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Discussion

Using Older Edition Textbooks?

I was wondering if anyone here has used an older edition textbook, as opposed to the newer edition, in some classes? Example, I have a few different books for my Pharmacology class starting in January, and the one on the booklist is almost $90, but can be bought used on Half.com for $60. It's the 3rd edition and is a 2010 edition. However, the 2006 edition is the 2nd edition, and can be bought for 0.75 cents used. :eek:

Another example is my Nutrition class. The book is a 10th edition, 2010 and new is $150. Used on Half.com is $80. However, the 9th edition which is a 2006 edition, is used on Half.com for $1.50.

And one more example: my Med Surg book is a 2010, 4th edition, and used is $50. The 2007, 3rd edition is $4.

I know SOME books should not be used with older editions because of changing information. The first book I mentioned, where I can get the older edition for 0.75 cents, is Dosage Calculations for Pharmacology class.

The Nutritional book is one I am thinking will not make a huge difference in getting the older edition, but I'm not sure.

Thoughts from fellow students?

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    • Featured Replies

    Buy the older editions! I bought previous editions of Growth and Development, Nutrition, Physiology, and Med-Surg (for a dollar a piece) and found it was usually the page numbers that changed from edition to edition.

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    • Experts

    I recommend asking the instructor. He/she probably knows how different the newer editions are from the older editions and whether or not the class will require the information only found in the new edition.

    As an example ... I teach a class in which the textbook came out with a new edition in 2010. I know that there are a few chapters that were updated significantly and a few were not. So, I tell the students that if they can get a copy of the new edition and Xerox those new chapters cheaply (e.g. at the library) ... then the older edition is OK. But if they can't get a hold of those new chapters, then they'll have to buy the new book.

    In the past, I have heard other professors give similar responses to students' questions. The professors usually know -- and the nice ones won't mind telling you.

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    My instructor for fundamentals of nursing said 'you can use old editions, most if the content does it change. The chapters and pages might. Might be different, but it is your responsibility to see if there is anything different with the new and old editions' so, I personally would buy the new editions just to save time. Instead of trying to use a new edition to compare to the old. That takes time, antheres enough to do already with the nursing program.

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    for all my classes- associates degree and now nursing school I have only ever purchased the later edition rather than the latest. This past semester of NS while classmates were complaining about the cost of books, I took comfort in knowing I had spent only $40 for all my textbooks. Yes, some chapters and pages might be mixed up- but I always double check the table of contents of both editions to make sure the chapters are the same. That extra hour of work is worth it to me

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    I've been using older eds for the past year and haven't had any problems. I will never overpay for a book ever again. Its funny, many books have the tiniest change and they think its ok to overcharge students up the wazooo for it. No thanks!

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    :cool:use the older ones...do it all the time! just make sure its ok with you teachers first!:cool:

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