFORE WRITING YOUR SYLLABUS TO DETERMINE IF A STANDARD SYLLABUS FORMAT IS USED BY YOUR DEPARTMENT AND FOR SYLLABUS DEADLINES

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