Using Supplementary Textbooks for Coursework

[DS2C]

I hope this is in the correct section. It applies to math, but not specifically a concept or anything.

Using really good math books compared to many of the standard issue texts provided from many schools has so far really improved my understanding of the material.

However, I've never used them WITH the issued text yet as I got all these books over the summer when I had no math classes. Now that the semester has started, I've been issued the standard text from the university but I greatly prefer the ones I have acquired.

My question is, when using supplementary textbooks, how do you go about utilizing both of them at the same time? Do you go all the way through one, then through another separately? Do you go tic for tac (such as going over one concept in one, then the same concept in the other text)?
This isn't necessarily specifically for math, but really just math and science in general. What's the best way to get the most bang for the buck in utilizing two texts?

 

[DrClaude]

As a teacher, I would expect students to read through the assigned text, as I consider the material it contains (I always specify which sections) to be an integral part of the course. My expectation is that a student will refer to a supplementary source when the material in the main textbook is not clear enough for them. So to answer your question, that would mean going first to the assigned textbook and then read topic by topic in the other books as the course progresses.

 

[DS2C]

Didnt see this reply. Thank you.
I think I get a little too OCD with things like this. In having two books, I get paranoid that one book might have something important that the other doesn't and I don't want to miss out on the information.

 

[Dishsoap]

I'm not sure that reading one chapter in one book and then switching to the other book to re-read the same material is a great use of time. Instead, I'd use the assigned textbook and if you are struggling to understand something, switch to the supplementary book. The number of times that I've banged my head against a textbook trying to understand something that was spelled out in a single sentence in another book is quite high.

 

[DS2C]

Good point, thank you. I want to get the most out of my study time but also don't want to miss important info. But don't we all...
I guess I will just have to see what works best. A time machine would work too.