Tagging Course Sections

Course Sections are particular instances of courses.  If the course content is always the same, course sections do not need to be tagged, since they inherit their course tags.  However, courses that vary in topic can be tagged according to the subjects of a particular section.  For example, HIST 388 - Topics in European History when taught this coming spring will be about British diplomacy (last fall the same course was about the French Revolution).  For this spring section of the course, the relevant tags are "Britain" and "War and Peace."  Europe is also a relevant tag, but you don't need to add that one.  Because "Europe" will always be relevant to this course, no matter what section, the course HIST 388 has already been tagged "Europe," and this spring section will therefore automatically be tagged "Europe" as well.

1. Access the list of your department's course sections by clicking on "course sections" in the left-hand menu on the dashboard.

2. On the page that opens, use the pull down menu "Subject Code" to select the relevant subject code.  Use the pull-down menu "Term" to select the relevant semester.  Then click the filter button to the right of the "Term" pull down. A list of course sections with that subject code for that term displays.

3. Edit a course section by clicking on its title (Tip: On Windows computers use CTRL + click or on Mac computers use Command + click to open the course for editing in a new tab. It is easier that way to tag many courses at once, by opening several courses to edit in multiple tabs.)

4. Look for the text entry field labeled  "Tags (separated by commas)"; it is just below the large text entry field for the course description.  Add your tags to the Tags field.  As you type, already existing tags will appear.  If your tag is a variation on an already existing tag, please use that tag.  For example, you plan to tag a course "British" and as you type B-R-I "Britain" pops up. Use "Britain" by clicking on the word "Britain" as it appears.  Do not use "British" because then like courses won't get collected together.  If you believe your suggested tag is better, write chssweb@gmu.edu with the suggestion.

5. To enter additional tags, add a comma following the previously entered tag and start the process from step 4 again.

6. When you are finished, click on the big red save button to the right.  You will get a message at the top of the editing page once your changes have been saved.  The commas between tags will disappear.  This is okay.