More Content or More Policy? A Closer Look at Syllabus Detail, Instructor Gender, and Perceptions of Instructor Effectiveness

Research has suggested that a lengthier course syllabus may increase positive impressions of instructor effectiveness. In this investigation, we disentangle the effects of adding restrictive course boundary information from the addition of course content information. Furthermore, we examine the role of instructor gender as a moderator of the relationship between syllabi content and impressions of instructor effectiveness. Undergraduate students (N = 126) enrolled in a general psychology course read a syllabus for a course with either a male or female instructor in which the syllabus either contained basic course information alone, additional restrictive course policy information or additional course content information. Results revealed that only additional restrictive course boundary information increased perceptions of instructor competence. Instructor gender did not significantly moderate this effect, suggesting more restrictive course policy information may equally benefit male and female instructors. Implications and future directions are discussed.