Resource List / Books

[lookoveryourshouldernow]

Hi

Does anyone know if Unis release their recommended resource book list for a course before a student starts ??

I am nagging my son to see what the "book list" is before he starts in a couple of weeks with the aim of trying to get these second-hand rather than new ... so as to save a few pennies

He looks at me at though I have two heads ??

Anybody got any ideas or am I being too hands-on ???

Yes, lots do. Back in the mists of time we got a reading list sent out after we confirmed places, and were meant to have cracked on with it before we started (I don't think we did). Or he might be able to find it on the website, depending on the course/university. His issue, but he'll save if he can get them second hand.

Yes, you are being too hands on

And no, we name a couple of books to get people thinking about the subject, but we don't give our reading lists till students arrive. Most uni staff spend the summer doing research, and neither me nor most of my colleagues really start to plan teaching till September!

Also in my subject area, we tend to avoid asking students to buy particular textbooks. We want them to read widely, and to read original research, a lot of which is in journals. If there are particular chapters in books they need to read, they are often now digitised and on the VLE.

Yeah ... probably should have prefaced my post with 'but I do English Lit'.

It might be a one-off to do reading lists that far in advance.

Where's the best place to buy academic books 2nd hand?

Some unis (most unis?) have second hand book fairs at the start of term.

My DS only bought 1 text book though as everything else was online.

Ds has been emailed a book list for his course.

Dd was advised to wait until she got there. All the core text books will ve in the library & last years students will be flogging off some that are relevant. Also some books are essential & some would be good to have if poss IYSWIM?

Don't worry about it loads of advice when he geta there don't fork out unless neccessary.

Many Unis have online reading lists. If he wants to he can google (Uni name) reading lists and see if it comes up, and if there is one available already it may be there. He will need to know the names of his modules though. Where I work, there are lots of lecturers beavering away on the reading lists system for Autumn term right now (it's part of my job to support the system so I can see the activity). They will often be annotated to indicate what is recommended or purchase, and show how many library copies there are. In my experience though, new undergraduates are not expected to get to grips with this until the second or third week of term (though being an early starter isn't a bad thing).

But you are probably worrying too much!

We get ours when the module is uploaded to the virtual learning environment. Never buy until we go back,because a lot can be found online. I usually spend my first week finding all of it, marking it to read, and the rest of the time actually reading it. Sometimes, we have photocopies of stuff too, given by the tutor. It's worth waiting to save you buying things you don't need.

I have never had a reading list before the start of the course (I have been to 5 universities, it's a long story) I even complained at one because we got two reading weeks between semesters but had no guidance on what to read.

He may well get 3 - 4 reading lists at the start, the lecturers should identify the key texts but that is not always the case.

There are often notices up with students selling books and don't forget Amazon market place.

Unis are making more and more things online, at UCLAN I could access most of the library from home, useful when you live in Wolverhampton (another longish story).

Depending on the degree, academic papers may be more useful than books. I used my local public library to get hold of some of the ones I needed as it was cheaper and quicker than the uni library.

Has he got a kindle/ other e-reader? More and more academic books are being published as e-books and it means you can have them with you at all times.

Academic papers can be found quickly on research engines these days- most are uploaded on there.