e-chapters look nice

Some of you are working with e-chapters instead of the hardcover textbook. I just bought the Chapter 5 e-chapter, $3.99, and it downloads nicely.

However, it is a "sealed" PDF file, so it requires a special viewer that integrates with Acrobat Reader. I am on a Macintosh Powerbook, Tiger 10.4.10, Adobe Reader 8.10, and it took me a few minutes to figure out I needed a special viewer. But I downloaded the special "Sealed Media" viewer and it now lets Adobe Reader handle the e-chapter just fine. You have to sign-in to the e-chapter, with a username and password.

To work through this process, there is an eChapters FAQ that explains the special viewer. Look at FAQ #6. They also have instructions for you if you have a Windows computer.

The chapter 5 e-chapter looks righteous. Good substitute for the actual textbook.

Grading and patience

Please be patient with the grading process for mini-case study questions. It takes time. I have over 300 questions to read!!! They will be getting graded, a few dozen at a time, but not instantaneously, like the chapter mini-quizzes. So the fewer course mail messages about when will my questions be graded? - the sooner they WILL be graded!

In the meantime, concentrate on the learning module, using the three concept guides to guide your way.

e-chapters work nicely, according to ...

According to one of the students in our section, the e-chapters work fairly nicely:

About Thomson online ordering

Yes, purchasing the e-chapters is fairly straightforward. I do think it's easier to print out each e-chapter for studying vs. trying to read the the whole chapter on your computer, though. Overall it's a great alternative to have if you're having problems acquiring the text book in a timely manner. - J.

There you have it. The Thomson online ordering link is in the home page.

Course mail only

Please remember to contact me only with course mail in Webcourses. I do not respond to conventional email.

Two new mini-quizzes UP

I just activated mini-quizzes for chapters 5 and 6. Chapter 5 is the big one about gravitation.

TurnItIn bonus UP; mini-case study in process.

I just put up the bonus point for registering at TurnItIn.com, and you can see it in your My Grades page.

Also, I am in the process of grading mini-case study questions, and everyone who has posted their two questions as of 8 AM Saturday has a score. This is just me getting a head start. Those who post later on will be graded later; deadline is still Tuesday, Sept. 4, 11:55 PM.

Grades so far: mostly 6 points, a few 5s and 4s. I also inserted a comment area about your mini-case study questions, like if I really like it or if it had some problems. Not everybody got a comment though, if the question looked good.

I will also start grading the Oceans/Visbeck question today.

Continue digging in on the Sir Isaac Newton Learning Module, especially the study activities listed in the concept guides.