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Re: Choice of Calculus Based Physics Book



At 10:46 PM -0700 3/9/99, Taha Mzoughi wrote:
Serway, the book that we use in our calculus based physics sequence is
coming up with a new edition. Traditionally, this is the time we decide on
book adoption. Currently, most of the faculty is content using Serway. Since
I have started using the "Just In Time" teaching technique and counting on
my students to read the book before they come to class, I have noticed that
quite a number of the students are having difficulty understanding some of
the sections of the book.

We are facing the same decision. We were about to go back from Serway to
Halliday and Resnick, but others in our state say H&R is now _less_
readable in 5th edition than it was in earlier editions (and less readable
then Serway); and they are planning a switch the other way--from H&R to
Serway.

I like Serway's spreadsheet problems, and it seems more rigorous on some
points, but I used to like H&R's diagrams and test bank better, and I used
to think H&R was more readable and the problems more doable. I guess I
should compare the latest edition of each.

So I, too, will be interested in comments others have on this topic.

Larry Smith