🚀 go-pugleaf

On Thu, 25 May 1995, David J. Abineri wrote:

> A response to the text book discussions that have been on this list.
>
> I have been using the Merrill book in my senior level (non AP) course
> and have been very disappointed with it for a number of reasons. I
> recently discovered COLLEGE PHYSICS by Vincent Coletta and plan to use
> it next year.

I, too, recently discovered Coletta (Mosby, 1995) ISBN 0-8016-7722-X, and
I and a colleague are using it this summer in a non-calculus intro to
college physics course. We'll soon know how it works out.

I've looked in the book in those areas of my pet peeves (and you folks
know I've a lot of them), and to my surprise I find that Coletta doesn't
fall into those traps and mistakes which are so common in other books.
This book covers the standard material, but its presentation isn't cut
with the same cookie cutter. The illustrations *are* especially good,
supporting the text rather than distracting from it. These days, with so
many books written by committees, its a pleasure to see one author do
such a good, unified, presentation.

Just as important are the things Coletta leaves out--things which can't be
successfully presented at this level.

> It has a wide variety of problems at several levels of difficulty
>  and seems to emphasize biological and sports examples somewhat.

Don't they all--I call it pandering to student interests. But, wonder of
wonders, unlike so many other books, Coletta chooses these intelligently,
and gets these biological examples right! His treatment of vision and the
eye is especially good. The whole chapter on optical instruments is
better than most book's treatment. Well, after all, Mosby built its
reputation as a medical textbook publisher.

> The illustrations and diagrams seem very helpful in terms of visualization
> by students and it seems to weave the topics together very well. It is
 published
>  by Mosby and I think students who are capable of Merrill will
> be able to manage this book.

My colleague is teaching the first half of the book now (for 5
weeks--brutal!). I teach the second half (5 more weeks). I'll let you
know how the book works out. I haven't seen the ancillary materials
(transparencies, etc.) yet.

        -- Donald