Tag: Cengage

  • the-authors-of-new-titles-in-the-major-problems-series – The Cengage Blog

    the-authors-of-new-titles-in-the-major-problems-series – The Cengage Blog

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Cengage authors dedicate themselves to producing high-quality content, while also prioritizing a functional learning experience for students, equipping them with background information and tools necessary to analyze the important topics covered in their courses. We’re happy to introduce you to the authors of two first edition titles, and one upcoming fifth edition title, within the Major Problems Anthology series, which familiarizes students with important topics in U.S history, world history and western civilization.

    Ready to meet these authors and learn about their titles? We can’t wait for you to get to know them all.

    Jackson J. Spielvogel and Kathryn Spielvogel ― authors of Major Problems in Western Civilization, Volume I and Volume II, 1e 2025

    “Major Problems in Western Civilization,” 1e includes a variety of supporting materials and historical prose, guiding a carefully curated set of primary and secondary source selections. This text preps instructors and students so they can engage primary sources at the highest level.

    Jackson J. Spielvogel is Associate Professor Emeritus of History at The Pennsylvania State University. He received his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University, where he specialized in Reformation history. His work has been supported by fellowships from the Fulbright Foundation and the Foundation for Reformation Research. He is the author of  “Western Civilization,” now in its 12th edition, as well as co-author (with William Duiker) of “World History,” now in its 10th edition. Professor Spielvogel has won five major university-wide teaching awards.

    Kathryn Spielvogel earned a B.A. in history, and M.A. in art history from The Pennsylvania State University. She continued her graduate studies in history at the University at Buffalo, SUNY, before working as a research editor on history textbooks for the past fifteen years. Passionate about historic preservation and economic development, Kathryn volunteers for several non-profit organizations while renovating historic homes and commercial buildings throughout Pennsylvania.

    Read Kathryn Spielvogel’s blog article about this first edition title: “Why the Study of Western Civilization Still Matters”

    William J. Duiker, author of Major Problems in World History, Volume I and Volume II, 1e 2025

    “Major Problems in World History,” 1e is a comprehensive source for documents and secondary essays dealing with a broad sweep of world history. Each chapter begins with a short introductory essay providing historical context for that period of history.

    William J. Duiker is Liberal Arts Professor Emeritus of East Asian studies at The Pennsylvania State University. He earned a Ph.D. in East Asian history at Georgetown University in 1968. A former foreign service officer with assignments in Taiwan and South Vietnam, he is the author of several books on East Asia. He is also co-author with colleague Jackson Spielvogel of “World History,” 10e. He has traveled widely and was awarded a Faculty Scholar Medal for Outstanding Achievement in 1996.

    Plus a new fifth edition

    Elizabeth Cobbs, Edward J. Blum and Vanessa Walker ― authors of Major Problems in American History, Volume I and Volume II, 5e 2025

    “Major Problems in American History” includes both primary sources and analytical essays on important U.S history topics, with an overall goal towards helping students refine their critical thinking skills.

    Elizabeth Cobbs is a Professor and Dwight E. Stanford Chair in American Foreign Relations at San Diego State University and has won literary prizes for both history and fiction, including the Allan Nevins Prize and Stuart Bernath Book Prize. She earned her Ph.D. in American history at Stanford University. She has served on the jury for the Pulitzer Prize in History and on the Historical Advisory Committee of the U.S. State Department. She has received awards and fellowships from the Fulbright Commission and other distinguished institutions. Her essays have been published in the New York Times, Jerusalem Post and Los Angeles Times, among others. Her current project is a history of women soldiers in World War I.

    Edward J. Blum is a Professor of History at San Diego State University. He received his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky. He is the author and co-author of several books on United States history and the winner of numerous awards, including the Peter Seaborg Award for Civil War Scholarship and the Gustave O. Arlt Award in the Humanities.

    Read Professor Blum’s blog article about this fifth edition: “The Importance of Discussion in American History”

     

    Vanessa Walker is the Gordon Levin Associate Professor of Diplomatic History at Amherst College, where she teaches classes on U.S. politics, foreign relations and human rights. She received her B.A. from Whitman College and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is the recipient of fellowships from the Miller Center for Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, the George Mosse Program at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Stanton Foundation Applied History Program.

    Read: “Q&A With Vanessa Walker, Co-Author of Major Problems in American History”

     

    Did these Major Problems titles pique your interest? Explore them all and decide which one is right for your history course.

    Source link

  • welcome-dr-haiyan-maier-new-author- The Cengage Blog

    welcome-dr-haiyan-maier-new-author- The Cengage Blog

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Ellie Whitney, author of “Understanding Nutrition” has been known as a nutrition trailblazer for many years. And after several editions, she hand-picked Sharon Rolfes, well known and respected in the field, to become the next author. Today, the Cengage nutrition team is excited to introduce Dr. Haiyan Maier as the new author of “Understanding Nutrition,” 17e. Dr. Maier, Ph.D., R.D., brings state-of-the-art nutrition research, advanced discipline knowledge and a multicultural perspective to the newest edition of the text. As a Registered Dietitian and nutrition professor, she presents an inclusive and comprehensive approach that reflects the latest research, addresses current trends and emphasizes key concepts for your course.

    “All foods fit”

    Dr. Maier prioritizes healthy eating, physical activity and family adventures. Growing up on the coast of northeast China and studying in Europe, she was able to enjoy foods from around the world, and now shares nutritious meals and global cuisine with her family. She advocates an “all foods fit” and “moderation is key” approach, and believes it’s essential to be mindful of the body.

    New topics and perspectives

    Dr. Maier’s contributions to “Understanding Nutrition” aim to promote health at every size, intuitive eating and the importance of the microbiome. Students will gain a deeper understanding of how gut health can influence overall well-being. Additionally, she has helped to present expanded discussions on nutrition misinformation, particularly its influence on diet culture in the United States. The 17th edition delves into the impact of social media on health and provides insights to help readers navigate information effectively. In-text examples, graphs, figures and photos are now more inclusive, showcasing people of various capabilities, life stages, cultures and ethnicities.

    Hear more from Dr. Maier below:

    What’s updated in this edition

    17e has been revised to include expanded discussions, updated highlights and a focus on key concepts, empowering students to develop a deeper understanding of nutrition.

    The highlights

    This best-selling title continues its tradition of providing cutting-edge nutrition coverage. Every chapter is followed by an updated highlight, offering an in-depth look at current and controversial topics. The text has been thoroughly revised to reflect the most recent research findings, ensuring students have access to the latest information. From energy balance to chronic condition prevention, the 17th edition addresses the diverse aspects of nutrition with contemporary relevance.

    Explore key concepts and inclusion

    To enhance learning, each chapter begins with outlines and learning objectives that focus readers’ attention on essential concepts. These objectives have been updated to align with Bloom’s Taxonomy, ensuring strong objective wording. The review features have been reformatted into bullet points, facilitating the capture of key information. This edition also embraces inclusion and diversity by incorporating diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, weight-inclusive information and weight-neutral language.

    Artificial sweeteners, sugar addiction and mindful eating

    This edition offers more information on artificial sweeteners, including a detailed exploration of different types of sugar on food labels. It also delves into the relationship between sugar addiction and the gut-brain axis, providing valuable insights into this prevalent issue. Additionally, the text introduces the principles of mindful eating and intuitive eating, emphasizing their importance in establishing a healthy relationship with food.

    Interactive content

    This title is also available in MindTap, our online learning platform, which includes Diet & Wellness Plus, diet analysis software powered by the ESHA database. With Diet & Wellness Plus, students can delve deeper into their own nutrition habits through active and engaging resources, tracking activities and reports.

    The 17th edition is an invaluable resource combining the latest research, contemporary relevance and an inclusive approach.

     

    Interested in “Understanding Nutrition,” 17e for your Intro to Nutrition course? Watch for this new edition coming soon, and explore other nutrition titles on the discipline page.

    Source link

  • want-to-build-a-robot- The Cengage Blog

    want-to-build-a-robot- The Cengage Blog

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Welcome to “System Dynamics and Controls,” 1e by Dr. S. Graham Kelly — a new first edition and comprehensive guide to understanding and controlling interdisciplinary engineering systems. The goal of this text is to provide the reader with a general understanding of how to mathematically model a linear engineering system and how to control it effectively.

    The fundamentals

    Engineering is inherently interdisciplinary, and successful engineers often navigate and work in multi-disciplinary teams. Whether you’re a mechanical engineer learning about electrical systems or an electrical engineer diving into chemical processes, understanding diverse disciplines is key. All engineers should have some familiarity with the modeling of physical systems of any kind, as well as with the time-dependent responses of these systems. This knowledge isn’t just theoretical, it’s integral to designing control systems that guide these systems’ operations.

    Take robotics, for example. Designing a robot requires expertise in both mechanical and electrical systems. A control system for the robot, usually an electrical controller, is designed to make the robot respond appropriately to certain inputs.

    The prerequisites

    Before diving in, it’s important to come prepared. This text is meant for those with a background in:

    • Single-variable calculus, including ordinary differential equations
    • Engineering physics, with a focus on mechanics, electromagnetism, and thermal systems
    • Core concepts from statics and dynamics, especially rigid body dynamics in planar motion

    For more advanced sections, knowledge of multi-variable calculus will be helpful. Additionally, while not essential, prior or concurrent study in chemistry, circuit analysis, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics will enrich your understanding of specific topics and examples.

    MATLAB and Simulink

    This text frequently uses MATLAB as a tool for the determination of the response of a dynamic system. MATLAB is used as a computational tool, a programming tool, and a graphical tool. From determining dynamic system responses to programming and graphical analysis, MATLAB is used extensively throughout the text. Some specific applications include:

    Simulink, a MATLAB-developed simulation and modeling tool, is also integrated throughout this text. Simulink allows development of models, using either the transfer function or the state-space formulation, without the programming required for MATLAB.

    This text’s comprehensive approach, combining theory with practical tools like MATLAB and Simulink, equips students to tackle the complexities of interdisciplinary engineering systems.

    Written by Dr. S. Graham Kelly, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, University of Akron and author of “System Dynamics and Controls,” 1e.

     

    Interested in this title? Dr. Kelly’s new first edition text is available for your engineering course now.

    Source link

  • Welcome Visible Body to Cengage

    Welcome Visible Body to Cengage

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    At Cengage, creating quality learning experiences is a priority. Our goal is to put the learner at the center of these experiences to help them prepare for the future, especially in much-needed fields like health care, biology and life sciences.

    And so, to enhance learner engagement and deepen students’ understanding of key science concepts, we’re excited to welcome Visible Body to Cengage and our science offerings.

    Introducing Visible Body

    Visible Body is a leading provider of interactive apps and software used by over a million students, educators and health care/biomedical professionals around the world. Visible Body provides highly detailed 3D visuals, micro-lessons and game-like interactivity to make studying anatomy and biology easier and more engaging.

     

    Cengage and Visible Body deepen science learning

    By teaming up, we can provide expanded science offerings to more learners and educators — boosting engagement, improving problem-solving skills and strengthening students’ grasp of key science concepts.

    Visible Body adds to the variety of ways we can support learning. For science courses like anatomy and physiology and biology, it is vital that students gain a deep understanding of the human body and are given a hands-on way to engage with the concepts and processes.

    With accurate visual representations, anatomically correct 3D models and immersive activities, learners can master the concepts quickly, while gaining access to real-world scientific experiences and practicing essential skills for the workforce. AR and mixed reality bring learning to life, enabling students to engage with scenarios typically limited to lab environments. This approach empowers institutions, especially those strained for resources, to deliver high-quality, engaging education without labs.

    What’s in the future for science teaching and learning?

    Visible Body will be available with Dr. Liz Co’s “Anatomy & Physiology” later this spring with plans to add it to even more Cengage higher ed and K-12 science resources soon.

     

    Interested in learning about Liz Co’s “Anatomy & Physiology” — along with the addition of Visible Body? Fill out the form to find out more.

    Source link

  • Q&A with Vanessa Walker – The Cengage Blog

    Q&A with Vanessa Walker – The Cengage Blog

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    We recently had the opportunity to talk with Vanessa Walker, new co-author of “Major Problems in American History, Volume I,” 5th edition. In this Q&A, Professor Walker discusses her background, why she’s thrilled to be a part of the “Major Problems” series and what sets this text apart from the crowd.

    Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background. 

    I am the Gordon Levin Associate Professor of Diplomatic History at Amherst College where I teach classes on US foreign relations, politics, social movements and the history and politics of human rights. I became interested in these topics as an undergraduate student at Whitman College, where I wrote my thesis on Carter’s human rights policy, a subject that became my dissertation topic at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I published my first book, “Principles in Power: Latin America and the Politics of US Human Rights Diplomacy” with Cornell University Press in 2020, and have written several articles on the Carter administration’s foreign policy and the role of nongovernment activists in influencing high level diplomacy. I live in Western Massachusetts with my husband, who is also a historian, and our two kids. I love to spend a lot of time outdoors hiking, skiing and swimming in lakes, especially in Vermont.

    Why were you excited to join the Major Problems in American History series as a co-author?

    I was excited to join the “Major Problems” series because I have used these volumes in the classroom, both as a student and as an instructor. As a student, I remember using them in my college history courses, relying on the competing perspectives in classroom debates, and combing through the documents and essays when writing my papers. When I began teaching, I turned to them again as a way to introduce my students to the ways historians think, and to help me curate and frame the core themes and ideas I wanted to integrate into my class. These volumes reflect the way I approach my teaching and learning, so I was excited to shape that for another generation of students and faculty.

    History encompasses such a vast array of topics. In what ways does your textbook offer something truly unique and differentiating to the field?

    I think one of the distinctive features of “Major Problems in American History” is in its name. Rather than synthesizing debates and interpretations, or offering a consensus position on a topic, this edition highlights the scholarly conversation and raw materials that comprise the fabric of producing historical knowledge. The text does not attempt to be comprehensive. Instead, by focusing on core debates within the field, it allows students to develop their own interpretations, and for teachers to challenge dominant or singular narratives and perspectives on complex topics and issues.

    Given the ever-evolving nature of history, how does your textbook discuss the complexities of current events and modern issues to remain relevant and impactful for students, and what are they?

    This edition engages with the creation of modern America. By studying its foundations and evolution, students unavoidably confront how many of the issues and debates we think of as contemporary problems have much deeper roots. The study of history is inherently one that involves change over time. Highlighting themes of gender, race, economic security and democratic inclusion, this volume invites students to consider major inflection points and persistent dynamics that have defined the modern United States.

    How do you see this textbook deepening students’ understanding of history and fostering a more active engagement with its core concepts?

    “Major Problems in American History,” by design, demands that students move away from the idea that history is the practice of memorizing names and dates. This text instead involves them in the process of integrating and prioritizing competing interpretations and arguments. Each chapter invites students to explore how different figures viewed critical moments and ideas, and really think about the assumptions and experiences that might give rise to divergent interpretations.

    With learners from diverse academic backgrounds, how does Major Problems in American History accommodate both those majoring in history and those encountering it through general education?

    Interpretation of sources—both primary and secondary—depends on a basic knowledge to frame and contextualize the issues at play. To support students regardless of their expertise, we have expanded the introductory essays to each chapter. We also provide a timeline for each chapter, highlighting key events and relevant dates. Additionally, we situate the secondary sources within broader themes and scholarly debates central to the chapter’s topic. These elements, together, empower students to explore primary and secondary sources, so they can become aware of their broader settings and the important dynamics at play.

    What do you hope instructors will take away from this textbook that will enhance their teaching?

    With this edition, we’ve given more focus to the idea of one or two “major problems” to shape the conversations around each chapter’s historical moment or theme. We hope this will provide instructors with the ability to go deeper into crucial topics, while also bringing in their own areas of expertise to broaden out the themes and ideas highlighted in each chapter. We’ve also included more primary sources that capture voices outside of government, which are often harder to find. Additionally, we’ve also increased the number of images to provide greater diversity of primary source materials.

    Lastly, what do you hope is the most significant takeaway students will carry with them after using your textbook?

    I hope that students will come away with an awareness that history, fundamentally, is about the ability to take in and explore different peoples’ perspectives, which might be radically different than their own. I believe that exercising critical thinking about the past can shed new light on assumptions and biases attached to current problems and issues. I believe that grappling with debates presented in the text will help students develop the skills and awareness necessary to apply these same approaches beyond their study of history. Additionally, I hope it will allow them to productively engage those who hold fundamentally different opinions, and use that as a foundation for pursuing their interests outside of the classroom.

     

    Vanessa Walker is the Gordon Levin Associate Professor of Diplomatic History at Amherst College, where she teaches classes on U.S. politics, foreign relations and human rights. She received her B.A. from Whitman College and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is the author of “Principles in Power: Latin America and the Politics of U.S. Human Rights Diplomacy” (Cornell University Press, 2020), and co-author of “Major Problems in American History, Volume I” 5e. She is currently working on a project exploring U.S. domestic human rights campaign as a response to the decline of the liberal state in the 1970s.

     

    Interested in learning more about “Major Problems in American History”? Explore this new edition for your history course.

     

    Source link