Do I REALLY need to buy textbooks? (1 Viewer)

[bambox]

Hi,

Over the past few days I've been stressing out about not being able to find the right 2nd hand core textbooks for my subjects, and trying to maintain some $$ in my account. This made me wonder if I REALLY needed to buy them at all. I briefly remember coming across someone mentioning that some textbooks are used in both semesters - could someone please tell me which textbook/s this is, as I will opt to prioritise these on my list of textbook expenses.

The subjects I'm doing this sem are Chem1, Biosphere, CB&G, and Statistics. I have already purchased the Campbell Bio book (although I'm not sure if it was worth buying...), and I'm trying to purchase the Blackman Chem book (2e). As for Biosphere however, based from your personal experience, would you recommend me purchase a textbook for this subject or could I just get by from googling and lecture-notes? The same question applies to Statistics textbooks vs lecture notes.

For semester 2 my subjects are Chem2, Physical Aspects of Nature, Human Anatomy/Physio and Biocomplexity. The same question applies: from your personal experience, which textbooks in particular would you recommend me to purchase, and what materials/resources did you frequently consult for each subject, as a means of revising and studying?


I'm just trying to weigh out what I really need, and things I could do without.

Thanks a billion in advance for your time and responses.

 

[brent012]

Wait a few weeks in and see if you think you'll need it. I don't do B Sc so i can't comment on any of those subjects, Mathematical Modelling (the engineering one or the science one) uses the same textbook for both semesters so that might have been the one you heard of? Doesn't look like you are doing it anyway.

 

[SunnyScience]

Med Sci Student here.
My 2nd year friend said he only used the bio book once during the semester, but the chemistry book is definitely worth getting especially if you are doing it next semester as well. I'm getting the 1st edition version for 1/3 of the price on tuesday.

 

[blackromanc3]

I've done a Med Sci/Bus degree and I can tell you now that science textbooks are not really needed maybe except for chemistry. Most anatomy and physiology based subjects do not really require textbooks as they mostly test you purely on lecture notes. Physics I found the textbook to be quite helpful but I wouldn't buy it retail price as I didn't use it a lot. I can give you a hint for physics though and that is to study the tutorial questions, practice paper and examples they give in the lectures. If you can do the questions set you will find the exam quite easy.

As for study methodology in general, you just have to learn and understand everything in the lecture slides given. They will rarely give you questions outside of the lecture slides. You don't really need to read outside unless you don't understand some concepts but I do recommend you do anyway for written exams which you will encounter more in 2nd and 3rd year. Also for some anatomy subjects you are given online tests and sometimes those questions on the online test appear in the mid sems/finals.

 

[Truth Seeker]

If that is necessary buy it. But if it's fine to search in the internet you do that. At least less expenses $$$$$$. But, what I have a website to share, don't you know that http://homework-desk.com Had you tried it?