Why Two Course Guides?

I split my course guides into two: The Course Guide and the Auxiliary Course Guide. (See my Teaching page for examples.) 

This is because the various conflicting functions of a course guide cannot be easily met with one cohesive document. Consider what a Course Guide does (that is, its functions). It is a mistake to assume we must meet these conflicting needs in one document.

Here is what I do instead:

1.) Main Course Guide. Quick Overview. Nuts and Bolts. Need-to-know information, presented at a glance. It is short as possible. It is easy to navigate when time-crunched and stressed. Students don't get lost in it. It's a quick reference for students who need to check the basic course structure (required readings, assignments, deadlines, contact info, etc).

2.) Auxiliary Course Guide. This supplements the main document. It includes expectations, resources, advice about how to do well, and further information about the assignments, course, department, and university. It articulates what I am looking for in each assignment. For some assignments, I include checklists, detailed instructions, and grading rubrics. Accordingly, this second document is very long and thorough.

My view: If information from the Auxiliary Guide is weaved into the main Course Guide, it renders the Course Guide harder to use. And the course guide must be easy to use, otherwise it cannot perform its key function of helping to reorient stressed-out, time-crunched students.

In other words, students need information from both documents, but not in the same document. 

If you are concerned that students won't consult the Auxiliary Guide, consider explicitly including advice about improving their grade and *basic* checklists for each assignment, like this:

You can emphasise this Auxiliary Guide content at the beginning of the semester. The advice and checklists might motivate students to consult the document throughout the semester and see the document as valuable.