Kaitlyn

Pike
De Piero
Do I Really Need This Sheet of Paper?
Students in every college, and most high schools in America have received a
syllabus. Theyre handed out at the beginning of the first class of the term and students
refer back to them even after finals are over while they try to calculate their grade. Often,
professors will respond to emails and questions in office hours with, Have you checked
the syllabus? College chemistry syllabi accomplish a variety of different goals in only
two pages of text. In them, professors address not only a basic outline of the topics
covered in class, but also a schedule of material covered, textbook readings and book
problems, and helpful tips for how to succeed in the class. Organic chemistry professors
Dr. Liming Zhang and Dr. Paula Bruice, as well as general chemistry professor Dr. Scott
Price all author extremely effective syllabi. A student in a college chemistry class would
not succeed without a helping textual tool for the course, which a syllabus provides more
effectively than any other genre of text. Kerry Dirk says to Think about genres as tools
to help people get things done. (Dirk 252) Therefore, if students analyze a syllabus and
learn the conventions along with their purposes, they can set themselves up for the best
chance at success.
As a genre, chemistry syllabi are easily identifiable. The authors understand their
audience and have a clear purpose that they execute using a specific set of conventions.
The audiences for chemistry syllabi are college students. While they are a very diverse
audience, students all have the same ultimate goal in the class - to get an A. Other
important concerns they have range from when and where exams are held, a professors
office hours and location, and information about the textbook for the course. All of these
are addressed by bolded headings in all three of the syllabi examined, which help the

Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:19 AM

Comment [1]: Ha! Nice title, Pike. I
used to ask that!
Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:19 AM
Comment [2]: 2 observations:

1, If you're placing a comma here, you
need another comma somewhere else in
this sentence. (I need you to find that out
so it has a greater chance of "sticking.")

2, This intro is a little dry. Any way to
spice it up?
Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:21 AM
Comment [3]: Pike, I need you to check
this out. Theres some wiggle room as to
whats right/wrong, re: comma rules, but I
think you'd benefit from giving this
resource a hard look:
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/com
mas/.

If you ever have any qs about punctuation
-- or anything writing related -- please don't
hesitate to ask.
Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:23 AM
Comment [4]: Cool paper and solid
thesis, Pike! To take it up to the next
level, I need you to get more specific.
What conventions, exactly, do they need
to learn?

If I have this specific reader up front from
the get-go, I'll be able to read with more
purpose -- I'll be able to anticipate what's
coming up, which will help me follow along
more thoroughly.
Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:25 AM
Comment [5]: What do you mean by
"understand" here? They know who
they're writing to, and what their needs
are?
Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:28 AM
Comment [6]: This is subtle, but I think
it's worth point out: you've changed the
perspective from the beginning of the
paragraph to here. You started off by
referencing the author's viewpoint, and
now you're referencing the reader's (ie,
college students).

... [1]
Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:29 AM
Comment [7]: What are they? Are they
the same across all the examples? How
are they organized? Can you find any
clues as to what the professors seem to
privilege/value most? (ie, what's
mentioned FIRST and what's last? And...
why?)

Kaitlyn Pike
De Piero
reader quickly find what they are looking for. Underneath these headings are a few
concise, formal sentences concerning the heading above it. Other information provided
includes dates and times, which are bolded for quick reference, and some phrases that are
written inside of boxes. The boxed information is extremely important such as Dr.
Bruices all-capitalized and bolded reminder to BRING A PICTURE ID TO ALL
MIDTERMS AND EXAMS. (Bruice) This very effectively reminds the student of an
important part of taking exams for this course, since the exam might not be accepted
without proper ID in order to combat potential cheating. All of this information
ultimately helps the student succeed in the course by reminding them of crucial facts,
such as when the final is and where it is located. Without this reminder in a known,
convenient place like a syllabus, a student may miss the final and fail the course.
As stated previously, a college students goal is ultimately to earn an A. Many
courses in chemistry are not graded in a straightforward manner, and often each professor
has their own, unique method for grading the course in order to make sure enough
students pass. Since this information is extremely important to a students goal, they
often are curious about things like whether or not the course will be graded on a curve, if
their lowest exam score will be dropped, or if there is a predetermined grading
distribution. Professors are aware of this and approach this in one of two ways, according
to the three examples examined here. Dr. Bruice puts a lot of detail into the grading
portion of her syllabus, and it ends up being the largest section. She utilizes bolding to
emphasize words to the student such as addressing those who may potentially miss an
exam by clarifying that, In cases where your attendance is required (Bruice) before
going on to explain the procedure of what to do if an exam is missed. She also goes on

Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:31 AM

Comment [8]: You're tossing a lot of
useful information into this paragraph,
Pike, but I'm wondering a bit what your
main focus is -- it just seems to be about...
"syllabus stuff."

This might be a formatting/ long paragraph
issue. By breaking your paragraphs up,
you can focus on different aspects, and
then analyze them in greater depth in the
new, smaller paragraphs.
Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:34 AM
Comment [9]: For sure, and I can see
how this ties back to the importance of
how reading/understanding syllabi is
essential for success, but I'm a little
unclear as to whether your argument is
more about students -- need to interpret
these documents -- or for the profs, who
need to write these in a clear, readerfriendly fashion *so that* their students can
achieve success.

I think that's an important difference, so try
to find a way to make that clear(er).
Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:35 AM
Comment [10]: I'd like you to find a way
to find a crisper topic sentence, Pike -- one
that specifically identifies the focus of this
paragraph.
Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:34 AM
Comment [11]: This may be a personal
pet peeve of mine, but Id like to advise
you to steer clear of things in academic
writing (maybe even all writing!). Its
suuuuuuper vague. Academic writing
requires precision and specificitybe
direct and tell me exactly what youre
talking about. Pick the 1 word that really
captures the idea(s) that you want to get
across.
Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:36 AM
Comment [12]: OK, cool! Now we're
onto the juicy stuff!

How/why does this fit into your main
argument? (Or does it?)

I don't want you to scrap it -- it's superinteresting. When there are differences,
... [2]
Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:28 AM
Comment [13]: This comment is in
reference to the whole paragraph:

When I see thiseven before I start
readingI think, Ahhhhhhh! Attack of the
page-long paragraph!

See if you like this metaphor:
... [3]

Kaitlyn Pike
De Piero
later on to explain, the midterm may be taken BEFORE the scheduled time. (Bruice)
This also leaves no room for questioning when the test may be taken in such a case. The

Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:37 AM

Comment [14]: Nice textual evidence.

all-capitalized and bolded words make her intentions clear. Dr. Zhang also does this in
reference to his bonus pop quizzes, suggesting, The best strategy to earn the points is to
attend each and every lecture. (Zhang) The underlining and italicizing of this phrase
really drives the point home to the students that Zhang wants his students at every lecture,
especially since he is offering extra credit quizzes to those who attend. Dr. Zhang is
utilizing logos here which is commonly defined as argument from reason and that it
appeals to an audiences intellectual side (Carroll 52). Logically, all students would
want an opportunity for bonus points and Dr. Zhang is reminding students that the best

Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:39 AM

Comment [15]: Organization/structure
issue: I'm losing focus on what's going on
in this paragraph. There's a lot of stuff in
here -- how is it all connected?

chance at getting those points is to attend every lecture. This phrase also answers the
potential question of if attendance is mandatory for the course, which is another thing
students often ask. These two examples aid the argument of syllabi being the most
effective way to communicate to students as well as playing a crucial role in a students
effort to earn an A.
Another important convention of chemistry syllabi is a tentative calendar with
information about readings, book problems, and tests and quizzes. This is evident in all
three examples of chemistry syllabi, and takes up either an entire page, or nearly an entire
page for each one. All three syllabi also stress the importance of students completing the
assigned book problems to succeed in the class, so it is imperative that the book problems
be clear and prominent on the syllabus. For Dr. Zhang and Dr. Bruice, the timeline for the
assigned book problems is set up into two columns, with the left side being the various
chapters assigned, in order from top to bottom based on the chronological order they are

Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:40 AM

Comment [16]: This seems like a bit of
wasted space to me. What if you just said
"approximately one page" or something
like that?

Kaitlyn Pike
De Piero
covered in class. All of these chapters, with suggested tutorials interspersed, are bolded.
This is to make finding the chapter easiest to find for the student, along with giving them
opportunities to work ahead to the next chapter assigned or review past chapters to study
for exams. Next to all of the chapters are the specific sections from each chapter assigned

Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:41 AM

Comment [17]: I think it'd raise the
stakes of your argument if you evaluated
these 3 syllabi -- which one is the best?
(And based on what?) Which ones
succeed at X convention more? What
does one do particularly effectively, why,
and to what avail?

as reading, as well as the suggested problems and their location in the textbook. Both the
tutorials and their pages are bolded, which is different from the chapters and sections
where only the chapters are bolded. This suggests that the professors really recommend
completing the tutorials since they are placing an emphasis on them by emphasizing the
written words.
Dr. Prices format for the calendar is a bit different than Dr. Bruice and Dr.
Gainer, but still very effective. Dr. Prices timeline is set up in a chart format. A row
begins with the week number, followed by the dates for that week. If there is an exam, it
is indicated underneath the dates for that week. This gives the student a clear idea of
when a topic is being covered and a general idea of what topics will be on the exam. The
next column is the topic covered that week, and the corresponding chapter in the textbook
for reading homework. Underneath the topic covered is the exact day and date of the
exam for that week, if needed. Lastly, the row is ended by something that is unique to
general chemistry syllabi, an accompanying lab schedule. Since a large majority of
students in general chemistry take the corresponding lab at the same time as the lecture,
the students can see which lab topics coincide with the lecture that week and focus on the
overlap between the two so they can study more effectively. The assigned problems for
each chapter are later listed under a separate heading, unlike the organic chemistry syllabi
where they are listed along with the chapters. The organic chemistry syllabi do not have

Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:42 AM

Comment [18]: OK, what I'm wondering
is: "so what?"

Kaitlyn Pike
De Piero
the specific convention of the accompanying lab schedule and topics since the lab for that
class is rarely taken along with the lecture.
The calendar in both examples is a useful tool for the students. At any time, with
or without a computer near or an Internet connection (assuming they have printed it out
or received it in class) a student can pull out the syllabus and find exactly the topic,
chapter, and problems to study. Another way the syllabus is effective using the calendar

Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:43 AM

Comment [19]: I see that you went over
the page limit, Pike. If/when you scrap
something for the portfolio version, I think
that this calendar analysis might be
something you could whittle down -personally, I didn't think it was *that*
interesting or essential for your argument
in comparison to everything else.

is when a student misses class. Instead of asking a professor or having to rely on a

potentially misinformed classmate, the student can refer to the syllabus and get exactly
what information was covered that week so they can stay caught up in the class. While
both examples approach the convention differently, ultimately both are successful in
helping students be successful.
Since these syllabi are usually handed out on paper, most professors like Dr. Price
and Dr. Bruice keep the syllabus to one page printed on the front and back. Dr. Zhangs
syllabus is three pages long, which leads the reader to believe that this syllabus was
distributed primarily online. The purpose of keeping a syllabus to one page is so students
have less to keep track of, and so that all of the information is easily and effectively
provided on one sheet of paper. With multiple sheets of paper, the student may lose one,
and then have to come to the professor for questions that could have been answered by
the lost sheet. What if the student still loses that one sheet of paper? This could be an
argument against having a syllabus as the primary and most effective way to get
information out to students. While losing the most important sheet of paper that a student
will receive in the class is certainly not effective, the other options are not better. Emails
are one way to get information out to students, but they are easily deleted and after a few

Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 11:07 AM

Comment [20]: Ah ha! You could be on
to an interesting analysis of the
affordances and constraints of these
syllabi -- and looking at what's possible in
old-school paper versions and online
ones.

Zack De Piero 4/23/2016 10:37 AM

Comment [21]: Not reading beyond this.
4 to 5-pages only!

Kaitlyn Pike
De Piero
days, they get lost in inboxes. Verbally telling the students in class would be another
option, but good students would still write everything down and it is likely that they
would miss something important. Students that would only sit and listen to the verbal
syllabus would almost certainly forget something important. A physical copy of a
syllabus, as well as having access to a digital copy in case a student loses theirs, is the
most effective way of getting information from a professor about a course, to the students
taking the course. Without this information, students would not be able to be as
successful in their studies.
A syllabus, regardless of medium, is constantly used as a reference throughout the
term, and contains valuable information that is sometimes even quizzed on. A syllabus
not only gives a class direction and focus, but also allows professors to focus more on
teaching and less on administrative questions. The various conventions help highlight
important information so that students can quickly find what they are looking for. A
chemistry syllabus can also help a student do better in a course, as in the example of Dr.
Zhangs pop quizzes. All of the different parts of chemistry syllabi come together to help
students and professors most effectively use their time in the hectic environment of
college, so in short yes. You do need that sheet of paper!


Works Cited
Dr. Paula Yurkanis Bruice. Chemistry 109B. Winter 2016. Chemistry
Department, University of California, Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara, California.
Microsoft Word File.

Kaitlyn Pike
De Piero
Dr. Scott Price. Chemistry 1B/1BL Spring 2015. Chemistry Department,
University of California, Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara, California. Microsoft Word File.
Dr. Liming Zhang. Chemistry 109A. Fall 2011. Chemistry Department,
University of California, Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara, California. Microsoft Word File.
Carroll, Laura Bolin. Backpacks vs. Briefcases: Steps toward Rhetorical Analysis.
Vol. 1. 2010. Print.
Dirk, Kerry. Navigating Genres. 2010. Print.

http://www.ehow.com/how_8676492_cite-syllabus.html

Writing 2 Feedback Matrix for WP1

Table of Textual Features

Did Not

Met

Exceeded

Kaitlyn Pike
De Piero
Meet

Expectations

Expectations

Expectations
Thesis Statement

X-

Use of Textual

X+

Analysis

Organization/Str

Evidence from Genres

Use of Course
Readings

ucture
Attention to
Genre/Conventions and
Rhetorical Factors
Sentence-level
Clarity, Mechanics,
Flow

Other Comments

Pike,

Solid work here, sister! I think youve put yourself

Kaitlyn Pike
De Piero

in good shape for your final, revised version in the

portfolio. Check out my comments on some ways that you

can try to re-see this. I dont think I mentioned this, but I
also think that you can make some more use of the course
readings and the ideas within them as springboards for
even more analysis . Still, though, nice work! :)
Z
8.5/10