Opinions on "physics: DeMYSTiFieD - A Self Teaching Guide"?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around opinions on the book "physics: DeMYSTiFieD - A Self Teaching Guide," particularly its usefulness for college students already studying physics and its appropriateness for high school students. Participants share their experiences and reviews of the book, considering its content and potential errors.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant found the book at a low price and questions its utility for college students, wondering if it serves as a review or has errors.
  • Another participant expresses skepticism about the author's credibility due to their extensive bibliography, although they lack direct experience with the book.
  • A different participant suggests that the book is suitable for freshman physics students, emphasizing its focus on basic concepts that are often overlooked by students tackling more advanced topics.
  • Concerns are raised about negative reviews from Amazon, indicating that some readers believe the author complicates concepts unnecessarily, leading one participant to prefer more mainstream texts for review.
  • There is a consensus that the book may be most beneficial for high school students new to physics, with one participant considering passing it on to a younger cousin.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the book may be more useful for high school students than for college students, but there are differing opinions on its overall quality and the author's approach to explaining concepts.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference external reviews and personal experiences, which may not fully capture the book's content or errors. There is also a lack of consensus on the effectiveness of the author's teaching style.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in introductory physics, particularly high school students or those seeking supplemental material, may find this discussion relevant.

AaronK
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Recently at a second-hand bookstore, I found this McGraw Hill text for only $2 dollars, so naturally I had to buy it (any 500+ page book about physics for $2 bucks is a great deal). I wonder though, is it useful at all to someone already taking physics courses in college? Or would it just be a nice little review I could work through in my spare time? Anyone know of errors?

Would love to hear any opinion on the book :oldsmile:
 
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Its an okay book for what it is, a study or insightful guide for freshman physics. Often students get so hung up on the high end concepts or problems that they overlook the basics. This book helps cover the basics.
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I suspect the book would have the most value to a High School student preparing for his first year of physics (and hadn't any previous experience with physics). It won't replace a good textbook, but could supplement a course.
 
I've seen some worrying low-star reviews at Amazon from some of the people that got it there. It seems the the author has the tendency to unnecessarily complicate certain concepts that don't need to be overcomplicated, or at least that seems to be what some of the reviewers at Amazon felt who had worked through it. I suppose I'll stick to more mainstream/respectable texts for review, but I agree that the book would probably be most useful to high school students, so I'll probably just give it to a younger cousin or something.
 

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