On the first day of each course you take, your instructor will discuss the course syllabus—hopefully in
painstaking detail. It is a tedious exercise but critical to your success in the class. Simply put, the course
syllabus is merely a map of what's going to happen in the weeks ahead. From August to December,
everything you need to know about the trajectory of the course is in this document. And in some ways,
it resonates as a legal document referred to if you and the instructor cannot agree about an assigned
task or grade. Therefore, it is binding, and it behooves you to read the fine print.

Some instructors may ask you to sign the course syllabus. Some may go even further and have you sign
it as part of a course contract. In either case, the syllabus is critical to the fruition of the course, and it
behooves you to read it thoroughly. If you have a question about the exam date, a class reading, or the
midterm and final, the syllabus is the first place to look for an answer. If you do not and ask the
instructor, be prepared for this response: "what does it say in the syllabus?" If you can't answer that
question, you have signaled to the instructor that you have not read it. Trust me, most instructors will
not quote what's in it for you because they do not want to give out conflicting information. This also
prevents them from misquoting or appearing to provide preferential treatment to one student. In short,
the course syllabus is also about equity. Everyone has a fair and equal shot to successfully navigate the
terrain ahead of them.

The course syllabus serves several primary purposes to help you navigate your way to a successful end
to your journey. First, like most maps, the course syllabus is about logistics. It provides detailed
information regarding the flow of things between the origin and the destination. Second, quite often,
the course syllabus is fixed—it is not going to change so that you can play catch up. Therefore, you should plan your
trip and develop a strategy for completing the journey well before you must take it. Third, most instructors will provide
you with a link to the course website for the syllabus. Or they may put their syllabi online
in the university's digital course management system—Blackboard, Canvas, etc. Make sure you understand how to navigate the system on day one and bring your laptop to class. If your instructor stresses a critical assignment, make sure you highlight it and put it in your calendar. Finally, make sure you review syllabi from each course on the first day of the semester, noting due dates for assignments.

The features of a course syllabus vary, but here are some essential features of most:

• Instructor information – name, title, office location, phone number, and e-mail (also names and contact information for teaching assistants)
• Course Information (course semester, title, section, and number; meeting times, days, and location)
• Course content description (also prerequisites for the course)
• Course objectives and goals
• Learning outcomes (this information is vital if you transfer to another university or want to take a more challenging course)
• Required texts and supplies for the course (university bookstore, library, online, electronic reserves, etc.)
• Campus resources available and where (tutoring, writing, counseling, learning disability, public safety, etc.)
• Grading rubric and percentages for each assignment 
• Assignments plus the dates due, time due, and how to submit 
• Mid-term date and final exam date
• Dates of university holidays 
• Expectations for classroom interaction and group work
• Penalties for late work
• Extra credit assignments
• Academic Integrity Policy (plagiarism, for example)
• Attendance Policy

You will have many questions about the assignments and the function of the class. Your course syllabus is the map that can provide you with most of the answers on this journey that will last several weeks. If you have read it and still have questions, ask the instructor during class. You may not be the only one who wants to know how to navigate a particular task during the journey. Remember, you are not the first to take this journey—all it requires is planning your path from the beginning to the end.