Best Chemistry Textbooks/Guides?

[lyounamu]

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Originally Posted by UltimateSupremo

geoffrey thickett writes for macmillan chem pathways as well as jacaranda chem... all by himself

Wow.

Then is there point in buying each one of them? I mean, if the style is similar, I am assuming that the contents will be somewhat similar too.

S.K. Patel wrote 4 Unit Excel with other textbook. Both book contains some exactly same questions, haha. I guess even the busy writers can get really lazy.

[dp624]

I think his chem pathways is a bit old. like maybe he severed his contract with them lawls

[sinophile]

Is it just me, or is Spotlight chem a bit TOO detailed on some points? Does anyone else agree?

[LordPc]

I thought Thickett's Macmillan book was quite good IMO

Chem Contexts is crap though, dont use that unless your desperate. As in, your library burnt down and this was the only book that survived because it was in the trash and not on the shelves

[sinophile]

Originally Posted by LordPc

Chem Contexts is crap though, dont use that unless your desperate. As in, your library burnt down and this was the only book that survived because it was in the trash and not on the shelves

What.. I reckon its decent, it speaks in a simple, but not dumbed-down language...

[dp624]

Originally Posted by LordPc

I thought Thickett's Macmillan book was quite good IMO

Chem Contexts is crap though, dont use that unless your desperate. As in, your library burnt down and this was the only book that survived because it was in the trash and not on the shelves

dude it's quite good

[Deltan]

Originally Posted by yummy-cookies

I have Chemistry Contexts 2, the new Excel, old Conquering, Chemistry Pathways and one dot point

I guess all have their strengths and weaknesses, but I mainly use a combination of contexts and pathways

Does anyone know if dotpoint MC and investigations are any good? cos they're like $45 each, so i don't want to spend that much if their not worth it

definitely get your hands on dotpoint MC as they include notes/theory which you can refer to.

I havent seen the investigation but i didnt like the physics one

My recommendation for chem
-DOTPOINT
-macquarie
-excel revise in a month
-conq chem

[Deltan]

Originally Posted by carlytse621

Never get excel .....It's horrible!!!!!
Science/home[/url]

not the new version though

[LordPc]

Originally Posted by dp624

dude it's quite good

my school used Context for our class

I however constantly used conquering and macmillan to get my information.

its good for some things, but on the whole the other textbooks are far superior. I think the main problem is that Context is a bit too wordy, if you get me, and there is often poor sentence structure.

i just found other textbooks much easier

[rockvsstone]

Use many sources so you can make good model responses in time for ur hsc!

[micuzzo]

I use chem context (the new1). .. its a good book in terms of how it is set out and nice and colourful with pictures.. unlike jacaranda chem... but context has its problems... 4 somethings it goes way over the top and for others such gives a brief sentence with little explaination...

[Sarah182]

Originally Posted by Deltan

not the new version though

New version is great. It follows the layout of my notes perfectly as it is all set straight back to the syllabus and has a heap of questions.

We use chem contexts in class
It misses out some large portions of the syllabus and is poorly written in my opinion.

[sinophile]

New version of excel sorta sucks imo. its got massive amounts of filler.

btw, is it just me, or is Spotlight chem a bit TOO detailed on some points? Does anyone else agree?

[Sarah182]

Originally Posted by sinophile

New version of excel sorta sucks imo. its got massive amounts of filler.

Really I find Excel great? Just because of the layout.

In chem contexts you have to sift through a stack of rubbish that doesn't even relate to the syllabus half of the time.

I have the 3rd edition conquering chem, it is decent however like chem contexts there is a lot to sift through to find what I want.

Imo there isn't a really good chemistry textbook out there from those I have used.

[micuzzo]

Originally Posted by Sarah182

In chem contexts you have to sift through a stack of rubbish that doesn't even relate to the syllabus half of the time.

I agree... sometimes it talks about things not in the sylabus for a whole page, but for things that are, it has like one paragraph only.

Originally Posted by Sarah182

Really I find Excel great? Just because of the layout.

which excel might this be, i have the older orange 1 printed in 2001 i think... i dont like it.. it does not follow the sylabus layout and for some things just has point for... which excel do u use??

also which macmillan book is every1 talking about above... is it the maquarie revision guide 1....??