<p>my daughter needs “experiencing psychology”. They are only on the second edition and the price diff is 150 dollars could there really be that big of change. I feel like all of these edition changes are such a ripoff. Am I being petty or am I right?</p>
<p>It depends on a several factors–esp. how long it’s been between the releasing of the 2 editions. Generally the longer the gap, the more changes in content there will be. In fields where there is alot of fast-moving research (e.g. neuroscience, medicine, particle physics) books need to revised more frequently to keep up with the current state of knowledge.</p>
<p>Revised editions, or new editions issued close together usually correct factual or typographical errors found in earlier editions. (Which may or may not be serious errors.) </p>
<p>FWIW, I did a quick google search on the title and came up with 2 possible texts–both are widely available and neither costs over $100. I also searched WorldCat and found 3 books with that name.</p>
<p>If you can find the ISBN of the text (or get more complete info including the author and edition) and do a comprehensive web search, you ought to be able to find a current edition at a reasonable price.</p>
<p>It all depends on the book. I’ve had a few where the original edition was from 20 years before the second, and there was a real good update in the second edition. Others, generally those on the 5th+ edition, are just a renumbering of problems and changing the color scheme for the text inside.</p>
<p>Her school’s library might have both editions of the book, so she could go there and see what the actual differences are. Figure out if it’s worth the money to go from the first to the second edition.</p>
<p>She could ask the professor/teacher. They can usually answer this question. Unless, of course, they wrote the textbook. Then they ALWAYS think you should buy the latest edition (new). :(</p>
<p>There could be some technology component of the book too. Online access to the book website can add $35 to $50 to the price of the book.</p>
<p>The publishers often change the end of chapter assignments enough from one edition to the other to make using an old edition problematic in disciplines like accounting & math. They probably do it in other disciplines as well. Their business model has changed so much in the 24 years I’ve been teaching and they are scrambling to make money in a dying industry as more and more free course materials are being made available through companies like Flat World Knowledge.</p>
<p>In general getting the correct edition will mean that she is “literally” on the same page with the instructor. I would not chance it unless the instructor approves. (My daughter has one teacher this year who specifically said if you want to buy the earlier edition then you will be fine except for a new added chapter which is available in the library).</p>
<p>I have had professors tell us that we do not need the newest version of a particular text, especially if it is for reference material (in a general-ed class). If your D will be asked to do specific problems/prompts from the edition, it is worth the new edition. The professor may actually not care if your D asks, but cannot officially announce it because of departmental policy that requires him to push the newer edition.</p>
<p>As others have said, it really depends on the text: sometimes it’s just the addition of newer, more relevant examples, other times entire chapters get added or deleted. Most profs are very sensitive to the cost of textbooks and will let students know how much it matters…or will make specific materials available to those who are using an older edition.</p>
<p>Don’t blame the professors, by the way. My department found that the campus bookstore would not let us continue to order an older edition if the publisher had come out with a new one.</p>
<p>I vote for having her ask the prof. One of my son’s had a super expensive book…like $250 expensive but the prof told the kids if they could get their hands on an earlier edition to borrow that was fine and they would not be ‘missing anything.’</p>
<p>We have found with our older kids that more often than not the “bookstore” lists a book as “required” but the prof just put it on the list as suggested or as a resource. We have the kids wait until after their first class to buy textbooks. They can get most of them online at Amazon with free 2 day shipping (Prime) and have them in time to do homework. Most college libraries have copies of books profs use to if there is a shipping delay. We have saved $100’s each semester doing that. Most extreme example–son took Chinese-bookstore listed 15 “required” books—in reality, those were all the editions of the 2 books needed for the class.</p>
<p>Yes, SteveMA is right. It is kind of a stressful way to do it, IMHO. But it does save a lot of $$$.</p>
<p>We haven’t found it stressful at all. Worst case–they borrow a book from a classmate or from the bookstore if they HAVE to have it the very first day of class. I think that has happened once–consider that most classes are every other day.</p>
<p>Our tutoring center also has most of the books. For many of the social sciences, a new book has a new chapter or some new sections, both mess up page numbering.</p>
<p>I am with the others that say to ask the prof. On our book orders each semester, we have to say whether the earlier edition is acceptable.</p>
<p>It depends on a lot of factors. I had a grad school class where we were told to purchase the new edition. The professor, however, did not change any of her lectures, assignments, or exams to reflect the changes. Chapters had changed completely so when she said the test was on chapters 6, 7, and 8, in our book it was actually 6, 7, and 9. We all did pretty poorly. Assignments would refer to a specific table that no longer existed.</p>
<p>It can make a big difference.</p>
<p>As has been stated before, for certain subjects, the edition matters. These are highly technical subjects, and are typically upper division classes. According to Amazon, Experiencing Psychology is an intro text, therefore the actual content probably hasn’t changed much in the three years since it was published. </p>
<p>Since this is the case, your daughter should contact the professor and ask him whether or not it’s necessary to get the newest edition so as to successfully complete the homework. Even then, she could just check the book out from the library on the days she needs to answer questions in the back of the book.</p>
<p>Fortunately your daughter will most likely not run into the same problems that 2016BarnardMom faced. From my experience, professors typically post the title of the chapter, not just the chapter number in the syllabus. Even if the prof doesn’t, your daughter, could ask him during office hours what the chapter deals with, and then find the corresponding chapter. I guarantee your daughter won’t be the only one to purchase an earlier edition, unless the professor specifically said only the latest edition works. </p>
<p>Also, unless it’s a dire emergency (even then the library will typically have a copy on reserve), never buy a textbook from the bookstore. It’s almost always available online for far less. Last semester, I needed a sociology text. The bookstore wanted me to fork over $80 for it. I got it used, but in great shape, from Amazon for $0.88, excluding shipping and handling.</p>
<p>My daughter, who graduates this semester, has become a real cheapskate when it comes to books even though we pay for them (lucky us). She even checked textbook costs when she was looking for her last two electives this semester. </p>
<p>She uses the books at the library and she splits the cost of a book and shares it. In many of her higher level math classes, the prof has everything online and the kids just print it off in the computer labs on campus. She has turned into a thrifty shopper.</p>
<p>Ask the professor if the old edition will do. However, the student may need to put up with some inconvenience if there is missing material, different organization, or out-of-synch page numbers. It’s the student’s responsibility to figure this out; the professor does not have a duty to “translate” the assignments to another edition that is not required on the syllabus. I generally don’t have a problem with my students using a different edition as long as they take the responsibility for adjusting to the differences and finding any missing material themselves online or in the library.</p>
<p>Many college bookstores automatically stock the newest edition of a book even if the professor did not request the change.</p>
<p>Another issue to consider is how important the text is to the student. In her major, D buys books from the bookstore. Pubishers don’t earn anything from the secondary market, so they bundle, and getting all the right pieces to the bundle is important. Now, for gen ed classes, she’s less fussy.</p>
<p>Asking the prof (which has been mentioned several times) is a good strategy. I use one book where an older, albeit not TOO old, edition doesn’t matter at all because we don’t use the part that needs frequent updating. The other book I use, however, definitly requires the current edition because the exercises at the end of the chapters change. D1 had one professor who sent out an email before classes began letting all the registered students know that, while the current book was the 6th edition, the 4th or the 5th would suffice. D got a 4th edition for $2 + $4 shipping in the amazon marketplace. Best deal ever.</p>