CengageNOW: The Start Smart Guide for Instructors

Transcription

THE START SMART GUIDE FOR INSTRUCTORS
© 2008 CENGAGE LEARNING INC.
CENGAGENOW AND THE CENGAGENOW LOGO
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permissions can be submitted by
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SPECIAL THANKS TO:
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ARDICE FAORO
MARK LIPSON AND LUNAR LOGIC
PAT CALL, WHOSE VISION, SUPPORT, AND
DEDICATION RESULTED IN THE CENGAGENOW
WE HAVE TODAY
PDF REV 11/26/07
CENGAGE LEARNING
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WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED NUMEROUS PROCESSES AND PROVIDED
VALUABLE INSIGHT DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LATEST VERSION OF CENGAGENOW™.
ALISON AHLGREN
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
MARILYN MASSEY
COLLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
IRWIN J. BADIN
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
DAVID MAY
EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
SUSAN CAIRE
DELGADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MICHAEL MILLER
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON
MARY ELIZABETH CAMP
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
SANJAY MISHRA
UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS
CAROL D. CHENAULT
CALHOUN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
ALFONSO R. ODDO
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY
DENISE CUCURNY
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY—LONG BEACH
WESLEY A. PAYNE
DELGADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE
JANICE L. EPSTEIN
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
WENDIANN R. SETHI
SETON HALL UNIVERSITY
VERA HU-HYNEMAN
SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DAVID STRAAYER
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
SINGH KELLY
UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA
SVEN TRENHOLM
HERKIMER COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
FREDRIC KOLB
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN—EAU CLAIRE
ARUN VERMA
HAMPTON UNIVERSITY
SCOTT MACDONALD
TACOMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
INSTRUCTOR QUICK START GUIDE
First-Time User Registration
To Create a Course or Section
You have three ways to request a
CengageNOW™ Instructor account:
1. On the Courses tab, click Create a
new course.
•
Call 1-888-281-2990
2. Type in the course name and number.
•
Contact your sales representative at
http://academic.cengage.com/
findrep2.html
3. Enter the course start and end dates
(use the calendar tool).
•
Request an account online at http://
account-setup.ilrn.com/setup/instructor
(Complete the form and click the Submit
button at the bottom of the page.)
4. Specify the enrollment limit, if any, and
a course description.
Once your account has been set up with your
e-mail address and password, you can sign in
as a Returning User when you first use
CengageNOW.
Returning User Sign-In
With your account set up, you can sign in as a
returning user on the CengageNOW Welcome
page at
http://academic.cengage.com/now.
1. Under Returning Users, click Sign In.
2. Enter your e-mail address and password
exactly (including any capitalization).
3. Click Sign In and go to your
CengageNOW Home page.
5. To save your changes, click Save and
return to Courses, or click Go on to
Step 2 to configure course access.
(CengageNOW generates a Course Key
for each course you create. Once you
distribute the Course Key to your
students, they can enroll themselves.)
Note: To create a section for a course, click its
Create Section link in the Courses list.
To Create an Assignment
1. On the Assignments/Tests tab, select
the appropriate course/section and click
Go.
2. Click the Create assignment button.
3. Choose your assignment content
source.
Instructor Home Page
From the Home page, you can grade
assignments and send reminders, among
other tasks. Use the tabs or available links to
choose an activity.
4. If creating the assignment from
Homework or Test banks, follow the
on-screen instructions to filter, review,
name, or re-order your selected
questions as needed.
5. Select your assignment options, and
then click Save to add the
assignment(s) to your course.
Technical Support
Online: Get live Chat or e-mail support at
http://academic.cengage.com/support
Phone: 1-888-281-2990
Monday–Thursday: 8:30 AM to 8:00
Friday: 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM ET
Sunday: 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM ET
PM
ET
(E-mail responses may take up to 48
hours.)
CONTENTS
INSTRUCTOR QUICK START GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV
GETTING STARTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
System Setup for CengageNOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Registration and Sign-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Signing In as a Returning User . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Sign-in Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
THE HOME PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Header Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Student View/Instructor View Toggle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
My Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Upload Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Sign Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
CengageNOW Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Run System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Admin Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Quick Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Actions Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Actions Table Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
As a live, Web-based program, CengageNOW is regularly updated
with new features and improvements. Please refer to the
CengageNOW online Help for the most current information.
The Start Smart Guide for Instructors
v
Contents
PowerSearch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
MANAGING COURSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Setting Up Courses, Sections, and Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Creating a Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Creating Course Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Managing Enrollment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Setting Up Student Enrollment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Creating and Managing Course Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Modifying Courses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Copying, Deleting, and Moving Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Archiving Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Exporting/Importing Courses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Review Your Course Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Date/Time Formatting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
GRADEBOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Gradebook Terminology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
The Gradebook Overview Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Basic Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Advanced Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Creating and Editing Course Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
The Edit Grade Details Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Editing Assignment Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Editing Problem Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Editing Multiple Assignment Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
The Student Grade Details Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
The Assignment Details Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Basic Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Advanced Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Grade Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
vi
CengageNOW
Contents
Generating Grade Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Grade Report Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
CREATING
AND
MANAGING ASSIGNMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Using the Assignments Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Creating Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Beginning the Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Choosing Assignment Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Choosing Items for Your Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Choosing Assignment Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Creating a Pre-Built Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Creating an Assignment from Study Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Creating an External Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Creating a Comment Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Viewing and Editing Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Using the View/Edit an Assignment Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Printing Assignments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Setting Printing Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Editing Headers and Footers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Archiving Courses and Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Using the Archived Materials Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Archiving Your Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Retrieving Archived Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Copying Items from Archived Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Deleting Archived Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Working with Assignment Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
The Assignment Templates Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Creating a WebQuiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Importing and Exporting Assignment Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
vii
Contents
COMMUNICATION TOOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Working with Discussion Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Querying Student Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Sending a Search Results E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
STUDY TOOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
INTEGRATED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Integration Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
MANAGING STUDENT ENROLLMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Manually Enrolling Instructors or Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Removing Students from a Course or Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Creating a Student Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
AUTHORING
IN
CENGAGENOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Self-Authored Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Working with Self-Authored Questions Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Modifying Assignment Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Editing an Assignment Question . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Assignment Questions . . . . . . . . . . 156
The Problem Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
The Problem Editor Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Problem Editor Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
The HTML Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
TECHNICAL SUPPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
CENGAGENOW SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
viii
CengageNOW
GETTING STARTED
Welcome to CengageNOW, the integrated online learning system that
gives you easy access to your courses, materials, and students—at your
pace and on your schedule. This Start Smart Guide is your how-to
manual for getting started in CengageNOW. Use it to get helpful
information on setting up and managing your instructional materials.
Note: As a live, Web-based program, CengageNOW is updated regularly
with new features and improvements. Please refer to the CengageNOW
online Help for the most current information.
System Setup for CengageNOW
You can use CengageNOW on Windows, Mac, or Linux computers. All you
need is a standard Web browser and free “plug-in” software to run
CengageNOW on your computer.
(To check your computer against the CengageNOW System
Requirements and find download links for the latest versions of the
appropriate Web browsers and plug-ins, see the CengageNOW System
Requirements on page 166.)
The first time you sign in to CengageNOW, the program’s automated
System Check will review your browser and settings. If you need to
install or update any software, the System Check will provide you with
the appropriate instructions and download links.
1
Getting Started
Registration and Sign-in
You have three ways to request a CengageNOW™ Instructor account:
Call 1-800-281-2990
Contact your sales representative at
http://academic.cengage.com/findrep2.html.
Request an account online as follows:
1. Open the Account Request form at http://accountsetup.ilrn.com/setup/instructor.
2. Fill out the form.
3. When finished, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
CengageNOW Welcome Page
Once your account has been set up, you will be able to sign in as a
returning user whenever you use CengageNOW. (For information about
changing your password or other account information after you are
signed in, see “My Account” on page 6.)
2
CengageNOW
Getting Started
Note: Student registration differs from instructor registration. Students
create their own accounts using a Content Access Code, which is
included with new textbooks, or purchased separately for used
textbooks at the bookstore or online. You can also provide students with
a Course Key to let them create an account and register themselves for
your course. (See “Setting Up Student Enrollment” on page 25.)
Signing In as a Returning User
Once you have been assigned a CengageNOW account, you can sign in
as a returning user from anywhere you have Internet access.
¾ To sign in to CengageNOW
1. Connect to the Internet and go to:
http://academic.cengage.com/now
The CengageNOW Welcome page opens.
2. Under Returning Users, click Sign In.
The Sign-in as a Returning User Box
3. Check to see that the correct school name appears on the
Sign-in as a returning user page. If you need to reselect your
school name, click the Choose a different school link.
Note: Even if you have used CengageNOW before, the school
name is not saved if you changed computers or have cleared your
browser cookies.
3
Getting Started
4. Enter your e-mail address. Be sure to use the e-mail address you
used when your account was created or when you registered for
CengageNOW.
5. Enter your CengageNOW password. The password is casesensitive.
6. Click Sign In.
You will then see the System Check, which ensures you have
the appropriate Web browser, plug-ins, and settings to run
CengageNOW. Help messages and links are displayed in the
Results section if you need to change your settings. Once you
complete the System Check, your Home page opens.
Sign-in Troubleshooting
If you have forgotten your ID (the e-mail address you used when you
registered) or your password, click the Forgot your ID or password?
link on the Sign in as a returning user page, and follow the on-screen
instructions. (For more detailed information, see the online Help.)
4
CengageNOW
THE HOME PAGE
After you sign in to CengageNOW, you will see your Home page. The
Home page provides direct access to all the main “tabbed” areas of
CengageNOW, such as Assignments/Tests, Students, and
Gradebook. You also may see a PowerSearch tab if PowerSearch is
available at your school.
Along the top of the page (header) are links to helpful resources you will
use often. On the right-hand side of the page are Quick Links that serve
as shortcuts to those areas of CengageNOW you use most often.
You can use the Home page as a quick reference to your course status,
as it contains tables with links to overdue assignments, current
assignments, and recently graded assignments.
The CengageNOW Instructor Home Page
Note: To conserve system resources, the Home page is updated only
when you first sign in. If you perform an action that affects your course
or assignment status, click the Refresh button to see those changes
updated on the Home page Actions table.
5
The Home Page
Header Links
The global navigation area at the top (header) of most pages in
CengageNOW provides convenient links to the tools and options
described in this section.
The Header Links
Student View/Instructor View Toggle
To switch to a student’s view of the current course, click the Change to
Student View link in the page header. This process automatically
enrolls you in the selected course as a student so you can see your
assignments, messages, grading, and so forth as your students do.
To switch back to your instructor account from the student view, click the
Return to Instructor View link.
You must have a course set up and selected to see its student view. Also,
you cannot be enrolled as a student in more than one section of a
particular course. If you do switch to a different course section and enroll
(i.e., click Student View), you will be unenrolled from the previous
section and lose those student-view assignments and grades.
My Account
This link opens a page where you can edit your personal account
information. The required fields are marked with a red asterisk (*). (You
can also access the page using the Make changes to your account link
within Admin Tools.)
Error messages will help you correct your entries, if needed. For
example, phone numbers should include the area code and should use
only hyphens (-) as separators.
When finished, click Save.
6
CengageNOW
The Home Page
Upload Files
Use this link to upload copies of image, text, ZIP, PowerPoint®, or other
files from your local computer onto the CengageNOW server for use in
several areas of CengageNOW. For example, you can upload JPG
graphics to insert in a self-authored question, or link to a PDF file from
a course description.
The Upload Files Page
Although you can upload almost any file type to the CengageNOW
server, the CengageNOW editor can accept and display only file types
that can by displayed by your browser.
Note: The easiest way to get text into CengageNOW is to cut and paste
it directly from your word processor document (TXT, RTF, and DOC
format) into the appropriate field. But if you plan on using that entire file
in many places, it’s best to upload it.
¾ To upload a file onto the CengageNOW server
1. In your Home page header, click Upload Files.
The Upload files page opens. (You can also access this page
from the Course Information page.)
2. (Optional) In the Uploaded Files area, click the folder where
you want to store the file, or create a new one.
3. In the Choose Files to Upload area, click Browse. Find the file
you want to upload, select it, and click Open. The file name is
added to your queue.
7
The Home Page
Note: Any spaces or special characters in the file name will be
removed.
4. (Optional) Choose additional files to upload by clicking Browse.
5. Click Upload Queue to upload and save the file or files to your
area of the CengageNOW server.
Note: The total number and size of files that you can upload
depends on your CengageNOW user account Upload Quota
setting. This setting can be changed by your CengageNOW
system administrator if you need more room.
¾ To insert an uploaded image file
Once you have uploaded a JPG, PNG, or GIF image file to your
CengageNOW server, the image is available for you to insert into a
course description or self-authored question.
1. Place your cursor in the field in which you want to insert the
image (the Description field on the Course Information page,
for example).
2. Select Write using visual editing tool. The editing toolbar will
load.
3. Click the Insert file based image button (
editing toolbar.
) in the visual
4. When the Image Editor window opens, double-click on the
user-content folder, and then double-click on the named folder
within.
5. Double-click the folder with your user name. Find the file you
want to insert, and double-click it. (You will see a preview of the
image in the pane to the right.)
6. Click Open.
7. Adjust the image size as needed, and click OK to insert the
image.
8
CengageNOW
The Home Page
¾ To view the contents of an uploaded file
1. Click the file name on the Upload files page.
2. Click View under File options.
Note: Some file types can be opened and viewed only with
specific applications. You will need to download and open those
files in the appropriate applications to view them.
¾ To delete an uploaded file
2. Click Delete under the Clipboard heading.
Caution: Before deleting a file, be sure that it is not currently in
use (referenced) in an existing course, assignment, or problem.
Otherwise, deleting it will create a “broken link” and cause errors
in your work. If you cannot verify that the file is not referenced,
consider keeping it.
¾ To rename an uploaded file
2. Click Rename under File and folder options.
3. Enter the new name in the dialog box that pops up, and click OK.
Caution: Before changing a file name, be sure that it is not
referenced from somewhere in CengageNOW. If you cannot
verify that the file name is not referenced, consider uploading a
duplicate version of the file with the new name instead.
¾ To create a new folder
1. Select the folder that you want to contain the new folder.
2. Click New Folder.
3. In the dialog box that pops up, enter the folder name, and click
OK.
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The Home Page
¾ To delete a folder
1. Select the folder, and click Delete.
2. When prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.
¾ To rename a folder
1. Select the folder, and click Rename.
2. In the dialog box that pops up, enter a new name for the folder,
and then click OK.
¾ To add or edit an uploaded file description
You can add a description to remind you of the characteristics or usage
of a particular file. This text can be seen only in the Upload Files page.
2. Click Change Description.
3. Enter or edit the description in the dialog box and click OK.
¾ To download a file from CengageNOW to your computer
2. Click Download. Your browser’s file-download window opens.
3. Select your browser’s Save or Save to Disk option, then select
the folder on your local system to which you want to save the file
(use the Browse button as needed to change folders). Click OK
or Save to save the exported file to the selected folder.
¾ To cut files
1. From the Upload files page, click one or more file names (Ctrl
+ click to select more than one).
2. Click Cut. The files are copied to the clipboard. They are not
removed from their original folder until you paste them.
10
CengageNOW
The Home Page
¾ To copy files
1. From the Upload files page, click one or more file names (Ctrl
+ click to select more than one).
2. Click Copy. The files are copied to the clipboard.
¾ To unzip a file
Zip files let you store one or more files in one compressed package. You
can upload files in ZIP format and then unzip them on the server to work
with the contents.
1. Open the Upload files page and upload the ZIP file into
CengageNOW (if you have not already).
2. Click the file name.
3. Click Unzip. The files are unzipped into the current folder.
¾ To paste files
1. (Optional) Click the folder where you want to paste the
previously cut or copied files.
2. Click Paste. The files are moved from the clipboard to the folder.
You cannot paste them again.
Sign Out
Use this link to sign out of the current CengageNOW session and return
to the Welcome page.
11
The Home Page
Preferences
The Preferences link, available in the page header, opens a window
that allows you to control the general appearance of your CengageNOW
pages and determine access to certain advanced features.
The Preferences Window
When you are finished changing your preferences, click Save these
changes to keep them, or Cancel to discard them.
Setting display options
This setting lets you control the default appearance of all
CengageNOW pages with Show all options/Hide these
options links.
The Show/Hide links in CengageNOW keep additional or expert
options out of the way until you need them. If you use the expert
options a lot, you may wish to have your CengageNOW pages
show them by default. You can always change this setting
manually on any page.
To show all options by default on all pages, select Show all
options.
To hide any additional or expert options by default on all pages,
select Hide all these options.
12
CengageNOW
The Home Page
Table length
This setting lets you divide long tables or lists of information into
specified “page lengths” of 20, 50, or 100 items. For example,
you can use this setting to display a list of 100 students as one
page of 100 students, two pages of 50 students each, or five
pages of 20 students each. The default setting is 50 items.
Whatever your preference, CengageNOW provides page controls
to let you navigate between list pages easily.
To divide long lists of information, first select the check box for
Break up a table into separate pages when it contains
more than the following number of entries. You can then
select the number of entries from the adjacent drop-down menu.
If you prefer not to have long lists divided into pages, clear the
check box.
Order of assignments in drop-down menus
This setting lets you select the default sorting method for
assignment lists throughout CengageNOW, such as those in the
Assignments and Gradebook pages. To select a default
assignment list sort order, select the order type (Name, Due
date, etc.) you want to use from the drop-down menu.
Advanced assignment authoring
CengageNOW features over 50 problem types you can use to
create your self-authored questions. The most commonly used
problem types are always available in Self-Authored
Questions.
To create or edit any of the more advanced self-authored
questions and problem types, select Enable advanced features
while authoring assignments.
Printing Options
Click View/select print options to specify how your
assignments will be printed. You can also access the Printing
Options window from the Assignments and Assignment
Templates pages. (See “Setting Printing Options” on page 111
for details.)
Note: Some printing options won't be available unless you have
an assignment selected.
13
The Home Page
Account Information
Click View/change account information to view or edit your
current CengageNOW account profile, including your e-mail
address, password, and contact information. You can also access
the Change Account page with the main header My Account
link.
CengageNOW Tools
Use this link to access several helpful utilities, including calculators, a
math/science glossary, and a wide range of interactive simulations.
CengageNOW Tools Simulations
14
CengageNOW
The Home Page
Feedback
Click this link to open the User Feedback Form and send ratings and
comments to CengageNOW.
CengageNOW User Feedback Form
Note: If you need technical support, use the Technical Support link at
the bottom of the CengageNOW page rather than Feedback.
Help
Use this link to open the online CengageNOW instructor Help at the top
level table of contents. The Help’s Contents, Index, and Search tabs
offer different ways to help you quickly find the information you need.
On most CengageNOW pages, you can get help for that page’s specific
features by clicking the ? button next to it or the nearby "Get help
with..." links.
15
The Home Page
Run System Check
Use this link to run the CengageNOW System Check and confirm that
your system and browser settings meet the CengageNOW System
Requirements. If you need to install or update any software, the System
Check will provide you with the appropriate instructions and links.
CengageNOW System Check
¾ To run a System Check
1. Click the Run System Check link at the top of the page.
The CengageNOW System Check will open in a new browser
window.
2. When the process is finished, check the Results pane for links to
downloads or help topics you may need.
Click the Contact Tech Support link, if you need further
assistance with updating your system.
3. (Optional) Check the option Don’t run system check during
sign in! if you prefer to skip this process every time you log in.
4. Click Close Window to exit.
16
CengageNOW
The Home Page
Admin Tools
Use this link to access the following administration tools that help you
manage your CengageNOW accounts and books. You may have other
Admin Tools available, depending on how your account permissions are
set.
Instructor Admin Tools
Bug reporter for testers
Use the bug reporter to prepare and send a CengageNOW bug
report auto-filled with your system details. This information is
used by Technical Support when addressing your issue.
Make changes to your account
Use this page to update your personal CengageNOW account
information. (You can also access this page directly from the My
Account header link. See “My Account” on page 6 for details.)
Register for a new course
Use this page to register for your own courses as a student or for
other instructors’ courses.
Register to use new books
Use this page to register for access to the online content of a new
Cengage book, courseware, tutorial, or other Personalized Study
product using its Content Access Code.
View progress on assignments
If you have already enrolled yourself as a student (on the
Students > Enroll Users page), this link opens your studentview Grades page and shows your progress in the course.
View your own assignments (as a student)
If you have already enrolled yourself as a student, this link
displays your student-view Assignments page. You can Take,
Resume, or Retake your course assignments here.
17
The Home Page
Quick Links
The Home page includes a list of Quick Links which are shortcuts to
common tasks, such as creating a new assignment or course, viewing
your Gradebook, authoring new questions, changing your printing
options, and changing your display options.
The Quick Links
To edit which Quick Links you want on this list, click the bottom link
Change this page’s appearance. The Display Preferences pane
opens to let you select those links you want.
Display Preferences page for Actions and Quick Links
In addition, you can use these preference to determine which upcoming
actions appear on the Home page Actions table, and how many of each
to display.
18
CengageNOW
The Home Page
Actions Table
The Actions table of assignments is the focal point of the Home page.
It alerts you to the most urgent of your upcoming instructor activities,
such as grading recently completed assignments or reminding students
of late assignments.
The Actions Table
Actions Table Columns
Assignment
View course and assignment names.
Status
View current information on the assignment’s due date,
modification date, and unavailable date.
Action
Click View to open the Assignment Details page. For late
assignments, you can click Remind to send students a reminder
e-mail message. If you are viewing your assignments as a
student, you can click Take to start the assignment.
19
The Home Page
PowerSearch
You may see a PowerSearch tab on your Home page if your university
subscribes to the PowerSearch service.
PowerSearch allows students and instructors to search and manage a
wide range of periodical, reference, primary source, and multimedia
information. Searches can cover multiple databases simultaneously, and
provide refined features for marking sources and generating citations.
Note: Not all schools can offer PowerSearch access through
CengageNOW at this time.
20
CengageNOW
MANAGING COURSES
Courses provide the foundation for most of your instructor activities in
CengageNOW. You can use the Courses page features to create and
manage new courses and sections, and copy, archive, or export courses
for a new semester or school. With one or more courses in place, you
can create assignments, enroll students, and manage the entire class.
The Courses Page
Setting Up Courses, Sections, and Folders
You will need to set up each course you want to manage in
CengageNOW. At some schools, instructors set up their own courses. At
others, the courses may be set up by an administrator or lead instructor.
For instance, an instructor in a discussion section of a larger course may
not be the one setting up the main course in CengageNOW.
You can set up courses with multiple class sections, a common practice
for large lecture classes with smaller discussion groups or labs. With
course sections grouped under the parent course, the course instructor
can control assignment lists and grading across all of the sections.
You can also use course folders to organize your courses and sections by
class, department, term, or whatever works best for your school.
21
Managing Courses
Creating a Course
¾ To create a course
1. On the Courses page, click the Create a new course button.
The Course Information page opens.
The Course Information Page
2. Enter the Course Name. This should be the name of the course
as it appears in your department or institution catalog. This is the
only entry required for you to create a course.
3. Enter the Course Number. This should be the number of the
course as it appears in your department or institution catalog.
4. Enter appropriate dates in the Course starts on: and Course
ends on: text boxes. You can click the calendar icons to open the
Set Date and Time window for proper date formatting.
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CengageNOW
Managing Courses
Note: As entered here, these dates are only for display in your
course description. They have no effect on enrollment,
assignments, or grading.
5. If you want to set an Enrollment Limit for the course, enter the
maximum number of students that will be allowed to enroll.
Otherwise, keep the default setting No limit.
You may want to leave room for yourself to enroll as a student if
you set an enrollment limit.
6. Enter a course Description to appear in the online syllabus. You
can type the description text in directly, copy and paste text from
your word processor, or import a text file from your local
computer. You can then format the text with the CengageNOW
visual editing tool, or use HTML formatting if you prefer.
7. To save your changes, click Save and return to Courses.
or
Click Go on to Step 2 to configure course enrollment options.
8. If you selected Go on to Step 2, you have several course
enrollment options:
• Use the generated Course Key. By copying this Course Key
and providing it to your students by e-mail or syllabus, you
enable students to register themselves in your online course.
• Specify the date students can begin using the code.
Select Today, or enter another date in the text box.
• (Optional) Enter an expiration date for the code in the
Key expires on text box.
• Instead of using a Course Key, you can allow open
enrollment to all students by selecting the option to Allow
students to enroll in this course without entering a key.
• You can also Clear this key or Generate a new key to end
enrollment using the current key.
(For more detail on these course enrollment options, see “Setting
Up Student Enrollment” on page 25.)
9. When finished setting your course enrollment options, click Save
and return to the course summary.
23
Managing Courses
Creating Course Sections
A course can be divided into several sections. For example, you can set
up a main lecture section with discussion groups or lab sections.
Creating sections within a course provides separate Gradebook pages
for each section and allows greater control of individual sections by their
instructors. At the same time, the main course instructor can control
general course assignments and grading across all course sections.
The Course List
¾ To create a course section
Creating a course section is very similar to creating the parent course.
1. On the Courses page, find the course for which you want to
create the section. In the Actions column, click the Create
section link.
The Section Information page opens.
2. Enter the Section Name following the format used at your
school. This is the only entry required for you to create a course
section.
The rest of the process for creating a course section is the same as for
creating a course (other than some fields being labeled “section” instead
of “course”). (See “To create a course” on page 22 for more detail.)
24
CengageNOW
Managing Courses
Managing Enrollment
Once a course is created, you have several options for determining how
students can enroll themselves in your class.
To allow selected students to register themselves in your course,
you can generate a Course Key and provide it to those students
using e-mail or a course syllabus. CengageNOW automatically
generates a Course Key when you create the course. You can
change the code later.
You can allow open enrollment, which allows any student at your
school with CengageNOW access to sign up for the course. (See
Course Open Enrollment on page 28.)
To maintain the most selective control over enrollment, you can
choose to manually enroll students yourself on the Students
tab. (See “Managing Student Enrollment” on page 147.)
Setting Up Student Enrollment
Course Keys provide the most convenient way to manage enrollment
for your class or section. When you first create a course, CengageNOW
automatically generates a unique Course Key. You can then provide the
Course Key to your students via e-mail or printed syllabus to allow
them to enroll themselves (or even use it to register for CengageNOW,
if necessary). Only students with this code will be able to enroll in the
course.
The Course Key page displays the current key for a course and provides
options for managing the Course Key.
Generating a new Course Key
For each course you create, CengageNOW automatically generates a
unique Course Key. You can change this Course Key to account for
changes in enrollment or class usage. For instance, at the beginning of
a new term, you can copy a course and create and distribute a new
Course Key.
You can also generate a new Course Key as a means of ending
enrollment for students with the previous key.
25
Managing Courses
Finally, you might want to generate a new key if the first one seems hard
to use. For example, a Course Key string with lowercase letter “l” and
the number 1 in succession might confuse students. You can regenerate
the Course Key to provide the students with a different code.
The Course Key Page
¾ To generate a new Course Key
1. On the Courses page, click the name of the course. The Review
your course page opens.
2. Click the Change Course Key link on the right-hand side of the
page. The Course Key page opens.
3. Click the Generate a new key link.
4. (Optional) Select an activation date and an expiration date for
the new key in the Key Expiration Dates section.
5. Click Save and return to the course summary.
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CengageNOW
Managing Courses
Clear the Course Key
When you clear the Course Key, the key is no longer usable, and no
additional students can register for the course.
¾ To clear a Course Key
2. Click the Change Course Key link on the right-hand side of the
page. The Course Key page opens.
3. Click the Clear this key link.
Disable a Course Key
You can temporarily disable an existing Course Key and then re-enable
it later. While the Course Key is disabled, no new students can register
for the course. The code is saved but is unusable until you re-enable it.
¾ To disable a Course Key
2. Click the Change Course Key link.
3. Under the existing Course Key, click Disable Course Key.
Note: To re-enable the Course Key later, return to the Course
Key page and click the Enable Course Key link.
27
Managing Courses
Course Open Enrollment
This option allows any student at your school who is already registered
for CengageNOW to enroll in the course without a Course Key. You can
still provide a Course Key to help students register for CengageNOW or
have them register using the Content Access Code from their
textbook.
Note: The default setting for enrollment is to restrict open enrollment.
On this setting, students must enroll by entering the Course Key or be
enrolled manually via the Students page.
¾ To allow course open enrollment
2. Click the Change Course Key link.
3. Under Open Enrollment, select Allow students to enroll in
this course without entering this key.
Creating and Managing Course Folders
Creating folders is a simple and effective way to help keep your courses
well organized. You can rename folders and change their file-sharing
settings to suit your needs.
¾ To navigate the course browser
• Click Expand all or Collapse all to fully open and close all
the folders in the course browser.
• Use the + or - icons next to specific folders to open and close
them individually.
• Click on the folder names to view the contents. Private folders
labeled limited access may not be viewable.
28
CengageNOW
Managing Courses
¾ To create a subfolder
1. On the Courses page, click Show all options, if necessary, to
display the Folder Manager options.
2. In the Course Browser, open the Courses folder and the
subfolder (if any) in which you want to place your new subfolder.
3. In the Folder Manager drop-down menu, select Create a
subfolder and click Go.
4. Enter a name for the new subfolder, and click OK.
Your new subfolder appears inside the folder you selected. You
can now use the options in the Folder Manager drop-down
menu to rename the subfolder or change its privacy setting.
Caution: To move courses between folders, you must copy and paste
them into the new folder, rather than cutting and pasting them. Also
note that copying a course retains its syllabus information but not its
enrollment information. (For details, see Copying, Deleting, and Moving
Courses on page 31.)
¾ To change the folder privacy setting
All new folders you create are designated as “private” by default, which
means that only you can view or change the contents. You can make
your folders public so that others can view the contents, or make a public
folder private again. Shared folders are marked with a hand icon (
).
1. On the Courses page, select the folder you want to change from
private to public (or public to private) in the Course Browser.
2. In the Folder Manager drop-down menu, select Make public
or private and click Go. The selected folder’s sharing status will
be changed.
29
Managing Courses
1. On the Courses page, select the folder in the Course Browser.
2. In the Folder Manager drop-down menu, select Rename, and
click Go.
3. Enter a new name for the folder and click OK.
You can permanently delete a folder and all of the courses it contains.
(To retain the contents, archive the folder instead.)
2. In the Folder Manager drop-down menu, select Delete, and
click Go.
3. When asked to confirm the deletion, click OK.
¾ To archive a folder
Archiving a course folder moves it and its contents to Archived
Materials. You can retrieve archived materials at any time. (See
“Archiving Courses and Assignments” on page 121 for details.)
2. In the Folder Manager drop-down menu, select Archive, and
click Go.
3. When asked to confirm the archival, click OK.
30
CengageNOW
Managing Courses
Modifying Courses
Over time, you may find it convenient to reuse most or all of an existing
course. The Courses page includes functions for reviewing course
content and archiving courses and an advanced clipboard interface that
makes it easy to copy and paste entire courses for a new term.
Copying, Deleting, and Moving Courses
Please remember these two key points when working with courses and
folders:
Plan the organization of your folders in advance. Courses can be
moved from one folder to another, but any enrollment
information is lost. Do not move courses around during the
term.
You can create folders in which to file your courses at any time.
To move courses, however, you must copy them and paste
them into the new folder, rather than cutting and pasting them.
Copying retains syllabus information but not enrollment
information.
¾ To copy a course
1. Create a folder into which your course will be copied. (See
“Creating and Managing Course Folders” on page 28 for details.)
2. On the Courses page, in the Course list, select the box next to
the course to be copied.
You can select multiple courses to copy.
3. Click Copy.
4. Use the Course Browser to navigate to the destination folder.
5. Click Paste.
The CengageNOW clipboard opens.
6. If you need to alter the due date for the assignment (or for the
first assignment, if you selected two or more), select the check
box next to Adjust assignment dates? and set a new date.
31
Managing Courses
7. Click Paste selected items.
The course information has now been copied into the new folder.
By selecting the folder, you will find you now have the course
information, name, syllabus, and assignments available for use
in a new school term.
¾ To delete a course
the course to be deleted.
You can select multiple courses to delete.
2. Click Delete.
3. Click OK to verify permanent deletion of the course.
¾ To move a course
the course to be moved.
You can select multiple courses to move.
2. Click Cut.
3. Use the Course Browser to navigate to the destination folder.
4. Click Paste.
The CengageNOW clipboard opens.
5. If you need to alter the due date for the assignment (or for the
first assignment, if you selected two or more), select the check
box next to Adjust assignment dates? and set a new date.
Archiving Courses
Archiving courses works much the same way as archiving folders and
assignments. Select the course you want to archive on the Course List,
choose Archive from the Course Manager drop-down menu, and click
Go. (For details, see “Archiving Courses and Assignments” on
page 121.)
32
CengageNOW
Managing Courses
Exporting/Importing Courses
If you teach the same course at more than one school using
CengageNOW, you can easily export a copy of the course (excluding
students, instructors, Course Keys, and grades) from one school to the
other. With a few mouse-clicks, you select the course or section to
export, save a copy as an encrypted XML file, and in turn import it into
another CengageNOW school or account. This lets you quickly
reconstitute the entire course with far less effort than setting the course
up again from scratch, and ensures consistency with the original version.
Exporting a Course
An exported course file includes the following:
The selected section or course (selecting a course selects all of
its sections)
Assignments (including option settings, categories, and linked
Cengage content)
Course syllabus, overview, and description
Associated books (users will still need appropriate access codes
of their own)
33
Managing Courses
You can export or import courses from links provided on the main
Courses page and you can export courses from the Review your
course page.
¾ To export a course
1. On the Courses page, select the course or section you want to
export and click the Export a Course link.
2. A window will open showing your course folders. Re-select the
course or section you want to export to confirm it and click the
Go button.
A dialog box will open displaying the file name for your exported
course. The file name includes the course name and export date;
the file extension .ECX stands for Export Course XML.
3. Select your browser’s Save or Save to Disk option, and select
the folder on your local system to which you want to save the file
(use the Browse button as needed to change folders). Click OK
or Save to save the exported file to the selected folder.
With the .ECX file exported, you can now move the file to another
school or computer, or import it into another account.
¾ To import a course
1. On the Courses page, click the Import a Course link.
2. Use the Browse button to find and select the exported course
.ECX file you want to import. Click the Open button.
Importing a Course File
3. When the selected file is displayed in the File to Upload box,
click the Continue button.
34
CengageNOW
Managing Courses
4. A pop-up window will display your course folders. If you are
importing a section, choose whether to Import as a Course or
Import as a Section.
5. Select the folder into which you want to import the course or
section, and click Go.
The course file will be imported, and you can review it in the
Review your course page. At this point, you can open the
course or section for editing. Edit the course overview as needed
for its new use, set up the appropriate option for either a Course
Key or open enrollment, and the course is ready to go.
Review Your Course Information
To view the general information for your course, click the course’s name
in the Courses page. The Review your course page opens.
The Review Your Course Page
The left side of the Review your course page gives you a brief
enrollment Summary, and a Description. On the right side, under
What would you like to do next?, you have these options:
35
Managing Courses
• Change Course Information. This lets you edit the course
information, such as the name, start and end dates, and
description.
• Change Course Key. This link opens the Course Key page.
(See “Managing Enrollment” on page 25 for details.)
• Export a Course This link starts the course export process.
(See “To export a course” on page 34 for details.)
Create...
• Section. Select Section from the drop-down menu and click
Go to create a section for this course. (See “Creating Course
Sections” on page 24 for more information.)
• Assignment. Select Assignment from the drop-down menu
and click Go to create a new assignment for the course. (See
“Creating Assignments” on page 65 for more information.)
• Student account. Select Student account from the dropdown menu and click Go to go to the Students page. (See
“Managing Student Enrollment” on page 147 for more
information.)
View...
• Syllabus. Select Syllabus from the drop-down menu and
click Go to view the Syllabus page for the course.
• Students. Select Students from the drop-down menu and
click Go to view the Students page for the course.
• Assignments. Select Assignments from the drop-down
menu and click Go to view the Assignments page for the
course.
• Grades. Select Grades from the drop-down menu and click
Go to view the Gradebook page for the course.
E-mail students
Click this link to e-mail one or more students in the course or
section.
E-mail instructors
Click this link to e-mail all instructors for the course or section.
Return to Courses
Click this link to return to the Courses page.
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CengageNOW
Managing Courses
Date/Time Formatting
For most fields in which you need to enter a date or time (e.g., Due
Date) you will have the Calendar tool available. If you prefer to type in
dates and times directly, or you are working with a field that does not
provide the Calendar tool, please follow these guidelines.
Date formatting guidelines
The following are accepted date formats in CengageNOW:
September 5, 2009, 2pm
9/5/09 14:00
9-5-2009 3:16am
9 5 09
September 5 09
Tue September 5 2009 1:55P
2006 September 5 16:45:00
For months, use the full name or these abbreviations: Jan, Feb,
Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec.
Time formatting guidelines
The following are accepted time formats in CengageNOW:
[H]H:MM (for example, 1:05 or 10:45)
<number><unit>, where unit is s (second), m (minute),
h (hour), or d (day)
Examples:
• 10s = 10 seconds
• 10m = 10 minutes
• 10h = 10 hours
• 10d = 10 days
• .5h = 30 minutes
37
GRADEBOOK
CengageNOW automatically grades everything it can grade
electronically, marks items that must be manually graded, and
calculates a student’s final grade or “grade to date.”
Once a student finishes an assignment, you can use tools found in the
Gradebook to review the answers and score any items requiring
manual grading. If necessary, you can adjust scoring for any item,
student, or assignment.
Some problem types require manual grading: Essay, Pencil Sketch,
GraphSketch, Sketch2D, and Combination problems that have these
types as components. For assignments containing combination
problems, CengageNOW will grade the electronically gradable parts, flag
the manually graded items for your subsequent review and grading, and
then calculate the student’s grade to date.
CengageNOW also offers a wide range of grade-reporting options to help
you summarize and analyze individual and class performance. You can
review these reports online or print them out in a variety of formats.
Gradebook Terminology
There are many ways to customize and weight grades. Familiarize
yourself with the following Gradebook terms to understand how the
course grade is calculated:
Total Score
The total score is the sum of each assignment’s score multiplied
by the assignment’s weight. Most problems have a default score
of 1.0 for a correct answer, and so the assignment score equals
the number of correct answers. However, CengageNOW offers
many ways to set up and score problems to adjust or weight this
value:
• You can allow for partial credit for some responses.
• You can adjust each problem’s possible score from the
Reorder or change point values page. (See “Format and
preview the assignment” on page 75 for details.)
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Gradebook
• You can alter the possible score of the entire assignment with
the Possible score and Curve factor of assignment options.
(See Choosing Assignment Options on page 80 for details.)
• You can adjust the scores of groups of assignments by putting
them in an assignment category and weighting the category.
(See “Creating and Editing Course Categories” on page 43 for
details.)
Note: Only assignments that are past due or have already been
taken are included in the student’s total score. Any points from
extra-credit assignments are then added to the total.
Possible Score
This is the number of points a student could earn if he or she
achieved a perfect score.
Extra Credit
Assignments can be set up for extra credit. Points earned as extra
credit are added to the points earned, but not to the total points
possible, when calculating the total grade (Total Score / Possible
Score = Overall Grade).
For example, suppose you set up a class with nine regular
assignments and one extra-credit assignment. If each
assignment is worth 10 points, the possible score for the course
is 90. But a student who scored 100 percent on everything,
including the extra-credit assignment, would score 111 percent
for the course (100/90 = 1.11).
Assignment Category Score
Assignment Category Score represents a student’s grade for
each category of assignments in the course. Assignment
categories are optional: you create them on the Gradebook
page as a means to adjust score weighting for a whole group of
similar assignments. If you have not created any assignment
categories beyond the initial default category, the default
category score is the final score for the course. (See “Creating
and Editing Course Categories” on page 43.)
The assignment category score is calculated as follows:
Category Score = (Total Score/Possible Score) x Category Weight
(if any).
The category weight is a value that you set. Only categories
containing at least one assignment that has been taken or is past
due are counted.
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Gradebook
Final Score
The final score is the sum of the category scores and reflects the
student’s grade for the course. If a category is empty (i.e., the
assignments have not yet been taken), that category’s score is
excluded.
The Gradebook Overview Page
The Gradebook overview page displays the names of all students
enrolled in a course and their individual scores for assignments.
The Gradebook Overview Page
The Gradebook overview page provides a number of tools to help you
manage grades. Click the Change the appearance of this page link
to customize how student, assignment, and grade information is
presented.
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Gradebook
Basic Options
These tools are always available on the Gradebook overview page.
Report Creator
Select a report type from the drop-down menu, and click Go. The
Report Creator opens in a new window. (For more information,
see “Grade Reports” on page 56.)
Export Gradebook to .CSV file
Use this option to export the information from the current course
as a file format that can be used by a spreadsheet or database
application. (See To Export Gradebook to .CSV file on page 58 for
more information.)
Course drop-down list
Use the drop-down menu to select a different course to view, and
click Go.
Edit categories for this course
Click this link to edit current categories and create new
categories. (See “Creating and Editing Course Categories” on
page 43 for details.)
Find Student
To search for a specific student’s information, enter the student’s
name, and click Find Student.
Advanced Options
Click on Show all options on the Gradebook overview page to access
these options.
Customize assignment options for specific students
This feature lets you modify assignment availability, dates, and
other options for individual students.
E-mail communications center
This link lets you communicate with students quickly without
leaving this page.
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Gradebook
Query Student Data
This command opens the Gradebook Search page, where you
can use different criteria to find student grades for a course or
assignment.
Adjust multiple scores
This feature lets you adjust students’ scores for multiple
assignments in a course. You can adjust scores up or down by a
designated amount (percent or points) or reset scores to a
specific value. (See “Editing Multiple Assignment Scores” on
Change the appearance of this page
This command opens the Gradebook display preferences
page, where you can modify the way information is displayed on
the Gradebook overview page.
Creating and Editing Course Categories
Course categories let you group assignments by type (for example,
“Homework” or “Quiz”) so that they can be weighted collectively in final
grade calculations. For example, you can create a category containing
homework assignments and weight it to 30 percent of the course grade.
This weighting will apply whether the category has five homework
assignments or fifty.
Using categories is optional. If you do not create any custom categories,
all assignments remain in the default category.
The Edit Course Categories Page
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Gradebook
Once you create a course category on the Edit Course Categories
page, you can add individual assignments to it on the Edit Assignment
Categories page. You can also change an assignment’s category from
the Gradebook’s Assignment Details page, or from the Assignment
Options page.
Assignments that you place in custom categories are marked by colored
bars at the Gradebook Assignments table. The View category
colors link provides a color key for the categories in use. (Category color
codes are assigned in the order they are created. To have the same
category colors for all of your courses, note the order in which you
created them, and repeat that order for all your courses.)
Note: You can weight assignments using the Possible score and Curve
factor of assignment options whether the assignment has been put in
a category or not. (See “Choosing Assignment Options” on page 80.)
¾ To create course categories
1. From the Gradebook overview page, select a course or section
in the drop-down menu and click Go.
2. Click Edit categories for this course.
The Edit Course Categories page opens.
3. In the box next to the Add a new category button, enter a
name for your category (for example, “Homework” or “Quiz”).
4. Click Add a new category to add your category to the
Category Name list.
5. Click the button next to the category name.
6. Enter the % of Grade (the percentage of the total course grade
that this category will represent).
7. (Optional) Add a comment about the category.
8. Add any additional categories you want.
9. (Optional) Adjust your category percentages to total 100
percent. Any portion not allocated to a custom category will
remain in the default category.
10. Click Save all category changes to save and keep working in
this page, or click Save and go back to previous page if you
are done.
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Gradebook
¾ To edit assignment categories
1. From the Gradebook overview page, select a course or section
in the drop-down menu and click Go.
2. Click Edit categories for this course.
The Edit Course Categories page opens.
Note: To delete a category, select the name of the category you
wish to delete, and then click Delete selected category. Any
assignments in the deleted category join the Default category.
3. Click the Edit assignment categories button.
The Edit Assignment Categories page opens, listing your
assignments.
4. Under the Category column, use the drop-down menu to select
the appropriate category for each assignment.
5. Click Save all category changes.
To change available categories or add categories, click Edit
categories for this course, and you will be returned to the Edit
Course Categories page.
Note: Clicking the Change Category link on the Assignment
Details page will also open the Edit Assignment Categories
page.
The Edit Grade Details Page
The Edit Grade Details page lets you view and edit individual student
scores, and enter comments for the students to read. To open the page
from the Gradebook overview page, click the score you wish to view or
edit. You can also edit assignments marked “not taken.”
Select Grade by assignment score to work with the overall
assignment score.
Select Grade by item scores to work with the individual item,
question, and problem scores.
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Gradebook
Note: You can use the Technical Support link in the page footer to
report suspected grading errors.
To edit grade details for a different assignment for the current student,
select the assignment from the drop-down menu under View a
different assignment, and click Go.
You can e-mail the student from this page by clicking the student’s
e-mail address at the upper right side of the page.
To stay in this view for another student, select the student’s name in the
drop-down menu under View the grades for a different student, and
click Go.
Editing Assignment Scores
The middle section of the Edit Grade Details page allows you to edit
aspects of the overall assignment score. To access these fields, select
the Grade by assignment score option.
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CengageNOW
Gradebook
Assignment Score
Adjust the student’s overall assignment score by entering the
number of correct answers in the Assignment score input box.
(This yields the same result as changing it on the Assignment
Details page). Any late penalty previously assigned will still
apply. When you save the grade change, the score will be marked
on the Assignment Details page as manually graded.
Graded
Any time you view an assignment on this page and click one of
the save buttons, the Your Evaluation column on the
Assignment Details page shows the assignment as
“Evaluated,” along with the date. When you manually change a
grade and save your changes, that item is marked as “Graded.”
To mark an item as “Graded” that you have not manually
adjusted, check My grading is complete.
Note: At any point in your work, you can click Save and Return,
Save changes and continue editing, or Return without
saving.
Comment
Enter a short comment to the student regarding this assignment
or the grading. The comment will be visible in the Notes column
of the Student Grade Details page for the assignment and on
the student’s Grades page.
# of Attempts
This field shows the number of times the student has taken the
assignment and the maximum takes allowed (for assignments
set up to allow multiple takes).
For some assignments, you can edit the number of attempts. If
the assignment grading is set up as either Keep one result,
overwrite on each take or Keep one result, merge on each
take, you will see an input box that allows you to edit the number
of attempts. You can use this box to increment the number of
attempts to account for an offline (paper) take of the
assignment, for example, or to roll back the number of attempts
to allow a student another take.
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Gradebook
Time Spent
Use this field to modify the recorded amount of time the student
has spent on this assignment. The assignment Time Spent is the
total of the time spent answering each question and any time the
student spent at dialog boxes, reading messages, or loading
items during the assignment.
Delete Selected takes
After a student has taken an assignment, you can delete one or
more specific takes. For example, if the student has an extended
computer failure during a test, you may want to delete that take
altogether.
The takes are displayed with sequential numbers and results.
Click the check box next to any take to select it, and click Delete
selected takes.
Note: You generally cannot delete takes with scores that you
have already modified manually. One exception: assignments
that allow multiple takes, have takes remaining, and are set to
“Overwrite on each take.”
When you are finished, click one of the following buttons:
Save and Return
Save changes and continue editing
Return without saving
Editing Problem Scores
The lower half of the Edit Grade Details page allows you to edit the
results of individual problems. To access these fields, select the Grade
by item scores option.
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Gradebook
Editing Question Scores
¾ To edit individual problem scores
1. On the Edit Grade Details page, click on an item name in the
Items list.
The Item Detail screen refreshes, displaying the item name, a
comment input box, and the text of the question. Below that is
the student’s score, the student’s answer, and the correct answer
(if different from the student’s answer).
2. Enter a new score in the score input box.
3. Enter any comment you wish to make.
4. If you want to allow the student to see the comment, select the
check box next to Let student see comment.
Note: For the student to see the comment, the assignment must
be set up so the student can view grade details. (See “Choosing
Assignment Options” on page 80.)
5. To save your changes, click Save and Return or Save changes
and continue editing.
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Gradebook
Editing Multiple Assignment Scores
In addition to editing assignment scores one at a time from the student
Grade Details or Assignment Details pages, you can adjust students’
scores for multiple assignments in a course. This powerful feature lets
you adjust scores up or down by a designated amount (percentage or
points) or reset scores to a specific value.
Adjusting Multiple Assignment Scores
¾ To adjust all scores
1. From the Gradebook overview page, click Adjust multiple
scores. The Adjust Multiple Scores page opens.
2. Select the scores you want to modify.
• To select all scores for the course, click the Select all link. To
deselect all scores, click the Select none link.
• To select all scores for a specific assignment, select the check
box next to the assignment name. You can select multiple
assignments.
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Gradebook
• To select all scores for a particular student, select the check
box next to the student’s name. You can select multiple
students.
• To select individual assignment scores for specific students,
select the check box for each score. You can select multiple
individual scores.
3. Under Choose adjustment option, select an option for
adjusting the selected scores.
• To raise the scores by a specified percentage or number of
points, select Add.
• To reduce the scores by a specified percentage or number of
points, select Subtract.
• To set all selected scores to a particular value, select Set To.
4. Enter the value for the adjustment.
5. Select percent or points, as appropriate, for the adjustment
value.
6. Under Settings, select options for allowing negative scores,
extra credit, or an automatic preview of your changes.
7. Click Update preview to see the effect of your settings of the
selected scores.
(If the results are not what you expected, change your settings
and click Update preview again.)
8. Choose one of the following actions:
• Click Save and Return to accept your grade adjustments
and return to the Gradebook overview page.
• Click Save changes and continue editing to keep working
on this page.
• Click Return without saving to discard your modifications
and return to the Gradebook overview page.
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Gradebook
The Student Grade Details Page
From the Gradebook overview page, click on the student name to go to
the Student Grade Details page.
This page displays all assignment grades for an individual student in a
particular course. The course name is displayed at the top of the page.
Assignments are listed by category.
Student Grade Details Page
Note: To see any nonassigned material for the course, click the NonAssigned Material link above the list of assignments. To see all
students’ scores for a particular assignment, click the assignment name
to open the Assignment Details page.
The Student Grade Details page offers the following tools:
View the grades for a different student
Select a name from this drop-down menu, which contains all
students enrolled in the course, and click Go.
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CengageNOW
Gradebook
Use this link to communicate with students quickly without
leaving this page.
Report Creator
Select this option to export the contents of the current
Gradebook page to a .CSV file. You can then take this exported
file and import it into a database or spreadsheet application. (See
To Export Gradebook to .CSV file on page 58 for more
information.)
Edit categories for this course
To edit current categories and create new categories, click this
link at the top of the assignment list. (For more information, see
“Creating and Editing Course Categories” on page 43.)
Sort the assignment list
Click any column head to sort the assignment list by the
information in that column. Click the column head again to
reverse the order. Assignment information and columns include
the following:
• Overall Grade (course)
• Total Score (Correct/Possible) points before any assignment
category weighting
• Assignment Name
• Assignment Score (Correct/Possible) in points
• Assignment Score as a percentage
• Times Taken (attempts)
• Time Spent
• Notes
Return to the Gradebook page by clicking Go back to the Gradebook.
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Gradebook
The Assignment Details Page
The Assignment Details page displays all student scores for a single
assignment.
To get to this page from the Gradebook overview page, click on an
assignment name. (To go to the Student Grade Details page instead,
click on the student’s name.)
The Assignment Details Page
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Gradebook
Basic Options
These options are always available on the Assignment Details page.
Report Creator
Select this option to export the contents of the current
Gradebook page to a .CSV file. You can then take this exported
file and import it into a database or spreadsheet application. (See
To Export Gradebook to .CSV file on page 58 for more
information.)
Course drop-down list
Select a different course to view, and click Go.
View a different assignment
Select a different assignment to view, and click Go.
Find Student
To search for a specific student’s information, enter the student’s
name, and click the Find Student button.
Change Category
Click Change Category to go to the Edit Assignment
Categories page, where you can place assignments in custom
categories and link to the Edit Course Categories page.
Advanced Options
Click on Show all options to access these options.
Edit all scores on this page
This command causes the Assignment Details page to refresh,
allowing you to edit the score and custom penalty values for a
student without navigating to the Edit Grade Details page.
This feature lets you modify assignment availability, dates, and
other options for individual students.
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Gradebook
Adjust multiple scores
This feature lets you adjust students’ scores for multiple
assignments in a course. You can adjust scores up or down by a
designated amount (percent or points) or reset scores to a
specific value. (See “Editing Multiple Assignment Scores” on
This link lets you communicate with students quickly without
leaving this page.
Query Student Data
This command takes you to the Gradebook Search page, where
you can use different criteria to find student grades for a course
or assignment.
Grade Reports
CengageNOW grade reports give you a quick way to view overall or
cumulative course grades, grades for particular assignments, or
individual student responses. These reports are generated in file formats
that can be printed out, viewed on-screen, or exported to other software
(for example, a spreadsheet application) for further editing.
Each of the main pages of the Gradebook tab includes a link to the
Report Creator. (For a description of the report types, see “Grade
Report Types” on page 58.)
Generating Grade Reports
Some reports offer different options you must choose, while others have
no options to set. Most reports require that you select basic display
options only, such as the following:
How to identify students (by name, sign-in ID, or student ID)
Which assignments to include (for example, past due
assignments or assignments not taken)
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Gradebook
The Report Creator for the Student Scores Report
¾ To create a grade report
1. In the Report Creator drop-down list, select the report type you
want, and click Go.
The Choose Report Options page opens.
2. Set the options for your report, and click Create report.
3. Click Print report to send a copy of the report, as it appears on
your screen, to the printer.
4. To save the report in another format to edit or print, select the
format you want, and click Save report.
• .pdf reports can be viewed in Adobe® Reader.®
• .rtf reports can be viewed, edited, and printed in Microsoft®
Word 2000 (or above) and similar word processor
applications.
• .txt reports are tab-delimited text files that can be viewed in
a text editor or opened for viewing in a spreadsheet
application (such as Microsoft Excel®).
5. Click Exit Report Creator to return to the Gradebook page.
(For more on print options, see “Setting Printing Options” on
page 111.)
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Gradebook
¾ To Export Gradebook to .CSV file
The Export Gradebook to .CSV file link creates a file containing all the
data from the current Gradebook overview page. Student names will
be sorted by their last name.
1. Click the Gradebook tab and make sure you have the
appropriate course selected.
2. Click Export Gradebook to .CSV file, which is located just
above the Report Creator drop-down menu.
The File Download dialog box will open.
3. Use your browser’s Save or Save As command to name and
save the file in a your selected folder.
Grade Report Types
The available report types are categorized as follows:
Scores
Student Scores
For each student, this report displays all the assignments by
assignment name, due date, date taken with penalty (if any),
percent of total, score, possible score, and the percentage of
correct answers. It also provides category totals and overall
grade. You can sort the list by student name, sign-in ID, or
student ID. This report is a good snapshot of student progress.
Course Scores
This report displays a table listing all assignment grades for all
the students enrolled in the course. You can sort the list by
student name, sign-in ID, or student ID, by numeric score or
percentage, and by assignment name or due date. You can view
adjusted (weighted) or raw scores.
Student Cumulative Grades
This report displays the cumulative score, possible score, and
percentage correct by category and overall for each student. You
can sort the list by student name, sign-in ID, or student ID.
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Gradebook
Student Cumulative Grades report
TLE Scores per Student
For TLE assignments, this report displays scores for each student
and includes assignment name, due date, date completed,
student grade, possible grade, and time spent on each task. You
can sort the list by student name, sign-in ID, or student ID.
Properties
Properties of Assigned Problems
This report lists the assignment’s problems by number,
CengageNOW name, possible score, type, topic, and difficulty
rating. It displays the entire range of properties for each item in
the selected assignment.
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Gradebook
Responses
Student Responses
This report lets you view the questions and answers for one or
more students on a particular assignment. It displays the
problem, problem type, problem name, student answer, correct
answer, and score. This report provides information similar to the
problem details found on the Gradebook tab.
Student Response Statistics
This report displays the problems in the assignment and provides
response statistics for each problem, including percentage of
students who answered, percentage correct, average, standard
deviation, and answers for the class. It also displays the problem,
problem type, problem name, and correct answer.
Report Creator Menu Categories
Distribution
Assignment Statistics
This report shows student performance and range of scores on
the assignment in histogram format. Statistics include number of
grades, high/low scores, median, mean, and standard deviation.
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Gradebook
Database
All Course & Student Data
This report provides all student grade data for the selected
course. You can select the level of detail (course, course section,
assignment) and create a spreadsheet-compatible file to view,
edit, and print.
Caution: Depending on the number of students, assignments,
and level of detail you select, this report can produce a very large
output file (4 MB and up).
Custom
College Success Factor Index
The CSFI report provides an assessment of a student’s
probability of collegiate success based on responses to 80
questions that cover eight different topics, including such issues
as family relationships, personal likes and dislikes, and work
habits.
Concept Report
For college-level business schools, this report contains student
performance results based on key concepts critical for
accreditation.
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CREATING
AND
MANAGING ASSIGNMENTS
You can easily create and manage a variety of assignments in
CengageNOW. Depending upon your discipline or course, you may have
several sources available for building new assignments. You can create
and assign practice quizzes, homework, learning modules, and exams.
Assignments you create are also saved as assignment templates to allow
you to adapt them for other courses or for future users. (Assignment
templates were called “master files” in previous versions of
CengageNOW.)
The distinction between assignment templates and assignments is
important:
An assignment template is the set of questions you have chosen
for an assignment. Think of it as an “unassigned assignment.”
An assignment is the set of questions plus the options you
assign to it for use in a specific course.
The Assignments Page
63
Creating and Managing Assignments
Using the Assignments Page
To work with assignments, open the Assignments page by clicking the
Assignments/Tests tab. If you have used the page before,
assignments are listed for the last course you selected. To view
assignments for a different course, select that course from the dropdown list and click Go.
Note: If you have not yet created a course (or been enrolled in one as
an instructor), you need to do that first. (See “Creating a Course” on
page 22.)
Activities you can perform on the Assignments page include the
following:
Create assignments
Build new assignments and assignment templates using
questions from your CengageNOW Study Tools or other
sources.
Edit assignments
Modify existing assignments for new courses.
Print assignments
Create printed copies of your assignments for in-class use.
Work with Assignment Templates
View, modify, import, or export an existing assignment template.
Work with archives
Store and retrieve assignments and courses.
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CengageNOW
Creating Assignments
The assignment creation process has a variety of options for building a
test or homework assignment or posting a learning module. You have a
great deal of control over what is presented to your students, when the
assignment is available, and a number of other options available to aid
in adapting your assignment to your course.
Beginning the Process
Note: You must select a specific course or section before you start to
create a new assignment. Once you create your assignment, you can
assign it to any courses or sections you wish.
1. Click the Assignments/Tests tab to open the Assignments
page.
2. If necessary, choose the appropriate course from the drop-down
menu and click Go.
3. Click the Create assignment button. The Choose Content
page opens.
The Choose Content Page
65
Choosing Assignment Content
The first task in creating an assignment is to choose the content to
include in the assignment.
Assignment-creation methods
Under Create an Assignment - Choose Content, select the type of
content you prefer to use for creating your assignment:
Homework or Test banks. This option allows you to choose
from available questions and test banks. You will follow a
process in which you select chapters and sections from which
you wish to get question items; filter questions by such things
as question/problem type (e.g., Fill in the Blank, Multiple Choice,
etc.), concept, and so on; and select the individual questions
you wish to include. After filtering and selecting questions, you
will be able to set a wide range of assignment options.
Pre-built assignments. This option allows you to select a
complete, ready-made assignment provided with your Cengage
textbook. You will be able to delete questions, if you wish, from
the pre-built assignment. Following that editing process, you will
be able to set assignment options. (See “Creating a Pre-Built
Assignment” on page 96 for the overview and steps for this
assignment-creation method.)
Assignable Study Tools (Personalized Study, eBook,
Tutorial. This option allows you to select and assign a learning
module (or modules). Each Personalized Study learning module
allows for a Pre-Test, Personalized Study Plan, and PostTest. Tutorial material, if available with your textbook, is usually
accessible by chapter and section. Other courseware content
may be available to you. These Study Tools let you take
advantage of questions and assignments that work together as
a series, although you will still be able to choose which parts of
the tutorial or learning module to present to your students. After
selecting the appropriate content, you will select the assignment
options for all assignments in the sequence. (See “Creating an
Assignment from Study Tools” on page 97 for the overview and
steps for this assignment-creation method.)
Once you have selected the appropriate option, click the Continue
button. The Choose content source selector will open on the right side
of the page.
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CengageNOW
Choose questions individually for your assignment: choosing
content sources
Use the Choose content source area to select disciplines, books,
chapters, sections, and folders from which you want to draw questions
or other items for your assignment.
Folders with a + button contain additional items. Click the
button to expand the folder and view the items within.
+
Folders with a - button can be “collapsed” to hide the currently
displayed items. Click the - button to collapse the folder.
Choosing Content Sources
Select one or more question banks, chapters, sections, and folders from
which you want to draw questions or other items for your assignment.
When you are finished, click the Continue button.
The types of questions available depend on your selected content
source. For example, if the test bank chapter you selected has Multiple
Choice, Fill in the Blank, and Matching questions, you will see those
question/problem types listed along with the total number of each type
available.
67
You can click Select All to get all the questions available from the
content you selected, or you can enter in the available fields how many
of each question/problem type you wish to see. For example, if the
chapter you selected has 20 Multiple Choice and 20 Matching questions
available and you click Select All, you will get all 40 questions to review
for inclusion. If you want only the Multiple Choice questions and you
want to see all of them, then enter 20 in the Multiple Choice field and
leave 0 in the Matching field.
If you enter a number smaller than the total number available for a
particular question type, the questions will be drawn randomly from that
type.
Filtering and Selecting Number of Questions for Each Type
You can click Select None to clear all current selections and start over.
Additional filters are available. To access them, click Show all options.
If you do not wish to consider other filters for limiting your selected
questions, click Continue.
Note: If you intend to apply additional filters (see below), be aware that
it may reduce the total number of questions available. For example, if
you select 20 Matching problems and then filter them by difficulty level,
the 20 problems may be reduced. You can work in reverse order by
clicking Select All, using the additional filters, and then returning to this
step to see the remaining number of each question type.
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Using additional filters
The additional filters you have available will depend on the selected
questions and their authored characteristics.
Note: Regardless of the number of available questions you draw from
initially, please be aware that your finished assignment can have no
more than 200 questions. As you apply filters, note the number of
questions tally. This filtered to number will update each time you
change a filter setting and click the Filter button.
¾ To apply item filters
1. Make your selections on any filters you wish to apply.
2. Click the Filter button to apply and update the filters. You can
change the settings and refilter the results as much as necessary.
3. When you have applied all of the filters you want, click Continue
at the bottom.
Using Additional Filters on Math Questions
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Filtering by difficulty
This filter allows you the option of choosing questions by their difficulty
rating. The difficulty rating of each question is determined by the
question’s author and ranges from Easy to Easy-Moderate, Moderate,
Moderate-Difficult, and Difficult.
All difficulty ratings are selected by default.
¾ To filter by difficulty
1. Select the check boxes for the difficulty levels you want to
include.
2. Clear the check boxes for the levels you wish to exclude.
3. Click Filter to apply your selection.
Filtering by question values
Questions that are authored using algorithms (typically mathematical
and statistical questions) can regenerate new values and correct
answers each time the question comes up in an online assignment and
each time it is printed (for example as a printed test). This provides
great flexibility, enabling you to use the same basic question repeatedly.
Conversely, non-algorithmically generated question values appear the
same every time they’re used.
If both types of questions are included in the content you selected, both
types are selected by default.
¾ To filter by question values
1. Clear the selection for the type you want to exclude, if any.
2. Click Filter to apply your selection to the current set of available
problems.
Filtering by gradability
A key feature of CengageNOW is that it can grade assignments
electronically. You also have the option of including questions that
require manual grading.
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Questions with manual gradability require your subsequent
review and grading of every student’s work (essay questions, for
example)
Items that are “not gradable” include non-question items such
as readings, illustrations, or comments. (“Not gradable” items
are rare in CengageNOW)
All gradability ratings are selected by default.
¾ To change gradability options
1. Deselect the gradability types you want to exclude.
2. Click Filter to apply your selection.
Note: Remember, if you intend to use automatic grading only, you need
to clear the selection for Manual gradability. Otherwise, you will be
required to grade the manually graded problems individually before
proceeding with electronic grading for the assignment.
Filtering by related concepts
This filter allows you to select questions by their “related concepts” as
defined by the question author. All concepts used in the questions you
selected are listed in the Concepts box.
All available concepts are selected by default.
¾ To change the concepts filter
1. Clear the check boxes to deselect concepts you want to exclude.
2. Type in any specific concept terms you want. Click Show all
concepts again to see the revised concepts list.
3. Once you have selected the concepts you want to filter, click
Filter to apply your selection.
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Filtering by Active Examples
This filter type allows you to select questions having Active Examples.
Active examples are related instructional media such as videos,
simulations, or tutorials that can help the students with the assignment.
By default, if the questions contain active examples, all the questions
with active examples are selected.
When you have applied all of the filters you want, click the bottom
Continue button.
Choosing Items for Your Assignment
With your content now filtered, you’re ready to review it and select the
specific questions and other items you want for your assignment.
Once you have the assignment the way you want it, you will be able to
assign it to a course, print it, or save it as an assignment template.
Reviewing and selecting questions
There are two modes in CengageNOW you can use for reviewing your
questions: By preview and From a list. The two modes provide the
same basic functions, and you can use either one or both as you build
your assignment. To switch between the two, click the link for the mode
you want.
By preview mode
In By preview mode, all questions are viewable. Included with each
question are the source name, grading and other details, and a link for
each question that allows you to view it in its electronic (online) form.
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Selecting Questions in By Preview Mode
Questions are shown in groups of ten to a page. If you have more than
ten questions, you can use the Previous and Next links or the dropdown question-number list to go to other pages.
Note: Questions with the note “This item is also available on test banks
outside of CengageNOW” have been published previously in another test
bank. In other words, there’s a slight chance that your students may
have seen a version of these questions in another class or book.
¾ To select questions in By Preview mode
1. Select questions using one of the following methods.
• Select the check box for each question you want to include,
and clear the check box for each one you don’t want.
• Click Select All to use all the questions on the current page.
• Enter a number in the Select number of items at random
box, and click Update.
2. When the items you want to include are selected, click the
Continue button at the bottom of the page.
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From a List mode
In From a List, questions are listed by their file names in two lists,
labeled choose from problems and selected problems.
Previewing a Selected Question in From a List Mode
The question’s file name is typically an abbreviation of the source
textbook’s title, chapter, section, and question number. For example, a
file name ending in 01.07.12 would mean this question corresponds to
chapter 1, section 7, question 12 in your textbook. This naming scheme
can help you correlate between textbook and assignment questions.
All questions are included in the left-hand list. Bold type indicates
questions that are available for you to select; light type indicates that
the questions are already selected.
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¾ To preview and select questions in From a List mode
1. To preview a question, click the file name in either list.
2. Select questions using one of the following methods:
• To move a specific question from one list to the other, doubleclick it, or click it once and then click the > or < button.
• To move all questions from one list to the other, click >> or
<<.
• To select questions at random, enter the total number to
select in the text box between the lists, and then click the
Update button next to the text box.
3. When all of the items you want to include are selected, click the
Continue button at the bottom of the page to proceed.
Format and preview the assignment
After you have selected the specific list of questions to include in your
assignment, you will name, format, and preview the assignment to set
its appearance and behavior. You can also return to this step later to
adapt an existing assignment or assignment template to a new purpose.
The Format and preview page requires only that you name the
assignment. Type a name in the Enter Assignment Name field. If you
are creating a number of assignments, planning the naming scheme for
them in advance can save you some time renaming them later. You can
include special characters in the assignment name.
This page also provides you with the ability to change the question order,
delete or add single questions, or change question point values.
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The Format and Preview Page
After previewing and naming the assignment, you will be able to perform
the following tasks:
Apply assignment options
To set up the assignment for use in a course, click Continue to
proceed to the Assignment Options page. (See “Choosing
Assignment Options” on page 80 for details.)
Print the assignment
Click the Print button to print the assignment with your current
print settings.
Save as a PDF/RTF
To save the assignment as a Portable Document Format (PDF) file
or Rich Text Format (RTF) file, click Save as PDF/RTF. You will
be asked to specify header and formatting options, as well as a
location and name for the file.
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Save, without assigning
Click Save, without assigning if you are not yet ready to print
your test or to set assignment options (e.g., Due Date). Your
assignment will be saved as an assignment template. You will
be able to access the assignment template later and use it to
create specific assignments. (See “Working with Assignment
Templates” on page 127 for details.)
If there are other changes you wish to make on the Format and
preview page before proceeding, you have a number of options
available.
Reordering and deleting questions or changing point values
CengageNOW provides several options for adjusting the sequence and
score values of your current question set. You can reorder all the
questions or specific ones. Click Reorder or change point values on
the Format and preview page to access these options.
When the assignment questions are the way you want them, click Save
these changes to save them and return to the Format and preview
page. To abandon your changes, click Cancel instead.
¾ To reorder all questions
Use the following tools:
• Click the column header you want to use to order the list by
Name, Type, or Difficulty. Click again to reverse the order.
• To reverse the current question order, click Reverse order of
all questions.
• To reorder the questions randomly, click Randomize all
questions.
Note: You need to name your assignment before clicking the link
to access the Reorder or change point values page.
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¾ To move one or more questions
1. Select the check box for each question you want to move.
2. Move your mouse cursor over the line where you want to place
the selected questions.
3. When you see the Insert selected items here instruction, click
the line to move the selected items to that position.
Note: It’s best to move specific questions last, as the other sort
options may override your manual changes.
Reordering and Changing Point Values
¾ To delete questions
1. Select the check box for each question you want to delete.
2. Click Delete selected questions.
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Changing point values
Questions are typically given a default score of 1.0. Changing this value
changes the weight of the answer’s score relative to the other questions
in the assignment. To change the possible score for an individual
problem, type a new value in its Score box.
Note: If you want to weight the whole assignment relative to others, use
the Possible score or Grade on a curve options. (See “Choosing
Assignment Options” on page 80 for more information.)
Additional Format and Preview options
The following advanced options on the Format and preview page allow
you to make additional changes to your assignment before proceeding.
To access them, click the Show all options link.
Choose a question, then select a command
Use these options to operate the CengageNOW clipboard. You
can Cut, Copy, Delete, or Paste selected questions in the
assignment’s question list.
Author new question
This link opens the Author a new question page, where you
can author a new question from scratch and place it in the
assignment. Once the question is completed, you can return to
the Assignments page with the new question inserted in the
assignment. (See “Authoring in CengageNOW” on page 153 for
details on self-authored questions.)
Add more questions
Use this link to select new questions to add to the current
assignment.
Preview as a Student
This option lets you view all the listed questions as they will
appear online to your students. You can also use each question’s
Student View link to try out its online version individually. To
return to the regular list view, click the Individual View link.
Edit item
Use this link to open the associated question for editing in the
authoring editor. Once you have completed your edits on the
question, you can click Done to return to the Assignments page
with the modified question inserted in the assignment.
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Choosing Assignment Options
Assignment options let you create different kinds of assignments
customized for the needs of your courses and your students. You can
allow a homework assignment to be taken an unlimited number of times,
for example, and a final exam only once. In addition to dates, times, and
scoring, you can allow or disallow such things as hints, revealed
solutions, and feedback (if available). You can even allow students to
retake only those questions they miss.
Note: You can set the assignment options while creating the assignment
as described here, or edit them later to adapt an existing assignment or
assignment template to a new purpose. Setting the options essentially
turns an assignment template (a set of questions) into a “live”
assignment with defined due date, grading rules, students, and
feedback.
Option sets
Instead of setting the various assignment options individually for each
assignment you create, you can save your current settings as a
predefined “option set.” Option sets let you save your preferred settings
so that you can easily apply them to subsequent assignments.
Using option sets helps you apply options quickly and consistently as you
create assignments ranging from practice exercises to exams. For
example, you can configure an option set for homework that allows
multiple attempts, an unlimited time frame, and feedback hints. You can
create another set for quizzes that allows only one attempt, a limited
time frame, and penalties for using hints.
Note: Initially you have two option sets from which to choose: Default
and Accounting. You can customize either of these with your preferred
settings and save them as a new options set to apply to new
assignments.
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Saving an Option Set
¾ To create a new option set
1. On the Assignment Options page, change the basic and
additional options to those you wish to have in your new option
set.
2. In the Apply/Manage sets of options drop-down menu, select
Save the current set of options, and then click Go.
3. When prompted, enter a name for the new option set, and then
click OK.
4. To save your current assignment with this new option set, click
the Save button at the bottom of the page.
¾ To edit an option set
1. From the Apply/Manage sets of options drop-down menu,
select the option set you wish to change, and click Go.
2. Edit the specific options you want to change, and then click the
Save button at the bottom of the page.
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¾ To rename an option set
select Rename or delete option sets and click Go.
2. On the Manage your option sets page, select the option set
you want to rename, and then click Rename.
3. Type in the new name for the selected option set. Click the Save
and Close button to return to the Assignment Options page.
¾ To delete an option set
select Rename or delete option sets and click Go.
2. On the Manage your options sets page, select the option set
you want to delete, and then click Delete.
3. Click the Save and Close button to return to the Assignment
Options page.
Basic assignment options
The initial Basic Options section provides the most commonly used
options. For additional, more advanced assignment options, click Show
all options to see the Additional Assignment Options section.
Assignment Takes
Takes allowed
You can set a limit on how many times students can take an
assignment.
To specify a number of allowed takes, choose a menu item from
the drop-down menu.
Unlimited
The Unlimited option allows the student to take the assignment
as many times as desired before the Unavailable Date.
However, only the first 20 takes will be saved.
When multiple takes are made, the scoring method is determined
by the "Scores for multiple takes" setting.
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Time allowed per take
This option allows you to set a time limit for each time a student
takes the assignment.
• Select Unlimited to allow students unlimited time to
complete the assignment up until the due date and time.
• Select the Minutes option to specify a time limit for each take
of the assignment, and enter the allotted time, in whole
minutes, in the text box.
When time allowed per take is Unlimited, allow students
to save assignment and resume later
Select this check box to let students stop working on an
assignment, save their work, and resume the assignment later.
To require that students start and finish the assignment in one
session (e.g., for an exam), clear the check box.
Grading
Possible score
The Possible score option sets the number of points a student
can earn for the assignment. An assignment’s default score is
typically 1 point per question. For example, an assignment with
10 questions has a default score of 10 points.
You can also use this option to set a different score. For example,
you might want a possible score of 25 points for the assignment.
This provides a way to change the relative importance, or
weighting, of the assignment in calculating the course grade.
Note: You can also control weighting for assignments by putting
them into categories. (See “Creating and Editing Course
Categories” on page 43 for details.)
Use authored (if none authored, default used)
This option is available for you when working with multiple
courseware assignments. When selected, this option will score
the assignments using their authored scoring, if any. For
assignments with no authored scoring, the default scoring of 1
point per question will be used.
Not graded
To indicate that an assignment does not contribute any points or
score to the course grade, select Not graded.
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Scoring when multiple takes are allowed
You have several options for calculating scores when you allow
students to take an assignment more than once.
• Keep one result, overwrite on each take. Only the most
recent result for the entire assignment (including questions
not answered) will be kept.
• Keep all results, use best one. All results for all questions
will be kept, for up to 20 takes per assignment. The grade will
be calculated using the assignment with the best overall
grade. The multiple results are displayed in the Gradebook
score details, with the best score used.
• Keep one result, merge on each take. All correctly
answered questions will be kept when a student submits the
assignment. On a subsequent take, these correct answers will
be pre-populated with the previously-provided value. This
allows students to keep taking the same assignment until
they have answered all questions correctly or until they have
reached the maximum number of takes allowed.
Note: When selecting merge mode, you may want to limit the
Attempts allowed per question to 1 or 2. You should also
consider how it might work with two other assignment options:
Regenerate question values and Feedback after
Assignment.
• Keep all results, use last one. All results for all questions
will be kept, for up to 20 takes per assignment. The grade will
be calculated using only the most recent set of results. The
multiple results are displayed in the Gradebook score
details, with the last score used.
• Keep all results, merge on each take. This option lets you
save all of a student’s takes for viewing in Grade Details.
Correct answers are accumulated from each take to
determine the assignment grade, while subsequent takes
require students to answer only the questions he or she
missed on previous attempts. The multiple results are
displayed in the Gradebook score details, with the merged
score highlighted.
Note: This setting may also affect how you want to use
Regenerate question values, Feedback after Assignment,
and Attempts allowed per question.
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Assignment categories
A category allows you to group assignments, in order to weight
them collectively in final grade calculations. For example, you can
create a category containing homework assignments and weight
the category to equal 30 percent of the course grade. This
weighting will apply whether the category contains 5 or 50
homework assignments.
This Assignment categories tool appears in Assignment
Options only when you have established one or more custom
categories. Custom categories are created in the Gradebook.
If you do not want to place the assignment in a category, select
Default.
Note: To create or edit your grade-weighting categories, select
Edit weighting categories. (See “Creating and Editing Course
Categories” on page 43 for details.)
Dates
To change dates, click the adjacent calendar icon. Change times by
selecting from the drop-down menus for hours, minutes, and AM/PM.
Available
This is the date/time on which students can start taking an
assignment.
Due
This date/time determines when the assignment's late penalties,
if any, will be applied. (To also prevent students from starting,
resuming, or completing the assignment after the due date, set
the Unavailable date to Same as due date).
If you don't want to set a Due date, select Not specified.
Unavailable
This date/time determines when students will no longer be able
to start, resume, or complete the assignment. If a student is
working on the assignment when the Unavailable date and time
arrives, the assignment is stopped and scored on progress to that
point.
• By default, the Unavailable date/time is set to Same as due
date.
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• If you don’t want to set an Unavailable date, select Not
specified.
• To specify an Unavailable date that differs from the Due
date, select Other and edit the time as desired.
Additional Assignment Options
In general, the additional assignment options are more specialized and
advanced than the basic options. The additional options that are
available depend on the assignment type. You can access them on the
Assignments Options page by clicking the Show all options link.
When your assignment options are set the way you want them, click
Save to save the assignment and open the Assignment summary.
Note: These advanced options can provide powerful teaching tools, but
you may want to experiment before you “go live” with your assignments.
Create a small “play test” or small assignment series. You can then try
out, for example, the grading or prerequisite settings to see what works
best for your course.
Restrictions
Password to take assignment
If you want to set a password for the assignment, enter one in
the text box. Any student trying to start the assignment will be
prompted for the password and will have to enter it correctly to
proceed. This option lets you set up assignments (such as final
exams) that can be taken only after you have given students the
password. It’s a good way to ensure that students do not take the
assignment until a specified time.
Prerequisite
You can use this option to prevent students from taking an assignment
until a specific condition has been met. The prerequisite you choose
applies to each student in your course.
Select a condition:
Use this drop-down list to select a type of prerequisite for your
assignment.
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No prerequisite
(Default) Leave this condition selected if you do not require any
specific prerequisite to be met before the assignment is taken.
Assignment score of
Select this condition to base the prerequisite on a score in
another assignment.
1. Select the assignment with the prerequisite score from the dropdown list.
2. Choose the type of score retirement (greater than, equal to, etc.)
3. In the Score box, enter the appropriate score expressed in
Possible Score points. (To base it on a percentage grade, use
Score percentage of, below.)
Is Assignment taken
Select this condition to base the prerequisite on completion of
another assignment, regardless of score. From the Assignment
drop-down list, choose the appropriate assignment name.
Score percentage of
Select this condition to base the prerequisite on a certain
percentage score on a different assignment.
1. Select the assignment with the prerequisite score from the
Assignment drop-down list.
2. Choose the type of score requirement (greater than, equal to,
etc.)
3. In the Percentage box, enter the appropriate score percentage
(do not include a % symbol).
Time spent on
Select this condition to base the prerequisite on the amount of
time spent working on another assignment.
1. Select the prerequisite assignment from the Assignment dropdown list.
2. Choose the type of time requirement (greater than, equal to, etc.)
3. In the Minutes box, enter the appropriate time in minutes.
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Student has access to
Select this condition to base the prerequisite on access to a
particular book.
1. In the Content Book Search box, enter part of the book author's
name, part of the title, or the book's abbreviation.
2. Titles matching your search entry will appear on the drop-down
list below the search box. Select the appropriate title from the list.
List of conditions
This option lets you base the prerequisite on multiple conditions.
1. Choose whether the prerequisite requires the student to Match
any of the following of the listed conditions, or Match all of the
following.
2. Click the [+] button to add a condition to the list. Select the
condition type, and set its parameters as appropriate.
3. To remove a condition, click its [-] button.
Expression
Advanced users can select this condition to write their own
prerequisite using the custom condition syntax required in
previous versions of CengageNOW. Unless you already have
mastered the syntax for creating such expressions, we
recommend you use the new menu-driven options instead.
If prerequisite is not met
If you set a Prerequisite for this assignment, you must also
choose what to do when the prerequisite tests "false" (that is,
students do not meet the specified condition). You can use these
properties (formerly known as "Condition Mode") to create
customized lesson plans for different students.
• Student can see but cannot take assignment. The
assignment is visible to all students, but only those who have
met the condition specified by the Prerequisite property can
take it. This is an appropriate setting for assignments you
want students to study in detail before completing (such as
homework or an open-book test).
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• Assignment is not visible, but counts towards grade.
The assignment is not visible to students who have not met
the prerequisite, but the assignment does count toward their
grades. This setting is for assignments whose details you do
not want students to know in advance (such as most tests).
• Assignment does not count towards student's grade.
The assignment is not visible to students and is not counted
in their grades unless they meet the condition specified by the
Prerequisite property. Once they meet the prerequisite, the
assignment becomes visible, must be taken, and counts
towards their grades. This setting is useful if you want
students to demonstrate proficiency before proceeding.
Before 1st take, allow printing of assignment (questions only)
Select this check box to allow students to print out the full assignment,
even if they have not yet taken the assignment online. For example, you
may want students to be able to work on the assignment on paper first,
then use that copy to enter their answers online.
Notes Seen by Students
Here you can enter comments for students to read when they take the
assignment. Such comments might include instructions for quizzes or
exams, descriptions of homework assignments, information about
special grading policies, notices of related assignments, or any other
information students might find useful for completing the assignment.
Grading
Style
• Curve factor of:. You can give this assignment a value to
increase or decrease the effect of its score on the student’s
overall grade. The assignment grade is multiplied by the
specified value (the default is 100%). So, for example, if you
enter 125% for an assignment that has a possible score of 8
points, a student who answered all questions correctly would
receive 10 points.
• Pass/Fail at:. To grade an assignment as Pass/Fail (or
"pass/no pass") enter the minimum percentage score
required to pass the assignment. For example, on a 10-point
quiz, a Pass/Fail value of 65% would mark any score of 6.5
or more as a Pass and anything less as a Fail. Any Pass
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score will receive full credit (100%) for the assignment, and
any Fail score will receive no credit (0%). Using the same
example, a passing student score of 6.5 would receive 100%
credit (10 points) for the assignment, while a failing score of
5.0 would receive 0% credit (0 points) for the assignment.
• Extra credit. You can choose to make this assignment
available for extra credit only. To do so, select the Extra
credit check box.
Numerical tolerance
Each question in the assignment was at one point authored in
CengageNOW. Imagine that a CengageNOW author created a
quantitative question and identified an answer as 4500:
Only exact answer is correct
• if Equivalent answers are set to Only exact tolerance is
correct, then the only correct answer will be 4500.
• If, on the other hand, Equivalent answers are set to
Equivalent formats are correct, then any format is
accepted as long as the underlying value is exactly 4500.
Tolerance is allowed
Imagine that a 10% tolerance is allowed:
• If Equivalent answers are set to Only exact tolerance is
correct, 10% of 4500 is 450, so the range of correct answers
will be 4050 through 4950.
• If, on the other hand, Equivalent answers are set to
Equivalent formats are correct, then any format is accepted
as long as the underlying value is in the range 4050 through
4950.
Late Penalty
Use the Late Penalty feature to assess a grade penalty for late
assignments. You can select one or both of the following options to
define the penalty as a fixed or accumulating amount:
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Penalty when due
Select this option to enter a flat penalty for completing the
assignment after the due date. Enter the penalty as a
percentage. For example, a student scores 8/10, but the
submission was after the due date. A penalty of 25% will make
the score 6/10.
Subsequent penalty
Check this box to enter a penalty that repeats at a certain
interval. Enter the penalty as a percentage, and that percentage
will be taken away from the points earned by the student.
Apply subsequent penalty
Imagine a student submits an assignment and scores 8/10, but
submits the assignment 2.5 hours late. Further imagine that you
have assessed a Penalty when due of 10% and a Subsequent
penalty of 5% each hour. At due date, the score drops to 7.2/10,
after the first hour the score drops to 6.8/10, and after the
second hour the score drops to 6.4/10.
Note that the subsequent penalty does not begin to accumulate
until the end of the first specified period. To assess an
accumulating penalty that begins immediately, enter the penalty
in the Penalty when due box as well.
Questions
Regenerate algorithmic questions
Quantitative questions can be algorithmic, meaning that they can
be authored to support a range of variable values. When a
question is algorithmic, whether you make use of the
regeneration possibilities depends on which option you choose.
For each student and each take
When a student opens his/her first assignment take, the question
variations for algorithmic questions will be different than for any
other student.
Then, if multiple assignment takes are allowed, each time the
student opens a new take, one of the following will occur:
• if Scores for multiple takes is not set to a “merge” option,
all algorithmic questions will have regenerated values.
• If Scores for multiple takes is set to a “merge” option, all
algorithmic questions not correctly answered in the past will
have regenerated values.
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For each student on the first take only
When a student opens his/her first assignment take, the question
variations for algorithmic questions will be different than for any
other student.
Then, if multiple takes are allowed, each time the student opens
a new take, there will be no regeneration of the values for
algorithmic questions — the questions will not look different to
the student than during the first take.
Never
With this setting, the questions will be the same to all students
taking the assignment, and will not change from take to take.
Shuffle questions for each student and each take
You can choose whether to have the system create a different
order for the items in the assignment each time it is generated.
By default, questions won’t be shuffled.
Shuffling items is useful if you are concerned about students
copying answers from each other without bothering to read the
questions or handing out answers to specific question numbers.
Note: If you create an assignment in which items build on
previous items, do not shuffle your questions.
Attempts allowed per question
You can allow students to attempt to answer each question
multiple times before they submit the entire assignment,
regardless of how many times you allow them to submit the
assignment itself.
• To specify a number of attempts, select the appropriate
number from the drop-down menu.
• To allow up to twenty takes for an assignment, select
Unlimited.
Note: If you choose to have feedback (rejoinders) displayed for
multiple attempts, you can also choose whether to deduct points
for using feedback from the student’s grade. (See “Feedback
during Assignment” on page 93 for details.)
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Auto-advance when answer is submitted
• When this option is not checked, students must manually
navigate to the next question.
• When this option is checked, the system automatically
advances to the next question after every submitted answer.
Note: This option is disabled if Feedback during Assignment
is enabled and its "Question attempts before feedback" option is
set to anything other than "No feedback."
Show Active Example Links
Select this check box to allow students access to active examples in
assignment questions that have them. Active examples can take the
form of a video, PDF, eBook, PowerPoint file, or an external Web site,
providing students with additional information in assignment questions.
If this option is not selected, access to any active examples in the
assignment will be suppressed (i.e., the Active Example button will not
appear in the question).
Note: This assignment option is not available if your assignment does
not contain any items with active examples.
Feedback during Assignment
Use these settings to enable default and custom feedback options:
Style of Presentation
• If you select Homework style: allow students to see % of
questions correct, students will see an on-screen indicator
of their current score. For example, if the student submits
Question 1 in a 3-question assignment, the Score will either
update to 33.33% or stay at 0%, letting the student know
whether or not their answer was correct.
• On the other hand, if you select Test style: do not show %
of questions correct, the "Score" indicator will not appear.
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Question attempts before feedback
If feedback (default or custom) is available for items you include
in this assignment, you can specify how many times students can
attempt to answer a question before the feedback appears.
The numbers in the drop-down are dependent on the Attempts
allowed per question setting.
Use custom feedback when available
The default feedback message simply informs the student if an
answer is correct or incorrect. More specific feedback is provided
only if the authored content for the item includes it.
Question attempts before hints
If hints are available for questions in this assignment, you can
specify how many times students can attempt to answer a
question before each hint appears.
The numbers in the drop-down are dependent on the Attempts
allowed per question setting.
Feedback after Assignment
Select this check box to let students see feedback on their assignment
results. By enabling feedback, you allow students to view their scores
and track their course grades for CengageNOW assignments. You can
then choose from the following feedback options:
Show overall assignment score only
Select this check box to allow students to see only the overall
assignment score.
If you select this option, you then specify whether you want the
student to see these details immediately after the assignment
take, or starting at some other time.
Note: To set dates, click the adjacent calendar icon, select the
appropriate date and set the time by selecting values from the
drop-down menus.
Plus, show question details, student responses, and
question scores
Select this check box to allow students to also see all additional
details about each question except the correct answer. (To show
the correct answer, you must also select Plus, include correct
answers.)
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student to see these details immediately after the assignment
take, or starting at some other time.
Plus, include correct answers
Select this check box if, in addition to the rest of the question
details, you want the users to see the correct answer for each
question.
student to see these correct answers immediately after the
assignment take, or starting at some other time.
Enable printing (with feedback chosen above) when the
student has more takes remaining
Select this option to allow students to print out an already-taken
assignment, with feedback, prior to their last take. The students
can then review their previous results before attempting the
assignment again.
Once the option is enabled, the rules that govern it are as
follows:
• If you have enabled Show overall assignment score only,
then the printout will show only this overall score and the
time spent in the take.
• If you have enabled Plus, show assignment score,
question details, student responses, and question
scores, then the printout will add all of these things to the
report described in the bullet above, not including the correct
answer to each question.
• If you have also enabled Plus, include correct answers,
then the correct answers for each question will be added to
the printout.
When you have your assignment options set the way you want them,
click Save to save the assignment and view your Assignment
summary.
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Creating a Pre-Built Assignment
This section describes the process of creating an assignment from a prebuilt (or “form”) assignment drawn directly from your CengageNOW
books or courseware. Pre-built assignments allow you to take advantage
of question sets that correspond to textbook chapters and sections.
In this process, you start with a complete, ready-made assignment
provided with your Cengage textbook. You can then review, remove, or
reorder its questions. Once you have selected and ordered your
questions, you can set assignment options, such as due date, grading,
hint availability, and other settings. When you have finished creating the
assignment, you can edit all aspects of its contents and formatting.
¾ To create a pre-built assignment
1. On the Assignments page, select the course for which you want
to create the pre-built assignment, and click the adjacent Go
button.
2. Click Create assignment.
The Choose content page opens.
3. Under Create an Assignment - Choose Content, select the
second option, Pre-built assignments.
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4. Click Continue.
The Choose content source area opens on the right side of the
page.
5. Find the registered CengageNOW book or courseware from which
you want to select the pre-built assignment. (Pre-built
assignments typically correspond to your book chapters.)
6. Click on the + or - button next to each listed item to view or hide
its contents, select the assignment you want to use, and click
Continue.
7. Use the Assignment Options page to set up the new
assignment as you wish. (For complete information, see
“Choosing Assignment Options” on page 80.)
8. When you are finished, click Save. The new assignment is now
saved and assigned.
Creating an Assignment from Study Tools
You can create graded assignments from your CengageNOW Study
Tools, including Books, Personalized Study products, or tutorial
courseware bundled with the student’s textbook. You can create a single
assignment or a whole series at once.
These assignments can include diagnostic Pre-Tests, interactive
content, and Post-Tests (chapter quizzes) to assess your students’
grasp of the material. Study Tools assignments allow you to assign
entire sets of interactive content quickly, as well as track and grade each
student’s work.
You can easily assign a single Personalized Study chapter, selected
chapters, or all chapters in the book. Once you have selected your
assignment content, you have a range of assignment options:
Exclude selected content, such as the Pre-Test or particular
chapter sections
Set due dates and late penalties
Limit the number of takes, and time allowed
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Allow students to save a take in progress and resume it later
Hide assigned Pre- or Post-Tests from the student’s Study
Tools view (currently available in “StudyNOW” and
“ScienceNOW” products)
Note: As soon as students register the Content Access Code for their
textbook, they can access the Study Tools content on their own on an
ungraded self-study basis. If you choose not to hide the Pre- or PostTests, students will see the same content as both Assignments
(graded) and Study Tools (ungraded).
Be sure students understand that they must complete the assignments
from their Home or Assignments page to receive credit for the
assignment.
Before you can begin creating an assignment or a series of assignments,
you must select a course or section in which to place it. Once you have
created your assignment, you can use it in any courses or sections you
wish.
¾ To create an assignment from Study Tools content
1. On the Assignments page, select the appropriate course from
the drop-down list, and click Go.
2. Click Create assignment.
The Choose content page opens.
3. Under Create an Assignment - Choose Content, select the
third option, Assignable Study Tools (Personalized Study,
eBook, Tutorial).
4. Click Continue.
The Choose content source area opens on the right side of the
page.
5. Find the registered CengageNOW courseware from which you
want to create the assignment or series of assignments, and find
the appropriate chapters. (Click on the + or - icons next to an
item to view or hide its contents.) Select the chapter or chapters
you want to use, and then click Continue.
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6. If you selected just one chapter, you will go either to the
Customize content page (for a Personalized Study product,
TLE, or Tutorial chapter) or to Assignment Options (for an
eBook chapter.)
In the Customize content page, you can rename the
assignment and include or exclude specific chapter sections,
including the diagnostic Pre-Test and Post-Test, depending on
the chapter content. (See “Customizing content” on page 100 for
details.) Once you have customized content for the assignment,
click Continue.
If you select multiple courseware chapters, you will see a dialog
box informing you that you have selected multiple assignments
and will be setting assignment options next. Required settings
include the Available and Due dates and Days between due
dates. (See “Setting options for multiple Study Tools
assignments” on page 102 for details.) Click OK to proceed.
7. On the Assignment Options page, set the options for the
assignment or series of assignments, and click the Save button.
If you are creating a single eBook assignment, this is also the
page where you can rename the assignment.
At this point, your assignment or set of assignments is complete and
assigned to the current course. However, you still have the ability to
modify an assignment from the View/Edit an Assignment page:
Return to Assignments
Returns you to the main Assignments page.
Modify assignment options
Opens the Assignment Options page for the assignment,
allowing you to change assignment due dates, scoring, grading,
and other assignment behavior. (See Choosing Assignment
Options for details.)
Lets you customize the assignment dates, times, number of
takes, and time allowed for particular students. This feature
helps you make exceptions and accommodate the special
circumstances of certain students without having to change the
assignment options for the whole class. (See Customizing
assignment options for specific students on page 108 for details.)
Customize content
Opens the Customize content page where you can set options
for Study Tools assignments. (See Customizing content on
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Take this assignment from the students’ view
Loads the current assignment so you can take it as a student
would. This lets you verify that the assignment content, hints,
scoring, and so on, all work as intended.
Note: This option provides only a single assignment preview:
neither the take nor the score will be recorded in the
Gradebook. (See To enroll yourself as a student on page 149 or
Student View/Instructor View Toggle on page 6 for more
information on making your own functional student account.)
Take this assignment offline temporarily / Take this
assignment online
Makes this assignment temporarily unavailable to your students,
or makes an unavailable assignment available.
Customizing content
When you are creating Study Tools assignments from a single
Personalized Study product, TLE, or tutorial chapter, or editing one later
from View/Edit Assignments, you can use the Customize Content
page to select a name and specific chapter sections.
Customize Content Page
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Use the Enter Assignment Name field to view or change the
assignment name.
Use the Pre- and Post-Test Options to include the chapter
diagnostic Pre-Test, the Post-Test, or both. If you include the
Pre-Test, you can then choose whether to record the score.
Use the check boxes to Hide the Pre-Test or Hide the PostTest from the students’s self-study view. This setting will hide
the tests on the students’ Study Tools tab until the end of the
class. This ensures that the students access these tests only as
part of the scheduled class assignment, and prevents them from
practicing on the tests independently ahead of time. Once the
course ends, the students will be able to access the tests for
self-study from their Study Tools tab again. This option is
currently available in “StudyNOW” and “ScienceNOW” products.
Caution: You don’t have to hide assigned Pre- or Post-Tests
accessed from the Study Tools page. However, please be sure
your students know to access any graded, for-credit assignments
from their Assignments/Tests page. Any work they complete
on chapters accessed from their Study Tools page is ungraded
self-study only.
Use the check boxes to include or exclude specific chapter
sections from the assignment.
Note: These selections only appear on the Customize content
page if you have chosen a book with Pre-Test and Post-Test
sections.
When you have customized the assignment content to your liking, click
Continue to proceed to the Assignment Options page (when creating
the assignment) or click Save to return to View/Edit Assignments
(when editing the assignment).
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Setting options for multiple Study Tools assignments
When you are creating Study Tools assignments from multiple
chapters, you set the Available and Due dates for the entire
assignment series and can set other assignment options as well. (You
can also modify the options for individual assignments later from
View/Edit Assignments.)
On the Assign page, you will set the following options:
Under Dates, note the First assignment available and First
assignment due date settings. Once you set these dates for
the first assignment in the group, set the number of days to
pass before each subsequent assignment becomes available in
the Days between due dates box. Using this setting,
CengageNOW will automatically set the Available/Due dates
for the entire group of assignments. (You can change these
later, if necessary.)
To count weekend days in the number of days allowed between
assignments, click the Allow dates on weekend check box.
Note: Study Tools assignments have many of their options
selected already. Accordingly, you will see fewer Additional
options to set than you would with the other assignment types.
(For details on the other individual options available for your
assignment, see “Choosing Assignment Options” on page 80.) Once you
have the assignment options set to your liking, click the Save button at
the bottom right of the page.
Note: Your assignments can be set to have a limit on the number of
takes allowed. If so, please be sure your students know that submitting
the assignment for grading counts as an assignment take.
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Creating an External Assignment
Creating an external assignment lets you set up material from outside
CengageNOW as if it were a CengageNOW assignment. For example, by
setting up a WebQuiz as an external assignment, you can rename it, let
students take it from the Assignments page, and set its assignment
dates, possible score, and category.
Alternatively, you can create an empty external assignment as a
Gradebook placeholder to manually enter scores for work that students
complete outside of CengageNOW, such as paper assignments or lab
projects. (See Using External Assignments as Placeholders on page 104
for more information.)
¾ To create an External assignment
1. Create a WebQuiz using an assignment template. (See “Creating
a WebQuiz” on page 133 for the procedure.) Before you leave the
WebQuiz Properties page, copy the WebQuiz URL onto your
system clipboard.
2. On your Assignments page, use the drop-down menu at the top
to select the course for which you want to create the assignment,
and click the adjacent Go button.
3. If necessary, click the Show all options link.
4. From the Assignment Manager drop-down menu, select
Create External, and then click the adjacent Go button.
5. On the Give your assignment a name page, enter the name
you want to use for this External assignment in the Assignment
Name box.
6. In the URL box, paste the URL you copied from WebQuiz
Properties for the assignment.
7. (Optional) Use the Notes Seen by Students box to enter (or
paste) a plain-text description of the assignment that will be
visible to students as they select and start the assignment.
Your students need to click the speech balloon icon on the
Assignments page to view this message.
Note: You may want to use this Notes Seen by Students option
as a way to provide your students with an e-mail address to use
when submitting their graded WebQuiz.
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8. (Optional) Use the Comment box to enter (or paste) a plain-text
message that students will see after they start the assignment.
9. Click the Save button.
10. On the Set your assignment options page, you can set more
assignment options (click Show all options). (For details on
options, see “Choosing Assignment Options” on page 80.)
11. Once you have the options set to your liking, click the Save
button at the bottom of the page.
The View/Edit an Assignment page opens. You may now review the
finished assignment to edit the questions, reformat, or modify print
settings. You can also reorder or delete assignments as needed. (See
Using the View/Edit an Assignment Page on page 106 for details.)
Using External Assignments as Placeholders
You can create an external assignment to serve as an assignment
“placeholder” in the Gradebook. This type of assignment contains no
questions: it simply reserves a place for you to enter grades for work
that students complete outside of CengageNOW, such as paper
assignments or lab projects.
When you set up an outside assignment with a placeholder, you can
choose its possible score and category, among other options. Once the
results for the outside assignment are available, you enter the grades
manually in the placeholder. You can then track the grades for the
outside assignments along with your CengageNOW assignments, and
your students can see where they stand.
¾ To create an external assignment placeholder
Create External, and click the adjacent Go button.
2. In Assignment Options, enter the assignment name and, if you
wish, a description and comments (do not enter a URL). Click
Save.
3. Enter any additional assignment options that may apply to the
grade you will enter manually, such as possible score and
category. For example, you can adjust assignment dates to enter
scores for an assignment after the fact.
4. Click Save.
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Creating a Comment Assignment
This section describes how to create a stand-alone Comment to provide
information to your students on their Assignments list. You can set up
the Comment to be viewed by particular students only or by those
meeting certain prerequisites (completion of a certain assignment, for
example).
You create Comments on the Assignments/Tests page. When you
have finished creating the Comment, you can edit its contents, student
access, and other options.
¾ To create a Comment assignment
1. On your Assignments page, use the drop-down menu at the top
to select the course for which you want to create the Comment,
and then click the adjacent Go button.
2. Click the Show all options link (if necessary).
Create Comment, and then click the adjacent Go button.
4. On the Name your comment page, enter the name you want to
use for this Comment in the Comment Name box.
5. In the Comment box, enter (or paste) your plain-text
Comment, which will be displayed to students when they select
the Comment assignment.
6. Click the Save button.
7. (Optional) On the Assignment Options page, you can set the
following additional options for the Comment assignment (click
Show all options to display all of them):
• Due. Sets the last date on which the Comment can be
viewed.
• Restrictions. Allows you to set a prior condition for viewing
the Comment, such as registered book access or a passing
score on a previous assignment. (See “Restrictions” on
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Viewing and Editing Assignments
After creating an assignment, you can modify almost every aspect of its
content, appearance, or behavior. For example, you can add questions,
reorder items, change the due dates, scoring, or other options, or even
re-author current questions. In many cases, you may find yourself
copying a proven assignment and editing parts of it to suit a new class.
Using the View/Edit an Assignment Page
You can view and edit any assignment listed on your Assignments
page. Simply click on the assignment name to go to the View/Edit an
Assignment page for that assignment.
Note: If the assignment’s current status is Assigned, not yet due, you
may want to take it offline while you are working on it. In addition, you
should consider whether changes to the assignment will affect students
who have already taken it, or affect overall class grading.
Editing an Assignment
The View/Edit an Assignment page displays some or all of the
following links, depending on the assignment type:
Return to Assignments
Returns you to the main Assignments/Tests page.
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Modify assignment options
Opens the Assignment Options page for the assignment,
allowing you to change assignment due dates, scoring, grading,
and other assignment behavior. (See “Choosing Assignment
Options” on page 80 for details.)
Opens pages that let you select students for whom you wish to
modify the Assignment Options. You can change assignment
dates, the number and length of attempts, or even unassign the
assignment for particular students without affecting settings for
the rest of the class. (See “Choosing Assignment Options” on
Customize content
Opens the Customize Content page where you can set options
for Study Tools assignments. (See “Customizing content” on
Take this assignment from the students’ view
Loads the assignment and allows you to take it, start to finish,
from the students’ point of view. This lets you test the
assignment and verify that the content, hints, scoring, and so on,
work as intended.
Note: This option provides only a single assignment preview:
neither the take nor the score are recorded in the Gradebook.
(See the sections To enroll yourself as a student on page 149 or
Student View/Instructor View Toggle on page 6 for more
information on making a functional student account for yourself.)
Format and Preview assignment content
Opens the assignment in the Review Questions page, where
you can rename the assignment or work with its question order
and point values. (See “Format and preview the assignment” on
page 75 for information.)
Add questions to the assignment
Lets you gather new questions from your Cengage books or selfauthored questions to add to the assignment, with the same
process used to create the assignment. (See “Choosing
Assignment Content” on page 66.)
Take this assignment offline temporarily/Take this
assignment online
This toggle makes this assignment unavailable to your students,
or makes an unavailable assignment available again.
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Customizing assignment options for specific students
You can customize the assignment dates, times, number of takes, and
time allowed for particular students. This feature helps you make
exceptions and accommodate the special circumstances of certain
students without having to change the assignment options for the whole
class.
¾ To customize assignment options for specific students
1. From the View/Edit an Assignment page or the Gradebook
overview page, click Customize assignment for specific
students.
2. In the Select Assignment and Students for Custom Options
and Dates page, first select the appropriate assignment from
the drop-down menu, if needed.
Select Assignment and Students for Custom Options and Dates
3. Select one or more students for whom you wish to customize the
assignment settings. To select all of the students, choose the
check box at the top of the list. (If you want to modify an option
for all students, however, you may want to modify it in the
general Assignment Options area). If you have many students,
you can use the search fields to locate a specific student quickly
by name, ID, or e-mail.
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4. Once you have the correct assignment and students selected,
click the Continue button.
5. The Customize Assignment Options for Specific Students
page lists your selected student(s). If you need to change your
selection, click the Change selected students link to return to
the previous page.
Each student’s initial settings match the settings for the
assignment. You can make the following changes to the
assignment’s settings for the selected students:
• Status. Select whether the assignment is specifically
Assigned or Not assigned to the student.
• Available. Set the date and time when the student can begin
the assignment. Select Use default to use the assignment’s
settings, select Any time to allow the student to begin the
assignment whenever he or she likes, or enter a specific date
and time when the student can begin the assignment.
• Due. Select Use default to use the assignment’s settings for
due date and time, select Not specified to remove the
deadline for the student, or enter a different date and time by
which the student must complete the assignment.
Customizing Assignment Options for Specific Students
• Unavailable. Select Use default to use the assignment’s
settings, select Not specified to make the assignment
always available, or enter a different date and time when the
assignment will become unavailable to the student.
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Note: On some computer displays, you may need to scroll your
window to the right to see the next two settings.
• Maximum Takes Allowed. Select Use default to use the
assignment’s settings, select Unlimited to let the student
take the assignment as many times as he or she likes, or
enter a different number of takes that the selected student
may have.
• Time Allowed per take. Select Unlimited to let the student
spend as much time per take on the assignment as he or she
likes. To apply a time limit for each take, enter a time limit in
minutes.
To apply any date settings you change to all students on this
page, click the Specify same dates for all link.
6. When you are done customizing assignment options for students,
click Save dates.
To apply any date settings you change to all students on this
page, click the Specify same dates for all link.
Printing Assignments
CengageNOW provides a wide range of options for creating printed
versions of your CengageNOW assignments and assignment templates.
You can shuffle problems and regenerate values so that students get a
unique version of the test every time you print it. This option increases
your ability to easily retest and reinforce learning and helps reduce the
potential for cheating. You can also print an assignment for a specific
course and particular students.
You can print assignments from the Assignments page, the
Assignment Templates page, or the Format and preview page.
Note: You cannot print assignments created from Study Tools or prebuilt assignments.
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¾ To print an assignment from the Assignments page
1. If the assignment you want to print is not in the current course,
use the drop-down list to select the appropriate course, and click
the adjacent Go button.
2. Find the assignment you want to print, and click Print in the
Actions column for that assignment.
3. In the Printing Options window, make any desired changes and
click Print.
Your browser’s Print dialog box opens in front of a preview of the
printed assignment.
4. Click OK in the Print dialog box to send the file to your printer.
Note: To save the assignment as a PDF or RTF document and
work on it in another program, use the Save option instead.
Setting Printing Options
You can customize almost every aspect of your current assignment’s
print layout in the Printing Options window and save your settings for
use on other assignments.
You can access the Printing Options window in any of the following
ways:
Click the Preferences link in the page header, and then click
View/select print options in the Preferences window.
On the Assignments page, click Print in the Actions column
for any assignment.
On the Assignment Templates page, select the check box for
an assignment template and then click the Print link. (Click
Show all options to display the link, if necessary.)
Make the changes you want, and click Save to save your settings as the
defaults for all subsequent assignments, or click Print to print the
selected assignment or assignment template (without saving the
settings).
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Output Format (PDF/RTF)
You can create PDF (Portable Document Format) files or RTF (Rich Text
Format) files of an assignment. You can then print these files from
outside CengageNOW with the appropriate application.
PDF
Select this option to have your assignment saved as a PDF file.
This file format preserves your document’s appearance,
regardless of how it was created. To view or print PDF files, you
need the free Adobe Reader software, available at
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. (To
edit PDF files, you need Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Professional
software.)
RTF
Select this option to save your assignment as an RTF (Rich Text
Format) file. RTF is supported by many word processors,
including Microsoft Word (Word 2000 or later recommended) and
OpenOffice.org.
Note: If you work with an RTF file in Windows® WordPad and
then open it in Word, use the “Web View” option to display it
properly.
Save Paper
Select this option to print your assignment with the settings that will use
the least paper. (This is the CengageNOW default layout.) The settings
are:
Save Paper Basic Settings
Output Format: PDF
What to print: Assignment with keys
Versions: No regeneration or shuffling; 1 version
Fonts: 12 pt. Helvetica
Layout: One column; answer fields not included; no lines
between choices or problems; Multiple Choice answers fit page
width; horizontal true/false choice position
Header and Footer: For selected assignment, page numbering
for questions and answers starts at 1
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Save Paper Advanced Settings
Print Style: Standard; no grid lines
Copy Selection: Not enabled
Sorting Options: Keep in current order
Advanced Layout: Embed all fonts used; minimize blank space
Image/Graph Size: Image height or width limited to 2 inches
Section Breaks: Hidden
Paper: Medium quality, 100% scaling, 8.5 x 11
What to print
These settings determine what is included in the print file for your
assignment.
Assignment only
Select this option to print assignment questions without answers.
Assignment with Keys
Select this option to print assignment questions with an answer
key on a separate sheet.
Assignment with Problem Codes
Select this option to print assignment questions labeled with each
source problem’s CengageNOW name or code (for example,
gfia.08.02.4.53). This helps you identify questions even if they
have been shuffled or had their values regenerated.
Full Form
Select this option to print everything—questions, answer keys,
and problem codes.
Keys Only
Select this option to print only the answer keys for the
assignment.
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Versions
These options let you create distinct test versions from a single set of
questions. By shuffling sequences and regenerating algorithmic values,
you can create as many unique versions of the assignment as you want.
These options help you reinforce learning and reduce the potential for
cheating.
You may choose one or more of the following options:
Regenerate algorithm values
Select this option to regenerate the values of all questions in the
assignment that were created using algorithmic values. This
option will have no effect on questions authored with constant
(non algorithmic) values.
Shuffle order of choices
Select this option to reorder the answer choices randomly within
each question.
Shuffle order of problems
Select this option to reorder questions randomly in each section
of the assignment.
Note: If you select this option, you can’t use a custom sort order
for the questions in the assignment. If you use a custom sort
order, you cannot select this option.
Number of versions
Enter the number of different versions of the assignment that you
want to print. The default value is 1.
Fonts
These settings determine the typeface and size for the assignment.
Font type
Select the typeface to use for printing the assignment from the
drop-down menu.
Font size
Use the drop-down menu to select the size of the type. (A font
size of 10 or 12 is typical for printed material.)
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Layout
These options control how questions and answers are arranged on the
page.
One-column
Select this option to produce a document printed with all items in
a single column.
Two-column
Select this option to produce a document printed with two
columns. (This option is not available for RTF output.)
Include Answer Fields
Check this box to print a short answer line for each question:
____ 1, ____ 2, etc.
Lines between choices
Use the drop-down menu to set the number of blank lines (0, 1,
or 2) between answer choices.
Lines between problems
Enter the number of blank lines between problems.
Make Multiple Choice answers fit page width
Select this option to arrange Multiple Choice answers to take full
advantage of each line’s available width.
Make Multiple Choice answers display in two columns
Select this option to arrange Multiple Choice answers in two
columns.
Always place Multiple Choice answers one per line
Select this option to print Multiple Choice answers in a single
column.
True/False choice position
Choose whether True/False answers are to be displayed vertically
(on separate lines) or horizontally (on the same line).
Header and Footer
These settings determine how the headers and footers you create in the
Edit Headers and Footers window will be applied. (See “Editing
Headers and Footers” on page 119 for information about the window.)
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For all assignments
Select this option to apply your header and footer settings to all
of your assignments.
For selected assignment
Select this option to change the header or footer for the selected
assignment only. (Select the assignment before you open the
Printing Options window.)
Start page numbering for questions from
Select the check box and enter the beginning page number for
questions.
Start page numbering for answers from
Select the check box and enter the page number for the first page
of answers.
View/Select
Click this button to open the Edit Headers and Footers window.
(The button is displayed only if you select the For all
assignments option or if you selected an assignment before
opening the Printing Options window. (See “Editing Headers
and Footers” on page 119 for information about the window.)
Note: If the following options are not displayed in the window, click
Show all options to access them.
Print style
These settings determine how to translate elements from an online
assignment to the printed version.
eStyle
Select this option to make the printout resemble an on-screen
assignment. For example, the assignment will print with option
buttons next to each Multiple Choice or True/False answer for the
student to mark.
Standard
Select this option if you don’t want to include on-screen elements
on the printout.
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Put grid lines around column multiple choice questions
Select this option to apply grid lines around Multiple Choice
questions and answers. Grid lines make the choices and pairings
more visually distinct.
Copy Selection
These selections give you the option to print assignments for particular
courses or students.
Select course
Select this option to print or quick-view the assignment for a
particular course at print time. You’ll select the course from a
dialog box that appears whenever you print the assignment.
Print assignments for selected students
This option is available if you have selected an assignment before
opening the Printing Options window. Select this option to print
or quick-view the assignment for a selected student or group of
students at print time. If you also choose Select course (see
above), the list of students will be limited to those in that course.
When you print the assignment, a dialog box will appear with a
drop-down menu to let you select the course and students.
Sorting Options
These options let you put the assignment questions in a specific order.
Note: You won’t be able to select a sorting option if you selected to
shuffle the order of problems under Versions.
Keep in current order
Select this option to keep questions in their original order.
Sort by problem code
Select this option to organize questions in each section in
ascending order by CengageNOW problem code (for example,
gfia.08.02.4.53, ...54,...55, etc.).
Sort by problem type
Select this option to organize questions in each section by
problem type (Multiple Choice, True/False, etc.).
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Sort by difficulty
Select this option to organize questions by difficulty.
Advanced Layout
These options determine specialized effects in the formatting of your
printed assignment.
Print formulae in italics
Select this option to make formulae stand out from the plain body
text.
Embed all fonts used
Select this option to embed fonts in the print file. Embedding
fonts ensures that the text will be printed in the original fonts,
even if the printing software or printer doesn’t have that font
installed. This option will increase file size.
Show commas in numbers
Select this option to show commas in numbers larger than 999.
Clear this option for graphs, as they are usually easier to read
without commas.
Keep questions and answers on the same page
Select this option to keep each answer on the same page with its
question, even if much of an adjacent page must be left blank to
do it.
Minimize blank space
Select this option to allow a question to be printed at the bottom
of one page with its answer printed at the top of the next page.
Image/Graph Size
Limit image height or width to 2 inches
Select this option to limit the size of printed images and graphs
to a maximum of 2 inches by 2 inches. (This size is usually
adequate for graphs and can save paper.)
Original size
Select this option to print images and graphs at their original
dimensions.
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Section Breaks
Hidden
Select this option to start each section of the assignment
immediately after the preceding section.
New page
Select this option to start each section of the assignment on a
new page.
Paper
Quality
Select a print quality of Low, Medium, or High from the dropdown menu. (Print resolution depends on the capabilities of your
computer, the printer driver used, and your printer. You normally
do not need to use High except for complex graphics.)
Scale content to
Enter a percentage by which to scale text on the printed page,
relative to the right margin. For example, a line of text that
reaches the right margin at 100% will reach only halfway at 50%.
Page width
Sets the width of the page. The default is 8.5 inches.
Page height
Sets the height of the page. The default is 11 inches.
Editing Headers and Footers
The header and footer of an assignment are at the top and bottom,
respectively, of each page. Headers and footers can include page
numbers, the date, the assignment title, the student’s name, and other
information pertinent to the assignment.
You can specify different information for the first (title) page of the
assignment and the subsequent pages.
Access the Edit Headers and Footers window by clicking the
View/Select button in the Printing Options window. (The button is
displayed only if you select the For all assignments option or if you
selected an assignment before opening the Printing Options window.)
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Using the Edit Headers and Footers window
This window lets you view the current header and footer, choose a
different header or footer, or create a custom header or footer by
modifying any of the ready-made templates.
When you access the window, the current headers and footers are
displayed in the four editing windows. The top two windows are for the
first-page header and footer. The bottom two are for the header and
footer that appear on the subsequent pages.
Click Save to save your modified headers and footers as part of the print
setup.
Header/Footer templates
You have several ready-made header/footer templates available.
To choose a template, select it from the Templates drop-down
menu at the bottom of the window.
• Use blank if you want to start completely from scratch.
• Select Custom Option #1 or #2 for basic workable layouts.
• Use #1 using tables or #2 using tables as your starting
point if you want more control over the header/footer spacing
and layout. You’ll use the CengageNOW HTML Table Editor
if you customize one of these. (See “Advanced Header/Footer
Layout” on page 121.)
Macros
You can customize any of the header and footer templates by
typing in text or by selecting header and footer macros from the
Insert macro drop-down menu at the bottom of the window.
These macros insert the variable text you want to appear in a
certain spot, such as the page number or the assignment name.
Try not to insert more macros or text than you really need, or the
headers and footers may appear crowded or off-center.
Macro options include the following:
• Page number
• Current date
• Version number
• Assignment name
• Number of answerable questions
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• Total possible points
• Student name
• Student ID
• Instructor name
• Course name
Advanced Header/Footer Layout
If you want a fine degree of layout control over your assignment
headers and footers, you can lay out each header and footer as
an inserted table. This provides you better control over element
spacing, word wrap, and justification.
• The easiest way to start is to select #1 using tables or #2
using tables from the Templates drop-down menu. You can
then view the header and footer layout in the table editor and
make adjustments.
• To start from scratch, select the blank template, and lay it
out using the HTML toolbar’s Insert Table drop-down menu.
Archiving Courses and Assignments
CengageNOW’s archiving features let you store folders, courses,
sections, and assignments you are not currently using. Items stored in
Archived Materials are readily available for you to retrieve, copy into
a new folder, course, or section, or delete permanently.
The Archived Materials page lets you file course content to retrieve at
a later time for reference or for use in future courses. You can archive
entire folders, courses, course sections, or individual assignments.
There are specific rules, however, about archive and retrieval. You
should adhere to the system default selections and prompts to ensure
your archived items function correctly when retrieved.
Your Archived Materials page is automatically organized according to
the hierarchical structure of your folders, courses, sections, and
assignments. This means that if you archive, for example, a course, any
sections and assignments it contains are filed with it. If you want to
archive only assignments, you must select and archive them at the
assignment level, without selecting their associated sections or courses.
If you archive a course section, only section-level assignments, not
course-level assignments, will be archived with that section, and so on.
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The Archived Materials Page
The program follows this same structure when you retrieve
assignments. To retrieve an assignment that was archived with its
associated section or course, you are prompted to retrieve the relevant
section or course as well. To retrieve a section of an archived course, you
are also prompted to retrieve its course-level assignments. And if you
are a section-level instructor, you must have the course-level instructor
retrieve your course-level items for you.
¾ To access archived materials from the Assignments page
1. On the Assignments page, select the course from which you
want to copy archived assignments.
2. Click Show all options to display the additional options if they
are hidden.
3. From the Go to a content source drop-down menu, select
Archived Materials, and click the adjacent Go button.
The Archived Materials page opens.
¾ To access archived assignments from the Courses page
1. On the Courses page, click Show all options to display the
additional options if they are hidden.
2. Click the Archived Materials link to go to the Archived
Materials page.
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Using the Archived Materials Page
The Archived Materials page shows the organization of your archived
items, including icons for folders, courses, sections, and assignments.
The archived items themselves display a “file cabinet” icon.
Click the + or - icon on each branch of the hierarchy tree to
view or hide its contents.
Use the check boxes to select items and item groups for
retrieval, copying, or deletion.
Use a search filter to find a particular course or to limit the list.
Enter the appropriate information in the box, and click Search.
Some items will “auto-select” according to your selections,
showing that the items were archived or organized as a group.
Similarly, items with a “dashed” check box have one or more
dependent items selected (an assignment in a course, for
example).
If an item displays a lock icon, you need the necessary system
permissions to retrieve, copy, or delete that item.
Archiving Your Materials
¾ To archive selected folders, courses, and sections
1. On the Courses tab, click Show all options to display the
2. Select the folder, course, or section containing the assignments
you wish to archive.
3. From the Folder Manager drop-down menu (for folders) or the
Course Manager drop-down menu (for courses), select
Archive, and then click the adjacent Go button.
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¾ To archive specific assignments within a course
1. On the Assignments page, first select the appropriate course,
and then click Show all options if the additional options are not
already displayed.
2. Select one or more assignments to archive.
Archive, and then click the adjacent Go button.
Retrieving Archived Items
Retrieving an item from Archived Materials moves it back into the
Courses or Assignments page, where you can work with it.
¾ To retrieve archived folders, courses, and sections
1. On the Courses page, click Show all options to display the
Materials page.
3. Select the folders, courses, and sections you want to retrieve,
and click the Retrieve selected items button.
4. In the Archived Materials - Confirm Item Retrieval page,
review your selections. To retrieve them, click Retrieve
selected items. To change the selections, click Change current
selections and change your selections as needed before
retrieving them.
¾ To retrieve specific assignments
1. On the Assignments page, select the course for which you want
to retrieve assignments, and then click Go.
2. Click Show all options to display the additional options if they
are hidden.
Archived Materials, and then click Go.
The Archived Materials page opens.
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4. Select the assignments you want to retrieve, and click the
Retrieve selected items button.
5. In the Archived Materials - Confirm Item Retrieval window,
review your selections. To retrieve them, click Retrieve
selected items. To change the selections, click Change current
selections and change your selections as needed before
retrieving them.
Copying Items from Archived Materials
You can copy folders, courses, or assignments from Archived Materials
to the CengageNOW clipboard and then paste the items directly into a
new folder, course, or section. This shortcut makes it easy to retrieve
and update an archived item for a new use and saves you the work of
creating it from scratch each time.
¾ To copy archived folders, courses, and sections
1. On the Courses page, click Show all options to display all
options if they are hidden.
2. Click the Archived Materials link to open the Archived
Materials page.
3. Select the folders, courses, and/or sections you want to copy,
and click the Copy selected items button.
4. Click the Return to Courses link near the top left of the page.
5. On the Courses page, select the course into which you want to
copy the archived items, and click Go.
6. Click Paste to paste the items from the CengageNOW clipboard.
¾ To copy archived assignments
1. On the Assignments page, select the course that originally
contained the archived assignments you want to copy. Click Go.
2. Click Show all options to display all options, if they are hidden.
Archived Materials, and then click the Go button.
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4. On the Archived Materials page, select the assignments you
want to copy, and click the Copy selected items button.
Note: To return the archived assignments to the original course,
use Retrieve selected items instead.
5. Click the Return to Assignments/Tests link near the top left
of the page.
6. On the Assignments page, select the course or section into
which you want to paste the copied assignments, and click Show
all options if they are hidden.
7. Click Paste to open the CengageNOW clipboard window and
paste the copied assignments into the selected course or section.
Deleting Archived Items
You can delete items permanently from your archive if you feel you need
to reduce clutter or save disk space. Keep in mind that deleted items are
gone for good. If there is any chance you may need to access that
assignment, course, or student grade again, it’s best to keep it in
archived materials.
¾ To delete archived folders, courses, and sections
1. On the Courses page, click Show all options to display all
options if they are hidden.
Materials page.
3. Select the folders, courses, and/or sections you want to delete,
and click the Delete selected items button.
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4. In the Archived Materials - Confirm Item Delete window,
review your selections, and then click Delete selected items. To
change the selections, click Change current selections and
change your selections as needed before deleting them.
Caution: We strongly suggest that you adhere to the system
default selections and prompts when deleting items. For
example, say you archive an entire course but later delete some
of its assignments. If you later retrieve that course, its
Gradebook records will reflect only the remaining assignments
and won’t match other course records you might have. Delete
only those items you are certain you will never need again.
¾ To delete specific archived assignments
1. On the Assignments page, select the course from which you
wish to delete archived assignments, and click Go.
2. Click Show all options to display the archive options.
Archived Materials, and click the Go button.
4. On the Archived Materials page, select the assignments you
want to delete, and click the Delete selected items button.
5. In the Archived Materials - Confirm Item Delete window,
review your selections, and then click Delete selected items. To
change the selections, click Change current selections and
change your selections as needed before deleting them.
Working with Assignment Templates
An assignment template is a by-product of creating an assignment. It is
essentially just the set of questions you’ve selected from your source
materials—a generic “unassigned assignment.” The assignment
template is a convenient resource for creating new assignments.
Note: In previous versions of CengageNOW, assignment templates were
called “master files.” Other than the changed label, the features and
functions are much the same.
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The Assignment Templates Page
The Assignment Templates page lets you accumulate a personal store
of assignment materials and question banks to be mixed and matched
according to your course needs. Use the Assignment Templates page
to manage, modify, and assign the assignment templates you build or to
publish them as WebQuizzes or online tutorials.
¾ To access the Assignment Templates page
1. On the Assignments page, choose the appropriate course from
the drop-down menu, and then click the adjacent Go button.
2. If necessary, click Show all options to show the advanced
options.
Assignment Templates, and click Go.
The Assignment Templates Page
Managing Assignment Templates
The Assignment Templates page is your storehouse for assignment
content that you use repeatedly. Its features help you find the
assignment templates you want quickly.
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Assignment Templates Folders
You will start with a My Assignment Templates folder to store
the assignments you create. If you wish, you can click its Create
Subfolder icon to create subfolders for organizing and storing
your assignment templates. You can delete or rename these
subfolders as necessary.
CengageNOW Assignment Templates Folder
Depending on your school and registered CengageNOW content,
you may also have a CengageNOW Assignment Templates
folder. This folder contains pre-built assignment forms associated
with your book. These forms can include sample homework, test
banks, diagnostic tests, and practice State Proficiency exams.
You can assign a form assignment “as is.” If you prefer to edit or
customize it first, you can open the CengageNOW Assignment
Templates folder here, select the assignment template you
want, and then copy and paste it into one of your working folders
under My Assignment Templates. You can then edit the
problems and properties to customize the assignment before
assigning it to a course.
Sorting the Assignment Templates list
Click the column headings for assignment template Name, Size
(number of questions), and Modified date to sort them in
ascending order. Click the same heading again to reverse the
order.
The Status Column
A blue clock status icon in the Status column for an assignment
template indicates that the template is available as a WebQuiz.
You can click the icon to check the URL, or to “unpublish” the
WebQuiz.
An orange clock status icon in the Status column indicates that
the assignment template has been assigned to one or more
courses. You can click the icon to see the courses to which it has
been assigned.
Show all options
Click this link to reveal the additional options for this page. To
conceal these options again, click Hide these options.
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Assigning an Assignment Template
You can create an assignment from an assignment template by selecting
assignment options for it and assigning it to a class. The new assignment
will then be accessible from the Assignments page. The assignment
template remains available for creating additional assignments.
¾ To assign an Assignment Template
1. On the Assignment Templates page, select the assignment
template you want to assign, and then click the Assign link. The
Assign Assignment Templates page opens.
2. Click on the name of the course to which you want to assign the
assignment template, and click Create Assignment. The New
Assignment Successfully Created box opens.
3. To set options or make other edits to the assignment, click the
Edit button. To return to the Assignment Templates page,
click the Done button. (See “Choosing Assignment Options” on
page 80 for information about setting assignment options.)
Renaming an Assignment Template
You can change the name of an assignment template to account for a
change in its content or purpose. (If you want to retain a copy of the
assignment template with its original name, copy the assignment
template first, paste it, and then rename the copy.)
¾ To rename an Assignment Template
1. On the Assignment Templates page, select the assignment
template you want to rename.
2. From the Assignment Templates Manager drop-down menu,
select Rename, and then click the adjacent Go button.
3. On the Rename Assignment Templates page, type the new
name for the assignment template into the New template
name text field, and click the Rename button.
The assignment template will now appear on the Assignment
Templates page with its new name.
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Editing an Assignment Template
You can edit an assignment template to rename it, add new items,
remove items, or change the item order. You can also change the
internal authoring for questions (for advanced users only).
¾ To edit an Assignment Template
1. On the Assignment Templates page, click on the name of the
assignment template you want to edit (or select the file and then
click the Edit this Assignment Template link).
2. The Format and preview page opens to let you rename the
assignment template, reorder or reselect the questions, or
change particular questions. (See “Format and preview the
assignment” on page 75 for details.)
3. After making the changes you want, click Save and Continue to
save the changes and return to the assignment templates page.
Additional Assignment Template options
To see these additional Assignment Template page options, click
Show all options. To conceal them, click Hide all options.
Go to a content source
Use this drop-down menu to quickly access other areas of
CengageNOW where you may have content related to your
assignment templates.
Assignment Template Manager
This drop-down menu lists additional actions you can perform on
your assignment templates. For most of them, you select an
assignment template, select the action from the Assignment
Template Manager menu, and then click the adjacent Go
button.
• Publish as a WebQuiz. Posts your assignment templates as
a quiz at a Web address (URL) so it can be accessed outside
of CengageNOW. (See “Creating a WebQuiz” on page 133 for
details.)
• Rename. Provides a quick way to rename the assignment
template.
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• Check for errors. Analyzes the HTML code in the selected
assignment template for common spelling, technical, and
structural errors and lists the results with links to problem
areas. This is an important step in checking assignment
templates with questions you have authored or edited
yourself.
Item Error Analysis
• Export. Exports your CengageNOW assignment templates to
other CengageNOW users or to several other educational
software packages. (See “Importing and Exporting
Assignment Templates” on page 135 for details.)
• Import. Imports CengageNOW assignment templates, test
banks, and other assignment source files. (See “Importing
and Exporting Assignment Templates” on page 135 for
details.)
Print
Use this link to print the assignment template using your current
printing options.
Save
Use this link to open the Printing Options page, where you can
save the assignment template as either a PDF or RTF file.
Edit this Assignment Template
Use this link to open the selected assignment template for editing
in the Format and preview page. (See “Format and preview the
assignment” on page 75 for details.)
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Quick view
Use this link to preview the assignment template rendered in
HTML (Web page format). This view gives you an idea of how the
assignment will appear when printed out or viewed online.
Creating a WebQuiz
You can easily post your assignment template as a WebQuiz, which will
make it available from a Web address (URL). By creating a WebQuiz you
can provide access to the assignment by anyone using just a browser,
with or without CengageNOW. Users go to the appropriate URL
generated by CengageNOW to take the WebQuiz. The WebQuiz score is
then reported to you via e-mail.
WebQuizzes offer an important tool for online assessment. You can post
an accessible, customized WebQuiz from any CengageNOW assignment
template to a complete class in a matter of minutes.
You also have the option of setting up the WebQuiz as an external
assignment. This allows you to create a different assignment name and
set several assignment options that aren’t available for a regular
WebQuiz. In addition, students can see the external assignment on their
Assignments page and can start it with the Take button (rather than
having to use the URL you send them).
WebQuiz Properties Page
Note: You may want to inform your students that WebQuiz sessions
expire after 60 minutes of inactivity. After the session expires, students
will lose their current answers (but may be able to re-take the
assignment, depending on its settings).
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¾ To create a WebQuiz
1. From the Assignment Templates page, click Show all options
if you have not already done so.
2. Select the assignment template you want to post on the Web.
3. From the Assignment Template Manager drop-down menu,
select Publish as a WebQuiz, and then click the adjacent Go
button.
4. On the WebQuiz Properties page, select Publish as a
WebQuiz, and then click Save my changes. CengageNOW will
display the generated URL (Web address) for your WebQuiz.
5. At this point, the WebQuiz is complete. Click the Return to
Assignment Templates link to exit.
You may copy and paste the URL into an e-mail or text document
to distribute to your students. To access the WebQuiz again, find
it on your Assignments page, marked with the blue clock status
icon.
Note: By clicking the blue clock icon you can retrieve the
assignment’s URL.
To learn how to set up the WebQuiz as an External assignment
so that the quiz can be accessed from the student’s
Assignments page, see “Creating an External Assignment” on
page 103.)
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Importing and Exporting Assignment Templates
Choose Import to import CengageNOW assignment templates, test
banks, and other assignment source files. Any valid file saved using the
CengageNOW Export as XML option can be imported into your system.
If these files have been exported with all necessary linked content, you
can import and use them without access to the parent test bank.
Importing Assignment Templates
¾ To import an Assignment Template
1. From the Assignment Template Manager drop-down menu
(click Show all options if necessary), select Import and click
2. Click the Browse button and navigate through the folders on
your system to locate the file(s) you want to import.
Note: If you are working with a file containing several
assignment templates (such as a compressed TGZ or ZIP file),
you should uncompress the file and import the individual
assignment templates separately.
3. If you want to give the imported file a new name, type the name
in the New File Name box.
4. If you have several files to import, use the Add more files link
to add more files to the list.
5. Click the Import button to import the selected files.
Once the file has been imported, it will be available on the Assignment
Templates page for you to view, edit, or assign.
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Exporting Assignment Templates in XML format
You can export the assignment templates you create in CengageNOW to
many different formats. These formats include CengageNOW’s native
XML format, as well as WebCT® (Blackboard-CE), Blackboard®, or
ExamView®, among others. This lets you share your CengageNOW
assignment templates with colleagues or use them in other software
packages.
Exporting an Assignment Template as XML
Export to other CengageNOW users
Select Export as XML. This is CengageNOW’s native format and
ensures full support for all problem types. The XML option lets
you export an assignment template from the CengageNOW
database as an XML file that can be loaded (imported) onto any
CengageNOW server. This means you can move or share the test
you created on your personal (local) server to your school’s LAN
or to your account on the CengageNOW server at
http://academic.cengage.com/now.
Note: You can export assignment templates individually to XML
in the BCA format. You can also export multiple files as a single
compressed ZIP file, allowing them to be stored or e-mailed more
conveniently.
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Include CengageNOW problem content
When you build an assignment from CengageNOW content, you
are creating a set of dynamic XML links to the items in your
CengageNOW books and forms. If you are exporting an
assignment template to someone who may not have access to
the same CengageNOW books you used to build the assignment
template, you can select Include CengageNOW problem
content. Including the content in the export file results in a
larger file but ensures that the assignment will work correctly
whether or not the user has access to the same books.
Note: Including problem content for CengageNOW problems
“de-links” the exported problems from the source book. This
means that if the problems are subsequently updated in the
CengageNOW source book, the exported, de-linked problems will
not be dynamically updated. On the other hand, self-authored
questions and CengageNOW book problems that you have copied
and modified are already “de-linked” and will always include
problem content when exported.
¾ To export Assignment Templates as XML
1. On the Assignment Templates page, select the files you want
to export.
Note: (If you select multiple files, they will be exported in a
single compressed ZIP format file).
(click Show all options if necessary), select Export and click
3. Click Include CengageNOW problem content if you want to
ensure that the assignment will work correctly whether or not the
user has access to the same books.
4. Click Export as XML.
5. Click Save, confirm the file name and location, and then click
Save again to complete the export.
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Exporting Assignment Templates to other software
You can export CengageNOW assignment templates to several other
educational software packages and classroom response systems,
including Blackboard, WebCT (Blackboard CE), and TurningPoint®.
Note: CengageNOW supports a large number of problem types that are
not available in or supported by other software packages. As a result,
the export format you select determines the type of questions you can
export from CengageNOW.
¾ To export Assignment Templates to other software
1. On the Assignment Templates page, select the file you want to
export.
Note: Files exported to non-CengageNOW software must be
exported one file at a time.
(click Show all options if necessary), select Export and click
3. Click the link for the desired export format.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the export.
You will not be able to review any problem types in your assignment
template that are not supported in the selected export format. Only the
supported problem types will be exported. Refer to the CengageNOW
online Help for details and specific examples.
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COMMUNICATION TOOLS
You can use the features on the Communication Tools page to post
messages to your students or other instructors. You can also use this
page to organize and monitor online discussion groups for your courses.
You typically will have at least one Discussion Group for each course, but
you may have more. You can maintain ongoing “bulletin board” dialogs
with your students on particular topic threads, or establish online office
hours during which you are available to answer questions from students.
Working with Discussion Groups
If you do not select a particular course, on the first page you will see all
the discussions to which you have access. To view all discussion groups
for a particular course, select the course name from the drop-down
menu at the right of the page and click either the Go button or the Go
to Discussions link in the Communication Tools pane.
Once you have selected a course, you can click a topic title to go to the
Discussion Group page. This page displays a list of subject threads in
the group. Click Start a new topic to create a new thread, or click on
a subject title to view the messages in an existing thread. You can then
add a new message or reply to, edit, or delete messages that have
already been posted.
You can sort the list of discussion groups by Course, Topic, number of
Replies, or Last Modified, by clicking on the column headers.
Click See Discussions to add, view, edit, reply to, or delete messages
for a topic. Click Delete to remove a topic from the list.
You can rearrange the order of discussion topics for the course by
clicking different column headings: Topic, Subject, Replies,
Submitted by, or Last Modified.
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Communication Tools
¾ To create a discussion group
1. Click on the Communication tab to open the Communications
Tools page.
2. Use the Select a course drop-down menu and click Go to select
the course in which you want to create the Discussion Group.
3. Click the Create Discussion Group button.
4. Enter the topic title or name of the Discussion Group you want to
create, and then click the Submit link. The new group will appear
on your Discussions list.
To reorder the list using a certain column, click the column
heading: Subject, Replies, Submitted by, or Last Modified.
To reverse the order, click the heading again.
¾ To create a discussion topic
1. Click on the Communication tab to open the Communication
Tools page.
2. Click the See Discussions link in the Actions column for a
particular Discussion Group.
The Discussion Group page opens, displaying a list of any
subject threads.
3. Click the Start a New Topic button.
4. Enter a subject for the topic, and then click the Submit link.
To reorder the list using a certain column, click the column
heading: Subject, Replies, Submitted by, or Last Modified.
You can also reply to, edit, or delete messages that have already
been posted.
¾ To create a discussion message
1. Click on the Communication tab to open the Communication
Tools page.
2. Click the See Discussions link in the Actions column for a topic.
3. Click the discussion tile in the Subject heading.
4. Click Add a New Message.
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Communication Tools
5. Enter the text for your message.
• Write using visual editing tool provides an editor and a
means of including uploaded files.
• Write using HTML provides an area for hand-coding HTML.
6. (Optional) To attach a file to your message (for example, a .JPG
image or a PDF document), click the + button next to Attach,
Browse to the file on your computer, select it, and click Open.
Note: Repeat the process to attach additional files.
7. Click the Submit link.
Once a message is posted, you can Edit, Delete, or Reply to it.
Note: Students can reply to messages posted by others but
cannot edit or delete them. Only instructors can edit or delete
messages posted by others in their group.
Querying Student Data
Click the Query Student Data link on the Communication page or on
the Gradebook page (the Show all options section may need to be
expanded) to open the Gradebook Search page. This page helps you
view details on student performance by course or assignment.
To begin a search, select the appropriate course, then define your search
parameters using the drop-down menus:
Search within course:
Adjusted Score
Unadjusted Score
Student Ranking
Search within assignments:
Taken at
Time Spent
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Communication Tools
Times Taken
Has Taken
Is Manually Graded
Can Take Assignment
Adjusted Score
Unadjusted Score
The filters you select determine what additional options are available.
You can use more than one search parameter at a time. Click the +
button to bring up another row of filter boxes, or remove rows by clicking
the - button.
When you are done selecting filters, click the Search button to view the
Search Results page with all possible matches displayed according to
the search criteria you set.
Sending a Search Results E-mail
You can send an e-mail message to a selected number of students who
match the entered search criteria (and who have a valid e-mail address).
¾ To send an e-mail
1. From the Gradebook Search Results page, perform a search
for a list of student names.
2. Select the students to receive the message.
3. Click the E-mail link on the right of the page to open the E-mail
Message page.
4. Enter a Subject.
5. Enter the text of your message. You can use either a visual
editing tool or HTML.
6. (Optional) Click Browse to attach a file. Find the desired file,
select it, and click Open.
7. (Optional) Select Send me a copy of this e-mail.
8. Click Send.
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STUDY TOOLS
The Study Tools page displays the registered Cengage textbooks and
online materials that you can access in CengageNOW. Study Tools can
include eBooks, courseware, and tutorials.
eBooks are online versions of the textbook, usually in Flash or
FlashPaper format.
Courseware features Personalized Study. The student takes a
diagnostic quiz (Pre-Test) at the beginning of each section and
receives a Personalized Study Plan based on the quiz results.
The Post-Test at the end of each section demonstrates the
student’s learning.
Tutorials can include a wide range of supplemental activities and
readings to complement the core text.
The Study Tools Page
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Study Tools
To see the book on the Study Tools page, you must have registered the
book or product. Students typically register their books during their
initial CengageNOW registration, or by entering their book’s Content
Access Code later. Instructors typically have CengageNOW accounts
and book access set up for them by their Cengage representative or
system administrator, but can also enter a product’s access code at the
bottom of each Study Tools page section.
Once you have registered the book, simply click on the picture of your
book’s cover on the Study Tools page to access any of its online
materials for your online reading or practice.
Note: Students may see some of the same material in your course
assignments that they do in Study Tools, but there are key differences:
Course assignments taken from the Assignments page are
graded CengageNOW coursework.
Work completed in the Study Tools area is typically ungraded
practice or self-study.
Once the book is registered, the students can access all of its available
online content directly from this page. Depending on the book, the
students may be able to do the following:
Reading. Some or all of the textbook reading matter will be
available for access and reading online.
Diagnostics. Some books offer online diagnostic Pre-Tests
that assess your students’ initial grasp of the subject content
and highlight areas where students need more work.
Note: Instructors who assign diagnostic Pre-Tests and PostTests can now choose to hide those tests on their students’
Study Tools page. (See “Customizing content” on page 100 for
details.)
Tutorials. Most books provide tutorial supplements that expand
on the subject matter with practice problems, example
walkthroughs, and interactive demonstrations or simulations.
Exercises and Practice Tests. Students may be able to take
practice homework and tests online to help reinforce learning
and prepare for class assignments and tests.
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INTEGRATED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
If you use Blackboard Enterprise License, Blackboard CE, Blackboard
Vista, or eCollege as your primary online teaching platform, you can
integrate it with CengageNOW’s powerful assignment- and grademanagement features when your institution purchases and installs a
Cengage-published course cartridge or ePack.
Note: The latest versions of WebCT CE and WebCT Vista are now
referred to as Blackboard CE and Blackboard Vista, respectively.
Course cartridge/ePack
A software bundle that comes ready to use with all the course
content you need. Depending on the particular title bundle, your
course cartridge may contain media, book content, and quizzes.
PowerLink/Building Block
A software plug-in that allows communication between your
institution’s server and the eCollege/Blackboard servers.
After the content cartridge or ePack is installed, you are signed into
CengageNOW whenever you sign in to your online teaching platform
(“single sign-on”). Your student rosters and Gradebook are integrated
and automatically updated in both applications.
Integration Features
Schools that integrate CengageNOW with their Blackboard or eCollege
learning platforms can use CengageNOW’s most powerful features,
including:
Assignment Creation
The CengageNOW assignment builder makes it easy to create
new assignments from course content.
Assignment Management
You can reconfigure stock assignments by editing their
properties, or even add new items.
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Integrated Learning Environments
Note: Depending on your school’s course design, your
assignments may already be set up for you. If so, please check
with your department head before editing any assignments.
The CengageNOW Screen for Blackboard CE Users
Grading
The CengageNOW Gradebook integrates seamlessly with the
grading functions in both eCollege and Blackboard.
Assignment Archiving
You can create Assignment Templates that are reusable across
multiple courses, or archive assignments and courses for
retrieval or modification at a later date.
Authoring Questions
CengageNOW lets you author and assign a wide variety of
question/problem types, including Multiple Choice and
True/False, Essay, and Fill in the Blank. You can then include
these questions in your assignments along with questions drawn
from your CengageNOW books.
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MANAGING STUDENT ENROLLMENT
As an instructor, you can use the features on the CengageNOW
Students tab to manually enroll and withdraw students and instructors
in your courses and sections. For example, you might want to manually
add a student who comes to your office requesting to add the course. Or
you might want to maintain rigorous control over course enrollment for
an advanced seminar.
The Students Page
There are several ways to enroll students in your courses and sections.
Many instructors use the Course Key that is automatically generated
when the course is created. By posting this Course Key in the in-class
materials or e-mailing it to students, the instructor lets students enroll
themselves. (For details on working with Course Keys and other open
enrollment options, see “Managing Enrollment” on page 25.)
Student enrollment is sometimes managed by a CengageNOW
administrator or a lead teacher. If you have the appropriate account
permissions, you can create student accounts and enroll those students
directly.
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Managing Student Enrollment
Manually Enrolling Instructors or Students
The manual enrollment features on the Students page let you search
for and add specific students and instructors to your courses or sections.
You must use the enrollment functions if you are creating a course with
sections you want to assign to teaching assistants or other instructors.
To assign the sections, you enroll those instructors as instructors in their
sections of the course.
Manually Enrolling Students
Note: To enroll instructors, you must first make sure that their
CengageNOW accounts have been created. Instructor accounts can be
created only by users with Administrator privileges.
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¾ To enroll instructors or students in a course
1. Click the Students tab, select the course or section from the
drop-down menu, and click Go.
If anyone has enrolled in the course or section, their enrollment
information will appear in list form. Long lists are broken into
pages. Use the Show students drop-down menu to see other
pages.
2. Click Enroll users. You will see the list of registered
CengageNOW users eligible to enroll for the course or section in
the lower left-hand area of the page.
3. Under Enrollment Options, select Enroll Students or Enroll
Instructors. The list of eligible users will appear on the left side
of the page.
4. (Optional) To find a particular person or to limit the list, use the
search filters. Enter the appropriate information in the boxes,
and click Search.
5. When you see the instructors or students you want to enroll,
select the check boxes next to each name and then click the
Enroll button. The names will be listed on the right side.
6. Click Return to previous page to go back to the Student
overview page. Changes are saved automatically.
¾ To enroll yourself as a student
By enrolling yourself as a student, you will be able to view and take all
of your course assignments just like your students do. In addition, you
will see your attempts tracked, and your results graded and recorded in
your course gradebook under your name. This provides a useful means
of reviewing and testing your assignments and grading options.
Note: Clicking the Student View link in the page header enrolls you in
the current course automatically, if you are not enrolled already. (For
details, see Student View/Instructor View Toggle on page 6.)
1. From the Students page, select the course in which you want to
enroll yourself.
2. Click Enroll users.
3. Click the Enroll yourself as a student link. This establishes you
as a student in this course’s gradebook.
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Thereafter, to take a course assignment as a student, you will
access your own student Assignments page from your Admin
Tools link in the page header.
4. Click the Admin Tools link on your page header.
5. Click the View your own assignments (as a student). Your
student Assignment page opens.
6. As you Take, Resume, or Restart assignments from this page,
you will see your course status and grades updated in your
course gradebook, just as it is for your students.
Caution: You can be enrolled as a student in only one section of
a course. If you enroll in another section, you will be unenrolled
from the first and lose those student-view assignments and
grades from that section.
Removing Students from a Course or Section
You can unenroll specific students or instructors from a course or
section.
Caution: When you unenroll a student, all records/grades to date will
be removed. Be sure you will have no future need for those records
before unenrolling the student.
¾ To remove students from a course
1. From the Students page, select the course or section from the
drop-down menu and click Go.
2. The Students page lists the students currently enrolled in the
course. For any student you wish to remove, select the check box
next to a student’s name (you can select multiple students).
3. Click Unenroll.
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Your selected student is now unenrolled from the course or
section.
Note: You can also unenroll students or instructors from the
Enroll Users page.
Unenrolling Students
Creating a Student Account
If you need to add a new account for one of your students, follow these
steps. You can also edit student accounts that you have created.
Note: Depending on how your school uses CengageNOW, creating
student accounts may be restricted to CengageNOW administrators or
require you to have specific CengageNOW account privileges.
¾ To create a student account
1. On the Students page, select a course or section from the dropdown menu, and click Go.
2. On the main Students page, click Create a user account. The
Create a User Account page opens.
3. Enter the student’s information in the appropriate boxes.
Required items are marked with a red asterisk (*).
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4. Click Add user. The student account is added to your school’s
database.
You can now enroll the new student in your course from the
Enroll Users page.
¾ To edit a student account
1. From the Students page, select a course or section from the
drop-down menu, and click Go.
2. Click a student name to open the Edit Record page for that
student. (You can also select the student and click the Edit a
User Account button.)
Note: If you did not create this student account and don’t have
the privileges to edit it, you will see the message This student
record cannot be modified.
Editing a Student Record
3. Change the appropriate information on the Edit Record page.
4. When you have filled out all required boxes and checked to make
sure the information is correct, click Save your changes and
return to Students.
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AUTHORING
IN
CENGAGENOW
Electronic assignments and test banks offer thousands of ready-made
questions that can be continually refreshed with automatic shuffling and
(for math problems) algorithmic regeneration. These robust features
enable you to build assignments that remain fresh indefinitely. As an
added benefit, Authoring features allow you to create your own selfauthored questions or copy and modify any of the items in your question
banks.
You can use CengageNOW’s Authoring features to:
Create new questions
Modify existing questions
Edit questions for specific assignments
Create folders to store self-authored questions
This section introduces the features of the Self-Authored Questions
page and the CengageNOW Problem Editor. (For more detailed
information and procedures, see the online Help.)
Self-Authored Questions
You can create new questions and store edited questions for future
assignments using features on the Self-Authored Questions page.
You can cut or copy problems from any assignment and store them here
for reuse, with or without modification. You can also organize your
questions in your Self-Authored Questions folder(s).
You have two ways to open the Self-Authored Questions page.
From your CengageNOW Home Page, click the Author New
Questions Quick Link. (If you don’t see this Quick Link, it has
probably been hidden using the Change this page’s
appearance options.)
From Assignments, click Show all options. Then from the Go
to a content source drop-down menu, select Self-Authored
Questions and click Go.
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Authoring in CengageNOW
The Self-Authored Questions Page
Working with Self-Authored Questions Folders
On the left side of the Self-Authored Questions page, you can create
subfolders to organize your questions by type, difficulty, course, or any
other categories you want.
¾ To create a folder
1. Click the Self-Authored Questions folder, and click the Create
Subfolder icon
.
2. A new folder appears at the bottom of the folder list. You can
now use the three icons next to it to Rename the folder, Delete
the folder, or Create another nested subfolder within it.
1. Select the folder you want to rename, and click the adjacent
Rename icon
.
2. In the text box that appears, replace the displayed folder name
with the new name, and then click the adjacent Save icon
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If necessary, you can delete a Self-Authored Questions subfolder and
all of the questions and subfolders it contains. While this deletes the
original questions stored in the subfolder, it does not delete or otherwise
affect any copies of these questions that have been added to an
assignment.
1. Select the subfolder you want to delete.
2. Click the adjacent Delete icon
.
3. A confirmation box appears. To proceed with the deletion, click
OK.
Modifying Assignment Questions
With CengageNOW, you can author your own questions from scratch,
reuse or modify existing questions you’ve already created, or edit
questions pulled straight from your available question banks (for
example, a test bank).
In most cases, your best approach is to create new questions or save
edited questions directly in the Self-Authored Questions folder on
your Self-Authored Questions page. This allows you to easily access
the stored questions to add them to assignments.
When you create or edit a question within a particular assignment, your
new or modified question will be saved in that assignment only. You can
copy an assignment question and save it in Self-Authored Questions
for later use in other assignments.
Editing an Assignment Question
You can customize a question after adding it to an assignment. It is
strongly recommended, however, that you finish editing your questions
before adding them to assignments or before making the assignments
available to students. If you edit questions in an active assignment, you
may create grading inconsistencies between those students who take
the assignment before you make your changes and those who take it
after.
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¾ To edit a question in an assignment
1. On your Assignments/Tests tab, select the course containing
the assignment you want to edit, and click Go.
2. Click the name of the assignment.
3. On the View/Edit an Assignment page, click Format and
Preview assignment content.
4. If necessary, on the Format and preview page, click Show all
options.
5. Select the question you want to edit, and then click Edit item.
The Problem Editor will open. (See “The Problem Editor” on
page 159 for an introduction to using the Problem Editor.)
6. Edit the question as you wish. Click save or save as to save it,
and then click Done to return to the Format and preview page.
The question will be changed in the current assignment only. To use the
modified question elsewhere, be sure to copy it into Self-Authored
Questions.
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Assignment Questions
Questions you cut or copy from an assignment are placed on the
CengageNOW clipboard. From the clipboard, you can paste the
questions into your Self-Authored Questions folders or into other
assignments.
¾ To cut or copy items from an assignment
1. On the Assignments page, select the course that contains the
assignment with the questions you want, and click Go.
2. Click the name of the assignment.
3. On the View/Edit an Assignment page, click Format and
4. If necessary, on the Format and preview page, click Show all
options.
5. Select a question you want to take from the assignment, and
then click Cut or Copy to place the question on the CengageNOW
clipboard.
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Note: A cut item will not be removed from the current
assignment until you paste it elsewhere.
6. Cut or copy any additional questions you want to place on the
clipboard.
¾ To paste questions into Self-Authored Questions
By saving your new or modified questions in your Self-Authored
Questions folders, you can easily access them to add to any of your
assignments.
1. With one or more questions cut or copied to your CengageNOW
clipboard, go to your Self-Authored Questions page.
2. Choose or create a folder in which to store the questions on the
clipboard.
3. Make sure Show all options has been selected, and click Paste.
The CengageNOW clipboard window opens.
4. Select the check box for each item you want to paste in the
current folder; clear the check boxes for items you don’t want to
paste there.
5. To retain copied items in the clipboard so that you can paste them
in more than one place, clear the check box for the Remove
copied items from clipboard when pasted? option.
Otherwise, select the check box.
Note: When you paste an item that was cut from an assignment,
it is automatically deleted from the assignment and the
clipboard.
The items will be pasted into the selected Self-Authored Questions
folder. From there, you will be able to edit the questions, copy them to
existing assignments, or select them when creating a new assignment.
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¾ To paste questions into an assignment
1. With cut or copied questions in the clipboard, go to the
Assignments page, select the course with the assignment you
want to edit, and click Go.
2. Click the name of the assignment into which you want to paste
the questions.
3. On the View/Edit Assignment page, click Format and
Note: Format and Preview is not available for courseware
content.
4. If necessary, on the Format and Preview page, click Show all
options.
5. Select the check box for each item you want to paste in the
current folder, and clear the check boxes for items you don’t want
to paste here.
6. To retain copied items in the clipboard so that you can paste them
in more than one place, clear the check box for the Remove
copied items from clipboard when pasted? option.
Otherwise, select the check box.
Note: When you paste an item that was cut from an assignment,
it is automatically deleted from the assignment and the
clipboard.
7. Click Paste selected items to insert them at the top of the list
of questions.
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The Problem Editor
The Problem Editor offers editing capabilities for a wide range of problem
types, from the simple to the complex. Many of the panes for entering
content have a default view that lets you type HTML coding, but you can
also use the HTML Editor to create portions of the questions. If you are
unfamiliar with coding HTML, the HTML Editor can help tremendously
with formatting text and entering graphs, images, tables, and equations.
The Problem Editor
¾ To open the Problem Editor
1. From the Assignments page, select Self-Authored Questions
from the Go to a content source drop-down menu.
2. Click Go and the Self-Authored Questions page will open.
Note: You can also select Author new questions on the Home
page Quick Links.
3. From the Self-Authored Questions page, click Create new
item.
The Create New Item page opens, displaying the list of problem
types available for you to create or edit.
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Most instructors can create Standard problem types such as Fill
in the Blank, True/False, and Multiple Choice. Depending on your
Preferences setting for Advanced assignment authoring,
you may have additional Advanced questions available as well.
4. Select the desired problem type from the list, enter an item
name, and click Create new item to open the Problem Editor.
Note: Advanced users can use the Create New Item page to
write or import XML text for a problem.
The Problem Editor Toolbar
The Problem Editor toolbar contains the following items:
The Problem Editor Toolbar
Save
Click save to save your work on the current question.
Note: It’s a good idea to save as you go so that a computer glitch
or mistake doesn’t cost you significant work or time.
Save a copy under a different name
Click save as... to create a copy of the current question. This
feature lets you create variations of a question.
Revert
Click revert to remove any changes you made to the problem
since the last time you saved it.
Regenerate algorithmic values
For mathematical questions that include algorithmic variables,
click save & regenerate alg values to regenerate the variable
values. This feature helps you preview and test the question
thoroughly and ensure the variables are working as intended.
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Analyze/check for errors
Click save & analyze to review your finished question and to
check for common errors and potential conflicts.
Preview mode
Select a tab to see your work in several formats, including in
new window, PDF preview, print preview, and screen view.
Note: Users with higher-level authoring permissions will have
more features available. (For details, see the online Help.)
Problem Editor Tabs
The Problem Editor tabs allow you to specify settings, create correct
answers, edit algorithms, and change other features. Click the
hyperlinks next to each property for Help on that function.
Depending on the type of question you are authoring, you will see some
or all of the following:
Question
Variables
Properties
Settings
Correct/Choices
Concepts
Coord Tab/Graph
Constructor
Items
Labels
Pages
Screens
Tables
Editor
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The HTML Editor
To help you change the text of questions and answers, the Problem
Editor provides the CengageNOW HTML Editor interface. This “What You
See Is What You Get” (WYSIWYG) working environment makes it easy
to edit and format text in your questions, answers, hints, and rejoinders.
You can insert tables, graphs, formulas, images, and simulations created
in other parts of the program. You can also define and insert input fields
and algorithms (variables). These specialized options are introduced
below.
The HTML Editor Toolbar
Algorithm
Use to identify variables in the text of your questions, answers,
hints, or rejoinders. Typically, you enter the text, use your mouse
cursor to highlight the text that represents the variable, and then
click this button. This assigns a yellow highlight to the selected
text in the Problem Editor and identifies it to CengageNOW as a
variable.
Note: Any variable you identify with this button must also be
defined as a variable in the Algorithm tab. The order in which
you define and identify the variable doesn’t matter, as long as
you remember to perform both steps.
Conditional text
Use to show or hide selected text depending on the presentation
mode of the question (electronic/online, printed, editing, or
testing). This feature is most often used to build conditional
instructions or examples into a question that differs between the
print and online versions.
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Insert image
Use to place selected images in your questions, hints, or
rejoinders. You must have already uploaded these images into
CengageNOW before putting them into the question. Images can
be in JPG, PNG, or GIF format. (See “Upload Files” on page 7 for
more information.)
Note: You can also cut and paste images directly between
questions. This makes it easy to use the same image in a series
of related questions.
Create table
Use to insert and format complex tables of information for display
in a question, hint, or rejoinder. This is a good way to present a
sample data set for use in a question.
Creating a Table with the HTML Editor
Insert equation
Use to insert complex equations correctly formatted in
mathematical notation. The equation can include variables and
the full range of mathematical symbols.
163
Insert graphing applet
Use to open the Graph Wizard so that you can select from
CengageNOW’s extensive libraries of graphs and shapes. The
menus help you draw, scale, label, and color graphs. Graphs also
can be set up with formula-driven variables that change values
each time they are regenerated.
Insert input field
Use to insert an input field into which the student will enter a Fill
in the Blank (FITB) answer. You can specify the type of data to be
input (text/string, number, equation, etc.) and the answer-field
size.
Note: You can set up a Fill in the Blank question that lets
students answer using the student Equation Editor.
Insert simulation applet
Use to open the Simulation parameters pop-up box. You can
use the box to select a simulation from drop-down menus of
simulation categories, subcategories, and names.
Insert chemical formula
Use to insert a chemical formula. A pop-up window opens, from
which you can choose a formula from an extensive database of
formulas.
164
CengageNOW
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
If you have trouble signing in, or registering your classes or materials,
you can contact Cengage Technical Support by phone, online chat, or email form.
These and other resources are available at the Cengage Customer
Support Site.
Phone
1-888-281-2990
Monday–Thursday: 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM ET
Friday: 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM ET
Sunday: 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM ET
Online Chat, E-mail Form, and FAQs
Go to http://academic.cengage.com/support or click the
Technical Support link at the bottom of the CengageNOW page.
When contacting Technical Support, please be prepared to supply the
following information:
First and last name
School (including campus)
Operating system
Browser
Content Access Code or textbook ISBN
165
CENGAGENOW SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
To ensure the best experience with CengageNOW and enjoy all of its features, please check to see that
your computer system and software settings meet or exceed the specifications on this page. Use the
enclosed links to download any of the recommended browser and “plug-in” software you may need.
Windows®
Macintosh®
• Microsoft® Windows 2000, Windows XP, or
Windows Vista
• Mac OS® X 10.3–10.5
• Intel® or AMD CPU at 266MHz or better
• 128 MB RAM
• Web browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer
6.0–7.0; Mozilla™ Firefox® 1.0–2.0 (download
the latest version of Firefox from http://
www.mozilla.com/firefox)
• Java JRE 1.5/5.0 or higher
(download the latest version from
http://java.com)
Linux®
• Current Linux distribution (Fedora™, SuSE®,
etc.)
• Intel or AMD CPU at 266MHz or better
• 128MB RAM
• Web browser: Mozilla Firefox 1.0–2.0
(download the latest version of Firefox from
http://www.mozilla.com/firefox)
• Java JRE 1.5/5.0 or higher (download from
http://java.com)
• Power Mac® G3–G5
• 128 MB of RAM
• Web browser: Safari™ 1.3–2.0
Additional Requirements (All Systems)
• Adobe® Flash® Player (download from
http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer)
• Adobe® Reader® (download from http://
www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/
readstep2.html)
• Screen resolution of 800 x 600 or higher, and
color quality of 16-bit or higher
• Internet connection speed of 56k or higher
• Pop-up blocking software turned off or
configured to allow http://*.ilrn.com to
display pop-up windows
• Apple® QuickTime® player, RealPlayer®, and
Adobe Shockwave® Player (These free
browser plug-ins are used to display
multimedia components in some products.)
• Sound card for audio content
INDEX
A
accounts
account information 14
editing 6
student 151
Actions table (Home page) 19
illus. 19
active examples
showing or hiding 93
active examples, filtering questions by 72
Adjusting Multiple Assignment Scores
illus. 50
administration tools 17
advanced assignment authoring,
enabling 13
advanced assignment options 86–95
algorithmic values
regenerating for new takes 91
algorithmic values, regenerating 114
All Course & Student Data report 61
answers, shuffling 114
Archived Materials page 121–123
illus. 122
archiving 121–127
assigning Assignment Templates 130
assignment categories 43–45
Assignment Details page 54–56
illus. 54
Assignment Options 80–95
advanced 86–95
assignment categories 85
assignment takes 82
basic 82–86
before 1st take, allow printing 89
curve factor of 89
dates 85
enable printing when more takes are
remaining 95
extra credit 90
feedback after assignment 94
format 93
grading 83
grading style 89
late penalty 90
merging assignment takes 84
notes seen by students 89
numerical tolerance 90
option sets 80
pass/fail 89
possible score 83
prerequisites 86
printing 89
restrictions 86
scores for multiple takes 84
show active examples 93
Assignment Statistics report 60
assignment takes 82
Assignment Template
definition 63
Assignment Templates 127–138
assigning 130
editing 131
exporting 135–138
importing 135
list of 128
posting as WebQuizzes 133
renaming 130
Assignment Templates page illus. 128
Assignments
setting number of takes 82
assignments 63–138
archiving 121–127
authoring questions for 153–164
choosing content for 66
choosing questions for 72–79
copying questions 156
creating 65–105
customizing options 108
cutting questions 156
definition 63
editing 106–110
editing grades for 54–56
editing questions 155
formatting 107
formatting and previewing 75
167
Index
late penalty 90
moving questions 156
options 80, 86–95
pasting questions 158
previewing 107
printing 110
reviewing questions 72
saving 112
sorting 13
taking from student view 100, 107
viewing 106–110
writing questions for 153–164
Assignments page 64
illus. 63
authoring assignment questions 153–164
Authoring toolbar
tools in 160
B
basic assignment options 82–86
Blackboard 145–146
Blackboard-CE 145–146
Blackboard-Vista 145–146
bug reporter 17
C
cartridges 145–146
categories (assignment) 43–45
category score 40
CengageNOW
getting a new account 2
getting started 1–4
registering 2
signing in 3
CengageNOW screen for Blackboard CE
illus. 146
CengageNOW Tools
illus. 14
CengageNOW Tools link 14
Change Account page 14
Choose Content Source page illus. 65, 67
choosing assignment questions 72–79
College Success Factor Index report 61
168
Communication Tools page 139–142
Concept report 61
Contact Technical Support form 165
copying
archived materials 125
assignment questions 156
courses 31
course browser 28
course cartridges 145–146
Course Information page illus. 22
Course Key page illus. 26
course keys 25–28, 147
Course List
illus. 24
Course Scores report 58
courses
archiving 121–127
browser 28
copying 31
creating 22–23
deleting 32
enrollment 25–28, 147–152
keys 25–28, 147
managing 21–37
modifying 31–37
moving 32
sections, creating 24
Courses page illus. 21
creating
course sections 24
courses 22–23
discussion groups 140
discussion messages 140
discussion topics 140
folders 9, 29
Self-Authored Questions folders 154
student accounts 151
illus. 96
CSV files 58
custom assignment options 108
Custom Options and Dates
illus. 108
Customize Content page
illus. 100
Customizing Assignment Options for
CengageNOW
Index
Specific Students
illus. 109
cutting assignment questions 156
D
dates, formatting 37
deleting
archived materials 126
assignment categories 45
course keys 27
courses 32
files 9
folders 10
questions 157, 158
descriptions, file 10
disabling course keys 27
discussion groups 139–142
Display Preferences page
illus. 18
displaying
feedback for assignment questions 93
options 12
downloading files 10
dual list mode 74
E
eBook 66, 97, 99
eCollege 145–146
Edit Course Categories page illus. 43
Edit Grade Details page 45–51
editing
account information 6
Assignment Templates 131
headers and footers 119
student accounts 152
Editing a Student Record
illus. 152
Editing an Assignment
illus. 106
illus. 46
Editing Question Scores
illus. 49
editor
HTML 162
Problem Editor 159
illus. 159
manual 148
unenrolling students 150
ePack 145–146
Export Gradebook to .CSV file 58
Exporting a Course
illus. 33
Exporting an Assignment Template
illus. 136
exporting Assignment Templates
135–138
in XML format 136
to other software 138
extra credit 40
extra credit, assignment options 90
F
feedback 15
providing during assignment 93
feedback after assignment 94
files
deleting 9
descriptions 10
downloading 10
renaming 9
unzipping 11
uploading 7
Filtering and Selecting Questions
illus. 68
filtering questions 68–72
final score 41
folders 9
creating 29
managing 28–30
renaming 30
Self-Authored Questions 154
sharing 29
footers
169
Index
editing 119
layout 121
macros 120
templates 120
format
assignment options 93
Format and preview page
illus. 76
formats for grade reports 57
formatting
assignments 75
dates and times 37
forms
Contact Technical Support 165
for contacting Technical Support 165
for submitting bug reports 17
for submitting feedback 15
G
generating course keys 25
grade reports 56–61
saving 57
types 58–61
Gradebook 39–61
Export Gradebook to .CSV file 58
overview page 41–45
illus. 41
reports 56–61
searching 141
terminology 39–41
grading
pass/fail 89
grading on a curve 89
H
Header
Change to Student View 6
header and footer
print options 115
Header links
6
header links 6–17
headers
170
editing 119
layout 121
macros 120
templates 120
Help link 15
hide pre-test 102
hiding and showing options 12
Home page 5–20
illus. 5
HTML Editor 162
illus. 162
I
iLrn seeCengageNOW
Importing a Course File
illus. 34
Importing Assignment Templates
illus. 135
importing Assignment Templates 135
instructor account
Change to Student View toggle 6
Item Error Analysis
illus. 132
items see questions
K
keeping scores 84
L
late penalty for assignments 90
layout
header and footer 121
print options for 115
links
Admin Tools 17
CengageNOW Tools 14
Feedback 15
in header 6–17
Help, online 15
My Account 6
CengageNOW
Index
Preferences 12
Quick Links 18
Sign Out 11
Upload Files 7
list modes 72–75
M
macros, header and footer 120
managing
courses 21–37
folders 28–30
grades 39–61
manual enrollment 148
Manually Enrolling Students
illus. 148
merging assignment takes 84
mode, viewing 74
moving
courses 32
multiple takes, scores for 84
My Account link 6
N
numerical tolerance 90
O
online Help 15
option sets 80
options, assignment 80, 86–95
options, customizing 108
options, showing and hiding 12
ordering questions in assignment 77
overview page, Gradebook 41–45
illus. 41
P
passwords for assignments 86
pasting questions
into assignments 158
into self-authored questions 157
PDF format
for assignments 112
for grade reports 57
possible score 40
PowerSearch 20
pre-built assignments, creating 66,
96–97
Preferences link 12
Preferences page illus. 12
preferences, setting 12–14
prerequisites to take assignments 86
pre-test, hide 102
previewing assignments 75
Previewing in From a list mode
illus. 74
print options
advanced layout 118
copy selection 117
enable printing when more takes are
remaining 95
fonts 114
header and footer 115
image/graph size 118
layout 115
paper 119
print style 116
save paper 112
section breaks 119
setting 13
sorting options 117
versions 114
what to print 113
print style 116
printing assignments 110
Problem Editor 159
illus. 159
Problem Editor toolbar 160
problem scores, editing 48–51
Properties of Assigned Problems report
59
171
Index
Q
Query Student Data 141
e-mailing student 142
question filters 68–72
question order, changing 77–78
question ordering, assignment 77
question sources, choosing 67
question viewing mode
dual list 74
single list 72
questions
adding to assignments 107
changing order of 77–78
changing point values 79
deleting 157, 158
filtering 68–72
pasting
into assignments 158
into self-authored questions 157
pre-built 66
regenerating values for 114
regenerating values for new takes 91
reviewing 72
selecting 67
selecting for assignments 72–79
selecting individually 66
shuffling 114
shuffling for different takes 92
writing 153–164
Quick Links 18
illus. 18
Quick Start Guide iv
quiz (WebQuiz) 133
R
regenerating question values 114
for new takes 91
registering a new account 2
relative weighting, question score 79
removing students from a course 150
renaming
Assignment Templates 130
files 9
folders 10, 30
172
Reordering and Changing Point Values
illus. 78
reordering questions 77–78
Report Creator page
illus. 57
report types (Gradebook)
custom 61
database 61
distribution 60
properties 59
responses 60
scores 58
report, creating 56–61
reporter, bug 17
reports (Gradebook) 56–61
report types 58–61
saving 57
requirements, system 166
restrictions on assignments 86
Review your course page illus. 35
reviewing assignment questions 72
reviewing grades
by assignment 54–56
by student 52–53
.RTF format
for grade reports 57
RTF format
for assignments 112
S
Saving an Option Set
illus. 81
scores
category score 40
editing 48–51
extra credit 40
final score 41
possible score 40
scores reports 58
total score 39
searching
the Gradebook 141
sections, course
creating 24
Selecting Questions in By preview mode
CengageNOW
Index
illus. 73
Self-Authored Questions folders 154
Self-Authored Questions page
illus. 154
self-authored questions, pasting
questions into 157
settings
preferences 12–14
printing options 13
table length 13
sharing folders 29
showing and hiding options 12
shuffling questions 114
for different takes 92
Sign Out link 11
Sign-in box illus. 3
signing in to CengageNOW 3
single list mode 72
sorting assignments 13
sources, question 67
Status column (on Home page) 19
student accounts
creating 151
editing 152
Student Cumulative Grades Report
illus. 59, 60
Student Cumulative Grades report 58
Student Grade Details page 52–53
illus. 52
Student Response Statistics report 60
Student Responses report 60
Student Scores report 58
Student View 6
students
enrolling 25–28, 147–152
unenrolling 150
Students page illus. 147
Study Tools 143–144
Study Tools page illus. 143
support, technical iv, 165
System Check
illus. 16
system check 16
system requirements 166
system setup for CengageNOW 1
T
table length, setting 13
take assignment from student view 100
taking an assignment from student view
107
Technical Support iv, 165
templates, assignment 127–138
templates, header and footer 120
terminology, Gradebook 39–41
test versions 114
time, formatting 37
TLE 66, 98, 99, 100
TLE Scores per Student report 59
toolbar, Problem Editor 160
tools
Authoring 160
total score 39
.TXT format for grade reports 57
U
Unenrolling Students
illus. 151
unenrolling students 150
unzipping files 11
Upload Files page
illus. 7
uploading files 7
User Feedback form 15
Using Additional Filters on Math
Questions
illus. 69
V
values, algorithmic
regenerating for new takes 91
values, regenerating for questions 114
versions, test 114
viewing assignments 106–110
173
Index
W
WebQuiz Properties
illus. 133
174
WebQuiz, creating 133
Welcome page
illus. 2
writing assignment questions 153–164
CengageNOW

CengageNOW: The Start Smart Guide for Instructors

Transcription

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