Using Achieve: How-To Guides

Create an Achieve Course

Instructors need a new Achieve course for every section they teach each semester to ensure students can access the correct assignments and eBook.

You can either:

Build a course from scratch, selecting the content and tools you want
OR
Copy a course from a previous term, keeping your assignments, due dates, and structure intact (with the option to adjust as needed)

📎 [Guide: How to Build or Copy an Achieve Course]
📎 [Guide: Complete Getting Started with Achieve]

Tip: Once your course is built, you can link it to your LMS and begin deploying assignments.

Section Management - Create courses for more than one class

Section Manager is a powerful tool for instructors or departments managing multiple sections of the same course each term. It allows you to create a master course and distribute identical, ready-to-use sections to colleagues or yourself—saving time and ensuring consistency.

How it works:

You create one Section Manager (master) course
From that course, you generate individual child sections for each class or instructor
These sections retain the same structure, assignments, and settings as the master
Instructors can then link their own section to the LMS and customize as needed

Why it matters:
Section Management streamlines setup for instructors teaching multiple sections and is especially helpful for departments standardizing assignments across large enrollments. It ensures consistent student experiences and reduces manual setup work term to term.

📎 [Guide: How to Use Section Manager in Achieve]

Linking Achieve to Your LMS (Canvas, D2L, or Blackboard)

To ensure students can access Achieve assignments, the eBook, and automatically sync grades, you’ll need to link your Achieve course to your LMS using the Macmillan Course Tools link within your LMS. This simple integration streamlines access and saves time with automatic grade syncing.

How it works:

Open your LMS course and click Macmillan Course Tools
Follow the steps to select "Connect with Achieve" and link your Achieve course
Once linked, you can deploy assignments from Achieve directly into your LMS
Grades sync back automatically, making tracking student progress effortless

Why it matters:
Linking Achieve to your LMS gives students one-click access to everything they need and ensures a seamless experience for both students and instructors. Plus, automatic grade syncing saves you time and eliminates the need for manual entry.

📎 Step-by-Step Guide(s): LMS Integration

Don't see your LMS?
Click here to search for alternative learning management systems in the Achieve Knowledge Base. Alternatively, you can reach out to your Macmillan Learning contact, or click the "Chat with Macmillan Tech Support" at the bottom of this screen.

*Note: Many institutions are in the process of upgrading from Blackboard 1.0 to 1.3, which may change how third-party platforms like Achieve are linked. If you're unsure about your institution’s setup, please contact your Blackboard Admin and/or review this support article.

Assigning Resources in Achieve

Once your Achieve course is set up, assigning content is simple—and highly customizable.

If you started with a prebuilt course template, you'll see suggested assignments already organized into unit folders when you log in. These templates are designed to align with common composition goals and include activities like LearningCurve quizzes, writing prompts, and grammar exercises.

But you're not limited to what’s included—Achieve offers hundreds of additional resources across writing, reading, research, grammar, and more. You can explore the Resource Library to add new assignments that support your students' needs and your course outcomes.

Assignments can be:

🗓️ Given due dates
🧮 Assigned point values
⚙️ Fully customized in grading settings, including late penalties, attempts allowed, and visibility

Why it matters:
Whether you're following a department template or designing your own course, Achieve gives you the flexibility to structure and assess content in a way that works for you—and your students.

📎 [Guide: How to Add and Assign Resources in Achieve]
📎 [Video Tour: Exploring the Resource Library - Coming Soon!]

Utilize Achieve Writing Tools

✍️ Achieve’s Writing Tools: Support Student Writers at Every Stage

Achieve’s Writing Tools are designed to support students through every phase of the writing process—from brainstorming to final draft. These tools help students build essential college-level writing skills while giving instructors meaningful insight into their progress and growth.

Why They Matter:
In an era of evolving technology and AI, students need guided practice to think critically, develop original ideas, and engage ethically with sources. Achieve’s Writing Tools provide structured, low-stakes opportunities for students to write, revise, and reflect in a way that builds confidence—without adding extra grading pressure on you.

What’s Included:

Scaffolded writing assignments with step-by-step guidance
Interactive drafting environments with revision and reflection prompts
Feedback tools to streamline peer review and instructor comments
Integrated rubrics and analytics to track progress over time
A robust peer review environment that helps students learn how to provide and receive meaningful feedback

How It Works:
You can assign writing tasks as standalone activities or in a sequence. Students submit directly within Achieve, and their work is automatically organized—making it easier to review submissions and monitor progress.

The peer review environment offers an interactive space for students to practice reviewing one another’s writing and eventually reflect on their own work more critically. This helps develop key skills like evaluative thinking, self-assessment, and cognitive decision-making—essential tools for becoming stronger, more independent writers.

With built-in rubrics, comment banks, and direct links to the Achieve eBook, instructors often find they can go from a full week of grading to as little as three hours, while still delivering the thoughtful, formative feedback students need.

🚀 Want to Learn More?

📎 Learn more about Writing Tools

📎 Writing Tools Crash Course

📎 Emily's Preview Video of Writing Tools

I offer semester-based pilots for instructors who want to try the writing tools in a low-stakes, supported environment. I also host weekly office hours, where we can walk through setup, explore examples, or talk through how to use these tools to meet your instructional goals.

Feel free to book a time with me or reach out by email—I’d love to help you explore how Achieve’s writing tools can save time and elevate your writing instruction.

Ebook Accessibility Features

Coming Soon!

extend due date

📘 Managing Deadlines in Achieve: Extensions, Accommodations, and Late Policies

In Achieve, there are three ways to manage assignment flexibility for students. Each has a distinct purpose and workflow:

1. Set a Late Submission Policy (Class-Wide, After Due Date)

Use this when you want to allow all students to submit work after the due date with or without penalty.

How to:

Go to the Assignments tab.
Click the three dots next to the assignment.
Select “Allow late submissions.”
Choose how many days late are allowed (e.g., 1 day, 3 days, etc.).
Set whether you want to apply a penalty to late work.

📌 This affects the entire class and only takes effect once the due date has passed.

➡️ View the full walkthrough here

2. Grant Preemptive Extensions or Accommodations (Individual, Before Due Date)

Use this when students need additional time before an assignment is due—whether for accessibility accommodations or personal circumstances.

How to:

Go to the Gradebook.
Click on the assignment -- a pop up menu will appear on the right-hand side of the screen.
Select “Add Extension."
Choose the student(s) needing extra time.
Enter the new due date and click Save.

📝 This is ideal for formal disability accommodations or pre-arranged flexibility with students.

3. Extend a Due Date for One or More Students (Ad Hoc, Before Due Date)

Use this when you want to provide extra time to select students without changing the main due date for the rest of the class.

How to:

Follow the same steps listed in #2 – Manage Extensions.

✅ You can apply this for a single student or group who need additional time without affecting the rest of the course.

reset diagnostic

Coming Soon!

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