Syllabus Critique
School of Education, Liberty University
Lisa Smith
Educ758: Teaching the College Student
Dr. Ester Warren
July 25, 2025
A syllabus is a document that outlines the general framework of a course as well as the
specific components that make up the course and its components (Kanar, 2014). Students are
provided with a foundational understanding of the topics and information covered in the course
through the application of the course curriculum. Furthermore, the syllabus fulfills the function
of the initial introduction to the professor that the students receive. A course's syllabus is a
document that outlines the course's aims, objectives, and methodology, as well as the roles and
expectations of both the instructor and the students for the course. If the curriculum is
wellprepared, there will be a significant reduction in the number of misunderstandings and
misunderstandings that occur throughout the semester (Gonzalez, 2016). Within the scope of
this paper, a sample syllabus for a general business course is examined from every conceivable
perspective to determine the degree to which it is well-designed.
A reasonable rule of thumb to follow when developing or modifying a syllabus is to
ensure that someone who is not familiar with the subject matter (that is, someone who has not
taken the course) is able to comprehend it without any difficulty at all. In the sample business
course syllabus that has been provided for review, there are a significant number of questions
and concerns that have not been answered, both of which pertain to the expectations of the
instructor. It is recommended to include the following components in the syllabus: the course
title and information about the professor, a disclaimer, a schedule, and protection against
plagiarism. The instance in question did not include any of these components. In addition to
that, a significant portion of the course outline was short of substance and offered a very
limited amount of detailed information (Nilson, 2016).
The syllabus should contain the following: the course title and instructor details, a
disclaimer, a schedule, and provisions to prevent plagiarism (Nilson, 2016). Unfortunately, these
parts were not accurately presented. At first glance, the syllabus did not present a date, school
name, semester/term, course name/ code, or contact information for the course instructor. The
sample did list assignments, however, there was no due date or further instruction of
submission nor resources. In addition, the instruction for the assignments were not clear
enough for a student to read and feels support in the expectations. The relative importance of
assignments rests in the sections on course grading and policies, as well as the late policy. Yet,
the textbook readings were not delivered properly, and there was no weekly description of the
course material. Students with disabilities need support often, unfortunately, the sample did
not include contact information for necessary accommodation. There course add/drop
information, no attendance policy, and no information to deliver the caution of plagiarism.
Through the process of examining a course’s outline, students should obtain a sense of
the content and comprehend what they need to do to be successful. It would be beneficial for
students to have a syllabus that not only outlines the objectives of the course but also the
methods that are anticipated to be utilized, to complete the assignments. Overall, a read
syllabus should minimize the probability of misunderstandings and arguments between the
instructor and the students, consequently contributing to the maintenance of a favorable
relationship between the two parties. In conclusion, motivated students feel like they are in
"control of their lives" (Kanar, 2014). Students who are motivated from the outside take things
like test results very seriously. Moreover, students are more likely to meet their academic goals
if they take classes in subjects that interest them and have instructors that are interesting to
them. Yet, it is essential for all instructors to acknowledge that when the syllabus lays out the
assignments, their point values, and the due dates clearly, students do better in all parts of the
process: preparation, planning, and execution. By planning, students can complete all their
coursework without stress or having to scramble at the last minute. There will be less room for
disagreement over grades and due dates if they are laid out in the syllabus properly.
References
Reyes-Gonzalez, L., Gonzalez-Brambila, C. N., & Veloso, F. (2016). Using co-authorship and
citation analysis to identify research groups: a new way to assess performance.
Scientometrics, 108, 1171-1191.
Kanar C. C. (2014). The confident student (8th ed.). Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.
Nilson, L.B. (2016) Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors.
John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken.
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