Important info:

On this page:

WebAssign Deadlines

About WebAssign

Logging on to WebAssign

Registering with WebAssign

After logging on to WebAssign

Hints on submitting assignment answers

What to do if you have problems

1. WebAssign for this class will become available (only) on Thursday August 26, a.m.
2. You can register yourself (i.e. set up a user ID and password) anytime, but if at all possible do it before classes start.
3. The deadline for entering your ACCESS code in WebAssign is Wednesday September 9, 2009 before midnight. If you have not entered your code by that date you will not be able to submit any more homework solutions to WebAssign until you obtained a valid access code and entered it. You can get your access code from your WebAssign Student Packet available at the ODU Bookstore (as part of your new textbook package), or online directly from "WebAssign" (first register, then log in and follow the link). Contact Annette Vialet (avialet@odu.edu) for help with signing up if you have problems. Here is more information on the Web Assign Access code: http://www.webassign.net/info/support/access_codes.html
4. Assignment solutions must be submitted before 7 pm on the due date (usually Wednesdays). In practice, you should submit your solutions way ahead of the deadline (preferably on TUESDAYS), so you won't be caught in any last minute rush or technical glitch. The homework submission system is fully automated, and there are no extensions or exceptions ever for whatever reason (including technical failure)!
   

About WebAssign

Each week a new assignment will be posted. The current assignment, with due date, will be given when you log onto WebAssign. (Make sure you solve the earlier assignments first - sometimes, 2 assignments are visible at the same time.) Note that WebAssign will not accept submission of homework past the due date - no exceptions. Submit your answers plenty early - it is very risky to wait until the last few hours to submit your solutions - there can be technical problems (with WebAssign, your Internet connection, etc.) but this will by your responsibility. If at all possible, submit your answers the day before the absolute deadline - that way,  you have a "safety buffer". WebAssign traffic tends to be the highest in the evenings - avoid those times, because system response might be very sluggish!

Homework problems will originate from the textbook. Note that WebAssign can alter the numbers in individual problems from those appearing in the text. You should, therefore, read all problems on WebAssign carefully. The correct solutions for all problems will become available after the deadline for you to see. Some solutions to homework problems will also be posted on the course homepage after the assignment due date.

In order to benefit from your homework, you should neatly write up all problems and your solutions and keep a notebook or binder with all your work. You may be asked to hand in your homework binder for review.

And remember, the academic integrity code is to be maintained at all times. Submitting answers (or having someone else submit for you) on WebAssign for problems that you have not worked out is cheating and a violation of the Honor Code.

Logging on to WebAssign

• For first-time users: You have to first register yourself with the system before you can log in. See instructions in "Registering with WebAssign" below. You can choose your own username and password (within given constraints).
  

• From now on you can login using your Username, Institution, and Password. For Institution, use "odu".
  
  
• Independently of registering, you ALSO have to obtain and enter a valid access code (as payment) before the deadline, or you will lose access until you do.
  

Registering with WebAssign

1. Before you can login to WebAssign, you first have to set up your registration. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
   
1. Go to the login page at www.webassign.net/student.html or click the "login button" on the WebAssign Home Page .
2. Click "I have a Class Key".
3. Enter the Class Key for this class (PHYS101N) in the 3 fields that appear (one group of characters per field): 

   odu

   7852

   1484

    
   
4. You should see the correct class information. Click "Yes, this is my class".
5. Choose the link that applies to you ("I need to create a WebAssign account" or "I already have a WebAssign account" - the latter if you have used WebAssign in a previous class).
6. Fill out all the information on the form that appears. If this is your first WebAssign account, you can choose your username and password as you please (otherwise you can keep the ones you already had). For institution, use "odu". Make sure you enter your correct University Identity Number (UIN).
   
7. Now you should be able to login with your username and password (see above). The class will be accessible on and after August 26.
   
2. You will be able to use WebAssign for free for 2 weeks (until September 8). After that, you MUST enter an ACCESS CODE to continue. You can find this code in your WebAssign Student Packet which should come with your textbook (if you buy a brand new one). Because of past history, I would be very wary of buying a "standalone" student packet from the ODU bookstore - most of the time they just don't work! You can also buy your access code directly from the WebAssign Website with your credit card- log in to your account and follow the appropriate link (button).
   Check that any Package sold by the bookstore will work with our class - otherwise you should get a refund from the bookstore once you return a wrong package.
   

If you did not enter your access code with WebAssign before September 8, you will no longer be able to submit solutions to the homework problems until you do obtain an access code and enter it (or pay online).

After you have successfully logged onto WebAssign, you will see buttons allowing you to enter an access code or purchase one directly from WebAssign if you haven't already done so (there will be a message reminding you if you haven't entered an access code yet). If you want to proceed without entering/purchasing an access code, you can do so (until September 8) with another button. You will see your home page, which you can customize to some extent. Among the things you can find there are announcements from me and from WebAssign, a "Physics 101" forum you can use to post relevant information for the class and read other students posts, and other information.
On the same page, you should also see your "Current Assignments" along with due date and time. (Sometimes there might be 2 assignments visible - make sure you work the one with the earlier due date first!!!). You can submit your answers at any time before the due date, up to four times (except for multiple choice problems). This is true for each individual answer field - you can submit just one problem or a part thereof for a given assignment. Each submission (except text) will be immediately scored so you know if you got it right. Only if you enter or change an answer (and submit it!) in a given field will it count as a new submission for that field.

If you are new to WebAssign, you should first do the Assignment "Introduction to WebAssign". This will not affect your class grade, but will let you practice with the system. In general, click on the assignment you want to work on and answer the questions. Remember, unless otherwise stated, WebAssign considers answers with one percent accuracy to be correct. In general, this means entering 3 significant figures. If you need to use a calculator for a numerical answer, always keep 4 significant digits until the final answer! ("Significant digits" are all digits following any leading zeros or ahead of any trailing zeros. E.g., both "0.0003510" and "5,295,000" have 4 significant digits. If in doubt, it never hurts to enter more digits...)
 
You can submit your work, log out and return at a later time to complete your assignment. At the end, you should click "submit all new answers" to make absolutely sure to get full credit.

Hints on submitting assignment answers (PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY)

• WebAssign is able to randomize the assignment questions. That is, the data (numerical values) given by WebAssign may be different from those given in the problem in the textbook. Therefore you should look at the WebAssign assignment before attempting the problems. If WebAssign has randomized the data in a question, they will be shown in red on your screen. Once you have made one submission to that assignment, the question will remain the same for subsequent submissions. Each student may therefore have a different set of data for which to solve the problem.
• Remember, in general WebAssign looks for 1 percent accuracy (3 significant figures). So work out any numerical problem keeping at least 4-5 digits of intermediate results and then round off the answer to three digits.
• "Word problems" require you to respond with (usually) several complete, intelligible sentences. You need to make sure that the (human!) grader can understand what you are writing - don't use slang, incomplete sentences, bad syntax and grammar, or badly misspelled words. Your response should be coherent, logical, directly applicable to the question and show at least some effort. Think first, then write! "Stream of consciousness" or twitter-style answers will result in zero points.
• Each part of a question is worth 1 point, including word problems. All multiple-choice and numerical answers will be scored immediately when you submit them; a green check mark indicates you got it right, and a red cross means "try again" (at least for those problems that allow multiple submissions). Answers to word problems will be counted initially as 1 point no matter how good or bad they are; after the due date, a "real" grader will assign the final score for each word problem submission (which means you could lose points for badly written responses).
  
• Each assignment has an open date, for which the assignment can first be viewed. This date usually corresponds to the due date of the previous assignment (one week ahead of the new due date).
• Each assignment has also a due date. Usually, the due date is Tuesdays; however, the absolute "drop dead" time (after which you will not be able to submit any solutions for that assignment) will be during daytime of the following day (to avoid the most heavily congested internet traffic times at night). Although assignments will ultimately be due 1 minute before that "drop dead" time, it is highly recommended that you consider the previous days as the "effective deadline". That way, you still have several hours if something goes wrong with WebAssign or your computer. Technical glitches at 5 p.m. will not be a sufficient reason for me to extend the deadline - if you wait this long, you are taking a gamble!
  
• You are given four submissions for each numerical and text answer question (less for multiple choice ones). Following the input of an answers, press the button "Submit New Answers to Question". If it is a multiple-choice or numerical question, you will be told whether you got it right or wrong. You can then correct the wrong answers and resubmit. You can log off and come back later to continue working on your assignment.
• I advise you to always press the button "Submit New Answers to Question" after entering your results. Do not use "Save work", as you won't know whether the answers you entered are correct and (potentially worse!) WebAssign will not automatically enter your saved answers again the next time you open the assignment - you have to remember to click the link "View Saved Work"!
  
• Never use your browser's navigation buttons ("Back", "Forward", etc.) to navigate WebAssign. Always use the links provided on the webpages themselves. Also, remember, you have to enable cookies, you have to make sure you are logged in as you, and you have to log out and close the window once you're done. Otherwise, you might loose all credit for your work!
  
• Answers to the WebAssign problems will be posted immediately after the assignment deadline and you will not be able to make further submissions. No exceptions/extensions!
• Remember: Whenever you need some guidance, you can always find a link "Help" and a link "Guide" in the WebAssign window.
• If you get stuck on a particular problem, you may use the "Ask Your Teacher" link to send me a short message. However, don't expect me to respond in the middle of the night or with only 59 minutes left before the deadline!
• You may use the forums on WebAssign to exchange information with other students and with the instructor.
  

First, see whether the FAQ page answers your question. Then, read the guide (use the "Guide" link on any WebAssign page) or get online help (use the "Help" link).

If you cannot log into WebAssign, there are a number of possible reasons. You may not have registered properly, or you may have forgotten which username and password you used to register, or you may have waited too long to enter a valid access code. Contact Annette Vialet (avialet@odu.edu) for help. At certain times (evenings-nights), WebAssign traffic is very heavy and the site slows down - try again during daytime hours. If the problem seems to be be with one of the computers in the Learning Center, ask C.J. Oakley (Physics Stockroom) for help (COakley@odu.edu). If you are having other difficulties, please check the WebAssign messages and instructions and this (and the main PHYS101) webpage first to see if I am already aware of the problem and the status of the resolution of the problem. Otherwise contact me. Always provide the following information in your email:

• Your class and instructor
• Your full name as it appears on your official University records
• Your Student ID number
• A detailed description of the problem you are having

I will respond to your email with instructions on how to proceed or direct you to the webpage for detailed instructions (but it may take a while for my answer).

 

If you are able to logon but can go no further, the problem may be with the setting (or particular brand) of your web browser. Make sure that the setting about "cookies" is set to "Accept all cookies" or "Always accept cookies" and that you are not being blocked by a firewall. And be patient - WebAssign for our class will only go live after August 26!

Known Problems with the System

• At least some of the WebAssign access codes sold separately by the bookstore don't work. Go back to the bookstore for a refund and use the online method to pay for access.
• Apparently WebAssign is experiencing heavy traffic between 8 and 11 p.m. most days. Avoid those times!