s/o International Edition textbooks

[Matryoshka]

I asked about this in the other thread, but I think it's too buried, and I need to know! :tongue_smilie:

 

I just went ahead and bought the International Edition of dd's programming textbook - it was $32 new instead of $115 used (although it did cost a bit more to ship).  Was this a mistake?  She did not need the book w/ code for this class...

 

Then there's her Physics text.  She does need the code.  She can get the code - which includes an eversion of the text - for $132. :glare:  This includes only the first 1/3 of the complete text. If she bought code w/ 1/3 hardcopy text it's an extra $70, but the bookstore is sold out.  She asked and the next two Physics classes (at least one of which she will definitely take, and probably both) use the next two thirds of the book.  Since she will have the ebook version to check page numbers and exact problems, I was thinking of getting her the complete text as a reference - maybe even the previous edition.  Annoyingly, even the previous edition (3rd) is coming in at $200 for a used copy. :glare:  I can get the current version (4th) for about that...).  I can also find a International 3rd edition (but not 4th) for amazingly cheap - like as low as $20 new.  It does say, though, that it is softcover rather than hardcover, and printed in black and white instead of color.  I'm worried that maybe the paper is cheap and the layout more cramped too??  The whole point of getting a printed reference text is that the eversions can be hard to read if you're really reading (rather than just looking up problems or something short).  But $200 vs $20?  There's also one hardcover International Edition listed for $32, but I'm guessing that's still b/w (it doesn't say).

 

So... anyone have experience with these?  Good idea to save money, or penny wise and pound foolish?   :confused1:  and...  :banghead: .  Three kids buying college textbooks (two in 4-year, one in CC).  So.much.fun.   :glare:

 

 

 

[G5052]

Can you ask the professor?

 

We've had mixed results with international textbooks really matching the American one, but in each case the professor said to go ahead and use what we had.

 

I agree that buying textbooks is ARG! I always underestimate how much it will be.

[Guest]

In my Arabic class, there is a super-senior physics major who recently recommended getting international editions. He said he did that for almost his entire time at college.

 

I suppose the worst case scenario is that you are out $20 but still have a somewhat useable book while you search for the proper one, right?

[regentrude]

We have bought several international editions for DD and they did not differ from the originals in content. Maybe simpler paper, I don't know.

 

For a physics class I would have no qualms going back several editions if you want a reading copy. There is absolutely nothing that has changed about the content in the last 20 years; intro courses do not have cutting edge stuff. If she has an ebook of the current version, she has the problem numbers in case they assign homework from the book.

Also, university libraries usually have copies of all important texts used for classes in the reference section; a student could go there and check out the book briefly to make sure to do the correct assignments.

 

 

[Bootsie]

Students often ask me if the international edition is the same and I have to say that I do not know because I don't have a copy to compare.  Sometimes they are the same and sometimes they are not.  The publishers will produce international editions--sometimes exactly the same and sometimes with differences.  Many of the international editions, however, are counterfeits not published by the publisher and are a violation of US copyright laws--the quality of the counterfeits can vary greatly.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I downloaded a free chapter for the US edition for DS's Social Psych book and am comparing it with the corresponding chapter in the international edition. On the first two pages there are big differences. 

 

There's a 70 page difference between the beginning of the chapter in the books; the chapter begins much later in the US edition.

 

US version  - missing the introductory paragraphs that are included in the Int. edition (page 1)

 

International version - missing the brief discussions on sexual orientation and immigration. (page 2)

 

Page 3 - there are too many differences to count. The US edition has bullet point examples that are missing in the Inter. edition.  

 

Many of the illustrations are the same or similar enough.

 

Yeah, I'm into it about 7 pages and the US edition contains much more information than the Inter. edition.  Three full paragraphs (approx. 1 page) are missing on one topic in  the Inter. edition.

[MarkT]

programming textbook

 

Where do the problem sets come from?

Have her match it with someone who got the US edition

for programming I doubt the content would be much different but if Prof assigns problem 6-2  #5  it better be the correct one

[angela in ohio]

It depends. For any book with problem sets (if the professor used the ones in the book and they aren't done online instead) you need to make sure they will match. Sometimes from one edition to the next they add or subtract a problem here or there and then nothing lines up. Some helpful professors have lists to match old editions on their sites, though.