Is the New Excel book good? (1 Viewer)

[mioumiou]

Is the New Excel HSC textbook good? (better?)

EXCEL HSC - Biology

I know this is the Biology forum but I'm just wondering is the chemistry one good too?

EXCEL HSC Chemistry

Thanks!

 

[Trans4M]

i think its alright but that could be because i am not a fan of excel textbooks. Some people i know find the textbook quite useful. Maybe you should go to dymocks or something like that and read it for five minutes. It gives you an idea of wat it is like.

You could try biology in focus which is quite detailed and gives you information by dot point. it even gives you advice on how to approach the 3rd column of the syllabus by highlighting key words and directing you hwo to do it. However there is no chemistry in focus.

 

[mioumiou]

i think its alright but that could be because i am not a fan of excel textbooks. Some people i know find the textbook quite useful. Maybe you should go to dymocks or something like that and read it for five minutes. It gives you an idea of wat it is like.

You could try biology in focus which is quite detailed and gives you information by dot point. it even gives you advice on how to approach the 3rd column of the syllabus by highlighting key words and directing you hwo to do it. However there is no chemistry in focus.

Hey Trans4M, thanks! Well, I've sort of looked at it at my school library and there's different editions so I've compared that too. I think the new edition is better and it includes all of the syllabus points next to all the information. I'm still in Prelim so I'm not quite sure about that (that's why I sort of need people's opinion ).

We're not using Biology in focus at school yet, most people said that buying lots of textbook is useless in Year 11, but I'll make sure that I'll buy that for my HSC.

Also, are there any differences between the new surfing bio/chem than the old ones?

 

[Trans4M]

oh ok my bad yea dont buy too many textbooks for prelim as you wont need that much. just make sure u at least have a read every now and then of biology in focus if u dont intend to buy it but if u do it's a great +.

i agree the newest edition of excel books are much better than its former editions.

as for surfing notes i am not sure as i dont use them. sorry i will try and ask my friends who do use them and try to get back to you if i can

 

[iRuler]

Jacaranda is the only book you need.

but since you're in yr 11, you can survive from just Dot Point.

(above are for chem, i dont do bio.)

 

[mioumiou]

oh ok my bad yea dont buy too many textbooks for prelim as you wont need that much. just make sure u at least have a read every now and then of biology in focus if u dont intend to buy it but if u do it's a great +.

i agree the newest edition of excel books are much better than its former editions.

as for surfing notes i am not sure as i dont use them. sorry i will try and ask my friends who do use them and try to get back to you if i can

haha, it's okay. Yeah, and I love the layout of the new edition more too =P
Thanks!!!

 

[x_cp3]

cover looks nice

 

[sinophile]

The NEW Excel Biology and Chemistry are quite good, and I highly recommend them. The OLD ones are both extremely shit, and you should stay away from them. Check in my blog for the reasons why.

Jacaranda is the only book you need.

but since you're in yr 11, you can survive from just Dot Point.

(above are for chem, i dont do bio.)

I don't agree, Jacaranda does not help much with detailed knowledge, its only good for an introduction to the concept. Jacaranda misses out a lot of things. The new Excel, and the Macquarie books, don't miss out on things though.

 

[iRuler]

Well I currently use a combination of Jacaranda, Conq & Context, but I personally find Jacaranda has the best info... each to their own I guess.

 

[sinophile]

Well I currently use a combination of Jacaranda, Conq & Context, but I personally find Jacaranda has the best info... each to their own I guess.

Oh, sorry, I was talking about biology textbooks..

I haven't used Jacaranda chemistry, I graduated in 2009. Is it a new textbook?

 

[mioumiou]

Oh, sorry, I was talking about biology textbooks..

I haven't used Jacaranda chemistry, I graduated in 2009. Is it a new textbook?

Well I currently use a combination of Jacaranda, Conq & Context, but I personally find Jacaranda has the best info... each to their own I guess.

The NEW Excel Biology and Chemistry are quite good, and I highly recommend them. The OLD ones are both extremely shit, and you should stay away from them. Check in my blog for the reasons why.

Quote:
Originally Posted by iRuler
Jacaranda is the only book you need.

but since you're in yr 11, you can survive from just Dot Point.

(above are for chem, i dont do bio.)
I don't agree, Jacaranda does not help much with detailed knowledge, its only good for an introduction to the concept. Jacaranda misses out a lot of things. The new Excel, and the Macquarie books, don't miss out on things though.

Thanks guys!

Well, I've got a few resources, got both chem and bio Jacaranda (but I dun really like the bio ones, it doesn't address the syllabus point as well as the chem one), Dot Points for both and school gave us conquering chem and Heinemann for Bio. I felt like conquering chem jumps too much, the information are all over the place =S

If the NEW EXCEL chem and bio is really good, then I'll definitely get it for next year!!

 

[Riproot]

cover looks nice

I agree.
I think they could've gone a little greener with the bio book though.
A nice picture on the front would be good too.

 

[mioumiou]

I agree.
I think they could've gone a little greener with the bio book though.
A nice picture on the front would be good too.

+1

especially some pictures that actually represent Biology!!

 

[iRuler]

Oh, sorry, I was talking about biology textbooks..

I haven't used Jacaranda chemistry, I graduated in 2009. Is it a new textbook?

not new, been around for some time.

 

[bouncing]

mioumiou,
i would definitely recommend the new excel hsc for bio and DEFINETELY GET BIOLOGY IN FOCUS it is the greatest for some reason at school i use biology in context.. but they gave us biology in FOCUS on a cd and it is amazing since when you're making notes you can steal their useful pictures i think its a pretty good textbook and is good in terms that it answers the syllabus dotpoint and 3rd column like someone above said

so yeah i love bio in focus ps i think its pretty newwww? well i have a very new edition

 

[mioumiou]

mioumiou,
i would definitely recommend the new excel hsc for bio and DEFINETELY GET BIOLOGY IN FOCUS it is the greatest for some reason at school i use biology in context.. but they gave us biology in FOCUS on a cd and it is amazing since when you're making notes you can steal their useful pictures i think its a pretty good textbook and is good in terms that it answers the syllabus dotpoint and 3rd column like someone above said

so yeah i love bio in focus ps i think its pretty newwww? well i have a very new edition

Haha, I'll make sure that I'll get both Bio in focus AND the new EXCEL!!
(and thanks!!)

 

[bouncing]

Haha, I'll make sure that I'll get both Bio in focus AND the new EXCEL!!
(and thanks!!)

hehe no worries
goodluck!