Getting Started with MA 114 online

Welcome to the online section of MA 114. This class is available via the Internet. All assignments are accessible online and are submitted using your web browser. There are no class meetings. (In fact, we don't even have a classroom.) The only times that you are required to come to campus are for the three tests and the final exam. (An exception to this requirement is available to distance education students who live more than 50 miles from NCSU.)

There are a few things you must do to get started.

• In order to take this course you must have convenient access to a Macintosh or Windows computer having reliable Internet access (broadband highly recommended) and capable of running Quicktime. A recent version of a reliable web browser (such as Firefox, Safari or IE) is required. Any Macintosh or Windows computer purchased within the past 3 or 4 years should suffice.
  

• If you plan to use your own computer and Quicktime is not already installed on your computer, you will need to download and install QuickTime. Instructions for this are found on the QuickTime page.
  
  
• You must know your Unity ID. (Every NCSU student has an ID and password for NCSU computer access. This ID is referred to as your Unity ID.) You will use your Unity ID to access NCSU computers for the purpose of taking your tests and final exam on campus, and you will need use your Unity ID to access all of your WebAssignments.
  
  
• Make sure you know how to use your NCSU e-mail account. On the rare occasions when we need to e-mail info to the class, that's the address where your mail be sent. This new policy is consistent with the general NCSU policy of sending all official correspondence to students via the NCSU mail accounts. (If you send e-mail to us, we will generally "reply" to whatever you have listed as the return address on your e-mail.)
  
  
• There is an optional text book by L. Page and S. Paur (available through NCSU Bookstore for around $20). While you can get by without the textbook, do pick up a copy if you want a further reference on the topics covered in the class. (It's cheap compared to most textbooks.) The movies do not make reference to the textbook, so if you are diligent about doing your WebAssignments, you really don't need the textbook unless you're just looking for an additional source of help and examples.
  
  
• Do the first WebAssignment immediately when the semester begins. This will ensure that you have proper access to the assignments. You'll need to learn how to use WebAssign immediately. WebAssign is used for the assignments you will access and submit via your web browser. (See the grades page for more information.)

Students who register through Distance Education (MA 114 Section 601) should get access to their WebAssignments within a few days of the time of registration (once the semester begins). For WebAssign purposes you will appear in Section 005 or 006 because the DE section is administered jointly with the "regular" section.) Feel free to contact Dr. Page if you have registered via Distance Education and find that you do NOT have access to WebAssign. If you'll send me your name and Unity ID, I'll manually add you to the WebAssign roster so that you will have immediate access.

You will access the WebAssignments at webassign.ncsu.edu. To get to assignments you must enter your Unity ID. Each WebAssignment can be submitted as many times as you like before the "due" date. And you can check your grade on the assignment immediately after any submission. The grade you receive on each assignment will be the grade obtained on your final submission. So the WebAssignments are your primary tool for learning and testing yourself on what you know. See the grades page for more information.

There's a good chance you can figure out how to use WebAssign by yourself. If you want some help, we'll have help available in HA 269 at the beginning of the semester.