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Re: [Phys-l] Picking Thermo Book - Help requested



And another vote for Schroeder, also from someone using it for the third time. In my opinion, Schroeder's writing is very similar to that of David Griffiths and THAT is a very good thing. He uses precise but informal language, makes good use of analogy, and anticipates and answers the objections of careful readers.

There is a significant difference between the style of introductory and upper division physics texts. Beginning upper division students need to unlearn bad "reading" habits they often develop in the introductory course and be taught pretty explicitly what it takes to read and learn independently from advanced texts. The biggest hurdle is gaining the self-confidence that assures them that, IF the book is written with care, they CAN learn from it independently as long as they devote the requisite time and effort. Books like Schroeder's and Griffiths' are invaluable aids in helping students to reach that confidence level.

I make my junior level classes turn in "reading memos" each day in which they voice their reactions to the reading, write out questions that occur to them, and often answer them as a natural result of the effort it takes them simply to explain their confusion verbally. Indeed, that is part of the point of reading memos. The first time I taught the thermal physics course, I had a student who came to the course nervous about her ability to succeed in physics, but who also took my assigned task of learning how to read seriously. At the end of the course she made my day (year perhaps) by telling me that as a result of my forcing her to learn how to read, she discovered to her delight that "physics isn't impossible; it's MERELY really, really hard!" I'm convinced that Schroeder's book had a lot to do with helping her develop her self confidence.

John Mallinckrodt

Professor of Physics, Cal Poly Pomona
<http://www.csupomona.edu/~ajm>

and

Lead Guitarist, Out-Laws of Physics
<http://outlawsofphysics.com>