Student Guide to Using Online Textbooks in Canvas

Student Guide to Using Online Textbooks in Canvas

If you are a student in a course that uses one of our online textbooks in Canvas, follow the instructions below to access your textbook. The steps are the same for all of our online textbooks.

Step-by-step guide for students

Gaining Access

You may be able to pay for access using a code purchased from your bookstore, a credit card, or PayPal. Your institution determines which payment options are available.

If you are paying by credit card or PayPal, you do not need an access key. Simply follow the payment prompts when they appear.

  1. Access your course in Canvas.
  2. Depending on how your course is set up, you will find links to the online textbook under Modules or Assignments.

    Select Modules. If Modules is not available in your course, select Assignments. Then select the link for the first chapter of the textbook.
    sidebar options in canvas course, modules and assignments are in a black outline
  3. When the textbook logo appears, select it to continue.
    an image of a clickable textbook logo
  4. Choose how you will access the textbook.
    • If you purchased an access key from the bookstore or your instructor provided you with a key, select Enter Access Key and enter your key.
    • If you are paying online, select the available credit card or PayPal option and follow the payment prompts.
  5. After your access key is accepted or your payment is completed, the textbook introduction page will appear.
    page content once access has been purchased or key has been redeemed
  6. Open each chapter through Modules or Assignments in Canvas. The first time you open a chapter this way, the chapter is unlocked so you can complete your work.
  7. To view the textbook contents and your results, select the textbook logo while you are in any chapter.
    table of contents page for textbook
  8. Complete the chapter page by page. Be sure to select Continue at the bottom of each page.

    On the final page of the chapter, select Continue, then select OK to confirm that the chapter is complete and submit your work for grading.

Understanding the textbook contents page

Chapters: Contains links to each chapter, where you work through the pages and complete activities, quizzes, and journal entries.

Chapter Results: Allows you to view submitted quizzes and journals, along with grade information.

Assessments: Contains links to your completed assessment reports.

Info Note: You can stop working within a chapter and return later to review or change your entries, except for quizzes. Once you submit a chapter, it is locked and can only be viewed.

Need Support?

You'll find our support widget in the bottom-right corner whenever you are using our products. The widget provides access to our full Help Center and live Chat with our CustomerCare team during business hours, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Eastern.

You can also reach our CustomerCare team at customercare@humanesources.com.