Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Biology With Masteringbiology - College Biology Textbook Review

Biology with Masteringbiology is the most widely used college biology textbook in the world. Published by Pearson and now in its eighth edition, this book is the standard textbook in two out of three introductory college biology classrooms. Loved by students and professors alike, this textbook is authored by scientists Neil A Campbell, Jane B Reece, and five coauthors. The coauthors have brought to this edition the latest scientific advances and new insights to make this the most comprehensive of any edition of this popular textbook. Although intended as a college level book, Biology with Masteringbiology is widely used in advanced biology courses at the high school level.

In the tradition of all previous editions, this textbook is written in an easy to read, student-friendly style and is beautifully illustrated with the finest graphics to enhance the understanding of the book's clear explanations. Each chapter is introduced by the four to six key concepts that will be covered in detail in the section. This helps students focus on key points and creates easy-to-review topics when quizzes and tests are upcoming. Using the concept of scientific inquiry, the text presents at least one example of the experimentation behind the concepts in each chapter. Each chapter ends with a series of questions that helps cement the knowledge gained using critical thinking and analytic skills.

Key topics covered in great depth in Biology with Masteringbiology include biochemistry, the structure and function of animal and plant cells, cell division and genetics, the theory of evolution, the evolutionary history of life on earth and the resulting biodiversity, plant structure and functions, animal structure and functions, and ecology. A massive book at 1393 pages, the sections covering topics such as genetics and biodiversity are as comprehensive as many single texts on these topics. Insightful diagrams are plentiful in the text helping students visualize difficult concepts.

To complement the information in the textbook, Pearson has a MasteringBio website that offers an e-book version of the text available to students along with quizzes and tests that review the material. There are also animations of key concepts presented in the book. One highlight of the website is the ability to download and insert the diagrams from the book into notes taken on the computer.

Why Rent Textbooks?

Rather than buying a book new or used, finding an outlet where it is possible to rent textbooks for just the time they will be used is a growing trend catching on in colleges across the country. Especially in a time of depressed economic condition and rising tuition costs, students need to look at ways to save money and the option to rent textbooks cheap is appealing. Biology with Masteringbiology is an expensive book with the retail price around $190 dollars. Due to its vast popularity, it is a wonderful example of a book that is easy to find on websites that rent textbooks online.

Not only do students save money when they rent textbooks cheap, they save time. Rather than waiting in lines to sell back books for a small fraction of the original cost, by choosing to rent textbooks online, the text is simply mailed back at the end of the semester.

With an estimated cost of $700-$1000 per year, textbooks are an overwhelming expense for many students struggling just to make tuition payments. By renting textbooks, it is estimated that students can save up to 50 percent of that cost. Textbook costs have skyrocketed in the last 30 years with costs rising at twice the rate of inflation. Unless a book is one that the student would like to keep for future reference, the wise choice, especially in these rough economic times, is to rent textbooks.


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