7 Developing a PWR Syllabus

All PWR instructors must submit their course syllabus by the first day of their class to the PWR Program Coordinator (pwr-admin@uw.edu), and those syllabi should contain the elements detailed below, in accordance with the UW Syllabus Guidelines which state “The general principle behind providing a syllabus is to provide a clear statement of course content and performance expectations from the beginning of a class. This statement should be available in a durable and accessible form, whether on paper or online.”

As course management tools like Canvas grow in importance for communicating with and supporting students, many elements that formerly appeared on syllabi may have migrated to Canvas or now be communicated in other means. However, we still require that you have a formal syllabus document that contains the elements below and which you share with students, at least in part because materials on Canvas will not travel with you when you leave UW and because students regularly need to use course syllabi in a variety of situations (e.g., requesting transfer credit to another institution).

In our Instructor Archive (under “Syllabi by course”–scroll to the bottom) you’ll find a template syllabus for 2 day and 4 day classes that you are welcome to download and customize to your heart’s delight.

Required Elements

The facts

1. Your name
2. Course title (+ subtitle if desired)
3. Course section, meeting days/times, and location, including Canvas link/course website
4. Best way to contact you
5. Office location
6. Office hours (including whether they are virtual, in person, or both)

Course theme and calendar

1. A description of the course
   Note: Describe your class in a way that explains its purpose and is accessible and engaging for students. Consider saying something about yourself as an instructor.
2. Course goals
3. Course outcomes
   Note: for 100-level PWR courses, include the PWR course outcomes verbatim. You are free to also incorporate the outcomes into their course description and other aspects of your syllabus.
4. A description of each major assignment
   Note: This can be detailed, a chart, bullet points – whatever works for you, but students should have a sense of what the major projects are when they review the syllabus.
5. A description of your portfolio assignment
   Note: While not required, we encourage you to include the PWR 100-level portfolio rubric if it aligns with your assessment approach and philosophy. It is also included in Chapter 16 of Writer/Thinker/Maker, 2nd ed.
6. A description of how grades will be figured, including how participation will be assessed
7. A list of readings/texts and materials students will need to access:
   • Writer/Thinker/Maker 2nd edition, if using
   • UW NetID and password
   • Printing services
   • Required technology (Canvas, laptops, internet access, etc.)
8. A course calendar (can be tentative and/or subject to change) that includes major assignment deadlines and the final portfolio submission deadline

Course policies and practices

1. A description of student responsibilities
2. Conferencing and peer review description(s)
3. The “Reaching Out” clause (below)

Note: Your specific course policies may overlap with or be in addition to those outlined for all students in PWR courses and posted here. We suggest that you direct students to the Program in Writing and Rhetoric website somewhere on your syllabus.

Required Clauses (verbatim)

Reaching Out

If you have any concerns about the course or your instructor, please see the instructor about these concerns as soon as possible. If you are not comfortable talking with the instructor or not satisfied with the response that you receive, you may contact the following Program in Writing and Rhetoric staff: Director Stephanie Kerschbaum, kersch@uw.edu or Associate Director of Writing Programs, Carrie Matthews, crmatthe@uw.edu. If, after speaking with the PWR Director or Associate Director, you are still not satisfied with the response you receive, you may contact English Department Chair, Anis Bawarshi; bawarshi@uw.edu, (206) 543-2690.

Required Clauses (customize as desired)

Accessibility Statement

PWR does not have a specific accessibility statement you must include, but you must have a disability/accessibility statement in your syllabus. Disability Resources for Students (DRS) offers this statement as a starting point, and you may use this statement directly or customize it for your syllabus tone and presentation. Recent writing studies research shows that students attend carefully to syllabi as a starting point for ascertaining an instructor’s readiness to support accommodations or access needs that they have for their learning.

Academic Integrity Clause

Plagiarism, or academic dishonesty, is presenting someone else’s ideas or writing as your own. In your writing for this class, you are encouraged to refer to other people’s thoughts and writing–as long as you cite them. As a matter of policy, any student found to have plagiarized any piece of writing in this class will be immediately reported to the College of Arts and Sciences for review.

Late and Missed Work Policy

Note: We offer many more updated clauses sharing out UW-related resources and organizations in the Template Syllabus, which is updated each year prior to Autumn Quarter.