What syllabi communicate about assessment in college classrooms. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching 14:61–83

The authors report a study of what college instructors include about their assessment practices and policies on their syllabi. Data for all syllabi are described by course level (undergradu-ate and graduate) and academic discipline. The findings indicate that important information about professors ’ assessment prac-tices often is not included on the syllabus, thereby diminishing its power as a communication tool. Anderson (1987) argues that the teacher-made test communicates to students the purpose of instruction and what is expected of them, a po-sition confirmed in the research by Shifflett, Phibbs, and Sage (1997). We expand this definition of tests to include any marked or graded activity in a course. The format of the assessment as well as the content do not simply communicate, however; they define de facto the teacher’s instruc-tional purposes and expectations and have a huge impact on what students study and, consequently, what they actually learn (Crooks, 1988). Moreover, it is not just the assessments themselves, but the policies and practices regarding these assessments, that communicate to students. For example, offering the option to retake quizzes or tests sends students a very different message than does a one-shot administration. Neff (1989) argues that assessments carry more than academic weight by potentially affecting outcomes like student self-esteem and student career planning, an argument many of us would verify from our own experiences. Assessments can be quite influential upon faculty as well. It has been suggested that students ’ perceptions of assessment policies an