Peer Review

DC Circuits

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Reviewed:: Jan 27, 2022 by Engineering

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Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This is a text covering Direct Current (DC) circuit analysis of series parallel circuits comprising resistive and reactive components. The text is divided into three modules. Module 1 deals with purely resistive circuits and its analysis using ohms law and Kirchhoff’s voltage and current laws. Module 2 covers more advanced circuit analysis of purely resistive circuits using Thevenin’s, Norton’s and Superposition Theorem. Module 3 looks at the dc circuit analysis of circuits comprising resistors, capacitors, and inductors.
Type of Material:: Open (Access) Textbook
Recommended Uses:: It could be recommended for introductory courses on engineering. Useful also for blended/hybrid teaching as a reference book, in class, homework and individual.
Technical Requirements:: Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers were used to access the material. It seems that all facilities are active for any browser.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The open textbook is addressed to engineers and students of engineering degrees interested in learning the fundamentals of DC Circuits. The student would be guided through DC circuit analysis of series, parallel and series parallel resistive circuits. The student would be introduced to DC circuit analysis of circuits comprising resistors, capacitors, and inductors. The student would be able to apply the circuit theory rules of analysis of Ohms Law, Thevenin’s and Norton’s, Superposition, Nodal and Mesh analysis of DC circuits.
Target Student Population:: College Lower Division, College Upper Division
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Math skills requiring solving simultaneous equations by various methods, matrices, differentiation and integration.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: At a basic and practical level, the concepts are clearly explained, and the structure of contents is correct. The book contains the basic core concepts in the discipline. Compact demonstrations and derivation of equations. A list of open-link references is included for interested readers. Summary of equations at the end of chapters. The website includes an option for review or comments of external users. The author handles each topic from the point of view of a student pointing out concisely the dos and don’t and errors usually made. The author brings each topic alive with the Multisim examples and practical circuits. The author summarizes the relevant equations. All concepts are illustrated using worked examples.
Concerns:: There are no examples at the end of each chapter for the students to try. A list of proposed exercises for student’s homework and self-learning would be highly recommended. The links of references need periodical update as internet addresses can change at any time.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

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Strengths:: The text identifies common mistakes students make and guides them accordingly. The text provides student with pictures of the various components and practical circuits built in Multisim. Worked examples are used to illustrate the various laws of dc circuit analysis. Though the material could not be used as a stand-alone reference textbook, it could be used as a supplementary material in traditional or blended/hybrid advanced courses. The concepts are built progressively and based in prior concepts. Relations between concepts are easily stated by means on internal links of the book. The approach to show the practical application of DC circuits fundamentals ease the learning of concepts.
Concerns:: The text cannot be used to measure student learning outcomes. The text does not identify learning objectives explicitly. The text does not identify prerequisites.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: It is available as a pdf or word document. The information is very concise and can be used as a quick reference or study guide by students. There are web links to other sites for background information on the various topics in order to keep the information on point. Ease of use as e-book. Visual design is engaging.

Other Issues and Comments:: The open textbook is addressed to engineers and students of engineering degrees interested in learning about fundamentals of DC Circuits. Contents are presented in a simple, practical but rigorously form and requires foundations in maths.
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