Speakers and educators create syllabus materials regularly for speaking engagements. Opinions are formed based on these documents. Some dos and don’ts of preparing syllabi will be demonstrated.

A good syllabus is not only a tool of today, for use in education settings, but also at home when reviewing materials. Quality syllabus material allows those students to develop a reference library and will aid in retention of the information. High-quality materials have enduring value and are meaningful long after the instructors are gone so that even without the presentation slides, the information makes sense. Quality education also leads to becoming better students of our pasts.

This lecture will cover the following:

• The importance of good syllabus materials, as an aid to education for students and to enhance the reputation of the presenter and their work.
• The Good, the bad, the ugly – A quick look at a variety of syllabus materials (using personal examples or used by permission)
• Tips on building a better syllabus
• Examples of a “bad” handout reworked to become a “good” handout using the tips just discussed