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Effect of syllabus tone: students’ perceptions of instructor and course

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Abstract

It is not uncommon for students to complain that faculty are unapproachable, while faculty complain that students are not engaged. Such perceptions, especially when formed at the start of a semester, can impact what students learn and how instructors teach; therefore, it is critical that these perceptions are prevented if a course is to be successful. A good starting point is the syllabus, which not only informs students about a course and its requirements, but creates a first impression about the instructor and his or her attitudes toward teaching. We conducted an experiment in which the course syllabus was manipulated to reflect a friendly or an unfriendly tone so that we could explore the perceptions students formed of the instructor and class. Results supported the hypothesis that a syllabus written in a friendly, rather than unfriendly, tone evoked perceptions of the instructor being more warm, more approachable, and more motivated to teach the course.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, New Kensington Campus, 3550 Seventh Street Road, Route 780, Upper Burrell, PA, 15068-1765, USA

    Richard J. Harnish & K. Robert Bridges

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  1. Richard J. Harnish
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  2. K. Robert Bridges
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Correspondence to Richard J. Harnish.

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Harnish, R.J., Bridges, K.R. Effect of syllabus tone: students’ perceptions of instructor and course. Soc Psychol Educ 14, 319–330 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-011-9152-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-011-9152-4

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