Syllabus Tone
The tone and language used in your syllabus has an important impact on how students perceive your approachability.
| Topic | Instead of... | COnsider... |
|---|---|---|
| Office Hours | Office Hours: MWF 10:30am-11:30am If you need to make an appt outside of these hours, please send me an email. |
Student Hours: MWF 10:30am-11:30am If you need to make an appt outside of these hours, please send me an email. |
| Course Goals & Objectives | At the end of this course, students will be able to... | Some of the skills that I hope you will acquire in this course are described below. |
| Attendance | I expect you to attend every class. If you cannot attend a class, please let me know. | Please plan to attend every class. However, I recognize that illness or other extenuating circumstances can arise to make this difficult. If you cannot attend a class, please let me know. |
| Class Participation | Come prepared to actively participate in the course. This is the best way to learn the material. | The learning activities in this course benefit from you coming to class prepared and participating. I have found this is the best way to engage with the material, and it allows all of us to learn from one another. |
| Learning Resources for Students | Where to go for Extra Help:
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Feeling stuck? Wondering how to get started on your homework? Don't worry, we've all been there. I encourage you to come chat with me during student hours, or email me to setup an individual appointment. There are also other resources you can try:
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Examples adapted from study: Effect of syllabus tone: students' perceptions of instructor and course, Harnish and Bridges, 2011.