Hi there,

So as the year wraps up, as a first year student, I'm hearing more and more about how important/beneficial it is to start some of the textbook readings for your courses next year.

As a science student, I select my courses for next year sometime in June and I'm assuming your schedule is released a month or so later. However, knowing that some courses are required, how does one go about getting the textbook required for that course for use in the summer?

Would I have to come to Mac during the summer and go to Titles? Read online?

Or, is reading ahead in the summer even worth it?

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Book lists for September don't come out until August. You can go with what was used this year, but the editions (or sometimes the entire book) might change next year when you actually take the class.
Personally I think it's a waste of time anyways, but I've never really understood why people do textbook readings. For me, just doing readings on their own does nothing to help me learn.
If you've got the time and want to learn the material, why not take one of these required courses in summer school?

If you do want to get books ahead of time Amazon can be a good place to look. Depends on what books you're getting, but buying them used online can save you a lot of money. You could also take the books out from the library. They shouldn't be in very high demand over the summer. And that way you can avoid having to actually purchase the books at all if you take good notes.

just take those courses in summer school

The only subject worth reviewing is Math and McMaster has its own Math Review Manual. Everything else in Science can be pick up easily. Exception given to subjects you have weakness in. If you are for let say, weak in Chemistry, then study Chemistry.

Rather than worrying about your textbooks, I would suggest picking up some books from the library (or bookstore) that are related to your degree but not as dry as textbooks. Check out academic journals on the library website. These are things that will give you additional context for what you're learning next year and help you understand the new material without just going over the same things over and over again.

Originally Posted by ashleighp

Rather than worrying about your textbooks, I would suggest picking up some books from the library (or bookstore) that are related to your degree but not as dry as textbooks. Check out academic journals on the library website. These are things that will give you additional context for what you're learning next year and help you understand the new material without just going over the same things over and over again.

Can you give some examples?
I can't think of any journals or articles that would be appropriate for a student with only first-year knowledge of science. Most of them would be way over the OP's head - they might get the general idea but the actual science would mostly be lost on them. For example, say in preparation for orgo they go an look at the Journal of Organic Chemistry...they won't have heard of any of the reactions before, nor will they be able to follow the electrons or understand what the reagents are for. Even a student who has completed second-year orgo would have trouble with that.
Maybe I'm totally missing your point, but I don't see how going through journals (that are generally quite advanced) will help someone understand basic material, if they haven't been exposed to the basics yet.