Biology: Concepts and Connections (4th Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Too much for introductory, NON-MAJOR students
Review: It is overall a fairly good book, but contains much to much detail for the typical non-major collegfe student. I am a teacher for the Intro Biology class ar a well known university, and I was admittedly called in at the last minute to teach this course, so I couldn't choose the text. This one I would not have chosen, as it has too much info for students who have never taken a biology class in their lives before. I find I have to "dumb down" a lot of the material, which is unfortunate, because it really is a well written and well thought out textbook.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent text for advanced H.S. or intro college-level Bio.
Review: This is a college biology textbook intended for use by introductory-level non-majors and mixed-majors college biology students. It was not intended for use by high school freshman introductory biology classes, and should not be used for that purpose. I am using it for my H.S. junior/senior level Biology II classes. I and my students love this book! Each well-illustrated and well-organized section begins with a clear and succinctly-worded concept statement that drives home the most important idea in the section. There is an outstanding amount of superb ancillary material available for use by both instructors and students -- including a CD-ROM interactive study guide, a printed study guide that complements the CD (but is not redundant with it,) two differently-focused course-companion web sites, an instructor's guide to web-based research activities, really great lab activities, and all sorts of other good stuff. The student reviewer from Troy, NY is right about the test questions, though. Most of them would be a challenge even for very sharp college biology students. But even so, I enthusiastically recommend this book for any advanced-level high school or introductory college-level biology program!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent text for advanced H.S. or intro college-level Bio.
Review: This is a college biology textbook intended for use by introductory-level non-majors and mixed-majors college biology students. It was not intended for use by high school freshman introductory biology classes, and should not be used for that purpose. I am using it for my H.S. junior/senior level Biology II classes. I and my students love this book! Each well-illustrated and well-organized section begins with a clear and succinctly-worded concept statement that drives home the most important idea in the section. There is an outstanding amount of superb ancillary material available for use by both instructors and students -- including a CD-ROM interactive study guide, a printed study guide that complements the CD (but is not redundant with it,) two differently-focused course-companion web sites, an instructor's guide to web-based research activities, really great lab activities, and all sorts of other good stuff. The student reviewer from Troy, NY is right about the test questions, though. Most of them would be a challenge even for very sharp college biology students. But even so, I enthusiastically recommend this book for any advanced-level high school or introductory college-level biology program!

Rating:
Summary: An excellent Textbook!
Review: This was an excellent book and clearly explained the fundamentals of biology. There are full-color pictures that clearly show the processes of biology. There are questions at the end of each chapter to answer with solutions to check your work. Overall, an excellent textbook.