Customer Reviews

Microbiology: An Introduction, Eighth Edition

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I taught a basic undergraduate microbiology class using this text book. The students were mostly pre-nursing so we had a clinical focus. My main problem with the text is it is trying to be all things to all people. It tries to present too much information that is scattered all over the text. Frequently, within chapters, students have to jump back and forth to material presented in other chapters and it simply becomes information overload. In addition, some of the study question, especially the clinically oriented ones, ask the students about areas that haven't been adequately covered in the text or assume knowledge that they don't have as yet. Finally, beware the Powerpoint slide presentations. These are also full of errors and need pretty extensive editing.

As another reviewer stated, subjects were scattered all over book. Constant referrals to other chapters and sections. If you choose to do the review questions in back of book, you won't find the answers unless you go on-line, very annoying as I don't like to study in front of a computer. Lastly in other science textbooks there are often mid-chapter review questions to help you learn - this had none of that. Book was useless, learned more from instructor's outlines.

We used this book in our Microbiology class (community college-pre nursing). Everyone, including me, disliked this book. We usually keep all our books for future use, but concensus was to get rid of this one. We have found the topics to be scattered all over the book and not organized well. DNA replication information was not clearly explained...In fact I found most of the topics to be better explained in "Biology" by Cambell-Reece-Mitchell. I usually read all my books. This class, I used the web for DNA replication and bacteria caused diseases, and biology book for the rest. One good thing came out of this. It forced me to use the web, and it is a great resource for Micro.

THIS BOOK IS EXCELLENT. I originally purchased it for a course in undergraduate Microbiology. It explains concepts and ideas clearly and has many illustrations to increase understanding of structures and the details of microbial organisms, such as viral envelopes and bacterial cell walls. Now that I am in Medical school, I still refer back to it as an introduction and refresher for more advanced medical courses. The concepts are so clearly presented that it is easy to go back and read over a few chapters of this book to enhance and reinforce the understanding of particular subjects. When you are short on time, it is much better to review chapters in this book than to scan and decipher numerous pages of medical text when many of the important main points are presented clearly in this text. Although, I recommend using it as an adjunct to your class lecture notes. If you are looking for a dry, banal book that will put you to sleep, this is not it. ANYONE WHO GAVE THIS BOOK A BAD REVIEW IS WRONG!!! THIS BOOK IS EXCELLENT!!! BUY IT AND SEE FOR YOURSELF!!!

I like this book. Microbiology is very fascinating to me. Parasites, etc are particularly interesting. If you are assigned this book for your Microbiology class, my advice is to read it and know the information. This book was very helpful.

I also used a study guide "Microbiology Study Guide Questions and Answers by Patrick Leonardi. This book has awesome questions for studying during the semester and really gets you ready for the exams.

It's a great book, the delivery was excellent and it has a very good resale price. Get it.

The textbook was in good condition and was exactly what I was needing! I received it in less than a week!

LOVE the book, I bought a textbook for 5$ and it was in perfect condition!! I LOVE you guys xoxoxox

recieved quickly but no cd rom was attached I may have missed it in the description though but I don't believe it stated no cd

this was my 1st time ordering a textbook online-the customer service was great(as well as the book)-i received my order fast & the price was right!!