Get started with Mastering™

Even if your instructor hasn't given you assignments or asked that you join a Mastering course with a course ID, you can still access these study resources.

• The eText can help you to read and study more flexibly. Personalize your eText by adding notes and highlights. Your instructor may also share notes with the class. You can search, play media, print select pages, and more. More about Pearson eText and the Pearson eText mobile app for smartphones & tablets.
• View or complete activities in the Study Area as often as you like. When available, Study Area resources can include activities, videos, investigations, self-quizzes, a link to the eText, or other materials. (Resources vary by textbook.)

• On your computer — When you sign in to your course, the Course Home lists your assignments, with estimated completion times for standard assignments to help you manage your time. You can switch between the default  List View (past due, upcoming, and completed assignments) 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". Items appear as links when you open an assignment.
• You gain credit for each part question (Part A, B, etc.) you answer correctly in an item. 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.
• Try to answer as many questions as you can and use hints when available. Hints provide either a clue or a simpler question to help you answer the main part question. Answering hint questions is optional. Hints are not available for all questions. Should I open Hints?
• If you give an incorrect answer as you work — You may receive coaching feedback specific to your mistake.
• You can complete assignments online or you may be able to print them.

This information applies to standard Mastering assignments, including 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 gain the most credit, check the grading policy before you work on an assignment. For example, there may be a late penalty.
• You can stop work on an assignment to finish it later. — All of your submitted answers are saved. You can finish the assignment later as long as it's still available. For a timed assignment, there must also be time left on the timer.
• When you need to give answers using mathematical expressions or chemical equations:
  For math expressions, type * for the multiplication sign and don't use commas within large numbers such as 6425. Use the format options in the answer box to insert math symbols. For keyboard instructions, select  Keyboard Shortcuts. Use arrow keys to navigate in your answer. Spaces are not allowed. Arguments of trigonometric functions must be in radians, unless the question tells you to answer in degrees.
• Some questions may require you to enter a numeric value AND a unit. If so, abbreviate the units and don't use a comma for any large value number, such as 1000. Don't add a period after the unit. Units are case-sensitive. See the recognized units list
• Grading tolerance and significant figures — For most numeric answers, your answer must be within 2% or 3% of the right answer to be correct. Use at least 3 digits or significant figures in your answers, unless otherwise specified or unless the exact answer can be expressed using less than 3 significant figures. When multiple calculations are required to get an answer, use more significant figures than required during each calculation and round only at the end (to avoid rounding errors that are out of the grading tolerance).
• 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.

• Each item score will usually be available as soon as Mastering grades your part question answers. Scores for work that your instructor needs to grade, such as essays, take longer to appear. Your total score for the course is updated after the due date of each assignment.
• Your assignment score can be affected by changes your instructor makes later, such as removing an item from an assignment or changing an item's point value.
• For assignments that allow you multiple attempts, your best score appears on the Scores page after the assignment 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 being hidden temporarily.
• Mastering may use "weighted averages" for your scores. Your total score is an average of all your Mastering assignment scores, based on any weighting plan your instructor has chosen. For example, homework assignments may count for more than quizzes. How weighting can affect your total score
• To prepare for exams after you have completed assignments — Consider reviewing your work, including any answer feedback you may have received. Hints may also be available for review. Instructors control whether your past assignments are available for you to review or to rework for practice.
  

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.