Science degrees and buying text books

studentphil

I just wonder if it was the same in the sciences as it is in the Arts where you have to buy a 30-40 text book for each module? That is the one great problem there is in most courses written in the Arts that the set texts you need to buy are too expensive for a lot of students to afford.

lisa_75

studentphil wrote:

I just wonder if it was the same in the sciences as it is in the Arts where you have to buy a 30-40 text book for each module? That is the one great problem there is in most courses written in the Arts that the set texts you need to buy are too expensive for a lot of students to afford.

I think with most courses you will need access to a lot of books. I don't buy any at all as I can't afford to buy that many books. I get by with my uni library and my local library.

My course leader told us not to buy any books as to get a good mark you should access a lot of information from many sources and most students could not possibly afford the number of books they need for each year.

studentphil

I am talking the set text for the module that you must buy as if you do not have a copy you can not do the tutorial readings.

Smashing

Far too many people buy a load of textbooks before starting and end up rarely using them. Wait a few weeks to see which textbooks are being used as the 'core' ones for your course. The rest can be used in the library.

Also, a lot of past students sell their textbooks so you might get a good deal if you enquire.

lisa_75

studentphil wrote:

I am talking the set text for the module that you must buy as if you do not have a copy you can not do the tutorial readings.

You can still get them from the library or get a mate to photocopy the relevant section if they have the book.

studentphil

lisa_75 wrote:

You can still get them from the library or get a mate to photocopy the relevant section if they have the book.

I suppose but the library does not hold 50-60 copies of the set text so the library does not work.

lisa_75

studentphil wrote:

I suppose but the library does not hold 50-60 copies of the set text so the library does not work.

You need to address this issue with your module leader then. You are paying for a service and they should have an adequate number of texts in the library, even if they are reference only.

Murtle

You don't need the set texts constantly. Or at least we never did. They should have some copies of the set text on restricted and reference only so worse case scenario you can access them in the library.I bought some of my books, waste of money I ended up lending them to friends that didn't want to buy them...now they are clutter....another good place to get them is the start of the term, when last years students are selling theirs, they may even have some useful notes in the margins!! Wish I'd sold mine now...they really are clutter....

studentphil

On my course you need the set text for every tutorial and lecture.

lisa_75

studentphil wrote:

On my course you need the set text for every tutorial and lecture.

Sounds like a pretty restricted way of learning. Do you mean you never discuss anything except the set texts?

studentphil

Yes, but in philosophy you have to read the readings three times to half understand them. 50 or 60 pages of philosophy for a tutorial is killing in itself.