The 7 Types of Course Materials

Not all course materials are created equal. A checklist and a worksheet do different things. A swipe file serves a different purpose than a resource guide. Using the wrong type of material for a lesson wastes your time and confuses your students.

Here are the 7 types of course materials, what each one does best, and when to use it.

1. Checklists

What it does: Tracks progress through a sequence of steps.

Best for: Lessons with a clear process students need to follow in order. Setup guides, launch checklists, pre-flight checks, quality assurance lists.

Design rule: Each item should be a specific, completable action. Not “think about your pricing” but “write down three price points you’re considering.” A checklist item is done or not done. No gray area.

Example: A course on building a website might include a “Before You Launch” checklist with items like “Test all links,” “Add favicon,” “Set up analytics,” and “Create a 404 page.”

2. Cheat Sheets

What it does: Summarizes key information for quick reference.

Best for: Lessons with frameworks, formulas, or reference material students will return to repeatedly. Shortcuts, keyboard combinations, key formulas, acronyms, decision criteria.

Design rule: Keep it to one or two pages. Include steps, examples, and a visual element if possible. The point is quick access, not comprehensive coverage.

Example: A course on email marketing might include a “Subject Line Cheat Sheet” with 20 proven formulas, each with a fill-in-the-blank template.

3. Worksheets

What it does: Guides students through applying what they learned.

Best for: Lessons where students need to make decisions, plan something out, or work through a process step by step. The workhorse of course materials.

Design rule: One milestone per sheet. Each worksheet should produce a single concrete output: a completed plan, a written outline, a filled-in framework. More on this in lesson 03.

Example: A course on pricing might include a “Pricing Calculator Worksheet” where students fill in their costs, desired margin, competitor prices, and arrive at a recommended price point.

4. Diagrams, Roadmaps, and Blueprints

What it does: Visually maps out a process, journey, or system.

Best for: Lessons that cover multi-step processes, timelines, or interconnected systems. When students need to see the big picture before diving into details.

Design rule: Make it printable at full size. Use clear labels. If a student hangs this on their wall, would they understand it a week later without the lesson?

Example: A course on launching might include a “Launch Roadmap” showing the 8-week timeline from planning through cart-close, with key milestones marked at each stage.

5. Swipe Files

What it does: Provides examples and templates students can adapt for their own use.

Best for: Lessons involving copywriting, outreach, sales pages, emails, or any written communication. When students need to see what “good” looks like before they can write their own.

Design rule: Include variety. Five examples of the same thing (like five different sales emails) are more useful than one “perfect” template. Add annotations explaining why each example works.

Example: A course on sales pages might include a “Headline Swipe File” with 30 proven headlines across different industries, each annotated with the psychological trigger it uses.

6. Comparison Guides

What it does: Helps students choose between options.

Best for: Lessons where students face a decision between multiple tools, platforms, strategies, or approaches. When the lesson teaches the criteria but students need help applying it.

Design rule: Use consistent criteria for each option. A comparison guide that rates Tool A on price, ease of use, and features, but rates Tool B on customer support and integrations, isn’t useful. Same criteria, every option.

Example: A course on email platforms might include a “Comparison Guide” rating Mailchimp, ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, and GoHighLevel on price, automation features, ease of use, and deliverability.

7. Resource Guides

What it does: Curates tools, links, books, and references for further exploration.

Best for: Lessons that mention tools or resources in passing but don’t have time to cover them in depth. The “where to learn more” material.

Design rule: Organize by category. Annotate each resource with a one-sentence description of what it is and why it’s included. A bare list of links isn’t a resource guide.

Example: A course on video production might include a “Resource Guide” organized by category: cameras, microphones, lighting, editing software, stock music sites, with price ranges and recommended models.

Which Types to Start With

You don’t need all seven. If you’re short on time, start with these three:

1. Worksheets — for any lesson that teaches a process
2. Checklists — for any lesson with sequential steps
3. Cheat sheets — for any lesson with a framework students will reference

Add diagrams, swipe files, comparison guides, and resource guides as your course grows and you identify gaps that worksheets alone don’t fill.

Your task: Go back to your labeled lesson list. Next to each [How] lesson, write which material type (or types) would work best. You’ll use this map in upcoming lessons to design each one.

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