New Authors landing page: Difference between revisions

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Authors (draft of a new page)


==Templates==
==Templates==
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==Basic Information==
==Basic Information==
WeBWorK problems should be written with the use of MathObjects. Most of the templates mentioned above will include the MathObject Macros (recognizable by the line "MathObjects.pl" in the LoadMacros section of the code). For those who would like to read up on the basics of coding problems the following pages are recommended:
WeBWorK problems should be written with the use of MathObjects, PG and PGML. MathObjects package things like numbers, vectors, matrices, etc., into a convenient form that controls formatting and includes an answer checker.  PG provides many macros that generate random numbers, graphics, compute statistical distributions, etc.  PGML gives authors finer control over a problem's display, and helps organize code in a way that is easy to maintain. Many older problems were written without PGML, and some were written without MathObjects,  but that practice is now strongly discouraged except in very specific circumstances. 
* '''[[Problem Authoring Background Information]]''' This article includes a PG language overview, some comments about editing problems and ensuring server access.
 
* '''[[SampleProblem4 |PGML]]''' (Template 4) shows the standard outline of a problem, which includes a ''tagging and description section'', ''an initialization section'', ''a problem set-up section'', ''a text section'', and optional ''answer and solution sections''.
Most of the templates mentioned above use MathObjects and many use PGML macros (look for "MathObjects.pl" and "PGML.pl" in the LoadMacros section of the code). For those who would like to read up on the basics of coding problems the following pages are recommended:
* See  '''[[:Category:MathObjects|MathObjects]]''' for more information on authoring problems using MathObjects.
* '''[[Problem Authoring Background Information]]''' -- includes a PG language overview, some comments about editing problems and ensuring server access.
* See '''[[ PGLabs]]''' to try  out code fragments on line -- including code fragments containing MathObjects. This is a quick way to learn the fine points of the MathObject syntax.
* '''[[:Category:MathObjects|MathObjects]]''' -- information on authoring problems using MathObjects.
* '''[https://testcourses.webwork.maa.org/webwork2/PREP13_Problem_Authoring/Workshop2_AM/  Davide Cervone's presentation to PREP, June 11, 2013]''' use guest login to view
* '''[[:Category:PGML|PGML]]''' -- information on authoring problem using the PGML markup language.
* '''[[PGLabs|PG-Labs]]''' -- try  out code fragments on line including code fragments containing MathObjects and PGML. This is a quick way to learn the fine points of the MathObject and PGML syntax.
 
==Tutorials==
 
* '''[[Learning How to Author Problems]]'''
* '''[[Writing Your Own Homework Problems Using PGML]]'''
* '''[[:File:WeBWorK_Problem_Authoring_Tutorial.pdf| WeBWorK Problem Authoring Tutorial]]''' aimed at people who already know TeX, but need to learn about Perl, PG, and MathObjects (pdf file).
* '''[[University of Lethbridge programming examples and libraries]]'''
* '''[[Problem Authoring Videos]]''', recordings from the PREP 2015 Problem Authoring Workshop.


== Reference documents and manuals ==
== Reference documents and manuals ==
* [[:Category:Applets|'''Applets''']], how to embed Flash and Java applets into WeBWorK questions.
 
* '''[[SequentialProblems]]''' revealing the problem one step at a time
* '''[https://webwork.maa.org/pod/ POD]''' -- POD (for WeBWorK/PG 2.15) = "plain old documentation" -- original documentation embedded in the code files -- this is the place to find the most complete and most technical description of macro behaviors.
* '''[http://webwork.maa.org/pod/pg_TRUNK/ POD]''' -- POD = "plain old documentation" -- original documentation embedded in the code files -- this is the place to find the most complete and most technical description of macro behaviors.
 
* '''[[:File:WeBWorK_Problem_Authoring_Tutorial.pdf| WeBWorK Problem Authoring Tutorial]]''' aimed at people who already know TeX, but need to learn about Perl, PG, and MathObjects (pdf file).
* '''[[Customize_Course|Customize Course]]''' This page includes a bit of code that allows student to obtain a new version of a problem.
* '''[[TrainingAuthors |Notes on training authors]]''', and suggestions for further documentation-- Sam Hathaway
* '''[[TrainingAuthors |Notes on training authors]]''', and suggestions for further documentation-- Sam Hathaway
* The Good Questions project at Cornell University [http://www.math.cornell.edu/~GoodQuestions/]
* '''[http://pi.math.cornell.edu/~GoodQuestions/ The Good Questions project at Cornell University]'''
* '''[[Converting CAPA problems for use with WeBWorK]]''' (This article has been retained as a historical document.)
 
[[Category:Authors]]

Latest revision as of 20:59, 16 June 2021

Templates

Most people write problems starting from templates. Problems from the OPL can be modified to suit individual needs, or existing problem templates can be used to create new problems.

Basic Information

WeBWorK problems should be written with the use of MathObjects, PG and PGML. MathObjects package things like numbers, vectors, matrices, etc., into a convenient form that controls formatting and includes an answer checker. PG provides many macros that generate random numbers, graphics, compute statistical distributions, etc. PGML gives authors finer control over a problem's display, and helps organize code in a way that is easy to maintain. Many older problems were written without PGML, and some were written without MathObjects, but that practice is now strongly discouraged except in very specific circumstances.

Most of the templates mentioned above use MathObjects and many use PGML macros (look for "MathObjects.pl" and "PGML.pl" in the LoadMacros section of the code). For those who would like to read up on the basics of coding problems the following pages are recommended:

  • Problem Authoring Background Information -- includes a PG language overview, some comments about editing problems and ensuring server access.
  • MathObjects -- information on authoring problems using MathObjects.
  • PGML -- information on authoring problem using the PGML markup language.
  • PG-Labs -- try out code fragments on line including code fragments containing MathObjects and PGML. This is a quick way to learn the fine points of the MathObject and PGML syntax.

Tutorials

Reference documents and manuals

  • POD -- POD (for WeBWorK/PG 2.15) = "plain old documentation" -- original documentation embedded in the code files -- this is the place to find the most complete and most technical description of macro behaviors.