The Syllabus and the Rubric

I've had the opportunity to take some online classes lately. Because of the type of interaction with other students in the class, I have come to the conclusion that many students do not read the class syllabus.

A syllabus is provided at the start of class and contains some very important information, such as what the teacher expects from their students. If you don't read it... your grade will suffer, your assignments may be late, and you might even fail the class!

The syllabus may include: a reading schedule, grading information, assignment due dates, contact information or office hours for your professor, guidelines for submitting home work, information about late work, deadlines, attendance, required textbooks and materials, etc.

Since every teacher has different requirements, I suggest keeping a copy of the syllabus on hand to refer to it periodically. For example, I've had professors who want assignments turned in as .doc and others who want .pdf. So, I always double check the syllabus to make sure I understand what the professor wants. Otherwise, they may take off points or not accept your work at all! 

In addition, some professors use a grading rubric (see example below). A rubric contains criteria for assignments and includes various levels of points for each task or skill. Basically, it allows your teacher to communicate what they expect from you and how the assignment will be graded. Make sure you study their rubric before you start an assignment so that you meet all the requirements.

If you pay attention to the syllabus and grading rubric in your classes, you'll be a College Smarty!

Click on the rubric above to enlarge.

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