Study the Syllabus

Read through the syllabus for this course.

A syllabus is a document an instructor writes to describe the rules and philosophy of a course. (It is pronounced like “sill a bus.” The plural of “syllabus” is “syllabi,” pronounced like “sill a bye.”) We instructors write the syllabus for our own benefit as much as for students’: it helps us think about what we want to teach, and what we want students to experience. The syllabus is a secret window into the instructor’s mind!

The syllabus is for students as well, and it’s wise to read it thoughtfully. It will contain crucial information about what to expect, what to do, and what not to do. Every college course is different, and learning how each of your courses is different from the others is one of your first jobs in a new semester. Reading the syllabus is a start-of-semester powerup.

Here are some tips for reading the syllabi for your courses:

• Read each syllabus early, in the first few days of class. Many students delay reading it, or half-read it, or don’t read it at all — and this very often comes back to bite them.
• Read each syllabus slowly. It’s a fine idea to skim over it first, but then come back and take it a little bit at a time. Make sure you understand each part of it.
• If anything makes you think “Oh! I need to remember that!” then write that down.
• Go back and review the syllabus as you encounter new things in the course: the first homework, a new section of class, the start of a course project, etc.
• Ask questions. Professors are people, and people (including professors) have a wide range of personalities, but most of us have one thing in common: we like it when students care, we like it when students pay attention, and we like it when students ask thoughtful questions. If the syllabus leaves you wondering something…well, you’re probably not the only one wondering! Ask.