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Frequently Asked Questions
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Do you grade work or tutor the students that take a TaylorScience course?
No, I do not. As much as I love all my science students, I am busy working full-time in a science lab. TaylorScience provides parents with all the materials they will need to administer the classes themselves.
Which class, Biology or Chemistry, should my student take first?
Biology and Chemistry can be taken in any order. I recommend taking Biology first, then Chemistry just because Chemistry is tougher and requires more maturity. A student does have to have mastered Algebra I to take Chemistry.
What is the difference between the 1st-2nd Edition Chemistry and the 3rd Edition Chemistry course?
Essentially, they are the same course just with a different edition of textbook. In 2014, Apologia put out the 3rd Edition Chemistry text. The 2nd edition is no longer in print. The 3rd Edition is significantly different in the sequence of topics covered and so is not compatible with my 2nd edition materials. I have painstakingly adapted my 2nd edition course to fit the 3rd edition book. I still prefer the 2nd edition because of the simplicity of the text itself. Since my chemistry course was originally designed for the 2nd Edition, I recommend that textbook if you can find it used.
How should quizzes be administered?
Quizzes need to be taken closed-book. I time my students and give them no more than 10 minutes (usually only 5 minutes) to complete each quiz. This helps them develop time management skills that will be useful in college science courses. Each quiz is scheduled for a week after we cover the material. The review helps with retention of the material.
How should tests be administered?
Tests should be taken open book which means students can use their textbook, lecture notes, quizzes, labs and Solution Manual to help them. They cannot get help from another person or the Internet. Because the tests are open book, they are challenging. Tests are scheduled about every month. Having to go back and review previous material helps with retention. I do not have my students take the Apologia tests that come with the textbook, but they would be good practice for any student that took them after every Module. Apologia tests should be taken closed-book.
Why do you use the Apologia science texts?
I like the Apologia books mainly because they are designed for self-study, and they have the labs built in. The language is clear and easy to understand. I like the simplicity of the 2nd editions. They do not have the images and extra material in the margins typically found in other science texts. Flashy items all over the page can overwhelm a student trying to learn on their own. Whatever topics the Apologia texts do not cover, I supplement with my lectures and with extra homework problems.
What is the bio or chem workbook listed as part of the homework?
These workbooks are part of the 100+ series of science workbooks. They are not the Apologia workbooks that go with the texts. I like these workbooks because they give the students different kinds of problems than the Apologia problem sets, and they cover more material. The workbook problems are totally optional. The ISBN numbers for the workbooks are on the homepage for each course under the Optional Materials section. |
How do I print your lecture notes with multiple slides per page?
For PDF files, in the Print menu box, there is a Page Scaling or Page Set-Up option. If there is a Page Scaling option, choose Multiple Pages per Sheet and an option for the number of pages per sheet will appear. Choose 6 pages per panel. If there is a Page Set Up option choose 6 Pages per Side.
In the lecture video section of each week, the lecture videos do not play.
TaylorScience videos used to be in Flash format because Flash played on any platform. Flash is being discontinued as of December 2020. As a result, TaylorScience has transitioned to a new video format. This format functions on Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge web browsers. If you are using a different browser than the previously mentioned and the videos are not functioning, please switch your browser to Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge.
Why can't I watch the lecture videos on my mobile device?
Unfortunately, Apple iPhones do not play the new video format. They do work on Android phones with the above browsers and they will play on Mac computers with Chrome browser. As stated previously, TaylorScience videos used to be in Flash format because Flash played on any platform. Flash is being discontinued as of December 2020. As a result, TaylorScience has transitioned to a new video format. This format functions on Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge web browsers. If you are using a different browser than the previously mentioned and the videos are not functioning, please switch your browser to Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge. This new format will work on any Android device using these browsers.
I paid through PayPal but did not receive my Parent and Student logins by e-mail.
Because the Parent and Student login e-mail contains links, it is likely your e-mail is in a Spam or Junk folder. This is particularly true if you are using Gmail. If you still cannot find it, e-mail me at rhtaylor{at}TaylorScience.com and I will resend.
When I click on the login link or login on the website nothing happens.
If you see your username in the Login box on the upper right, you are logged in. Because your enrollment gives you access to all the content on TaylorScience.com, you have to navigate to the course of your choice to access your content. |
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