Sample Statements for Syllabi

In case you’re looking for samples of statements to include in your syllabi, here are a few.

~Nancy Chick

* = information required by UWC Senate Policy

* Grading Scale

(A biology colleague sent me this first example.)

Final grades will be assigned based on a standard plus/minus scale:

            A          (930-1000)                  C+       (770-799.99)               D-        (600-629.99)

            A-        (900-929.99)               C         (730-769.99)               F          ( < 600)

            B+       (870-899.99)               C-        (700-729.99)

            B          (830-869.99)               D+       (670-699.99)

            B-        (800-829.99)               D         (630-669.99)

~~~  or  ~~~ 

(Here’s what I use.)

Your course grade will be based on the following scale:

* “A+” isn’t a recognized grade at this university, so an A+ will technically be an A on your transcript.  Both will count as 4.0 in your GPA.

Add to Grading Policies section for ENG 098, 101, or 102

Because this course is part of the core writing requirement for the Associate of Arts and Science degree, UW Colleges' policy stipulates that you must receive a C or better to pass this course.

* Religious holiday accommodation (could be in Absence Policy section)

A student with a conflict between an academic requirement (such as an exam) and a religious observance must explain to me—within the first three weeks of class—the specific dates and nature of the conflict in order to schedule an alternative.

Absences and Late Policies     (Find out if your campus or campus department has an absence policy.  If not, clarify your own policy, but make sure you allow for excused absences somehow—it’s Senate policy.  Here’s mine.)

To state the obvious, you must be present to participate in class. Except under the extraordinary circumstances for which I excuse the absence, missing the equivalent of three weeks of class (six periods) will result in a failing grade for the course. You are responsible for all assignments whether you attend class or not. If you do miss a class or part of a class, you should get missed assignments, notes, announcements, and handouts from your study partner before you return to class, rather than asking me my least favorite question, "Did I miss anything important in class yesterday?” (Every class is important. J)  Our activities, exercises, and workshops are cumulative learning moments that build on each other.  By the end of each, you will have added some writing, reading, and/or researching skills to your repertoire. If you miss an activity, exercise, or workshop, make sure your study partner fills you in, and do the exercise on your own, with me, or with the writing tutors in The Learning Center. 

Deadlines are firm, but sometimes life interferes, so late essays will be accepted—with a penalty. If you miss the class in which an essay is due and you can’t get it to me (by email as an MSWord attachment only or delivered by a trusted peer) by the time class begins, you should turn it in immediately because—to be fair to the rest of the class, the meaning of deadlines, and the high expectations of the university—your assignment grade will be reduced according to the following:

·         after class, but the same day it's due:  1/3 of a letter grade (A to A-)

·         next calendar day:  2/3 of a letter grade (A to B+)

·         more than one day late: 1 letter grade per day, including day it’s due (A to B day 1, B to C day 2)

Some assignments, however, assess preparedness for that particular class period, so they cannot be submitted late. (See “Grade Breakdown” for details.)   

Academic Honesty  (Just a good idea to have in your syllabus, worded however you like. Just make sure you’re not violating UWS procedures by saying something like “Plagiarism will automatically result in an F.”  Here’s what I use.)

As a student in the University of Wisconsin, you are part of an academic community and thus are expected to behave in a manner that is respectful of that community, in part by being academically honest.  According to the Student Rights and Regulations Handbook, academic misconduct is an act in which a student (among other acts not relevant to this class) “seeks to claim credit for the work or efforts of another without authorization or citation.”  Examples of academic misconduct include but are not limited to “submitting a paper or assignment as one's own work when a part or all of the paper or assignment is the work of another” and “submitting a paper or assignment that contains ideas or research of other without appropriately identifying the sources of those ideas” (emphasis added). The consequences for such misconduct are serious.  Refer to the Handbook for details—http://www.uwc.edu/student_services/student_R&R.pdf (“Student Academic Disciplinary Procedures,” section UWS 14).

Academic Support  (If you use D2L or email with students, it’s just a good idea to have something about when they can and can’t expect you to respond; otherwise, they expect you to always be online!  Find out your campus contact for disability services and any study skills workshops.  Also, we have the free OWL.  It’s great!  Obviously, you'll adapt the information to your campus.)

I will be checking our D2L site once every 24 hours, not including weekends, so always post questions in the Ask the Class when you have them; your classmates will likely have the same question.  Your classmates can answer many questions, so I expect you to keep up with that area and be helpful to your classmates as much as you can.  If you have a private question, you may email me.  (Again, I will respond within 24 hours and not on weekends.)  

I will also be available to see you during my office hours to discuss your work or the progress of your grade.  (Be aware, though, that when I’m in my office, I’m working, so while I enjoy social or "extracurricular" visits, please keep them brief. J Otherwise, I will fall into a pattern of waking up at 3am, just to get my work done.  My husband and I would prefer that I avoid that pattern!) To assure that I’ll be able to see you, try to set up an appointment with me. 

If you want extra help on your writing, UW-BC has writing tutors in the The Learning Center, and the UW Colleges English Department has an Online Writing Lab (OWL, http://waukesha.uwc.edu/academics/owl/), both of which are free.  Information about both is available on the video screens around campus, on The Learning Center bulletin board, or at http://__TBA____. 

It is the policy and practice of UW-BC to make reasonable accommodations for students with properly documented disabilities.  Contact Jeanne Healy in Student Services via email at jhealy@uwc.edu or by phone at 234-8176 ext. 5432 if you are eligible to receive such an accommodation and would like to request it for this course.

Finally, Student Services has several workshops and courses available to help students develop effective study skills.  Contact Travis Ramage in Student Services via email at tramage@uwc.edu or by phone at 234-8176 ext. 5438 for more information.

* Assessment  (Each semester, look for announcements from the Department Assessment Coordinator[s] with the specifics for that semester's plan.)

The UW Colleges-wide assessment program was established to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the curriculum, programs, and services of the institution.  The institution-wide assessment activities focus on analytical, quantitative, communication, and aesthetic skills because they are of primary importance in the general education of our students.  This semester, students in composition will be assessed on communication skills, specifically the ability to communicate clearly, precisely, and in a well-organized manner.  Each department also conducts assessment activities that address discipline-specific learning goals.  This year, the English Department is continuing a research project that began last year, gathering information about how “peer review” is used and perceived by students, in the hopes of improving how peer review is conducted.  As a part of this project, you will be asked to fill out a survey or complete one or more assignments pertaining to peer review. The results will not affect your grades in the course except insofar as the skills are a part of your assignments.  Your institutional assessment rating will be linked to your name solely for the UW Colleges' analyses of student learning over time.  Your personal assessment ratings, however, will be strictly confidential and again irrelevant to your course grade.

Transfer Information   (Not required, but good info for your students.  You can check the catalog/course calendar for how your course fits into the AAS degree, or go to the TIS link below to find out how it transfers to each campus.) 

             This course counts as 3 of the 9 Fine Arts and Humanities credits required for the Associate of Arts and Science degree.  It also fulfills the Ethnic Studies requirement.  To view how this course transfers to each four-year University of Wisconsin campus, visit the Transfer Information System (TIS) at http://tis.uwsa.edu/cgi-bin/tis/crswiz.cgi.

~~~  or  ~~~ 

To see how this course transfers to other UW institutions, consult the chart below.