Short Description:
This book explores the history, present, and future of library science, both in theory and in practice. It examines the place of the librarian as arbiter of information access in a constantly-changing and modernizing global community.

Word Count: 24034

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The general minimum prerequisite for understanding this book is the intellectual matur­ity of a junior-level (third-year) college student in an accredited four-year engineering curriculum. A mathematical second-order system is represented in this book primarily by a single second-order ODE, not in the state-space form by a pair of coupled first-order ODEs. Similarly, a two-degrees-of-freedom (fourth-order) system is represented by two coupled second-order ODEs, not in the state-space form by four coupled first-order ODEs. The book does not use bond graph modeling, the general and powerful, but complicated, modern tool for analysis of complex, multidisciplinary dynamic systems. The homework problems at the ends of chapters are very important to the learning objectives, so the author attempted to compose problems of practical interest and to make the problem statements as clear, correct, and unambiguous as possible. A major focus of the book is computer calculation of system characteristics and responses and graphical display of results, with use of basic (not advanced) MATLAB commands and programs. The book includes many examples and homework problems relevant to aerospace engineering, among which are rolling dynamics of flight vehicles, spacecraft actuators, aerospace motion sensors, and aeroelasticity. There are also several examples and homework problems illustrating and validating theory by using measured data to identify first- and second-order system dynamic characteristics based on mathematical models (e.g., time constants and natural frequencies), and system basic properties (e.g., mass, stiffness, and damping). Applications of real and simulated experimental data appear in many homework problems. The book contains somewhat more material than can be covered during a single standard college semester, so an instructor who wishes to use this as a one-semester course textbook should not attempt to cover the entire book, but instead should cover only those parts that are most relevant to the course objectives.

Introduction to Literature: Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, and How They Shape Us introduces college students to the study of literature through a focus on texts that, generally, they already know, or think they know, and how those texts aim to shape audiences to be compliant members of their culture.

An introduction to the discipline of logic covering subjects from the structures of arguments, classical and modern logic, categorical and inductive inferences, to informal fallacies.

This is an introductory textbook in logic and critical thinking. The goal of the textbook is to provide the reader with a set of tools and skills that will enable them to identify and evaluate arguments. The book is intended for an introductory course that covers both formal and informal logic. As such, it is not a formal logic textbook, but is closer to what one would find marketed as a critical thinking textbook. Downloadable as a pdf file.

This book was written to introduce students to assembly language programming in MIPS. As with all assemblylanguage programming texts, it covers basic operators and instructions, subprogram calling, loading andstoring memory, program control, and the conversion of the assembly language program into machine code.

However this book was not written simply as a book on assembly language programming. The larger purposeof this text is to show how concepts in Higher Level Languages (HLL), such as Java or C/C++, arerepresented in assembly. By showing how program constructs from these HLL map into assembly, theconcepts will be easier to understand and use when the programmer implements programs in languages likeJava or C/C++. Concepts such as references and variables, registers, binary and Boolean operations, subprogram execution, memory types (heap, stack, and static), and array processing are covered to clarify thedecisions made when implementing HLL. Program control is presented using a mapping from structuredprograms in pseudo code to help students understand structured programming, and why it exists. Memoryaccess in assembly is presented to high light the difference between references (pointers) and values, and howthese impact HLL.

This book has numerous code examples, and many problems at the end of each chapter, and it is appropriate for a class in Assembly Language, or as a extra resource for a class in Computer Organization.

Our goal with this textbook is to provide students with a strong foundation in mathematical analysis. Such a foundation is crucial for future study of deeper topics of analysis. Students should be familiar with most of the concepts presented here after completing the calculus sequence. However, these concepts will be reinforced through rigorous proofs.
The textbook contain topics of real analysis usually covered in a 10-week course: the completeness axiom, sequences and convergence, continuity, and differentiation. The lecture notes also contain many well-selected exercises of various levels. Although these topics are written in a more abstract way compared with those available in some textbooks, teachers can choose to simplify them depending on the background of the students. For instance, rather than introducing the topology of the real line to students, related topological concepts can be replaced by more familiar concepts such as open and closed intervals. Some other topics such as lower and upper semicontinuity, differentiation of convex functions, and generalized differentiation of non-differentiable convex functions can be used as optional mathematical projects. In this way, the lecture notes are suitable for teaching students of different backgrounds.

This textbook, or really a “coursebook” for a college freshman-level class, has been updated for Spring 2014 and provides an introduction to programming and problem solving using both Matlab and Mathcad. We provide a balanced selection of introductory exercises and real-world problems (i.e. no “contrived” problems). We include many examples and screenshots to guide the reader. We assume no prior knowledge of Matlab or Mathcad.

An introductory text on the design and manufacturing of products from a mechanical engineering perspective.

Short Description:
A collection of readings and exercises aligned with the course, ME 270, Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design, at Iowa State University. This course provides an overview of mechanical engineering design with applications to thermal and mechanical systems, and an introduction to current design practices used in industry. As part of the course design, learners will complete a semester-long team project focused on addressing societal needs.

Long Description:
A collection of readings and exercises aligned with the course, ME 270, Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design, at Iowa State University. This course provides an overview of mechanical engineering design with applications to thermal and mechanical systems, and an introduction to current design practices used in industry. As part of the course design, learners will complete a semester-long team project focused on addressing societal needs.

Word Count: 19507

Included H5P activities: 71

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Real Stories, Artfully Told

Short Description:
This textbook was created for beginning narrative journalists exploring the craft. It is inspired by the Narrative Journalism course (JASS/COMP/ENGL 310) at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, and it is intended to be used as a guide and handbook. It is structured around the five elements of fiction, and provides both instruction and student examples of various narrative journalism projects.

Long Description:
Introduction to Narrative Journalism: Real Stories, Artfully Told is a textbook created for beginning narrative journalists exploring the craft. It is inspired by the Narrative Journalism course (JASS/COMP/ENGL 310) at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, and it is intended to be used as a guide and handbook. It is structured around the five elements of fiction, and provides both instruction and student examples of various narrative journalism projects.

Word Count: 18339

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Open Edition

Short Description:
Introduction to Neuroscience is designed for undergraduate students enrolled in introductory neuroscience courses. Specifically, this text targets students enrolled in Introduction to Neuroscience 1 and Introduction to Neuroscience 2 at Michigan State University and contains topics covered in those courses.

Long Description:
Introduction to Neuroscience is designed for undergraduate students enrolled in introductory neuroscience courses. This book specifically targets students enrolled in Introduction to Neuroscience 1 and Introduction to Neuroscience 2 at Michigan State University and primarily contains topics covered in those courses. This completed text will guide students through the structure and function of nervous system cells and nervous system structures, signaling within the nervous system, include various sensory systems, motor systems, motivation and reward, stress, sex and the brain, emotions, nervous system disorders, learning, and memory. This text has been remixed and revised from two different open educational resources aimed at undergraduate neuroscience students: Foundations of Neuroscience by Casey Henley, Michigan State University The Open Neuroscience Initiative by Austin Lim, DePaul University In addition, new original content has been added to supplement what was provided in the above texts. The text includes many images and animations throughout and will be divided into shorter chapters that focus on a single topic. As this text is meant for undergraduate students, the writing is aimed at students that have not taken a neuroscience course before. Neuroscience terminology will be defined throughout the text through the use of the embedded Glossary terms to help with ease of reading. Additionally, important terms are bolded. Many chapters will end with an interactive quiz for student self-evaluation of the content. Find errors or have suggestions? Please email hedgesva@msu.edu

Word Count: 157791

ISBN: 978-1-62610-122-7

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Textbook written by Community College and University faculty for non-majors in Nutrition using science and evidence based nutritional science information. This version was accessible in 2012. Material covers basic definitions, and nutrition related to healthy diet and the human body. Separate chapters on carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nutrients for fluid and electrolyte balance, antioxidants, bone health, metabolism, body weight and the life cycle. Special features to aid in instruction for each chapter include: The “Learning Objectives”, “Big Idea” related to chapter themes, “Key Takeaways” and a “You decide” challenge to think about how topics relate to student’s life. “Discussion Starters”, “Videos” and “Exercises” are provided as well as links to choosemyplate.gov and other sources.

Introduction to Oceanography is a textbook appropriate to an introductory-level university course in oceanography. The book covers the fundamental geological, chemical, physical and biological processes in the ocean, with an emphasis on the North Atlantic region.

This first general textbook An introduction to ontology engineering has as main aim to provide the reader with a comprehensive introductory overview of ontology engineering. A secondary aim is to provide hands-on experience in ontology development that illustrate the theory.

Short Description:
Welcome to this free eBook, “Intro to Permaculture”. The permaculture perspective has more resonance now than at any other time since the term ‘permaculture’ was coined in 1978. The Paris Climate Agreement of 2016 has the world admitting it needs to turn civilization onto a different road. Permaculture design has been scouting out that path for nearly 40 years, and now it’s time that the world sees some of what we have learned about living in cooperation with nature.This free introduction to permaculture is meant for the novice and the professional alike, with no prior experience necessary. For the person new to permaculture design and land stewardship, this book will provide a foundation from which to build upon with subsequent training, and introduce a new perspective that can be applied in many careers and facets of life. Data dashboard

Long Description:
Permaculture Design is a method of land planning that can be applied at scales from the home garden to city block to village to farm. It is an ethically based whole-systems design approach that uses concepts, principles, and methods derived from ecosystems, indigenous technologies, and other time-tested practices to create sustainable human settlements and institutions. Although rooted in horticulture and agriculture, Permaculture design is interdisciplinary, touching on a wide range of subjects including regional planning, ecology, animal husbandry, appropriate technology, architecture, social justice, and international development.

This open text book is derived from the content of the Massive Open Online Course “Intro to Permaculture”. The original course also included interactive mapping and design tools that accompanied this content. The course and book provide a general overview of the Permaculture design system. The book can be downloaded as a print version. However, there are many accompanying videos and content pages that are linked to throughout the text, so it is best viewed online where the links can be accessed.

Word Count: 15583

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Short Description:
Learn about igneous and metamorphic rocks (and how to analyze them), the fun way! Students learn concepts and practice knowledge by conducting inquiries guided with examples based on videos and interactive diagrams.

Word Count: 20627

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The goal of this text is to present philosophy to newcomers as a living discipline with historical roots. While a few early chapters are historically organized, the goal in the historical chapters is to trace a developmental progression of thought that introduces basic philosophical methods and frames issues that remain relevant today. Later chapters are topically organized. These include philosophy of science and philosophy of mind, areas where philosophy has shown dramatic recent progress. This text concludes with four chapters on ethics, broadly construed. Traditional theories of right action is covered in a third of these. Students are first invited first to think about what is good for themselves and their relationships in a chapter of love and happiness. Next a few meta-ethical issues are considered; namely, whether they are moral truths and if so what makes them so. The end of the ethics sequence addresses social justice, what it is for one's community to be good. Our sphere of concern expands progressively through these chapters. Our inquiry recapitulates the course of development into moral maturity. Over the course of the text, the author has tried to outline the continuity of thought that leads from the historical roots of philosophy to a few of the diverse areas of inquiry that continue to make significant contributions to our understanding of ourselves and the world we live in.

Designed to meet the scope and sequence of your course, Introduction to Philosophy surveys logic, metaphysics, epistemology, theories of value, and history of philosophy thematically. To provide a strong foundation in global philosophical discourse, diverse primary sources and examples are central to the design, and the text emphasizes engaged reading, critical thinking, research, and analytical skill-building through guided activities.

The goal of this text is to present philosophy to newcomers as a living discipline with historical roots. While a few early chapters are historically organized, my goal in the historical chapters is to trace a developmental progression of thought that introduces basic philosophical methods and frames issues that remain relevant today. Later chapters are topically organized. These include philosophy of science and philosophy of mind, areas where philosophy has shown dramatic recent progress. This text concludes with four chapters on ethics, broadly construed. I cover traditional theories of right action in the third of these. Students are first invited first to think about what is good for themselves and their relationships in a chapter of love and happiness. Next a few meta-ethical issues are considered; namely, whether they are moral truths and if so what makes them so. The end of the ethics sequence addresses social justice, what it is for one’s community to be good. Our sphere of concern expands progressively through these chapters. Our inquiry recapitulates the course of development into moral maturity