Anyone know how useful Evolve Select is?

mysterious_one, ASN, RN · Nov 20, 2007

I am in an ADN program, and we were given the option to buy a book package from evolve/elsevier at the beginning of each semester. I bought the package the first semester. It cost us somewhere around $ 550, I can't remember exactly, and it gives you access to all your books on Cd plus some extra books that were not required. I researched on Amazon and I know , I could have gotten the required books used for half price. I personally did not use the Cd feature that often, but I know from others in class, especially those with laptops, that they used it for case studies and care plans and such. I did not purchase the packages the next semesters, and I only payed half of what my classmate payed, but I also only purchased used books.I did not miss the Cd's. I think it really depends on you, I use a lot of other resources for my papers, like the web or my schools library.To keep in mind : You still have access to the on line web resources from evolve that come with your book, whether you bought the Cd's or not.

MB37 · Nov 20, 2007

We are required to buy the package from evolve - the way they set it up, we have to have all the access codes just to get on blackboard, so you're required to buy new products. I never use it - I loaded the CDs on my computer last semester, and used the search function twice - I didn't find it that helpful. I didn't bother to even upload the ones for this semester. Some people put everything on their laptops, and then they can read off the computer screen instead of using an actual textbook. Even with the highlight function, my brain still doesn't learn from a screen. I need real books. If you're going to carry your laptop everywhere, and if you don't mine reading off of a screen, then it's definitely worth it. I still take notes by hand too, so I'm just kind of a Luddite.

What the product is is an exact copy of your textbook that you can get at on your computer, and the search function is essentially the index. It depends what you like - you can also only load the CDs twice ever, so you're supposed to put it on your primary computer, and save the other copy for backup - if you put it on both your laptop and your desktop, and then your laptop crashes, you're SOL as far as getting another copy. I'm not a huge fan, but a lot of my classmates swear by it. Then again, I'm the one with the 4.0...it just really depends what you like. If it costs extra, and you think you'll primarily read the physical textbook, I wouldn't bother - all you get is a slightly improved index, and it took me longer to sort through the unrelated results than it did to just flip to the chapter when I tried it last semester. If you're one of those who carts their laptop everywhere, you'll probably love it.

mzjones6 · Nov 21, 2007

As others have posted previously, it was suggested that we buy this pack of books from Evolve for Fundamentals. The other 3 books, we could've bought elsewhere, which is what did, I went to half.com and got the rest.

The CD that came with the P&P book was just the book on CD, which I found useless, I can just read the book. Our instructor had to enroll us in the online evolve, they gave us a username and code and we could log in whenever we wanted, and gave us access to the online content to the textbooks. I used the online quizzes, student activities and flashcards to help me study. The online quizzes for each chapter were the most useful in my opinion. Our instructor used about 6 or 7 questions from the online quizzes on our first fundamentals exam, and at least 2 on our last exam. They may not be the exact same question, but they were similar. I think it all depends on how much you want to be dependent on the software. Our program suggested that we buy that pack of books for class and turns out it probably was very helpful in terms of studying for the exam.

Adenium · Nov 21, 2007

Thanks everyone for your replies. It sounds like what I thought - a way to index your books on the computer. And yes, I too work better by reading and taking notes from hard copy books - it may be faster on a DVD but not so good for my brain to retain....

We're required to get this whole package, but I think they know some people will just buy all the books elsewhere...meaning they don't get Evolve along with it. That's my issue - it's free with the package but I think I can save money by purchasing used books instead.

Mzjones, does the online quiz and flashcard access come with the whole DVD thing? That I can see would be helpful, but if you already get online access merely from having the books then of course I don't want to pay more just so I can get the computerized text. I guess it's back to the instructors to clarify, but of course I'm walking on eggshells here.

MB37 · Nov 21, 2007

Adenium - what you'll need to access all the online content comes in every new book, whether or not it was packaged with the Select software. It's an Access Code, and we even need it to log onto the Blackboard site through school. If you buy used books, you may have to purchase the access codes separately - I think they usually run about $30 a piece, so sometimes the used books wind up costing more than new. If you don't plan to read off your screen, then price everything out separately online, with the codes, and see if you can save money or not. Evolve does give a discount when you buy the whole box, so once you figure in shipping you might not save much. My Evolve is what the online content is called, and we are required to have access to it. It has nothing to do with Evolve Select - they're two different products offered by the same company. We don't get a list of books, so I've never been able to price out different versions. We buy the box or nothing, and the syllabi are never even available until after the semester has started.

mysterious_one, ASN, RN · Nov 22, 2007

Thanks everyone for your replies. It sounds like what I thought - a way to index your books on the computer. And yes, I too work better by reading and taking notes from hard copy books - it may be faster on a DVD but not so good for my brain to retain....
We're required to get this whole package, but I think they know some people will just buy all the books elsewhere...meaning they don't get Evolve along with it. That's my issue - it's free with the package but I think I can save money by purchasing used books instead.
Mzjones, does the online quiz and flashcard access come with the whole DVD thing? That I can see would be helpful, but if you already get online access merely from having the books then of course I don't want to pay more just so I can get the computerized text. I guess it's back to the instructors to clarify, but of course I'm walking on eggshells here.

I don't think you need an access code for every book. I don't remember how I started, but one access code might be all you need. Check out the site and see if you can search for the books that you have to buy. See if you can allready sign up for them. I have uploaded many books onto my evolve site, that I have not purchased, but I use some of their resources like NCLEX questions to practice ( not all have them, though, you just have to search).http://evolve.elsevier.com/productPages/s_catalog.html

MB37 · Nov 23, 2007

We need the access codes for each class, because our instructors use their content on the Blackboard pages. We can't get onto blackboard at all without the code for every class, and it's the only way to print powerpoints, participate in discussion boards, read announcements, check your test grade, etc.