About this title: This brief text consistently relates core course material to students' lives, clarifies the process of science and demonstrates how the theme of evolution integrates all of biology. Hailed for its clear writing, scientific accuracy, and real-world examples, Essential Biology with Physiology is a brief non-majors biology text that focuses on the core concepts students need to make scientifically informed decisions throughout their lives. The book covers four major topics-cells, genetics, evolution/diversity, and ecology-followed by nine chapters on animal and plant physiology for instructors ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Co., Subs. of Addison Wesley Longman, US
Date Published: 2003
ISBN-13:9780805375039ISBN:0805375031
Description: New. "Profesional Copy" Stamped On Cover. "New and in excellent condition (factory sealed and includes CD-ROM, stamped "profesional Copy" on cover, otherwise in mint/pristine condition). Pages are crisp and clean with a tight spine. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Pearson Benjamin Cummings
Date Published: 2007
ISBN-13:9780805368413ISBN:0805368418
Description: Good. Paperback. May include moderately worn cover, writing, markings or slight discoloration. Instructor Edition: Same as student edition but has free copy markings. ACCESS CODE Valid; CD-ROM Not Included. May include moderately worn cover, writing, markings or slight discoloration. SKU: 23891850 All orders shipped within 1 business day. 14 day money back guarantee ISBN: 9780805368413. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Pearson
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780131933552ISBN:0131933558
Description: Good. Hardcover. Used. CD-ROM/ACCESS CODE Not Included. May include moderately worn cover, writing, markings or slight discoloration. SKU: 23874701 All orders shipped within 1 business day. 14 day money back guarantee ISBN: 9780131933552. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Pearson Benjamin Cummings
Date Published: 2007
ISBN-13:9780805368413ISBN:0805368418
Description: Very good. Paperback. Has minor wear and/or markings. Instructor Edition: Same as student edition but has free copy markings. CD-ROM/ACCESS CODE Not Included; Has minor wear and/or markings. SKU: 24629712 All orders shipped within 1 business day. 14 day money back guarantee ISBN: 9780805368413. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Pearson Benjamin Cummings
Date Published: 2007
ISBN-13:9780805368413ISBN:0805368418
Description: Very good. Paperback. Has minor wear and/or markings. Instructor Edition: Same as student edition but has free copy markings. CD-ROM Included; ACCESS CODE Valid; Has minor wear and/or markings. SKU: 24990621 All orders shipped within 1 business day. 14 day money back guarantee ISBN: 9780805368413. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Addison-Wesley
Date Published: 2007
ISBN-13:9780805368413ISBN:0805368418
Description: Paperback. All text is legible, may contain markings, cover wear, loose/torn pages or staining and much writing. ACCESS CODE Valid; CD-ROM Not Included; Large Tear on Front Cover (Taped)/Binding (Taped); Some Highlighting/Bent Pages; Minimal Writing; Frayed Corners/Bent Cover. SKU: 19250532 All orders shipped within 1 business day. 14 day money back guarantee ISBN: 9780805368413 All text is legible, may contain markings, cover wear, loose/torn pages or staining and much writing. ACCESS CODE ... read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Addison-Wesley
Date Published: 2007
ISBN-13:9780805368413ISBN:0805368418
Description: Fair. Paperback. All text is legible, may contain markings, cover wear, loose/torn pages or staining and much writing. ACCESS CODE Valid; CD-ROM Not Included; All text is legible, may contain markings, cover wear, loose/torn pages or staining and much writing. SKU: 25134209 All orders shipped within 1 business day. 14 day money back guarantee ISBN: 9780805368413. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Pearson Benjamin Cummings
Date Published: 2007
ISBN-13:9780805368413ISBN:0805368418
Description: Fine. Paperback. Almost new condition. Instructor Edition: Same as student edition but has free copy markings. CD-ROM Included; ACCESS CODE Valid. Almost new condition. SKU: 24267976 All orders shipped within 1 business day. 14 day money back guarantee ISBN: 9780805368413. read more
Edition: International Student Edition
Binding: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Pearson-Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA, USA
Date Published: 2006
ISBN-13:9780321486493ISBN:0321486498
Description: Very Good. No Jacket as Issued. 4to-over 9¾"-12" tall. Slight edgewear and modering curling of corners of front cover; CD in tact and unused. Booked is an International Student Edition, and is marked across the back cover of the book NOT FOR SALE IN THE U.S.A. or CANADA. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Benjamin-Cummings Pub Co
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780131933552ISBN:0131933558
Description: Very Good. 0131933558 Pub date: 2004. Condition: Very Good. Has some shelf wear highlighting, underlining & or writing. Great used condition. Includes CD-ROM. We are a tested and proven company with over 400, 000 satisfied customers since 1997. Choose expedited shipping for mu. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Benjamin-Cummings Pub Co
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780131933552ISBN:0131933558
Description: Very Good. 0131933558 Pub date: 2004. Condition: Very Good. Has name written on edge or cover page and moderate shelf wear, otherwise in good condition. Includes CD-ROM. We are a tested and proven company with over 400, 000 satisfied customers since 1997. Choose expedited shipp. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Benjamin-Cummings Pub Co
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780131933552ISBN:0131933558
Description: Very Good. 0131933558 Pub date: 2004. Condition: Very Good. Missing CD, writing/ underlining and moderate shelf wear. Good used condition. We are a tested and proven company with over 400, 000 satisfied customers since 1997. Choose expedited shipping for much faster delivery. D. read more
Edition: 2nd ed.
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Company
Date Published: 2006
Description: Very good in very good dust jacket. Excellent condition! This is NOT the US hard cover. This is the soft cover international edition with IDENTICAL content to the US hard cover. Satisfaction is guaranteed. If for any reason you cannot use this book in your class, a full refund will be offered. Why pay more? read more
Edition: 2nd ed.
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Benjamin-Cummings Publishing Company
Date Published: 2006
Description: Very good in very good dust jacket. Excellent condition! This is NOT the US hard cover. This is the soft cover international edition with IDENTICAL content to the US hard cover. Satisfaction is guaranteed. If for any reason you cannot use this book in your class, a full refund will be offered. Why pay more? read more
"I read this textbook as part of a biology class this summer.
Overall, one could make an argument that it deserves more than two stars because it's not really worse than typical college textbooks. I don't buy that.
First, the good points: its introduction, scientific method coverage, population, community, and ecosystem ecology sections were very good. The scientific method coverage, in particular, took pains to define the scope of scientific discourse very precisely, and explicitly stated that other fields such as religion can also help us to know nature. I appreciated that.
The community and ecosystem sections, in particular, seemed well-written. They didn't just state ideas; they described the studies that supported them and actively encouraged critical thinking about those studies and their results. In my class, we read those sections first, so I had high hopes for the textbook as a whole.
The book covers a very broad set of topics, and some in surprisingly deep detail. It has a good index and glossary as well.
Unfortunately, most of the book follows this pattern:
Thing A performs function X. Thing B performs function Y. Thing C does Z. They fit together as A-B-C. See figure 8-23h.
(repeat over and over, with different values of ABC, XYZ.)
That is, very little explanation of why we believe this is the case, how we learned about it, how the scientific method was applied in the acquisition of this knowledge, or any disagreement among biologists as to the accuracy of the information. They did have very occasional sections on this, but entire chapters might be almost completely devoid of it. Almost never does the book cite its sources for facts either.
As I was reading the chapters on cells -- which have amazingly intricate chemical properties spelled out -- I kept wondering: when and how did we manage to figure THIS out? It was almost never explained. It would have been so fascinating if it had been.
Then there is the tendency to put out rather unsupportable statements, such as this little gem from page 595:
"Composed of up to 100 billion intricately organized neurons, with a much larger number of supporting cells, the human brain is more powerful than the most sophisticated computer." OK, thought-provoking, yes. But how can you scientifically evaluate the power of a computer and a brain on objective terms? I'm not sure I can evaluate the power of a computer on objective terms (the word "power" is just way too imprecise), let alone that of a brain. They cite no source of that, there is no discussion or background of it. It's just thrown out there, then discarded. I hate that. If you're going to say something that interesting, at least make a feeble attempt to back it up!
They also have a habit of saying things are "almost always" true, such as on p. 383, where they say "Solar energy powers nearly all ecosystems." But they rarely explain what the exceptions are, leaving you to wonder whether a given example is an exception or a rule. (OK, so it's more obvious here, but it happens elsewhere).
They do have a number of helpful figures in the book, though they've probably gone overboard on the photos of athletes and things. Yes, muscles make us run. I get it already.
This is an introductory textbook, so perhaps I am overly harsh here. But I've read other introductory textbooks that are more given to precise language, and don't have chapters that are just endless lists of definitions and functions, but explain how we got there. This book could have so easily been excellent."
"The book is in excellent condition but it is not the book that is shown in the picture. It is a different version but still same context. Please with the condition of the book. Shipping date was accurate."
"This book is a bit dry although the story line is fascinating. Ha Ha..... I'm not kidding though, this is the only book I have time to read anymore. School sucks."
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