Tips for Success
How Do I Get Started?
Instructors register at
For security, an Instructor will need a South-Western Username and Password. If you don’t have one from any or our product support sites, you can request one from this link. Issuing a Username and Password may take up to 48 hours.
After receiving an access code/serial number, you can register for access to restricted materials.
Once fully registered, go to the Login screen and type your username and password. Add your course(s) to your Personalized Course Site and take note of the Course Key automatically generated for your course(s). Your students will need this to register as well.
Students register at
Students need to have a registration serial number to access Personal Trainer. These are typically purchased through the bookstore.
Students must also enter an Instructor provided Course Key to be placed in the corresponding Instructor’s grade book. If the student does not enter a Course Key, he/she can still use Personal Trainer but they will not appear in any instructor’s grade book.
Students using WebCT or Blackboard with Personal Trainer will not be required to enter a course key. Students will be automatically placed in the instructor’s course.
As an Instructor, how do I get a Course Key for my class?
After registering, an Instructor can now access all the capabilities of Personal Trainer. This includes the ability to “Manage Course(s).” By selecting “Manage Course,” an Instructor can see the courses associated to him/her, including the Course Key for each course. An Instructor can also click on “Add Course” (at top) to create a new course. A Course Key is automatically generated and displayed when a new course is created.
As an Instructor, how do I get my Personal Trainer grade book grades into my Course Management system grade book (such as WebCT or BlackBoard)?
Gradebook is seamless with WebCT and Blackboard.
I know that Personal Trainer contains selected end of chapter activities from my South-Western/Thomson Learning text. Are there any differences between the activities in the text and the activities in Personal Trainer?
South-Western content experts enter the actual end of chapter activities from the South-Western text into Personal Trainer. Personal Trainer then allows the student to work these activities, receive instant feedback, and have grades automatically recorded. In rare instances, an activity might be slightly altered to allow for this automated process. However, the purpose of the activity is never altered.
Do I need to be online to use Personal Trainer?
Yes. Personal Trainer is an online product and requires internet access.
Do I need the South-Western/Thomson Learning text to use Personal Trainer?
The activities in Personal Trainer are directly from the end of chapter activities in the South-Western text. You will need to refer to the text to work the activities in Personal Trainer. In addition, the instant feedback provided by Personal Trainer will often refer you to sections of the text to review.
When I am working an activity in Personal Trainer, are there any special rules I need to follow?
Personal Trainer contains the actual end of chapter activities from the South-Western text. Both the text and the activity in Personal Trainer should be read before attempting to answer. Often, the activity in Personal Trainer will provide information as to how the answers should be entered. In addition, a few pointers may be useful to remember when entering answers in Personal Trainer:
Capitalization does not matter
Dollar signs and commas are optional in currency answers
Proper rounding of numbers is important in some activities
Enter a single hyphen for any dashes in an answer
Enter data exactly as it appears in the text
When in doubt, click on the “info” button for formatting advice
What are the system requirements for Personal Trainer?
Personal Trainer works in both Netscape Navigator 6 or higher and Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher. For best results, Microsoft Internet Explorer is recommended.
How do I contact South-Western/Thomson Learning customer support should I need further assistance?
South-Western customer support for Personal Trainer can be contacted by email at or by phone at (800) 423-0563 (select option 2).
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