Do you buy updated book editions?

pleiadesc · 02-19-2018, 07:40 AM

Hello,

I notice in school textbooks that there are several editions of the same book, is it worth it to buy the latest update?

do you buy updated book editions? what are the advantages?

Thank you!

JSWolf · 02-19-2018, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pleiadesc

Hello,

I notice in school textbooks that there are several editions of the same book, is it worth it to buy the latest update?

do you buy updated book editions? what are the advantages?

Thank you!

You buy whatever edition the school is using.

sjfan · 02-19-2018, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pleiadesc

Hello,

I notice in school textbooks that there are several editions of the same book, is it worth it to buy the latest update?

do you buy updated book editions? what are the advantages?

Thank you!

Often the questions/problems in the book have changed, and you need the same edition that the class uses in order to be able to do the assigned work correctly.

(It’s almost as though publishers know that courses assign work from the book, and make sure to change the problems to limit the used book market and force sales of new editions.

)

DNSB · 02-20-2018, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pleiadesc

Hello,

I notice in school textbooks that there are several editions of the same book, is it worth it to buy the latest update?

do you buy updated book editions? what are the advantages?

Thank you!

You'll have the same edition the teacher is using? Not having the same edition as the teacher can be real fun as I learned at university when the new editions featured different page numbers and problems so I ended up borrowing classmates' books to work from after purchasing some used editions from the university bookstore. One of the new editions was much simpler since the new version was the old version with a 9 page errata section added after the appendices. Hmmm... I think that was my first step into the dark realm of copyright infringement courtesy of Xerox.

pleiadesc · 02-20-2018, 07:38 AM

Thank you everyone for the insight, I will get the same edition.

Richwood · 02-21-2018, 08:50 PM

As far as text books get the current edition. At many universities the textbook has the professor's name on it and is purposely changed every year or three to kill used book sales.

The other categories of regularly revised books include unabridged dictionaries, encyclopedias and Atlases. Nice to have the latest but unnecessary usually. The older editions are so much less expensive too if bought used from used book stores or Amazon.

Tarana · 02-28-2018, 10:44 PM

Haven't been a student in many years, but most of the time, you need the latest edition. I ignored this for required novels. On the other hand, ask the instructor or instructor's assistant. I have some professors that were happy to try to save students money. Usually they didn't write their own books.

Fiat_Lux · 03-06-2018, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

Not having the same edition as the teacher can be real fun as I learned at university when the new editions featured different page numbers and problems

For greater fun, take a philosophy course where the textbook is translated from another language. Study for the exam, and discuss the material, only in terms of what was in the original language. Bonus points if the instructor can neither read nor speak the original language.

Amber

HLS · 03-06-2018, 11:02 PM

Slightly off topic but for books you get on amazon noticed you get updates for free when you go to your content and devices page

crich70 · 03-07-2018, 12:46 AM

I agree that you want the most up to date edition. Otherwise it would be like using an encyclopedia set from the 1980's say. Nothing since the release date will be in them and you will just make it that much harder on yourself to be learning the course. On the other hand the new edition may be just the old one with the formatting changed. To know that you would have to talk to the teacher. He/she has to know their own field of study.

DNSB · 03-07-2018, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

I agree that you want the most up to date edition. Otherwise it would be like using an encyclopedia set from the 1980's say. Nothing since the release date will be in them and you will just make it that much harder on yourself to be learning the course. On the other hand the new edition may be just the old one with the formatting changed. To know that you would have to talk to the teacher. He/she has to know their own field of study.

Quite a few of the university texts I used were authored or co-authored by the person teaching the course. Hmmm... royalty from selling a new copy or let the student get away with buying a cheaper used edition. Decisions, decisions....

DNSB · 03-07-2018, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcladyz

Slightly off topic but for books you get on amazon noticed you get updates for free when you go to your content and devices page

Does that also apply to new editions of text books? Most of what I saw in updated books from Amazon was grammar/typo corrections to an existing edition and not entirely new editions.

tamil96 · 04-03-2018, 08:27 AM

You may purchase a book which is used by the teachers and school.

HLS · 04-06-2018, 10:19 PM

Same as others say. Use what the teacher recommends.

crane3 · 04-06-2018, 10:49 PM

I believe that it "depends". I had bought old Norton's books for English Lit & the books for American Lit classes for $5 each book at Borders & before I enrolled in the courses; think that they were only 1 or 2 editions old at the time of my having to use them. All reading assignments were in the old editions; I just did not think that the professors would add new stuff for reading assignments.

I also bought a old edition of Victorian literature from Powell's bookstore & had them send the book where the cost of shipping was double the cost of the book; BUT it was still lower than the over $100 used from the school bookstore; my cost of the used book was $10 for the book & $20 s&h. Only had 1 reading assignment where the newer edition expanded the material.

I do think that books for literature courses are more likely to have less changes than other topics; or Greek & Roman mythology.

02-19-2018, 07:40 AM	#1
pleiadesc Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2016 Device: none	Do you buy updated book editions? Hello, I notice in school textbooks that there are several editions of the same book, is it worth it to buy the latest update? do you buy updated book editions? what are the advantages? Thank you!

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02-20-2018, 07:38 AM	#5
pleiadesc Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2016 Device: none	Thank you everyone for the insight, I will get the same edition.

02-21-2018, 08:50 PM	#6
Richwood Astronomy Nut Posts: 531 Karma: 4000000 Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Reno, NV Device: Kindle (All), Kobo (Multiple), Sony (most) and Nook Glowlight Plus	As far as text books get the current edition. At many universities the textbook has the professor's name on it and is purposely changed every year or three to kill used book sales. The other categories of regularly revised books include unabridged dictionaries, encyclopedias and Atlases. Nice to have the latest but unnecessary usually. The older editions are so much less expensive too if bought used from used book stores or Amazon.

02-28-2018, 10:44 PM	#7
Tarana Wizard Posts: 4,061 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	Haven't been a student in many years, but most of the time, you need the latest edition. I ignored this for required novels. On the other hand, ask the instructor or instructor's assistant. I have some professors that were happy to try to save students money. Usually they didn't write their own books.

03-06-2018, 11:02 PM	#9
HLS Wizard Posts: 2,134 Karma: 16342480 Join Date: May 2017 Device: Sage, Scribe, Boox Note 2 Plus, iPad Pros and Samsungs S6,S7,S8	Slightly off topic but for books you get on amazon noticed you get updates for free when you go to your content and devices page

03-07-2018, 12:46 AM	#10
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I agree that you want the most up to date edition. Otherwise it would be like using an encyclopedia set from the 1980's say. Nothing since the release date will be in them and you will just make it that much harder on yourself to be learning the course. On the other hand the new edition may be just the old one with the formatting changed. To know that you would have to talk to the teacher. He/she has to know their own field of study.

04-03-2018, 08:27 AM	#13
tamil96 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2018 Device: none	You may purchase a book which is used by the teachers and school.

04-06-2018, 10:19 PM	#14
HLS Wizard Posts: 2,134 Karma: 16342480 Join Date: May 2017 Device: Sage, Scribe, Boox Note 2 Plus, iPad Pros and Samsungs S6,S7,S8	Same as others say. Use what the teacher recommends.

04-06-2018, 10:49 PM	#15
crane3 Guru Posts: 608 Karma: 5007204 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Calif Device: Fire hdx 8.9, Tab S2, Tab S5e, Aura ONE	I believe that it "depends". I had bought old Norton's books for English Lit & the books for American Lit classes for $5 each book at Borders & before I enrolled in the courses; think that they were only 1 or 2 editions old at the time of my having to use them. All reading assignments were in the old editions; I just did not think that the professors would add new stuff for reading assignments. I also bought a old edition of Victorian literature from Powell's bookstore & had them send the book where the cost of shipping was double the cost of the book; BUT it was still lower than the over $100 used from the school bookstore; my cost of the used book was $10 for the book & $20 s&h. Only had 1 reading assignment where the newer edition expanded the material. I do think that books for literature courses are more likely to have less changes than other topics; or Greek & Roman mythology.

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