The chapter on protists (23) provides a good summary of structure and some aspects of function. 4.8, 5.4, 5.19, 33.21, 33.23, 34.19, 40.17, 38.38, 41.13, 41,13, 42.11, 43.15, 43.17, 46.6, 46.10; there are many more examples like these. enzyme. This is a boon to both students looking for a term I've assigned, and to me when I'm re-working my concept study guides. plants microorganisms birds dinosaurs 5. The application should let the user specify how many random numbers the file will hold and should use a SaveFileDialog control to let the user specify the files name and location. The genetics section of this book appears to be consistent. The distinction is also clear on page 682. The organization of the text will allow for easy updating and revision by authors and users. Author (s) OpenStax. Additionally, the text was quite modular and is broken down well into distinct topics that maintain complexity but are also self contained. hypothesis variable theory control 6. For example, the link on text page 149 to the process of diffusion links to a video showing dispersion (not diffusion) of a dye in water, with the dispersion clearly due to turbulence created by adding the dye to a beaker of water. A glossary of key terms is provided for each chapter. These sections make the material more relevant to students, and help them shift focus from the proximate, detail-oriented perspective to the ultimate, big-picture perspective. More review and recall of key terminology and concepts should be provided in each chapter. The text is very well organized and the material flows well. Also, all terms that might be unfamiliar to students are used simply and properly, then defined in each chapter-end glossary. I thought the explanations were very specific and well versed. read more, I found the book to cover the topics in good depth, definitely a lower division, major-level text, While I found a few instances where I disagree with the text, but they are minor. Figures are wider and slightly larger in the pdf version, but labeling is still difficult to read. This text was broken into subjects similar to other textbooks, so converting my study guides to match OpenStax was usually fairly straightforward. It covers all of the same topics as books sold by the major publishing companies, but it's free to the students! This modularity breaks complex concepts and topics into smaller, more manageable sub-topics for student learning. My main concern is that in some areas the book is already out of date and unless there are provisions for regular revision and updating it will soon become significantly out of date. The interface is trouble-free. The very brief discussion of sociobiology on page 1372 is biased, sketchy, and inaccurate: Sociobiology also links genes with behaviors and has been associated with biological determinism, the belief that all behaviors are hardwired into our genes. In some cases simplification can result in explanations that lack the accurate nuance of a more complex explanation, but that is a necessary tradeoff in an introductory text. Often these links provide cutting edge insight into both the research and application to make the concept interesting and plausible to the viewer. It was accurate and error free, to my knowledge. No culturally insensitive or offensive material was encountered. Biology was very comprehensive in its covering of general biology topics and the "Link to Learning" feature allows the learner to expand the concept. Also newer information is missing in some of the chapters. This textbook covers the typical introductory biology course topics for biology majors, including chemistry, cells, genetics, evolution, biodiversity, plant and animal form and function, and ecology. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. The glossary appears comprehensive, however, many duplicates (ie. This is false, of course. You can even purchase a bound copy from Amazon for around $60, which is very reasonable for a textbook. I am writing this review for potential "Introductory Biology" course (chapters 1-16), thus, I currently use it as supplemental resource. molecular genetics) I don't think this book reflects very well the sate of knowledge now. Webtwo sugar monomers that a glycosidic bond links. In this reviewer's opinion, this amount of detail is sufficient for the level of students being targeted. Most of the descriptions and illustrations in these chapters and those below are useful ones that are equivalent to those in most other textbooks. Content is consistent with any basic entrance level Biology course. I have only used the online interface, which had no issues. Those that occurred did not interrupt the flow of reading and understanding. . Whereas those books provide too much information, which can overwhelm, I wonder if this book could be a little too scant, which may make the facts feel irrelevant. The book is comprehensive and suitable for use in a 2-semester (year long) college-level biology/science majors general biology sequence. Rather good in Chapters 1,2,16,18 and 19. Diversity of life and physiology get a lot of attention and surprising detail for an introductory textbook. read more. I am writing this review of the genetics unit from Biology 2e (chapters 11-17) in the context of potentially using this book for an introductory level, one semester genetics course for majors. Overall, the non-technical vocabulary is appropriate for students entering introductory majors courses, but there are some exceptions. Figures rendered well. The text feels very modular. Figures should be introduced after text throughout each section. Also, some of these basic concepts are essential to build upon as the student reads through the text. hypothesis variable theory control 6. It is as culturally relevant as would be expected for an introductory biology textbook. For these reasons, I think this would be a very difficult text for a new instructor to teach from. I teach "Cell Biology for Health Occupations" at a community college, and we currently use an abridged version of Pearson's Campbell Biology in Focus textbook. All texts tend to emphasize some areas over others, and this is no exception. The chapters could be easily reorganized into smaller subunits as needed for a class. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. The authors maintained a consistent style and flow throughout the book. For instance different aspects regarding natural selection are found in three sections in two different chapters, being the sections: understanding evolution, population genetics, and adaptive evolution. The text is not bogged down with technical jargon, but subject-specific terminology is used were appropriate with adequate introduction to the material. Numerous other ways of logically organizing chapters are certainly possible, but that employed in this text flow nicely. If you are looking for a reputed brand such as the Atlantis Coffee Vending Machine Noida, you are unlikely to be disappointed. I could find no errors in grammar in the text. It would be nice to see more career examples and spotlights on diverse scientists, but this would make the text hard to keep updated and current, so I can understand it not being done. However, it is a reality that not all students will be facile with such foundational knowledge, so inclusion of these terms and figures in subsequent chapters reduces compromising student understanding. (It might be worth mentioning here that Concepts of Biology also from OpenStax is meant to be used in non-majors biology courses.) In particular, they praise Biology for its convenience, affordability, and succinctness. I am reviewing this textbook not for a first year course in introductory biology, but for a second-year one-semester course on the integrative biology of animals. All of the material is based on objective science and, after presenting facts, offered learners the chance to evaluate their own beliefs based on new information. Diagrams and written content both appeared to be accurate. This book teaches them the basics every biology major should become familiar but spans a large amount of disciplines within biology. Terminology is used consistently throughout. Since the text is foundational, many of the subjects aren't changing rapidly. Like most biology textbooks, the topics are presented in hierarchy from small to large scale (atoms to ecosystems), which builds concepts logically and necessarily somewhat cumulatively. The textbook is quite consistent from Chapter-to-Chapter. It doesn't work very well. read more. The images are good -- I recognize many of them from Wikipedia and other internet sources -- they are just all done by different people, so they might not use a consistent set of symbols, etc. (other than the colour/color thing) I did not note any problems with the interface. Figure 3.32 is not helpful and does not show H-bonding or antiparallel arrangement clearly. For any of the following that can exist as isomers, state the type of isomerism and draw the structures: The clarity of the text is very well done. These provide real world examples as to why they are learning these topics and how they can be applied to a career or are being used by other scientists and professionals. No cultural insensitivities were noticed as part of this course. Key words in bold are also easily visible and defined at the end of the chapter, so students can quickly find definitions. No small amount of science is discovery science, research that while firmly embedded in existing theories, questions, and hypotheses, is not driven by a particular specific hypothesis. 54L,x o~GGGJKf.DDP_I3G!rs>?5*dk?`k @y`w(_g0U8xpp?c\Ne2E((>%v1+>O}53(="`WP[|lw 0kTw`#~"%y+1%kh]&8kfBA@4PmH$dmz~Q!>r-+qXmHz3P!dI4.$s x8~BgM}J'MMomq@:}/qeojvXmxk:1gxB4 Also, capitalization of terms is not uniform throughout the index. Just something to think about if you want to use it for seated sections on campus. I did not stumble over any grammatical errors. On page 486, this sentence is incomplete: Define species and describe how species are identified as different. From Flowering: Circadian rhythm biology, Photoperiod detection, ABC model. Each section is very short. For example, Cell Communication, Cell reproduction, Mendelian genetics and non-mendelian traits, DNA replication and repair and mitosis and meiosis I believe are covered adequately. I did not notice grammatical errors in the text or figures. Physiology and anatomy covering the basic structure and function of animals. Chapter 12 This is a bright spot. I tried several times to access the Instructor Power Points that are supposedly available, and I could not get the website to work. storage carbohydrate in animals. The sections, though integrated, can, in many cases stand alone as an introduction to the topics. I like that I can find small sections throughout the book to assign to students. My current use of this textbook has only portions of the text assigned, and this does not seem to be an issue for students. I found that the level of detail is appropriate for a lower level undergraduate biology course. ions neutrons neutral atoms isotopes 6. There is no theme of how science works or is done. WebAnswers will vary. The content appears up to date, especially in the genetics section which changes so rapidly. There is no theme of how science works or is done. In fact, throughout the textbook, bacteria are mentioned in contexts where bacteria and archaea should both be included. With the downloaded pdf or (I am assuming) the printed text version, the glossary comes at the end of the chapter. Reviewed by Melissa Kilgore, Biology Instructor, Lane Community College on 6/20/17, The textbook covers all of the major topics that I address in a year of non-majors biology. I would like to see greater use made of graphical phylogenetic hypotheses ("phylogenetic trees") in the diversity overview sections, and in other areas where the evolution of key characteristics is discussed. Ideally some complex themes could be covered in more detail. Overall, This OER textbook is a well-designed biology textbook that gives a clear, consistent, and thorough presentation of the subject matter, so assisting students in developing a solid grasp of the concepts and principles of biology. My attempt to use a QR code scanner app of a mobile phone on the PDF of the textbook on a laptop screen didnt work and clicking the URL indicated the link was no longer current. As I have mentioned in a previous section, the online version has a table of contents above the text that highlights where you are in the book: by unit, chapter, and subsection. I would not suggest adding more subjects and I appreciate the depth of coverage in the text giving the instructor the option to choose which sections to focus on in their courses. It was easy to download and view. Please check your connection and try again. These chapters provide sufficient background, though they will be best if supplemented with a laboratory text that provides more details and images. This textbook was comprehensively organized and populated with topics. Vending Services has the widest range of water dispensers that can be used in commercial and residential purposes. The ads might indicate endorsement by a faculty or school for certain corporations for example. This is a great chance to show the accomplishments of a brilliant woman. The text is visually appealing; section titles and sub-section titles are easy to see (green text). There were biological examples from across the globe. Thats because, we at the Vending Service are there to extend a hand of help. The text appears to be culturally sensitive, but there are not very many examples of the importance of biodiversity to a variety of groups of people across the globe. There is no discussion of the temperate forests on the west coast. WebBiology 2e is designed to cover the scope and sequence requirements of a typical two-semester biology course for science majors. I believe this is where the instructor comes in to highlight other scientists and contributors to the field. This text also contains chapter summaries, review questions, and critical thinking questions. In a few cases, I saw Hydrogen ions referred to as protons (and vice versa) without explaining that they were the same thing in the same chapter. These highlighted boxes standout for the students as something extra and interesting, and the information is not lost in the main text. However, some have low resolution, which makes their interpretation difficult. The text book covered all the chapters I would assign for first semester General Biology course at the college level (Molecules to Cells). Reviewed by Debora Christensen, Associate Professor, Drake University on 12/30/21, The textbooks content and depth of coverage are comparable to current commercial introductory biology textbooks. I am especially keen to look for modularity of basic biology books because my school has long used a top-down approach in which we first focus on whole-organism concepts in evolution and ecology before zooming down to reductionist areas in biochemistry, genetics, and so on. There are many genes on our autosomes that affect primary and secondary sexual characteristics (including the potential to affect some aspects of gender expression). All texts tend to emphasize some areas over others, and this is no exception. For example, in Chapter 7 (Cellular Respiration) the section ATP in Living Systems begins with: A living cell cannot store significant amounts of free energy. Thats a great set-up for a paragraph, with the key concept laid bare in clear language! The overall organization of topics is very sensical as it goes from "small-scale" Biology (cells, DNA, etc.) Chapter introductions need to be specific on what will be covered. The authors use a confusing 'straight line' terminology to try to explain monophyly. Each chapter and subsections within each chapter are set up similarly with chapter glossaries, summaries, and questions occurring at the end of each chapter. This text is modular in the way that most textbooks are modular -- information is organized into chapters, and chapters are organized with subheadings. Additionally, when describing the different types of RNA that can be found in a cell, not only does the text mention mRNA and tRNA, but additionally rRNA, which some introductory books leave out. This may actually help students, as the elegant figures are sometimes distracting for students anyhow. The content is changed very frequently- my one concern would be if these changes were major, how would that influence the ease-of-use for those students that download and print or order a text copy? Most of the images are clear and appropriately arranged. Overall, this textbook is more comprehensive than other books by the same authors, covers each topic well, and expands upon topics not covered in the Concepts of Biology textbook. read more. Where this text could be improved is in providing more practice questions and tutorials for students to check their understanding. Yes, this text is much like any of the regular, paper general biology textbooks. Again, the instructor can supplement. The significance of these comparisons is not explained. The sections and chapter headings are well organized throughout and set up an easy to follow format for students. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. Inclusion of new landmark scientific discoveries will be useful. The problems I read through struck me as sensible and mostly straightforward. I noticed one broken video link, but that's the nature of this kind of resource. I have not found any errors within the text. I found them very densely written. Clientele needs differ, while some want Coffee Machine Rent, there are others who are interested in setting up Nescafe Coffee Machine. I didn't notice any culturally insensitive statements or examples in the text. wLbmOsOwyVuj'xr]jl %P4aB$sW$"_`D2'-N`Bx^~vKe yl4/9_MVHgPXI"PTal)IEpCu(VQA }qR6_HZ/4>W!V |pa{5/KfAS^H&$f7,Ft13ur|j;}vPARC/`I$^ bond formed by a dehydration reaction between two monosaccharides with eliminating a water molecule. I think that in an introductory course, it is more important to convey the more general, big picture of concepts without adding confusion with over-exertion of details. However, I firmly believe that these small errors are mainly in sections that would not be covered in most one-semester courses, and could easily be clarified by the professor if they were covered. These resources vary in quality, but links do work properly and redirect to functioning sites. I can focus on the sections I need, and they seem to stand alone without needing references to others. I havent noticed any major interface problems with the .pdf or the online version (viewed in Chrome). There is a comprehensive table of contents, index, and "Key Terms" page for each section. The book is similar in scope to the textbooks mentioned above and follows a conventional topic and chapter sequence, with molecular and cellular topics (plus genetics and evolution) in the first part of the book and the more organismic topics and ecology occupying the rest of the book. 2 Review Questions - Biology 2e | OpenStax Review Questions Review Questions Highlights 4. For example, there is one instance in which a figure caption did not match the figure. I appreciated the additional learning links included within the chapter, particularly the one detailing transcription and translation, allowing students to practice this concept in a manner likely to be encountered on an in-class evaluation or in other evaluations the student may encounter later in their career. Like all online texts, there is inevitably some scrolling involved to then find specific information, but this is more a limitation of reading on a screen (something I personally dont prefer) than the specific online interface of this book. This is a fine textbook for my purposes (intro to chemistry and cell biology, as a foundation for an anatomy and physiology sequence). read more. I did not find any grammatical errors when using this book. I noticed nothing culturally insentitive. Organization is appropriate and is adaptable for the specifics of individual course requirements. OpenStax is part of Rice University, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. I personally prefer the section-by-section glossary, as students can immediately look up terms, rather than flipping back and forth. ", Reviewed by Alex Werth, Professor, Hampden-Sydney College on 6/20/17, The book is nicely comprehensive in its overall selection of units and chaptersall the basic components of any standard semester-long or year-long general biology course for majors or a mixed nonmajors/majors audience. Overall, this book covers the essentials required by an introductory biology textbook. Generally, having so many possible ways to access the material makes the interface exceptionally positive for students. read more. My main issues with the text are that evolution is not covered in enough detail at the start of the text and that the book could be laid out in a way that made the text more accessible, i.e. Professor, University of California, Merced on 3/6/20, The text covers the appropriate breadth of material in appropriate depth for an introductory biology class. Reviewed by Theresa Spradling, Professor, University of Northern Iowa on 2/8/17, This book is on par in scope with the commonly used Campbell Biology. You cannot refer to solutions as hypertonic, isotonic, and hypotonic except in comparison to other solutions. Students struggle with tree-thinking, a necessary skill for anyone who plans to continue in biology. Core concepts for introductory level college course are addressed in sufficient detail, without overly complicating the material for this audience. Terrestrial vertebrates differ in the source of body heat and in the variation in temperature they experience and can tolerate, not in the temperature of their blood. Better written than some, but I can tell they haven't spent large sums of money on editing. Each chapter also includes a list of key terms basically, a mini-glossary at the end just before the chapter summary. Reviewed by Chris Pantazis, Assistant Professor of Biology, John Tyler Community College on 3/24/20, All areas of introductory biology were covered. Generally, the book is written at a student's level. Sample answer: Gatorade contains water, sugar, dextrose, citric acid, salt, sodium chloride, monopotassium phosphate, and sucrose acetate isobutyrate. Should a student wish to purchase a physical copy, they can do so at a very reasonable rate. The book has links to external digital content at OpenStax but some of the QR codes and/or URL do not seem to function. The content, as least in the chapters I cover, is extremely similar to my current majors level text (Campbell Biology 10th Ed., Reece et. I can easily envision plucking chapters or subchapter-units out for one class vs. another as the book is written for a 2 course sequence. Given the fact the book is written by a variety of authors in different subject areas, I found the book's consistency to be quite impressive. Webtwo sugar monomers that a glycosidic bond links. Like many other biology texts, the book begins with an introductory chapter on the nature of science, Most of the time you are linked right to the page you clicked off of. 19. At room temperature, its pressure is 180 atm. The textbook is broadly set-up to explain the subject of biology starting from broad (chemistry/building blocks of life) to specific (organ systems) and going from simple (cells) to complex (ecology) and therefore is structured in a way that inherently builds off of the concepts from previous chapters. I found the book well written and very readable. Most of the "skin tones" colorized in these diagrams where light beige to pinkish tan, but it would be easy to resort to a pale olive tone or even a neutral light grey if a darker brown tone would make it difficult to visualize the line drawing of the system portrayed in the image. Tunicates and vertebrates are sister taxa that diverged more recently. In the sections of my review below, I discuss the information my students need in relation to the content of this text. While there are probably a few more grammatical errors than would be typical for a traditional textbook, I have no problems with the grammar of the text. The questions that are offered for student review of what they've learned are generally shallow and do not offer much access to ways that a student might learn more about the topics. It would be nice if, when using the online version of the textbook (rather than pdf), one could click on the figures to view them enlarged in a separate window. It has a good online index that is searchable. With an online text the capability of providing updates in a timely fashion would appear to be easily accomplished. There are no issues with images or charts. Navigation within the digital book was problem-free. The sentence conveys an implicit idea that ALL variation in a species is attributable to genes. However, this reviewer feels that there are too few images/charts to explain concepts.
