You can create a module in minutes using a
Microsoft Word file and the Connexions word importer tool. Before
you begin, you will need to completethe following tasks:
- Get an account on Connexions. See the
Request a
Connexions Account page.
- Download a copy of the Connexions document template. If you
apply the styles in this template to your Word document, the
conversion from Word to CNXML will be cleaner. Click
Connexions
Document Template to download a copy of the template.
- Verify that the content in your Word document is as you want
it.
Click the link below to download a copy of
the Connexions Document Template.
Connexions
Document Template
Place the template on your desktop.
Installing the template is quick and easy.
Follow the steps below to install the template.
- Start Microsoft Word.
- Reduce your window size so that the document template is
visible on your desktop.
- From the Word File menu, click New.
- Drag and drop the document template into the "General" tab of
the "New" document box. (see
figure
1)
Figure 1: Microsoft Word's new document
prompt
To create a Word document, use the following
steps:
- Once you have followed the steps above to install the
Connexions Document Template, select the Connexions Document.dot
icon.
- Click OK. Your new Connexions Word document is created and
displayed.
Connexions modules contain not only
structural information about the document, but also semantic
information. This means that you do not simply highlight some text
and designate it as bold. Rather, you highlight the text and
designate it as a "term" or as a "quote". When your document is
uploaded to Connexions, the structure and the semantics are both
preserved.
Using Connexions styles is easy. If you have
used styles in Microsoft Word before you will not have a problem.
If you have not, have no fear, you will be using styles in no time.
Just use the following steps:
- Type the text of the paragraph into the document.
- Highlight the word or phrase you want to semantically mark
up.
- In your toolbar at the top of the screen, locate the style
drop-down box. It usually displays the default style Heading 1 or
Normal.
- Open the style drop-down box.
- Click the name of the semantic style you want to apply to the
highlighted text. The text that was highlighted is automatically
given the style you selected.
You are now ready to upload the document to
Connexions. Use the following steps to upload your Connexions
Document:
- After creating your module in Connexions (see
Editing
Modules) click the Edit tab (see
figure
2).
- Select Microsoft Word from the Import drop-down list and
click Import.
- Click Browse to locate the document you want (see
figure
3).
- Click Import to upload your document. Your new document is
uploaded and ready to edit or publish using Connexions.
Figure 2: The import/export screen in the
Connexions editing interface.
Once you have created your module, you can
edit it in Connexions, or make your changes in your original Word
file and repeat the upload process.
Metadata is information about the module, such
as the module title, any keywords that readers may search on, and a
brief abstract or summary of the module. To insert metadata, use
the following steps:
- Click the "Metadata" tab to display it.
- Type the name you want to give the module in the "Name"
field. This name will appear wherever the module title appears in
Connexions.
- Type the topic related terms that a user may use in a search
for the module in the "Keywords" field. Enter each term on a
separate line.
- Type a brief description of the module topic in the
"Abstract" field. Do not repeat the title of the module in the
abstract. The abstract displays under the title in the module and
restating the module title in the abstract would be
redundant.
- Click Save. A message that the metadata was updated displays
and the name of the module replaces "New Module" in the screen
title.
As creator of a module, by default you hold
the roles of author, maintainer, and copyright holder.
- Authors receive credit for writing the material.
- Maintainers are able to edit and publish successive versions
of a module.
- Copyright Holders have the legal right to license the
materials.
To grant one or more roles to other Connexions
account holders who you want to collaborate with you on the module,
use the following steps:
- Click the "Roles" tab to display it.
- Type the first or last name of the person you want to grant a
role to in the text box next to Search.
- Click Search. The Connexions accounts are searched and any
Connexions accounts that match the search string are
displayed.
- Select the check boxes for the appropriate roles next to the
name of the person you want to add and click Add People. The name
of the new collaborator appears with the names of authors,
maintainers, and copyright holders under the "Current Roles"
heading and in the table under the "Change Roles" heading. In both
places, the new collaborator is noted as a role change that is
pending acceptance.
- Look at the table under the "Change Roles" heading and verify
that the check boxes in the "Author", "Maintainer", or "Copyright
Holder" columns are checked for the roles you want to grant to the
new collaborator. If necessary, you can click the check boxes to
change which roles will be granted.
- Click Submit Changes. The next time the new collaborator logs
into Connexions, he or she will be notified of a pending role
request. Connexions will not apply the roles to the new
collaborator until he or she accepts the role request.
To add or edit links that are associated with
a module, use the following steps:
- Click on the "Links" tab on the editing interface. The Edit
Links" screen displays.
- Type the label for the link in the "Link Name" field
(required).
- Identify the target of the link by typing in a module ID in
the "Module ID" field or typing a URL in the "Link URL" field. You
can optionally specify a version if you entered a module ID.
- Click on the down arrow next to the "Link Type" field and
select the type of link from the drop-down list.
- Click on the down arrow next to the "Link Strength" field and
select a number from the drop-down list for the strength of the
link. 5 is the strongest link.
- Click Add to add the link.
After editing the module, you should preview
the module to verify that it appears as you want it to appear. You
can view modules from the "Preview" tab in both online and print
versions.
Once you are satisfied with the content and
appearance of your module, you can publish it in Connexions. To
publish a module, use the following steps:
- Click on the "Publish" tab. The "Publish Module" screen
displays. This screen contains a list of reminders for you to check
before you publish the module.
- Type a brief description of your work on the module in the
"Description of Changes" text box.
- Click Publish. Your work on the module is entered into the
Connexions Content Commons. Once in the Content Commons, anyone
with Internet access can you’re your module.
