Is the Constantly Changing Textbook Industry a Nightmare for Instructors?

[jtbell]

When I walked into my Optics class for the first day of class this morning, I found that the publisher had put out a new edition of the textbook (which I've been using for years) without telling me!

Fortunately the old chapter 3 (where I always started) seems to be the same as the new chapter 2, so at least the first couple of weeks will require minimal adjustment.

 

[robphy]

...so your students have the new edition?

Contact your textbook representative and request desk copies of the new edition and its supplements.

Hopefully the changes in the new edition are significant... rather than a glossy overhaul with little change in content. I don't mind good "old editions", especially if they are reasonably priced [new or used].

 

[chroot]

I'm convinced that most new editions these days are just mixing the book up a little to prevent people from reselling (or worse, pirating) the old editions.

- Warren

 

[robphy]

.. that or adding probably useless supplements [study guides, CDs, online access].

(I haven't been impressed by the supplements I've seen bundled with most new textbooks. Such supplements might be worth it if they were tightly-integrated with the textbook content.)

 

[morphism]

I'm convinced that most new editions these days are just mixing the book up a little to prevent people from reselling (or worse, pirating) the old editions.

- Warren

Same here. For instance, I don't see any other conceivable reason why a lower-division math/science textbook would be on its 6th edition 6 years after its first, unless it's so horrible it had to be changed so many times. And if it's the latter, it'd be wise to stay clear of such a book.