Like practically all of my Kenyon Survival Techniques™, I learned about the Master Syllabus from Professor Ted Mason, professor of English and Associate Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Since I had taken three classes with him during my first year at Kenyon College, I assumed that everyone compiled their assignments into one giant list. Based on the reactions I received from my peers, however, I soon learned that no one else shared my methodsAs a result, you might be wondering what I mean by a “master syllabus.” While many traditional syllabi include policies on attendance and participation, I limit my version to a list of color-coded assignments. I delineate the reading assignments, quizzes, exams, and essays for all of my classes by assigning a color to each one. For instance, all the assignments for my English class this semester are colored blue, and assignments for Psychology are colored red. If you’re interested in creating a master syllabus of your own, keep reading for detailed instructions on how I put mine together during the first week of the semester.
1. Use a program like Microsoft Excel to create a list of dates throughout the semester.
The first time I created a master syllabus, I made the mistake of typing out every date one-by-one. As you might imagine, typing the dates took up a lot of time, so if you can, I definitely recommend taking advantage of Microsoft Excel or Numbers for Mac. I am not familiar with the latter program, but I am sure you can find resources online to achieve the same results.
If you are using Microsoft Excel, you can begin by typing the first date into the first cell. For the Spring 2017 semester, my first class took place on 1/17/17. Next, you can select the “Fill” option on the “Home” tab and then “Series…” on the dropdown menu. Once the series dialogue box opens, be sure to select the options “Columns,” “Date,” and “Days.” After you press “OK,” you must hover over the bottom right-hand corner of the first cell. At that point, your cursor will turn into a small, black “+” sign. Left-click and drag the cursor down until your desired end-date. In my case, I stopped at 5-10-17 since I am done with finals that day.
Voila! You have a list of dates! If you’re like me and prefer the dates to be written out, you can easily change the format by highlighting the entire column, right-clicking, and selecting the “Format cells…” option. At that point, another dialogue box will pop up. Under the “Type” heading, you can change the date format to a variety of options. Personally, I prefer to include the weekday to minimize the confusion when I start inputting my assignments.
2. Copy and Paste your Dates into your Favorite Word Processor.
You could probably create your master syllabus in the Excel document you created earlier, but I prefer to use a word processor like Microsoft Word or Google Docs to type mine up. Google Docs is especially handy because you can access it from multiple devices such as your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
Note: When you copy and paste your dates, your word processor might show them in cells. Aesthetically, I don’t think it looks great that way, so I tend to paste the dates into the URL bar and then re-copy them. Once you paste the dates back into your word document, all formatting (i.e. cells) will be reset, leaving the text on its own. There is probably an easier way to get the job done, but this way works fine as long as you don’t mind pressing the “Enter” key a million times to separate the unformatted dates.
3. List all your assignments under their appropriate due dates.
Under each day that your assignments are due, type the title of your reading material, the page range, and any other important information you may need to know. Protip: If your professor has a Moodle page, check to see if they posted the syllabus online. Copying and pasting your assignments directly from a digital syllabus makes this process go a lot faster.
4. Choose a color for each class and highlight all your assignments in their assigned colors.
Although color-coding your classes is not necessary, I highly recommend that you do. Separating your classes by color makes it much easier to distinguish how much work you have per class at a glance. If you already have a color-coding system for your classes, it would be a good idea to keep your chosen colors consistent for each class. For instance, in addition to my master syllabus, I keep color-coded folders, calendars, and to-do lists. Whenever I get a handout from Professor Mason, I put it in a blue folder. When I have an essay due in his class, I make a note on my calendar using a blue dry-erase marker. When I have a chapter for an English novel to read, I record the task using a (you guessed it!) a blue ball-point pen. Again, everything here is completely optional, but I have found that keeping things consistent across all my classes has definitely helped me stay more organized in college.
5. Increase the font and bold the text of any important assignments.
Again, this is another personal preference, but I find it helpful to emphasize class cancellations, essays, exams, and other physical assignments, especially since a lot of my classes do not have regular homework assignments. Sometimes these assignments are not said explicitly in your professor’s assignment list, so be sure to read through the entire syllabus. In my Gender and Women in the Middle East course, for example, I have a formal reflection response due before February 28, but I wouldn’t have known that if I only looked at the assignment list.
6. Store your original syllabi somewhere and celebrate! You’re done!
Since the master syllabus does not include important class policies, it is a good idea to hold onto the originals just in case you need to take a peek at the attendance policy in the future. (Free unexcused absences? I know I’m guilty of taking advantage of them when my workload in other classes gets a little too heavy.) After they’re stored away, sit back, relax, and don’t worry about missing another assignment ever again.
Creating a master syllabus takes work and patience, but it’s well worth it when you need to stay organized.
Image credits: Charlotte Smithson