Elements of an Effective Course Outline

Required Materials
Required texts, readings, videos, recordings, performances or on-line modules with which students are to be familiar should be listed in the course outline, both to indicate the scope and nature of workload to which the student is committing, and to ensure that students know which materials they will be accountable for having mastered. Where sequencing or the timing is significant, the sequence or relevant due dates must be indicated. Where the course has one or more required on-line components (course modules, supplementary readings, class notice board, required discussion area, etc.) the appropriate web addresses at which these required materials or activities can be accessed needs to be included.

Where the instructor intends to require the study of additional readings, recordings, performances, websites or other materials as the course progresses that cannot be specified at the outset (when, for example, the choice of materials is subject to availability, unfolding current events, or emergent class interests) this expectation needs to be identified in the outline and sufficiently described that students may make a reasonable estimate of the workload and pacing required to successfully complete course requirements.

A list of recommended readings, websites, or other resources is also often useful, those these should be clearly distinguished from materials for which students are directly responsible.