In a sense, the syllabus is a contract between the instructor and the students. It helps students understand what is expected of them from the start of the course so they can more effectively plan their semester. It reduces opportunities for capricious grading. It provides pertinent information about the course to other faculty. Use your department as a resource.
Many departments keep syllabi on file.
Also ask to see the syllabi of other faculty members. Remember though, syllabi differ in format and content. If your department does not have a standard form, use your colleagues syllabi as models. Don t forget about the World Wide Web either. Lots of interesting things can be found on the Web. 2.