Why is it important to have a well-prepared syllabus for your course?
A well prepared syllabus is critical to establishing a successful course. The syllabus is the contract between the instructor and student. All the classroom policies and procedures as well as expectations for the course must be presented in the syllabus. This allows the student to understand the expectations for the course. Students will also have the ability to reference the syllabus to understand the objectives of the course. This establishes an organized outline of the material that will be covered as well as what material should be assessed on examinations. Overall a well prepared syllabus provides the student with all the necessary information to understand the expectations of the course while the instructor identifies all the polices, procedures, and objectives to be successful in the course.
I agree that a syllabus must contain as much information as possible to guide the student in the course... but sometimes a well-written syllabus can be too verbose and lengthy to the point that the student ignores it because of the shear length. A syllabus must include all necessary information but at the same time it has to be concise. It is a fine balance. Sometimes it might be best to separate the content.
I like your explanation of a good course syllabus. It is essential that all the necessary information is presented up front to the students on day #1. This helps put the students at ease- they know what is expected of them. I like to read through it with the students and answer their questions as we do so. It also gives me the opportunity to explain any projects/rubrics as we talk about the assignments and projects.
It is important because it cuts out some of the anxiety of the students, it also makes them plan and prepare to meet deadlines and have drafts available for projects. It also helps the instructor keep organized during the time the course is offered.
