Syllabus Expected Elements

Course Information

• University name
• Course title and number
• Course credits/hours
• Course term
• Professor’s name and contact information
• Course description (EWU Catalog description)
• Prerequisites or Corequisites
• Course goals and objectives
• Textbook
• Link to Bookstore*
• Course URL
• Other required course materials (webcam, mic, etc.)
• Teaching methods
• Attendance policy*

EWU Policies

• Academic integrity statement
• ADA statement
• Equal Opportunity statement
• Affirmative Action statement

Learning Experiences

• Assessments/assignments – link to course objectives (which should ultimately support program student learning outcomes)
  • Assignment criteria or Participation*
  • Written assignment criteria*
  • Late assignment policy*
  • Course schedule*

Grading

• Evaluation criteria. NOTE: Instructors must clearly identify how students receive their course grades.
• Grading schema*

*Elements that may be included in department Policy and Procedure manual

Syllabus Example Statements

The following are sample statements from current faculty syllabi.

Academic Integrity

Faculty can use the word “may” in their statement of sanctions for students. This is a good choice of words when a faculty member wants to retain their discretionary rights till the time of talking over the matter with the student. Thus, a faculty member can write in their syllabus “students committing academic dishonesty in this course may receive a failing score.” This is legally interpreted as the maximum penalty that can occur from the faculty member is an “F”, but that the faculty member has the right to grant a sanction which is less harsh.

Academic Integrity example statements

Example 1

Violations of academic integrity will not be tolerated. Examples of academic dishonesty include misrepresenting others’ work as your own, failure to provide proper citations in written text, stealing or destroying material intended for the use of other students, using notes or cell phones during exams, taking photographs of exams, assisting others during exams, copying someone else’s work, letting his or her work be copied. Any violation of academic integrity for any assignment in this class may result in an XF grade for the course as a whole. An XF grade indicates that you failed the course for violating EWU’s policy on academic integrity. For additional information regarding this issue, refer to the following link https://staging-inside.ewu.edu/policies/knowledge-base/wac-172-90-student-academic-integrity-3/.

Example 2

Any form of academic dishonesty will be documented and reported to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs. A student who cheats on a test, quiz or homework assignment (copying someone else’s work, letting his or her work be copied, talking or sharing a calculator during an exam and other forms of cheating) will receive a zero on the assignment or assessment. Another incidence of cheating may result in a grade of XF for the quarter. (XF on a transcript indicates that a student received a 0.0 because he or she cheated.) For additional information regarding this issue, refer to the following link https://staging-inside.ewu.edu/policies/knowledge-base/wac-172-90-student-academic-integrity-3/.

Example 3

EWU expects the highest standards of academic integrity of its students. Academic honesty is the foundation for a fair and supportive learning environment for all students. Personal responsibility for academic performance is essential for equitable assessment of student accomplishments. The university supports the faculty in setting and maintaining standards of academic integrity. Charges of academic dishonesty are reviewed through a process that allows for student learning and impartial review. EWU’s academic integrity policy is available online at: https://staging-inside.ewu.edu/policies/knowledge-base/wac-172-90-student-academic-integrity-3/

Example 4

Statement on plagiarism and academic fraud: Broadly speaking, plagiarism occurs when an author uses the words, ideas, and/or phrasing of another author (either directly or in paraphrase) without proper attribution. Cutting and pasting sentences, paragraphs, or entire articles written by someone else into your essay and then submitting it as your own is the obvious example. However, academic fraud is broader than this. For example, if you use the words of another author but fail to put quotation marks around them, that’s plagiarism. Or if you put quotation marks around them but fail to provide a citation, that’s plagiarism too. Using the notes or class materials of another student in the completion of an exam or other assignment (whether it’s an in-class or take-home exam), is cheating. If you provide your notes/class materials to another student who then uses them to complete an assignment, that could be defined as cheating too.

In addition, there’s a difference between collaboration and collusion. Collaboration involves things like talking, thinking, or brainstorming with your fellow students and is generally encouraged. Collusion occurs when that collaboration results in the submission of identical or substantially similar work by two or more students and is always frowned upon. There is a difference between careless academic practice and the outright intent to deceive, and sanctions for such offenses can be modulated depending on the professor’s view of the seriousness of the offense. The point is that you need to be triple-extra sure about what sorts of collaboration are permitted by your instructors and which aren’t. Do not assume anything! Just because a certain kind of collaboration has not been expressly prohibited by an instructor does not mean it’s permitted. Just because some professors permit collaboration does not mean they all do.

Any student found guilty of plagiarism or other academic fraud in this class will automatically receive a 0.0 grade for the course. I reserve the right to refer especially serious instances of academic fraud (e.g. an obvious intent to deceive) to the appropriate university authorities and request the more serious sanction of an X/F grade for the course. Please consult with me if you’re even slightly unsure of what this all means.

EWU’s academic integrity policy is available online at: https://staging-inside.ewu.edu/policies/knowledge-base/wac-172-90-student-academic-integrity-3/

Disability Support and ADA

Eastern Washington University is committed to providing support for students with disabilities. If you are a student with physical, learning, emotional, or psychological disabilities needing accommodation, you are encouraged to stop by Student Accommodations Support Services (SASS), located in Tawanka Hall 121, or call 509-359-6871.

Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action

No person shall, on the basis of age, race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or disability, be excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of Eastern Washington University. Eastern Washington University adheres to affirmative action policies to promote diversity and equal opportunity for all faculty and students.

Student Conduct

Students are subject to the University’s Student Conduct Code, which has been promulgated as a chapter in the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) at Ch. 172-120. This code protects the interests of the University in providing an atmosphere supportive of student learning. In this class, students are expected to treat other individuals with respect and to engage in the learning activities assigned. Distractive, disruptive, irrelevant or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.

Time Commitment

As per the guidelines for Eastern Washington University, for each credit hour spent in a lecture-discussion setting in the classroom, per week, requires 2-hours of outside preparation time. This is a 4 credit-hour class, and you can expect to put in up to 8-hours per week outside of the classroom on the preparation, reading, and project assignments.

Withdrawal/Incomplete

If it becomes necessary for you to withdraw from the course, it is your responsibility to do so. To receive an incomplete (X), a student must be passing the course when a verifiable documented emergency occurs after the last withdrawal date.