It’s in the syllabus.

We’ve all heard this before, and maybe said it a couple times ourselves. I’ve even seen teachers employ “gotcha” tactics by hiding little clues in a large block of boring syllabus text to reward students who have pored over every word (and to shame the students who didn’t). But perhaps a 10-page monolith of text that looks like a legal document isn’t the best way to help students retain important course information. Maybe another format could serve as a more welcoming, engaging, and memorable start to your class.

Enter the graphic syllabus!

I’ve been using graphic syllabi for my courses for the past three years, and I don’t think I’m ever going back to the traditional text-only syllabi I used previously. When I think about what I want my syllabus to accomplish, the combination of visual and textual information makes things more welcoming, accessible, and functional. Imagine you’re a student ready to begin my Receptor Biology course. What thoughts come to mind as you examine these two types of syllabi?

One looks more welcoming, right? No matter how much underlining and bold I use in the text-only syllabus (sorry past me!), nothing about it inspires someone to get excited about the course. I’ve found that a graphic syllabus establishes the tone that I want for a course. Instead of treating the syllabus as a list of rules, penalties, and a code of conduct, I try to make it a “welcome to learning” invitation, and the visual components help with that signaling. Though entirely anecdotal, I’ve also found that the classroom energy on the first day of the semester is markedly different. Graphic syllabi (combined with more welcoming and learner-focused language, as described here) have been shown to influence students’ opinions of the instructor, finding them to be kinder, more approachable, and more creative (Nusbaum et al 2020). Don’t get me wrong, I’m not in favor of trying to butter up students in order to get glowing evaluations and such. But these are all good things in my opinion, as students’ level of comfort with a professor can do wonders in the learning environment. If my syllabus can contribute to that, it’s a great first step!

I’ve found the welcoming vibe of the graphic syllabi pairs well with my gradeless approach. For several of my students, this is the first time they’ve been in an alternatively-graded course. The graphic syllabus signals up front that things are going to be different. It also allows me to lay out my approach to labor-based assessment in a warm and nonthreatening way, which has led to much calmer first-day discussions of the method. A graphic syllabus and ungrading are certainly not corequisites, but I believe there’s some definite synergy.

Several graphic syllabi studies have also shown increased retention of important course information, including findings that benefit underrepresented groups and English as a second language (ESL) students (Mocek 2017, Yarosh 2021, Yerian 2009). Some find that specific details of assignments and the course structure are more memorable when presented in a visual format, and this might align with the syllabus goals of some teachers (Kaur 2021). However, my own retention goals are much simpler given that students have unrestricted access to the syllabus and other course documents. Instead, I use my graphic syllabi to communicate my vision for the course, the learning goals, and how they’ll progress towards those goals. 

As one example, below I try to outline how scaffolded assignments early in the semester are a part of a larger capstone project and feeds into the culminating research paper. On page 2, the related assignments are grouped together in the same purple box. Page 4’s “Assignment Timeline” uses a Gantt chart to show how those four assignments are spread throughout the term. And the bottom of page 4 is a treemap to show the proportion of each part of the assignment within the larger course context, color coded to match the Gantt chart above.

The above portion, like most of the syllabus, serves as a simple “here’s what you need to know now” and how it fits into the semester, and the rest of the details will follow in the specific assignment prompt. No need for information overload at this stage!

At the same time, I try to capitalize on the graphic syllabus’s memory buffs for things I absolutely want student to retain. On page 4, the section on Flexibility Tokens (something I adopted from my Middlebury colleague and fellow board game nerd Jason Mittell) is large, set off with a different and fun font, and simulates three physical tokens. Signaling this baked-in flexibility in a visual form on the syllabus did wonders for the course, as nearly all my students felt comfortable spending a token to get an extension/redo (not just privileged students who know they could ask for it).

Lastly, one additional side effect I noticed once I switched my syllabus to a graphic format—my students actually read the syllabus before our first class meeting. Again, it’s not my primary intention for it to be pored over and committed to memory (it’s available 24/7 to the students as a reference), but it has changed how I begin my courses. Now in my first classes, I’m spending significantly less time going over the syllabus. Instead, I’m able to use that time for community building and generating buy-in to the course’s ungraded approach.

I could absolutely say more about graphic syllabi, but I wanted to get into the nuts and bolts below instead. But there are several resources and samples out there that can be helpful if you are interested in learning more about graphic syllabi (too many to list them all, but Google can help you!). Linda Nilson also wrote a book on graphic syllabi in 2007, and it’s amazing how far the medium has come in the last 16 years. You can also find PDFs of my graphic syllabi here (mostly biology courses, but they also let me teach a first-year seminar on Marvel Comics!) that I hope will be helpful resources for those interested in getting started.

Tips for creating a graphic syllabus

Find a creation platform that works for you

Making a graphic syllabus, especially for the first time, can be a lot. You don’t want to also have to learn a new an unfamiliar software package along with it. There’s a lot of available programs, all with specific pros and cons that you must weigh before you start designing. You may also find graphic syllabus templates out there that might ease you into the process. I have a high level of comfort with Adobe Illustrator and have a software license through my institution, so this was a simple choice for me. Illustrator gives me creative control over every aspect of the graphic design process, something I find invaluable. There are also online infographic tools such as Canva, Piktochart, Venngage, and more, and they often boast an accessible interface and an easier path to an aesthetically pleasing final product. You can try out these platforms for free, but access to full design features is often behind a paid subscription. A final suggestion are some familiar software options…Microsoft’s Powerpoint or Apple’s Keynote. I agree, these sound lame, but I’ve seen some amazing graphic syllabi produced through good ol’ Powerpoint. Simply set your slide size to the standard 8.5” x 11” and start trying things out.

Keep your aesthetic simple and clean

Alright, you’ve committed to a graphic syllabus and have found a design platform you want to use. As you learn some new graphical tricks, it’s easy to go off the deep end. Part of the reason to use a graphic syllabus is for clearer communication, and you don’t want your message muddled by sensory overload. As an example of this pitfall, this published syllabus has lots of good information in it, but it’s easy to miss with so much happening on a single page. Below are some quick tips for achieving a clean and accessible visual aesthetic:

• Decide on a simple color palette (2-3 main colors) that are compatible with each other. Using software-recommended complementary colors works, or you can use colors from a particularly pleasing logo that you like.

• Let your colors work for you. If some aspect is repeated throughout the syllabus, keep it a consistent color to keep that association clear.

• A healthy amount of blank space is your friend, no matter how much content you want to pack onto a specific page.

• Each page should have a clear path of navigation. From top to bottom in a single column is nice and clean, or at most two columns. You don’t want your reader aimlessly bouncing around the page and possibly missing important details about your course.

• Alignment tools are critical. Haphazardly-placed text boxes, images, etc. can distract from your main message.

• Any icons or logos would look much nicer if they matched your syllabus’s color palette. I use the Image Trace function in Adobe Illustrator, but I hear that Inkscape (free), Graphic Tracer (10-day free trial), and Vector Magic (subscription) work well too. 

Show some restraint

How much course information should you include in your graphic syllabus? Should you carry over every component of your text-only syllabus? No, absolutely not. It would be an immense undertaking to convert every ounce of content to a visual format, and it would likely detract from the simple and clear communication you are going for. Consider what your goals for your syllabus are. Again, I tend to leave out very detailed components in favor of the communicating the overall vision and goals for the course. I don’t think we need the “One Document to Rule Them All” when it comes to clear and accessible course information. For example, I leave out the course schedule and include that as an additional document, especially because it gets routinely updated throughout the semester. Detailed assignment prompts are also not included in the syllabus (only introduced) as I share them at the appropriate time students should start working on them. I’ve found that a 4-5 page graphic syllabus is good target length, and remember, you have other ways to communicate course info to your students (e.g. in class, course webpage/workspace, etc.).

Make your graphics count

Visual components can help convey a lot of information (1 picture, 1000 words), but only if they are used responsibly. When inserting a graphical piece into your syllabus, ask yourself the following questions:

• “What does this do for the reader?”

• “Does this add to my message, or detract from it?”

• “Will others understand the visual message I’m trying to send?”

The best visual designers have been using these guiding questions to get your attention for decades, so tap into your own experience. For example, the above Gantt chart and treemap serve to visually inform the reader of the timeline and weight of each assignment, respectively. The same can go for the textual elements of your graphic syllabus. If you want the reader to pay particular attention to a certain part of your syllabus, try using a different font (there are many fun and attention-grabbing options that you can download and install for free online!).

Be inspired!

Lastly, the whole process should be a fun one. Making these over the last couple years has gotten me especially excited for both my old and new courses. And the visual clarity of laying out my course in a graphical format has even helped me make several improvements to my course design. I hope you find the design and creation process equally introspective for your teaching.

Creating a graphic syllabus also gives you a chance to share who you are as a person. In addition to including specific information about yourself in the instructor portion of your graphic syllabus, your stylistic choices can say a lot about you too. Maybe some images allude to your hobbies, the color scheme aligns with your favorite sports team, or the title font is inspired by your love of Star Wars. Let your graphic syllabus reflect you! My first graphic syllabus had Bitmoji me running around catching insects. And my recent syllabi have been inspired by my favorite Marvel comics artist, David Aja, and totally paint me as the comics nerd that I am. So have fun with it and be your full self!

If you are taking the plunge and embarking on a graphic syllabus, I hope this post helped you. I’d love to hear about it and see your creation. Feel free to reach out at gpask@middlebury.edu.

Happy designing! 

Greg Pask is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT. His pedagogy centers around making STEM education more inclusive, accessible, and enjoyable. When not in the classroom, you can find Greg doing research with ants and fireflies, playing pick-up basketball, cooking with his family, reading Marvel comics, or playing board games. He currently resides in Ripton, VT with his wife (a homeschool educator!) and two kids. You can find his latest teaching and research happenings on Bluesky @gpask.bsky.social.