Law Professors, Law Schools

Hey, Law Students, Read The Syllabus First

The syllabus tells you everything that you need to know about a professor -- it’s like a psychological profile. What else can glean from the syllabus?

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You may have read the course syllabus before, but you haven’t read it as a psychological profile of your professor the way LawProfBlawg has. He’ll show you how.

Today, I’m going to introduce you to something many of you have never read: The course syllabus. The syllabus tells you everything that you need to know about a professor. It’s like a psychological profile. Here are some things you can glean from the syllabus.

The name of the professor. Sometimes, during finals, I can’t help but notice that people put the wrong name on the final exam. I’m Professor LawProfBlawg, but they think they are in Professor Smith’s class. We don’t look, sound, or teach anything alike. The syllabus helps you make sure you’re in the right class.

It might also tell you about the professor’s level of confidence/insecurity. Does the prof’s name look like this on the syllabus: LawProfBlawg, Ph.D., J.D., S.J.D., L.L.M., L.L.B., L.L. Bean…? If so, I’d think about dropping the class, unless you hear otherwise from your peers. Is your professor’s name an unpronounceable symbol? If the prof isn’t Prince, I’d drop that class. Has the prof assigned a lot of his or her own articles without counterpoint articles? If so, don’t expect this prof to be hip to another person’s perspective. Does the prof refer to him or herself in third person? If your prof isn’t Bob Dole, then you should worry a bit. If the professor’s bio is two pages of the syllabus, run away if you can.

Class participation. If you’re a gunner, chances are you don’t need to worry about whether or not you’re going to be cold-called. On the other hand, if you like to use class time to daydream, or if any time a prof looks your general direction you panic, then you’ll probably want to check out whether the prof cold-calls, has panels, or lecturers. You’ll also want to check out the prof’s demeanor. A cold, callous cold-caller without a sense of humor may not be for you. However, if you’re a gunner, and the prof is very good at Socratic method or otherwise is hilarious, you might stick around.

Electronics policy. Scan the syllabus for any electronics policy. If you see there is such a policy, you can choose to stay in the class or drop thinking “you can take my laptop when you pry it from my cold dead hands.” Honestly, I’m on the fence about this. There is lots of evidence that students who handwrite notes retain information better. On the other hand, there is lots of evidence that if you lose handwritten notes, you’re screwed. Therefore, if you don’t think you want to give the no electronics policy a go, drop the class. Otherwise, stick around and see how your learning style is affected.

Course description. The course description tells you how the professor views the course. The course description can contain an overall theory of the course, or it could just be a list of what the professor expects you to learn in the course. Either way, it might hint at how well the professor has put the course together in his or her head.

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Grading. Of course, most students go directly to the grading and examination section. This will tell you how much you’ll have to self-pace. Is there a midterm? Are there written assignments? Is there just a final examination? The more assignments, the more equally your grade may be distributed throughout the semester. However, you’ll have to be on your game all the time. If there is just a final, you may have the ability to slack some, but don’t wait until the last minute or you’ll be hating life at the end of the semester.

Assignments. Next, you’ll want to check out the assignment section. Is it completely missing? If you’re an anxious sort, that’s probably not going to be good for you. Is it complete, yet showing 50+ pages of reading per day? If you have other intense courses, that also is probably not good for you. If you’re planning on maxing your absences, the more assignments, the more likely it is going to cost you.

Quirks. Some professors have their quirks listed right on the syllabus. Usually, this is a sign that some prior class was abusing the system. If the professor lists that tardiness equals absence, then my guess is that a prior class was systematically late (often times caused by a professor with poor time management skills in an earlier class). If the professor wants you to stand when talking, or wear suits to class, or whatever, the syllabus will tell you what you’re in for.

What’s missing? Next, look for what’s not there. What’s missing from the syllabus? If the professor’s office hours are by appointment only, don’t expect to catch that prof in his or her office (at least not in a good mood). If the readings aren’t there, the prof wants some flexibility (best case) or hasn’t thought through the whole course (worse case). Former students can tell you which it is.

With a little help from the syllabus, you can inform yourself regarding whether the benefits of the course will exceed the costs. If you are stuck in the class, you at least know what type of ride you’re likely to experience all semester long. Good luck, and welcome back to school.

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LawProfBlawg is an anonymous professor at a top 100 law school. You can see more of his musings here and on Twitter (@lawprofblawg). Email him at [email protected].

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