For Students: How to Use This Book
The “how to use this book” page is very helpful for readers who are new to the Pressbooks platform and will explain the features that are available and how to navigate the content. This page could also be helpful for readers to understand and be prepared for all of the supplementary content they are about to encounter. This is where you can explain which textboxes are being used and what information can be found in them. You could also cover how to use the glossary and footnote features. You could also use this page to go through the outline of the book and what content each chapter covers.
Do not remove the Adaptation Statement at the end of the chapter!
How to use this page template:
- Update the Interactive and multimedia components section to include information about quizzes and videos.
- Edit the Keep an eye out for these features section with the boxes or other indicators that you are using.
On this page, you’ll find a quick overview of the tools and features built into the book—what they are, how they work, and how they can help you succeed. Whether you’re reading on a laptop, tablet, or phone, these features are here to make your learning experience smoother, more engaging, and more effective.
Navigating the book
This textbook has a table of contents to help you navigate through the book more easily. If using the online webbook, you can find the full table of contents on the book’s homepage or by selecting “Contents” from the top menu when you are in a chapter. Inside a chapter, you can use the keyboard arrows to go to the previous or next chapter.
Searching
If using the online webbook, you can use the search bar in the top right corner to search the entire book for a key word or phrase. To search a specific chapter, open that chapter and use your browser’s search feature by hitting [Ctrl] + [F] on your keyboard if using a Windows computer or [Command] + [F] if using a Mac computer.
The [Ctrl] + [F] and [Command] + [F] keys will also allow you to search a PDF, HTML, EPUB, and MOBI files if you are reading them on a computer.
If using an eBook app to read this textbook, the app should have a built-in search tool.
Alternative Formats
In addition to the web version, this book is available in a number of file formats including PDF, EPUB (for eReaders), MOBI (for Kindles), and various editable files. You can find more information about the file formats in the Accessibility Statement [update link]
Print options
OPTION 1: Print-ready version
This book links to a number of external websites. For those using a print copy of this resource, a QR code for each link has been created and will appear in the footnotes of that page.
OPTION 2: Regular Print PDF Export
This book links to a number of external websites. For those using a print copy of this resource, the full URL will appear in brackets after each link.
Interactive and multimedia components
The webbook includes a number of interactive and multimedia components. These include video walk-throughs of practice questions and interactive quizzes at the end of each chapter. If you are not using the webbook to access this textbook, the videos and interactive quizzes will not be included. Instead, your copy of the text will provide a link to where you can access those interactive elements.
If you decide to use a PDF or a print copy to access the textbook, you can access the webbook and download any other formats at any time.
Keep an eye out for these features
As you read through this book, you’ll notice special features designed to help you learn, practice, and stay engaged. Each one has a purpose—whether it’s showing you what to focus on, giving you a chance to test your knowledge, or helping you connect ideas to the real world.
This section gives you a quick guide to what these features are and how to use them. Knowing what to look for will help you get the most out of your learning experience!
Textboxes
Learning Objectives
At the beginning of each chapter, this section tells you what you’ll learn and be able to do. It’s like a roadmap to help you focus on the most important ideas.
Examples
These show you how to apply what you’re learning. They walk you through problems or situations step by step so you can see how things work in action.
Exercises
These are your chance to practice! Exercises help you check your understanding and build your skills by trying things out on your own.
Key Takeaways
At the end of the chapter, this section highlights the most important points to remember. It’s a quick way to review what really matters.
This is a flexible space used to highlight something important, interesting, or helpful. It might be a tip, a reminder, or a note that adds extra value to what you’re learning.
Glossary and Footnotes
Some words in the book are linked to definitions in the Glossary. When you see a word that looks like a link (coloured dark red with a dotted underline, usually bolded), you can click or tap it to see a quick definition in a pop-up. This helps you understand new terms without losing your place. You can also visit the full glossary (located at the end of the book) at any time to review all the key terms in one place.
Footnotes give you extra information without interrupting the main text. When you see a small number like this[1] next to a sentence, click or tap it and it will take you to the bottom of the page to read it. It might explain something in more detail, give a source, or share something interesting. After reading a footnote, you can click the small arrow to jump back to where you were.
H5P
H5P stands for HTML5 Package, but you don’t need to remember that! It’s just a tool that lets you interact with the content in fun and useful ways—like quizzes, flashcards, videos with questions, drag-and-drop activities, and more.
Whenever you see an interactive activity in the book, it’s probably made with H5P. These are designed to help you practice, check your understanding, or explore ideas in a hands-on way.
Annotating
If you like to highlight or write on your textbooks, you can do that by getting a print copy, using the Digital PDF in Adobe Reader, using the highlighting tools in eReader apps, or using the Hypothesis plugin (if enabled).
Adapted from For Students: How to Access and Use this Textbook by Chad Flinn and Mark Overgaard, licensed under CC-BY.
Examples
- Example footnote ↵
