January 29, 2013
COURSE MATERIALS FOR POLS 2305
[All of this information is on Blackboard under “Course Materials”.]
You should have the following materials no later than January 28, 2013 to be prepared for class:
□
□
□
Textbook: Gateways to Democracy: The Essentials. 2012. John G. Geer, et al. Cengage
Website: Aplia, textbook companion website, www.aplia.com
Clicker: Turning Technologies clicker or ResponseWare
There are a few purchase options for these materials. Buying the materials new from the campus
bookstore is the best value. Another option open to those that have web-enabled devices (i.e. iPhone,
iPad) is to purchase only the textbook bundle from the bookstore and buy the Turning Technologies
clicker application, called ResponseWare. If students would like the application and have already
purchased the clicker, the bookstore will accept returned clickers if they are unopened and unused and
accompanied with a receipt by January 30, 2013.
Purchase options are shown below. Students are strongly encouraged to choose Option 1 or Option 2.
Purchasing a used textbook is not a good value for this class because we have negotiated a bundled
price with the textbook publisher.
Option 1
Textbook & Website
Bundle from campus bookstore: $78.55
Clicker
From bookstore: $40.00
Total Cost
$118.55 + tax
Option 2
Includes paperbook textbook, Aplia
website registration, and access to the ebook on the Aplia website.
Bundle from campus bookstore: $78.55
Includes Turning Technologies clicker
remote to use independently of webenabled devices.
ResponseWare: $14.00
$92.55 + tax
Includes paperbook textbook, Aplia
website registration, and access to the ebook on the Aplia website.
Includes 6 month license to use
ResponseWare, clicker application for
web-enabled devices, from Turning
Technologies.
From bookstore: $40.00
For this option,
you must have a
web-enabled
device.
$132.00 + tax
Includes Turning Technologies clicker
remote to use independently of webenabled devices.
ResponseWare: $14.00
$106.00 + tax
Option 3
Aplia access from Aplia website: $92.00
Includes Aplia website registration and ebook on the Aplia website.
Option 4
Aplia access from Aplia website: $92.00
Includes Aplia website registration and ebook on the Aplia website.
1|Triad F
•
Spring 2013
Includes 6 month license to use
ResponseWare, clicker application for
web-enabled devices, from Turning
Technologies.
APLIA
Aplia Assignments
[All of this information is on Blackboard under “Assignments”  “Aplia”.]
The Aplia website contains assignments that students must complete each week to accompany the
course reading. The below is the schedule of required reading and Aplia assignments. All Aplia
assignments are due on the date listed by 2pm (large lecture class time).
Due Date
Required Reading
Aplia Assignment
Week 1
January 24
Aplia Week 1
Week 2
January 29
Chapter 1
Aplia Week 2
Week 3
February 5
Chapter 2 & 3
Aplia Week 3
Week 4
February 12
Chapter 4
Aplia Week 4
Week 5
February 19
Chapter 5
Aplia Week 5
Week 6
February 26
Week 7
March 5
Week 8
March 12
Week 9
March 19
Chapter 10
Aplia Week 9
Week 10
March 26
Chapter 6 & 7
Aplia Week 10
Week 11
April 2
Week 12
April 9
Week 13
April 16
Week 14
April 23
Chapter 12 & 13
Aplia Week 14
Week 15
April 30
Chapter 14
Aplia Week 15
Week 16
May 7
None – Exam 1
Chapter 8 & 9
Aplia Week 7
None – Spring Break
None – Exam 2
Chapter 11
Aplia Week 12
None – Essay Due
None – Exam 3
The purpose of Aplia is to reiterate the course reading and explore the chapter contents through critical
thinking. Some students find Aplia to be difficult; it does require a couple of hours to complete. Students
should look at this as a “lab” of sorts – it is applying the material of the textbook in a different way than
the chapters and lecture. Making a good effort to read the chapters and complete the Aplia assignments
each week will help students to learn the material, which should shorten exam preparation time. Just
think – the more exposure to a topic in a variety of ways, the more we absorb and learn it.
Remember that Aplia is worth 15% of the final course grade in large lecture.
2|Triad F
•
Spring 2013
Aplia Registration
[All of this information is on Blackboard under “Course Materials.”]
1. To register, students need the following:
a. Access code
i. If purchased a NEW book  should have an access code attached
ii. If not, you can choose to pay later  this defers payment until February 3, 2013
– by this date students will have to obtain an access code by purchasing the
textbook bundle from the bookstore or purchasing access online (which is more
expensive – see table above)
b. Section number
i. Refers to POLS 2305 section number: 280, 281, 282, 283, 290, 291, 292, or 293
c. Course key: P84K-P5U8-35H7
i. This links the student registration to the POLS 2305 online course page
2. Registration
a. Go to http://login.cengagebrain.com/
i. If students have not used Aplia before (including for other classes)  follow the
prompts to create a new account
1. Students will need their access code, section number, and course key
number: P84K-P5U8-35H7
ii. If students have used Aplia in the past (for another class), they should login to
your account and use the course key to link to our class: P84K-P5U8-35H7. They
will also need their access code and section number to complete registration.
b. Check registration by logging onto: http://aplia.com
3. Need help?
a. Student FAQs: http://www.aplia.com/support/student_faq.jsp
b. Contact Aplia support: http://www.aplia.com/support/email_support.jsp
CLICKERS
There are two clicker options: 1.) Purchase a clicker from the bookstore or 2.) Purchase the clicker
application, called ResponseWare, for your web-enabled or “smart” devices. Clickers are $40 and the six
month license for ResponseWare is $14.
Purchase ResponseWare
[All of this information is on Blackboard under “Course Materials.”]
1. Follow the instructions provided on Blackboard, found under “Course Materials”
2. Go to http://store.turningtechnologies.com and use the school code: TaMcc3.
3. Students should purchase a six month license to cover the entire semester.
3|Triad F
•
Spring 2013
Register Clicker or ResponseWare
[All of this information is on Blackboard under “Course Materials.”]
 Students should use their A-number in place of a user id when registering their clickers or
ResponseWare. They should double-check their A-number when entering it.
 Register at: http://webreg.turningtechnologies.com ; students will need their device id number.
CHOOSE SECTION NAMES
Your section name will identify you to the large lecture class – so make it good!
HOMEWORK: TAKE PEW IDEOLOGY QUIZ
Students can take the quiz here  http://www.people-press.org/typology/quiz/
2. Purpose of quiz is to assess your political ideology (not knowledge) – no wrong or right answers,
just what you believe
3. The responses you give will determine what group you belong to
4. Print or write down your typology type and bring to class on January 31 to complete ideology
assignment
1.
4|Triad F
•
Spring 2013