Should I buy expensive printed textbooks when I retain less from the online copies?
Short answerLook for cheaper copies from graduating students, students in the year above, or second-hand sellers; a shorter study guide of relevant, cited extracts is another option.
NotesPrinted course books can be worth seeking out when online copies are harder to retain or navigate. Graduating students and students in the year above may have finished with the required books and be willing to sell them. Second-hand sellers, including eBay, offer another way to find cheaper copies. A personal study guide can collect the most relevant passages with citations, reducing the need to acquire an entire book. Selecting those passages also gives practice in identifying useful information and citing it.