When is the best time to buy textbooks needed for the courses? My mom wants me to buy them next week, but that seems too early. I'm planning to buy used textbooks if I can. Thanks

Usually you should wait until the first couple of days of class since the prof might change the textbook or the prof might tell you that the textbook isn't actually necessary. So I would wait until the first day of classes and see what your profs say.

I've never had a prof say "we're not using this textbook". It usually comes down to recommendations on whether or not it is necessary to buy the latest version. The newest edition has always been useful, but sometimes they will say you can get the previous one.

The only real research you should really bother doing into textbooks (in my opinion) is finding out from people who took the course already as to the importance of a textbook (writing guides tend to be unhelpful), or if you can find it in eBook format for free.


edit: Engineering: not sure how humanities works; a prof could decide they want to do a different novel this semester instead of the one they did last time..

Originally Posted by rcrw88

I've never had a prof say "we're not using this textbook". It usually comes down to recommendations on whether or not it is necessary to buy the latest version. The newest edition has always been useful, but sometimes they will say you can get the previous one.

The only real research you should really bother doing into textbooks (in my opinion) is finding out from people who took the course already as to the importance of a textbook (writing guides tend to be unhelpful), or if you can find it in eBook format for free.


edit: Engineering: not sure how humanities works; a prof could decide they want to do a different novel this semester instead of the one they did last time..

You should get the opinion of atleast 15-20 people. 1-2 won't cut it as not everything studies the same. But if the majority of people don't need the book then there are higher chances that you don't need the book. But it still doesn't mean you won't need the book. Even if 13/15 or even 15/15 people didn't need the book, you could still need it in the end.

How much difference is there between the 4th edition and 3rd edition of a book?

Originally Posted by AelyaS

How much difference is there between the 4th edition and 3rd edition of a book?

It depends on the book. Generally things are just moved around and some minor details are added. Pictures could be changed/removed/added.

Originally Posted by jhan523

It depends on the book. Generally things are just moved around and some minor details are added. Pictures could be changed/removed/added.

It's an art history textbook, and if I buy it, it would be coming from the States, so knowing all I can about its relevancy to my needs, would be awesome.

Originally Posted by AelyaS

It's an art history textbook, and if I buy it, it would be coming from the States, so knowing all I can about its relevancy to my needs, would be awesome.

If you can, check out both versions at Titles or The Tank; then you can buy it for much cheaper if theres no real difference?

Are textbooks tax deductible?

Originally Posted by rcrw88

I've never had a prof say "we're not using this textbook".

I had a prof say this. I was taking comp sci, and I wasnt sure if I was gonna drop it or not so I hadnt bought the book, and in class he told us that he wasnt going to refer to it and everything we needed would be in the slides, and he only chose the book cause he wrote it. But he refused to explicitly say "dont buy it" because hes had a student try to claim that they failed because he was instructed not to buy the book.

Also about the editions, I dont mind using another edition because it usually doenst matter. But if your prof happens to use the textbook questions for assignments etc, then having another edition is going to be a big disadvantage.

You can find all about the textbook editions and prices here at :
http://titles.mcmaster.ca/text/departments.htm

You can also find ads by senior students for used books on this facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi... 55081&ref=ts

Originally Posted by rcrw88

I've never had a prof say "we're not using this textbook".

I've had a prof say this. Often, they won't say outright that the book won't be used, but they'll say something along the lines of "all of the stuff you need to know is in the lecture, the book is just there if you want some background reading or if you want to learn it from another perspective"...which basically translates to, wait a little longer and see if you learn well from the lectures.

August is usually too early to buy books--many things can change from now until the first day of classes.

you shud buy txtbooks early if u want them used. many people on thi site as well as on facebook sell books as well, so if u wait to long other people will buy the books up. But really it is up to u and how much money u are willing to pay for the txtbooks

Originally Posted by AelyaS

Are textbooks tax deductible?

Yes: http://www.taxtips.ca/filing/student...ntaxcredit.htm

Its best to buy textbooks after the first week of classes, some profs say you don't even need em!