Chemistry HSC Books (1 Viewer)

[Halfasian89]

Hi, just wondering if anyone is having any problems with answering the new HSC dot point syllabus questions. I'm using two Chemistry textbooks, Longman's Chemistry Contexts (2002) and MacMillan Chemistry Pathways (2001). I have school classwork, however most of it is a summary of either of these books and addressing relatively new dot points in the syllabus is a nightmare, which has prompted me to consider buying HSC guides.

Another problem with these books is that they are fairly wordy (ie not concise) and/or completely off track, and it requires me to evaluate the source as to its appropriateness to the syllabus

It could just be that these books are allittle outdated, but it has me wondering what chem books other schools use. Is it just my books, or are all chem textbooks like this? So, what are you using and would you consider it any good?

 

[insert-username]

The textbooks don't cover all the dot points; in some cases you're supposed to do some research yourself (i.e. "gather information from secondary sources..."). Textbooks generally provide a lot of stuff that's not in the syllabus because the syllabus is very bare-bones in style, and in a lot of instances background or expansionary info is nice to have. If they're too wordy, you need to read through and cut out what you don't need and write down what you do - that's part of the learning process, being able to sort out good from bad.

Also, those two books will be slightly out of date - the syllabus was changed in 2003 and they cut a fair amount of stuff out (e.g. all the electrolysis in Production of Materials). Just stick to your syllabus and you should be right, since they didn't add anything in, as I recall.

My school uses Conquering Chemistry 3rd Edition, which is also a little out of date. I don't like it much - the guy's writing style and word choice can be a little basic at times and I don't think his questions follow smoothly on from the theory, but most people here seem to use and like Conquering Chemistry. I guess it's an individual thing.


I_F

 

[punk_tartan]

i went thru doidn hsc chemistry with no textbook at hand
the teacher photocopied relevant pieces of inrformation from a wide varity of many sources and these wer the basis pf our notes

if your having trouble with a textbook, maybe ask you teacher could u look at or borrow another source? they can only say no

 

[Riviet]

Chemistry Contexts 2 is quite good in my opinion, as it contains alot of [sometimes excessive] detail which is not required in the syllabus, so you just have to filter out what you need to know. Conquering Chemistry 3rd is not that outdated, but there is a 4th edition out which you could get, if you want an up to date textbook.

 

[pLuvia]

Conquering Chemistry 4th Edition is quite good, it allocates where each of the dot point information are in each module, quite convenient. Chemistry Contexts 2 isn't that good in my opinion, too boring to read

 

[vern]

If you want to know what to filter out, studying a text book then studying a study guide (ie. Macquarie) tends to help you remember it easier.