Get started with Mastering™

• On your computer — The Course Home lists your assignments with estimated completion times for standard assignments. You can switch between  List View and  Calendar View.
• Optionally, on your mobile device — When you sign in to your course, Mastering’s Mobile view lists your assignments in the categories Overdue Assignments (last 7 days) and Upcoming Assignments (next 7 days). More about working assignments on a mobile device

For standard Mastering assignments and any Adaptive Follow-Up assignments:

• Each assignment contains one or more "items" — When you open an assignment select an item link to work on its questions.
• Items contain part questions (Part A, B, and so on) — For maximum credit, answer all main part questions before the assignment due date. If you run out of answer attempts or choose Request Answer, these help you to complete an item, but don't increase your item score.
• Some questions provide hints and feedback. — Hints can be a clue or a simpler question to help you answer the main part question. You may receive coaching feedback if you answer incorrectly.
• Some assignments can be printed. How to print assignments.
• Check Mastering system requirements now to avoid losing valuable time on assignments later.

For standard Mastering assignments and any Adaptive Follow-Up assignments:

• To complete an assignment — You need to complete ALL of its for-credit items, or all extra credit items if there are no for-credit items. To get the most credit, check the grading policy before you work on an assignment.
• Stop and restart an assignment — All of your submitted answers are saved. Finish an assignment later as long as it's still available. Special rules apply to timed assignments.

• To enter math expressions or chemical equation symbols, select answer box options or  Keyboard Shortcuts for keyboard entries.

  • Enter * for the multiplication sign and don't use commas for large numbers like 2648.

  • Spaces are not allowed. Use arrow keys to navigate in your answer.

  • Arguments of trigonometric functions must be in radians, unless the question tells you to answer in degrees.

• To enter a numeric value with a unit, abbreviate the units and don't add a period after the unit. Units are case-sensitive. See the recognized units list
• Grading tolerance and significant figures — For grading tolerance, your numeric answer usually must be within 2% or 3% of the correct answer. For significant figures, use at least 3 digits in your answers. For multiple calculations, keep the significant figures as you work and round only at the end.
• See other info on how to answer different kinds of assignment questions, such as how to draw molecules. How to submit answers

Select Scores to review your assignment scores.

• Availability of scores — Each item score is usually available as soon as Mastering grades your answers. Scores for essays take longer. Your total score for the course is updated after the due date of each assignment.
• A score can change during the course. A score can be affected by changes your instructor makes later, like removing an item or giving the class credit for a troublesome question.
• Multiple attempts for a best score — The best score from a multiple attempt assignment shows on your Scores page after the due date. To see the scores for all of your attempts, open the assignment.
• Your instructor can hide the display of your scores for assignment items, individual assignments, and/or your total score for the course. Check back later in case scores are hidden temporarily.
• "Weighted" averages can affect your total score. For example, homework assignments may count for more than quizzes. Your total score is an average of all your Mastering assignment scores, based on any weighting plan.
• Review assignments to prepare for exams. — Consider reviewing completed assignments with answer feedback and hints. Instructors may allow you to review past assignments or to rework items for practice.
  

• eText

  Read and study more flexibly. Add notes and highlights, search, play media, and more. How to open the Pearson eText and get the app for your Pearson eText (for tablets and smartphones)
  

• Study Area.

  Open the Study Area for study activities, videos, investigations, practice quizzes/texts, links to the eText, and more. Availability and resources vary by textbook.

Based on any weaknesses identified in your assignment performance, the items in an Adaptive Follow-Up assignment provide another chance for you to learn or practice similar material.

Based on brain science research, Dynamic Study Modules help you to study and remember what you learn. You can use Dynamic Study Modules to study on your own or they may be assigned for credit.

The Course Home provides a link (upper right) if your instructor wants you to participate in Learning Catalytics activities. If it does, you may be asked to join a Learning Catalytics session during class on your smartphone, laptop, or tablet.

Your instructor may post course announcements on the Course Home page. You may also receive such announcements as email sent to the address for your Pearson account.