Published March 2026

Read Time 5 minutes

Series Small Wins

The Audit You Should Do Before Every New Prep Cycle

Most course problems in September trace back to inherited decisions from May. Run this six-step audit before the semester starts, and you'll catch disputes before students find them.

Pull Last Semester's Student Evaluations. Find the Three Most Common Complaints.

Not the praise. The complaints. Three patterns will emerge: something about clarity, something about workload or timing, or something about grading. Write them down.

Not This "Great course overall" or "One student didn't like the pace" (one-offs don't scale)

Do This "Seven students said assignment 3 rubric was unclear" or "Multiple students confused about the late submission policy"

Check Every Assignment's Point Total Against the Syllabus Total. Do They Match?

They probably don't. Syllabi say "1000 total points" but the assignment folder contains 987 or 1050. This discrepancy will appear in a grade dispute by week six.

Not This Assuming they match. Students will audit your point totals before you will.

Do This Add up the actual point values in your gradebook or assignment list. Confirm they match what the syllabus claims. Reconcile any gap before semester starts.

Read Your Late Policy Aloud. Does It Make Sense to Someone Who Hasn't Taken Your Class?

If you find yourself explaining it, it's too vague. Your late policy should be understandable in one read by a colleague who has never seen your syllabus.

Not This "Late work is penalized on a sliding scale" (what scale? how much? per day or per submission?)

Do This "Submissions up to 24 hours late receive 90% credit. After 24 hours, 80%. After 48 hours, no credit accepted, except medical emergency (notify me within 24 hours of emergency)."

Open Every Rubric. Does Each Criterion Have 3+ Levels With Descriptions?

If a rubric just says "Excellent/Good/Poor" with no detail, that's a grade dispute waiting to happen. Every level needs specific markers so a student can self-assess before submission.

Not This "Organization: Excellent (5) / Good (3) / Poor (0)" with no examples or descriptions

Do This "Organization (5 pts): Clear structure with topic sentence, evidence, analysis, and conclusion in each paragraph. Reader can follow argument without confusion. (3 pts): Structure mostly clear; some paragraphs lack full development. (0 pts): No clear structure or organization."

Review Your Email Templates From Last Semester. Which Questions Got Asked More Than 5 Times?

Questions you answered five times by email should be in your syllabus. That's the signal that a document gap exists.

Not This Answering the same question about assignment format, due date, or submission method five more times this semester

Do This "Students asked about assignment format five times. Add a format section to the assignment itself and the syllabus FAQ."

Run a 'First-Day Student' Test. Give the Syllabus to a Colleague Who Hasn't Seen It.

Ask them to find one thing: when is the first assignment due and what does it require? If they can't find it in 60 seconds, rewrite that section.

Not This Assuming "clear to me" means "clear to everyone." Your brain filled in the gaps.

Do This "Assignment Due Dates: Week 2 (September 15): Reading Response 1 (1-2 pages, MLA format, submitted to Canvas by 11:59pm). See Rubric: Reading Response (on Canvas, Files section)."

Steal This: Pre-Semester Audit Checklist

Last Semester Evaluations: □ Pulled evaluations □ Identified 3 most common complaints □ Documented specific feedback Point Totals: □ Added up all assignment point values □ Compared to syllabus claimed total □ Reconciled any gaps □ Updated both documents if needed Late Policy: □ Read policy aloud □ Had colleague read it cold □ Confirmed it's specific (not vague) □ Documented any exceptions Rubrics: □ Reviewed all rubrics □ Confirmed 3+ levels per criterion □ Confirmed each level has description (not just label) □ Noted any vague rubrics for revision Email Questions: □ Reviewed last semester's emails □ Found questions asked 5+ times □ Added answers to syllabus or assignment documents □ Tested document search (can student find answer easily?) Clarity Test: □ Printed or shared syllabus with colleague □ Colleague found first assignment due date □ Colleague found first assignment requirements □ Revised any sections that were hard to find Result: □ All point totals align □ All policies are specific □ All rubrics are descriptive □ Frequently asked questions are documented □ Syllabus passes the 60-second clarity test

"Prevention is cheaper than remediation. An hour of audit work in August saves ten hours of email and grade disputes in September."

— Lisa Dario, FP×P Founder

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the Evaluation Review

Your students already told you what's broken. Not reviewing their feedback means you'll repeat the same mistakes with the next cohort. Five minutes of reading evaluations saves weeks of frustration.

Trusting Your Memory on Point Totals

You think the totals match, but they don't. Always add them up. Students will. A 13-point discrepancy between syllabus and assignments will trigger a grade dispute by week four.

Writing Late Policies for Yourself, Not Your Students

You understand what you meant. Your students won't. If it requires explanation, it's too vague. Specific examples (72 hours late = 80% credit) beat vague policies (sliding scale penalty) every time.

Assuming Vague Rubrics Are Fine Because You Know What You Mean

Your brain fills in the details. Student brains don't. A rubric that just says "Well-organized" is a source of dispute. Describe what "well-organized" looks like in concrete terms.

Not Documenting FAQ Answers

If you answered it by email five times last semester, add it to your syllabus or assignment description. Students shouldn't have to email the same question you've answered before. It wastes both your time.

Skipping the Colleague Read-Through

You're too close to your own syllabus. A colleague who's never seen it will find confusing sections you've stopped noticing. That 60-second test is the most valuable minute of the audit.

Ready to Run Your Audit?

Use the checklist above to spend 45 minutes preventing a semester's worth of friction. Then share this post with a colleague who teaches in your department.