Turning the page on textbooks

It's the end of the semester. There are only a few days left before we go home for winter break and relax for a little more than a month. Phew.

But wait, how can the semester be over when there is a textbook, which was supposed to be  required for class, that hasn't been opened once all semester? The majority of students on campus have bought a textbook for a class to find the professor doesn't use it at all. Some of us have bought expensive books to have them sit on our desks still in the packaging, collecting dust.

Some professors list a number of required textbooks at the beginning of the semester, but students come to realize the professor hasn't assigned any or only a small amount of reading from it. What a waste of money. Textbooks are expensive and most students don't have money to spend on them, so if you're a professor, this is for you. Don't require students to buy a textbook if you don't plan on using it for more than a couple of chapters.

A few Stylus staff members said their professors acknowledge how expensive books are so if they know they will only be using a few chapters of the book, they make the book available in the library to photocopy or make the chapters available through interlibrary loan on the Drake Library website. More professors should be doing this instead of making a 10-chapter book required when only three chapters are going to be used.

Students understand textbooks are an important part of the learning process, but more students learn from their professors rather than a book. It's not always beneficial to assign 100-plus pages of reading per week, because most students won't get through it and it will be a total waste of time. Students care more about what their professors say in a class period than what a wordy textbook tells them.

If a professor takes time during class to discuss the reading for that day, students will better retain the information from the textbook. Therefore, many students opt to put the book aside and get a recap of the chapter in class. Who can blame them? It would be a waste of time to do the reading if the professor discusses the material in class. Students are more likely to understand the recap better than the reading anyway.

Professors need to understand the difference between a required textbook and a recommended textbook. Just because the professor may think the book is a great supplement to the class doesn't mean it should be required to buy. Unless there are quizzes, exams or numerous discussions about specific material from the book, it shouldn't be required.

There are certain subjects where textbooks are a must: History, math and science are among them. Other subjects like English also need books, but not pricey textbooks that tell students what grammar and punctuation are. We're old enough to understand that. If you teach another subject besides history, math or science, you may want to reassess which textbooks you're requiring students to purchase.

You may also want to look at your textbook requirements if you're a professor who requires your students to buy your biography, or another book that isn't relevant to the class. As students, we don't have money to spend on expensive textbooks, let alone spend money on your biography so you can make royalties off it. It's simple. Don't tell students to buy your book because they will think you're cocky and arrogant.

Students understand there are new editions of textbooks out almost every year, but that doesn't mean students should have to purchase the newest version. Professors need to understand the editions are very similar, so buying the third edition instead of the fifth probably isn't going to change much. If it has been five years since a new edition has been released, then that's a different story, but if it has been less than a year since the last edition, students are going to buy the old one. Help us out and don't have a heart attack when you see a book from 2010.

It's established that most textbooks are a waste of money and reading them is a waste of time, but since professors will never stop using them, students should learn how to get the most out of their money.

The book store on campus is a total rip off. Students can buy books off Amazon, eBay or rent books from www.chegg.com for much cheaper. Perhaps the biggest rip off is the small percent the Brockport book store gives students when they sell their books back.

If your professors still haven't gotten the hint about how most textbooks they require are useless, skip the book store next semester when buying those pricey books. Buy your books somewhere else and sell them back on Amazon or eBay. Instead of getting $5 back off a $35 book, you may make 70 percent of the original price, which is much more acceptable.