Instructor's Resource Manual (IRM)
The primary components in the instructor's resource manual are:
- Test Generator – One of the most challenging areas of education is assessing whether or not a student understands the material. Over the past 25 years, we have developed tests and quizzes to accurately measure not only if a student understands the material, but also the level of comprehension. Each chapter test has multiple forms so that you can test yourself, identify and correct any weak areas, re-test yourself, and verify your understanding before beginning new material.
- Tests and Quizzes – The IRM has 4 tests per chapter, where two of the tests have multiple-choice answers and the other two are find the answer. The IRM has a quiz for every section of the textbook. There are 4 versions of the final exam. All of the tests and quizzes are formatted with space to work the problems and are ready to print. Answer keys are provided at the end of the manual.
- Course Syllabus – Two different timelines for covering the material are provided. These represent a typical pace to complete the material in a reasonable amount of time. Using the syllabus, you can develop a timeline for covering the material in whatever time span you feel is appropriate.
- Teaching Strategies – The IRM has teaching tips and instructions for using the features of the textbook. There is also a guide to using the instruction package, a comprehensive overview of the textbook, and a description of the textbook's learning system.
- Extra Problems – The IRM has a selection of challenge problems for each chapter. The critical thinking problems have a series of hints, and you solve the problem using as few hints as possible. The step-by-step solutions to the “Explore To Learn” problems are given in the IRM.
Avoid Generic Tests – Since how a topic is covered in a textbook can vary greatly in approach, depth, and difficulty, a generic test that is not specifically designed for that book will usually be constructed with simple or general questions. This type of test will only provide a superficial assessment of your abilities, and might cause you to begin new material before you are competent with the current material.