Welcome to the Macmillan Education help pages. Please choose one of the following topics.
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Browsing Content
- Supported Formats and Readers
- Your Account
- Purchasing eBooks
- Flash demos of how to purchase and read books on various devices
- DRM Protection
- Contact Us
- Help with Java Script
- Help with Cookies
- System Requirements
- eBook Formats
- Email Alerts
- RSS Feeds
- Widgets
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I buy an eBook?
For information on how to purchase an eBook simply go to
Purchasing eBooks help.
What credit cards are accepted?
We accept Visa or Master Cards as payment for any eBooks purchased on this site.
What can I do if I have forgotten my password?
If you have forgotten your password simply click on the “Forgot your password” link on the Login page and you will be prompted to enter your email address. The email address required was the email address that you entered during registration. If we recognize your email address we will resend your username and password to you by email.
Why can I only read a small number of pages within the book before getting a registration screen?
Content on the site is restricted for users who have not purchased the content or registered. This means that you may only be able to browse a certain number of pages before you are prompted with a login page.
If you have not purchased the book you will have access to a larger number of pages once you login, however, there will also be a limit to the number of pages available.
If you have already purchased the online license of the book, simply login and you will have access to browse through the rest of the content.
Why can I not print the book out?
To protect copyright of our content, and as one of our security measures, we have disabled certain functionality generally available within your browser. This means that you will be unable to copy, cut or print sections of text within the book you are reading.
Credit Card Verification Code
This is a 3 digit number present at back of your credit card.
Browsing Content
Overview
You can navigate pages of the site through the tabs along the top of the screen, and using the search box and links along the left hand side of the screen.
When you are reviewing an eBook on the site, you will see the online version of the book within the main frame of the screen and will be able to review it. The thumbnail of the book that you are currently browsing will appear in the top left of the screen along with links to free content available for the book selected.
Subject categories
Books within the site are divided into subject categories to help you find the content you want. Review all content for the subject of your choice by reviewing the Subject Categories on the Home Page. These are detailed in the “Browse” box in the top left of the Home page.
Expand the subject categories by clicking on each subject category. If you are at the lowest level category you will see the title of the books available within this subject category.
To select a book just click on the title and the online version of this eBook will load in the main frame of the window.
Browsing content
To move forwards and backwards through pages within the book that you are browsing, simply click on the arrow icons on the tool bar across the top of the eBook page.
If you have not purchased a book you will only have access to limited pages to each book on the site and may be prompted with a log-in and registration screen if you reach the maximum number of pages you are permitted to browse. If you need help to purchase a book please go to
Purchasing eBooks help.
Supported Formats and Readers
| Supported Formats | Readers | Details |
| AER (without DRM) as downloadable format | Adobe Reader, Acrobat standard and Pro versions, Sony Reader, Adobe Digital Editions, Mobipocket, iRex iLiad, iRex DR1000, Amazon Kindle (1, 2, International & DX), Barnes & Noble Nook and iPad. | This is Adobe eBook Reader format. |
| EPUB (without DRM) as downloadable format | Adobe Digital Editions, Sony Reader, iPad, Nook and Stanza | This is the format which can be rendered on most of the eReaders and devices |
| PRC (without DRM) | Mobipocket Reader, Kindle, ipad (need additional software for conversion) | |
| AER (with DRM)* | Adobe Digital Editions, Sony Reader | |
| EPUB (with DRM)* | Adobe Digital Editions, Sony Reader | |
| WMA(without DRM) | Any Audio media player | |
*For complete list of device support from DRM Server, please refer to this link:
http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/devices/Access restrictions
There are limits on the number of pages of the online book that is available for you to browse before purchasing it. Once you have reached the limit you will be prompted to login to your account or register to set up a new account. For help on registration please go to
Registration.
Once you have registered and logged into your account, you may be able to view additional pages, before you will be prompted to purchase the book. If you need help to purchase a book please go to Purchasing Content
Purchasing eBooks.
Zoom in and zoom out
While browsing or reading a book on the site you will have the option to enlarge any page to make the text larger and easier to read. Simply click on the magnifying icon with the plus in it on the tool bar across the top of the page of the book that you are browsing.
After you have enlarged the screen you can also zoom out by clicking on the magnifying icon with the minus in it on the tool bar across the top of the page of the book that you are browsing on your screen.
Searching content
The search functions on the site allow you to find particular words or phrases either within a particular book that you are browsing or within any books across the site.
To perform a simple search
For a quick search just enter the word or phrase that you wish to locate in the search box on the right side of the screen and click on the icon
. The list of search results will appear within the main frame of your screen. This is search within the site. It will result in a list of each title in which search term appears. The results are sorted by relevancy.
In order to see that searched term within the book, click on "View results within the book" link on search results page. This shows you page-level-excerpts. Further click on "Browse Inside" to reach the book page containing the search term. Searching Within a Book will display results in page order as they appear within the title that you are browsing.
To perform an advanced search
Simply click on “Advanced Search” in the Search box on the right hand side of the screen. An advanced query box will appear within the main frame of the screen to enable you to search by Subject, Book Title, Author, Publication Year, Format or ISBN. You will also be able to specify how you want your results to be sorted and how many search results you want to see.
Searching highlights
After you review a book that you have been searching across, you will see the word or phrases used in the search highlighted on the page displayed. As you browse the book you will find these search terms highlighted throughout. To switch off the highlight simply click on the Tools -> Remove Highlighting option on the tool bar on Reader frame. You can switch on the highlighting again by clicking on the same option.
Boolean Logic
Boolean logic is the conventional basis for searching most computerized systems. The primary operators which are supported on the site are
AND, OR, and
NOT. These can help you in getting appropriate results for your search. For a full explanation on the use of these terms, please see the examples below:
- Search for cats and dogs within a book:
- The search results will display all the pages that contain both these terms.
- The search results will not display the pages that contain only “cats”.
- The search results will not display the pages that contain only “dogs”.
- Search for cats or dogs within a book:
- The search results will display all results where “cats” appears.
- The search results will display all results where “dogs” appears.
- The search results will display all results where both “cats” and “dogs” appears.
- Search for dogs not cats within a book:
The search results will display all the pages that contain “dogs” but not where “cats” also appears.
Wish list
This function allows you to put aside a book that you might be interested to buy for later purchase.
- Add to Wish List when Searching
After you perform a Search query you will be offered the option to add books displayed in the results list to your Wish List. Simply click on the “Add to Wish List” button by the appropriate book to add that book to your Wish List.
- Add to Wish List when Browsing content online
When browsing content on the screen; simply click on the “Add To Wish List” icon on the left hand side of the screen to add the current book to your Wish List.
- Reviewing Wish List
To review items in your Wish List, please select the My Account -> My Wish List option on the menu bar along the top of the screen. If you are not already logged in, you may be prompted to do so. You will also be able to remove books from your Wish List on this page.
Bookmark a page
To bookmark a page that you are reading, simply click on Tools -> BookMark this page on the tool bar of Reader frame. This page will now be available in the bookmark list on your browser so that you can return to that page easily if needed.
Email a friend
If you feel the title you are viewing may be of interest to a friend, you can share link of the book with them by clicking on Tools -> Email to Friend. The recipient will receive an email notifying them of the title and a direct link so he/she may begin sampling the title.
Your Account
Registration
Registering on the site will provide access to additional functionality, including My Bookshelf, My Account, My Shopping Cart, My Wish List, as well as increasing the number of pages you are able to access before purchase.
To register on the site you can either click on “Register” on the tool bar along the top of the screen or access the registration process through one of the prompt pages that may appear as you browse a book or attempt to use restricted functionality. Enter your details on the New User Registration page and you will receive email confirmation of your username and password.
Login
Once you have registered you can login through the Login button on the top right of the screen, or at one of the prompt pages which will be presented as you browse a book. You will be asked for the email address and password that you entered during registration.
If you have forgotten your password simply click on the “Forgot your password” link and you will be prompted to enter your email address. The email address required was the email address that you entered during registration. If we recognize your email address we will resend your username and password to you by email.
Once you have logged in you will have access to the following additional functions:
- My BookShelf, where you will be able to view purchased titles
- My Account, where you will be able to review your account details
- My Shopping Cart, where titles you have selected for purchase will be listed
- My Wish List, where titles you have added to your wish list will be stored
Access Token
You may have received an access token for free access to title(s) for a limited period of time. Enter your access token code in the “Access Token” field on My Account page. Please note a single access token can be used only once. If you have any difficulty registering your access token please click on the Contact Us tab to contact our Help Desk.
Purchasing eBooks
Purchasing content
You will only be able to purchase content if you are registered on this site. If you are not registered you will be prompted to register. For help on registration please go to
Registration.
To purchase an online or a downloadable version of digital content, click on the Add to Cart link. Select the desired license from the list of available licenses on the Purchase Options page. Click the Add to Cart link once again and give your credit card and shipping address details on the Secure Checkout page to complete the purchase process.
To access the purchased online content, follow these steps:
- Once you complete the payment formalities for purchasing the online license for a particular title, the book gets added to your BookShelf.
- As you click on this book link from BookShelf, you would be directed to the landing page of the title on the website.
- You may read the title online using the navigations displayed.
To access the purchased downloadable content (AER and EPUB), follow these steps:
- Once you complete the payment formalities for purchasing the downloadable license for a particular title, the book gets added to your BookShelf.
- As you click on this book link from BookShelf, a popup message is displayed that asks you to save the URLLink.acsm file. Save this file on your local system.
- Next, you need to download and install Adobe Digital Editions on your system. You can download it from http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/
- Once the download and installation is complete, double-click on the URLLink.acsm file as saved on your system. The DRM’ed book would open in Adobe Digital Editions.
To access the purchased downloadable content (PRC), follow these steps:
- Once you complete the payment formalities for purchasing the downloadable license for a particular title, the book gets added to your BookShelf.
- As you click on this book link from BookShelf, book gets downloaded on your local system.
If you wish
to purchase a print copy of the digital content, scroll down to the Print Purchase Options section on the Purchase Options page. This displays a link for the supplier of the print copy of the book. Once user clicks on the link, they will be directed to supplier’s website where they can purchase and receive the book.
Security
During the checkout process on this site you enter into a secure environment. Our site has a digitally signed security certificate and SSL encryption, you will notice in the url bar that the prefix becomes "https" and a small padlock appears in the bottom task bar of your internet browser window. We have been verified secure by Verisign and during the checkout phase you will see the Verisign certificate on the page. As part of our security measures we have disabled the back button for these pages.
Security code
This is a 3 digit number on the back of your credit card.
Credit cards available for purchase
We accept Visa and MasterCard as payment for orders. You will be asked to enter your card details as part of the ordering process, and you will find further instructions when you process your first order. Once your payment is cleared you will receive a confirmation message on the screen and you will be able to access your purchased book when you click on “My BookShelf” on the menu bar along the top of the screen.
DRM Protection
We have provided DRM (Digital Rights Management) restrictions to the downloadable content on our website. The downloadable content in .pdf and ePub formats is DRM protected and carries “No Copy, No Print” restrictions. Hence you would not be able to copy or print this content. But the content in .lit and .prc formats is not DRM protected.
For more information on DRM related FAQs please
click here.
Contact Us
To contact the Help Desk please select the "Contact Us" tab and select the line that best describes the nature of your query at the top of the page. This will help us to respond as quickly as possible.
Please provide your name, email address, a subject line to your mail and your query. If you would like to receive a copy of the email that you send to the Help Desk please check the box at the bottom of the page. A member of our team will reply to you shortly after your message is submitted.
Help with Java Script
What is JavaScripting?
JavaScript is a script language that can be embedded a web page to add a greater level of user interactivity with a web site.
How does this site function if JavaScript is disabled in the browser?
The majority of the functions within this site will be unaffected if JavaScript is disabled, however some areas may not function as expected. We strongly recommend that JavaScript is enabled in your browser settings.
How will I know whether JavaScript is enabled in my browser?
If JavaScript is disabled within your browser you will see the following message on the Home page prior to logging in.
If your browser does not support JavaScript or it has been disabled, some pages may not work as expected.
If the message is not present then JavaScript is already enabled in your browser.
How do I enable JavaScript in my Browser settings?
If you are using a computer that is connected to a network please consult your Network Administrator before making any changes to your browser settings. If you are using a non-networked computer please consult your browser Help file before making any changes to your browser settings.
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0/7.0 (IE6 or IE7)
- From the Tools menu select Internet Options
- Click on the Security tab
- Select Internet as the Web content zone
- Click on Custom Level
- Scroll down to the section headed Scripting
- Under the subheading Active Scripting select Enable
- Click on OK to confirm your selection
- Click on OK close the Internet Options window
- JavaScript is now enabled
Firefox 3.x
- From the Tools menu select Options
- Select the Content tab
- Ensure that Enable JavaScript is ticked
- Click OK
- JavaScript is now enabled
If you are using a browser that is not listed please consult your browser Help file for instructions concerning the enabling of JavaScript. If you are having problems enabling JavaScript on your computer then please contact our Help Desk through the Contact Us tab.
Help with Cookies
What are Cookies?
Cookies are small amounts of information that are sent from a web server to your browser and stored on your computer's hard drive and contain information what the internet sites you have visited. Websites can use cookies for a number of different purposes including website customization, recognition of returning visitors and targeting of advertising.
How does this site use Cookies?
Platform uses cookies for one purpose only - as a session identifier. This enables us to keep your session (visit) open while it is active and to make sure that your session times-out after 30 minutes of inactivity to ensure site security. Once a session has finished (i.e. a user has logged out, timed-out or closed the browser) the cookie is no longer active and will not reactivate.
Please be assured - a cookie that we apply
cannot be used to access private files or data from your hard drive, access your email address or access sensitive information.
How to enable Cookies?
NB. If you are using a computer that is connected to a network please consult your Network Administrator before making any changes to your browser settings. If you are using a non-networked computer please consult your browser Help file before making any changes to your browser settings. Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 (IE6)
- From the Tools menu select Internet Options
- Click on the Privacy tab.
- Ensure that the slider is no lower than High (i.e. not at Block All Cookies)
- Click OK
- Cookies are now enabled
Mozilla Firefox 3.x
- From the Tools menu select Options
- Click on the Privacy tab
- Ensure that Accept cookies from sites (including accepting third party cookies) is ticked
- Click OK
- Cookies are now enabled
If you are using a browser that is not listed please consult your browser Help file for instructions concerning the enabling of cookies. If you are having problems enabling cookies on your computer then please contact the Help Desk by selecting the "Contact Us" tab.
System Requirements
For optimum performance of this site we recommend that you use the following systems:
| Operating System | Browsers Supported | PDF Reader |
| Win XP and Win Vista | - IE 7 and 8
- Firefox 3.x
- Opera 9.x
| Adobe Reader 8 and 9 |
| Linux | - Firefox 3.x
- Safari 3.x
- Opera 9.x
| Adobe Reader 8 and 9 |
| MacOS X | | Adobe Reader 8 and 9 |
eBook Formats
Formats available
Once you have selected a book for purchase, you may get one or both of the following options:
- Purchasing an online access of that book.
- Downloading it in different eBook formats.
eBook Formats
Platform currently supports eBooks in Adobe eBook reader (.pdf), Mobipocket (.prc), Audio formats (.WMA and .MP3) and .ePub formats. A book may be available in one or may be all of these formats. These eBooks can be downloaded on local machine.
Audio Formats
Platform currently supports Audio Books in WMA and MP3 format.
This format is supported by Windows Media Player. If you do not have Windows Media Player already installed on your system, you can download it from
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/AllDownloads.aspx Features: - Fast and Flexible Playback
- Instant-on/Always-on streaming
- Mix your music DJ-style with Crossfading and Auto Volume Leveling.
- Variable speed playback.
- Media Link.
- Fast and flexible playback.
- Now Playing Info Center View.
- Quick deployment and customization for the enterprise.
To review system requirements for audio books downloaded in Windows Media Player, please review the product information on the Windows Media Player website at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/9series/sysreq.aspxAdobe PDF Reader is supported by Adobe. If you do not have Adobe Reader already installed on your system, you can download it from
http://www.adobe.com/downloads Features: - Digital bookmarking and hyperlinking.
- Display rotation for laptop computers – turn around your laptop and read your eBook like a print copy.
- Full-text search capability.
- Bookmarking functionality.
- Multi-level zooming.
- CoolType technology makes words on screen appear more like words on paper.
- Create annotations or highlight text.
- If secured, it opens in Adobe Digital Edition.
To review system requirements for books downloaded in Adobe format please review the Support information on the Adobe website at
http://www.adobe.com/support This format is used for Mobipocket devices. If you want to download Mobipocket Reader on your Windows PC or any of your Mobile devices (PalmOS, SymbianOS, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, and others), you can download it from
http://www.mobipocket.com/en/DownloadSoft/ProductDetailsReader.asp Features: - Readable on PC or can be transferred to PDAs
- Provides a continuous stream of text, easy navigation with the browse buttons and progression bar on the reader software.
- Adjustable font size and colour (n.b. changing font size may affect the display of tables and images on your reader).
- Bookmarking facility.
- Full-text search function.
- Annotate paragraphs and highlight text as per your individual requirements.
- Full-screen mode function.
- Zoom in / Zoom out function.
- Many readers provide touch-screen page turning.
- Subpixel rendering technology, MobiType, to improve display on PalmOS devices.
To review system requirements for books downloaded in Mobipocket format please review the information on the Mobipocket website at
http://www.mobipocket.com/forum ePUB
This format is supported by Adobe, Sony reader and other eBook readers. It can be rendered on any of the mobile devices including iPhones. If you do not have ePub reader already installed on your system, you can download it from
http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/.
Features: - ePub is the most popular open book format.
- Displayed in a reflow-centric XHTML-based format.
- Can be viewed by Adobe Digital Editions (ADE), Sony readers, Calibre, FB Readers, Stanza and Aldiko.
- Presents the eBook in a natural page format with page turn functionality.
- Supports bookmarking functionality.
- Has library management features.
- If secured, it opens in Adobe Digital Edition
Email Alerts
What are email alerts?
Email alerts are an e-mail subscription notification service which provides updates about new or updated titles in your chosen subject categories on a weekly basis. So, now you can get free updates about new books of your favourite subjects just by sharing your email address. Your details will not be used for any purpose other than to send you new titles alerts.
How can I set my email alerts?You can request for email alerts at the time of registration or later. Once you have set them, you can move out or modify these alerts at any point in time.
Scenario 1 - If you are a New User, follow these steps:
- Click on the Register tab in the top menu.
- Once you are taken to the New User Registration page, fill in your details and click on the "here" link at the bottom of the page to view email alerts options.
- Choose one or more of these email alerts options.
- Submit your details.
Scenario 2 - If you are a Registered User, follow these steps:
- Login, if you haven't already done so.
- Perform any one of these scenarios
- Click on My Account tab in the top menu. Once you are on the My Account page, click on 'Modify Information'.
- Click on Email Alerts link either from left menu or from footer.
- You will get to view the Email Alerts section.
- Choose one or more of these email alerts options.
- Save the changes.
How can I modify my email alerts?To modify your alerts, follow the four steps given in Scenario 2 above.
RSS Feeds
What are RSS Feeds?RSS (really simple syndication) is a new way to publish frequently updated content online. These feeds give you up-to-the-minute information by allowing you to see the new content added by websites.
By subscribing to RSS feeds, you can get notified whenever new titles are available in your favorite subject categories.
Why should I subscribe to RSS Feeds? - You save time and bandwidth because now you are no longer required to manually collect updates from your favourite websites. By the means of RSS, all of it happens in an automated manner and the updated content is delivered right to your desktop as soon as it is published online!
- More importantly, even Guest Users can subscribe for RSS Feeds because you do NOT have to reveal your email address for getting these feeds. So, get the information you want without receiving unwanted emails!
How Do I Access RSS Feeds?A news reader is the first thing that you need before subscribing to a feed. This is a piece of software that collects the feeds and lets you read any new articles that have been added. These readers are of three kinds:
- Desktop feed readers
- Web based feed readers
- Live Bookmarks
The desktop feed readers are downloadable applications that let you store RSS feeds on your computer. But since the web based readers add RSS feeds directly to your personal pages (like iGoogle/ My Yahoo!), they let you catch up with your RSS feed subscriptions from any computer.
Some browsers, including Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari, have inbuilt feed readers called Live Bookmarks. It is a reader on your computer or a web service that allows you to add feeds directly to your browsers. But this is not the best way to read RSS feeds because standard feed readers offer more functionality (e.g. displaying dates, descriptions, preview panes etc) than Live Bookmarks.
If you do not already have one, here is
a list of both Desktop and Web-based feed readers for your convenience.
Once you have installed a feed reader, choose your favourite subject category and click on the orange RSS button beside it. You will get the RSS page for that category. Just drag or Copy and paste or type the URL of the feed into your feed reader and your reader will automatically retrieve and display all the new titles as and when they are added to this category.
To add a feed as a Live Bookmark, you just need to use the Subscribe button on the RSS page and name the feed.
Widgets
What is a widget?
If you would like to embed an ebook on your website, or would like to share it with friends, click on 'Add to Your Website' for any title. The platform widget allows you to easily share any ebook with your friends, bookmark it for future reference, or to make it an addition to a website.
If you already have a personal blog or website, you can embed the ebook by copying and pasting the HTML code located on the second tab of the widget. The widget, as it appears on platform will then be a part of your website and allows visitors to preview the ebook by clicking on its front cover image.
The third tab of the widget allows you to add the widget to an iGoogle homepage (
www.google.com/ig) or to Windows Live Favorites (favorites.live.com). Additionally you can post the book to social bookmarking sites. On Digg (
www.digg.com) and
del.icio.us you will be able to share the ebooks with friends and find people with similar interests.
The fourth tab on the widget allows you to email the ebook to friends or colleagues. Send a message to your friends, and separate multiple addresses with a comma.
