Utilizing simulation software in a transform analysis course

While many of the courses in the ECET (Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology) program at New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA, have a laboratory component, there is one course that is strictly lecture. This course, EET 300, is similar to a second term circuit analysis course, and covers topics such as graphical differentiation and integration, Laplace transform, Fourier analysis and Bode plots. To incorporate a laboratory experience in this course, a demonstration version of PSpice (version 8.0) was used, in conjunction with a laboratory manual written by the author. This demonstration version of PSpice (MicroSim Corporation, Irvine, California, was a fully functional package that was sent free of charge. The limitations of this demonstration version were not a factor in applying the software to the course. In this paper, the author describes a variety of experiments that can be performed with PSpice to reinforce concepts that are taught in this course. It also discusses the students assessment of this material.