The Purposes of a Syllabus

Abstract

Abstract The purposes of a syllabus are almost as varied as the possible contents but can be grouped into several categories. The article proposes that syllabi serve three major roles: the syllabus as a contract, the syllabus as a permanent record, and the syllabus as a learning tool. Each function has implications for what a syllabus should contain. General observations about constructing syllabi conclude the article.