Archive for April, 2009

IB Diploma Programme: Psychology Course Companion – John Crane

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009



Name: IB Diploma Programme: Psychology Course Companion
Author: John Crane
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2009
Pages: 352
ISBN: 0199151296

My Review

I can not review this book because I do not own it. It is up to you to review this book if you own it! All genuine reviews submitted will be published to help determine the quality of this book.

This is another book published by the Oxford University Press, I would say one of the best publishers of IB books, if not the best because they cover such a wide range of subjects. We’ll know more when others submit reviews!

The book is available for £20 or $36.

IB Study Guide: Economics for the IB Diploma – Constantine Ziogas

Sunday, April 26th, 2009



Name: IB Study Guide: Economics for the IB Diploma
Author: Constantine Ziogas
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2008
Pages: 208
ISBN: 0199152284

My Review

I do not own this book, therefore I will not be able to submit a review for it. However, if you you own the book, please feel free to submit a review using the comments section!

I do own another book in the Study Guide range from the Oxford University Press, Biology, and it is clearly set out and a great revision aid, from what I know of the quality of the Oxford University Press books so far, I can safely say that this is a good book.

The book is available for £17 or $37.

Contents of Study Guide
1 Introduction
Scarcity
The fundamental questions of Economics

2 Microeconomics
The behaviour of consumers
The behaviour of producers
Equilibrium
The question of resource allocation
Elasticity
Price Controls
Indirect taxation and subsidies
Agriculture and agricultural policy
Theory of production
Cost theory
Goals of firms
Market structures
Market failures
IB Questions: Sections 1 and 2

3 Macroeconomics
Measuring overall economic activity
The concept of equilibrium in economics
Introducing aggregate demand and aggregate supply
The trade of business cycle
The components of aggregate demand
A closer examination of aggregate supply
The effects of AD/AS shifts
Demand-side policies
Supply-side policies
Inflation
Unemployment
The Phillips curve
Distribution of income
Inflationary and deflationary gaps: an alternative presentation
Schools of economic though: a brief outline
IB questions: Section 3

4 International Economics
Free trade and welfare
Specialization
Protectionism
Forms of Protectionism
Economic integration and trade liberalization
Exchange rates
The balance of payments
Correcting imbalances
The terms of trade
IB Questions: Section 4

5 Development Economics
Characteristics of developing economies
Measuring economic development
Sources of long-run growth
Barriers to growth and development
Looking beyond growth: sources of development
Foreign direct investment and the multinational enterprise
Foreign Aid
Trade and development
Indebtedness
Structuralist models of development
IB Questions: section 5

Glossary of Syllabus Terms
Guidance for Students of Evaluation
Guidance for Students on Diagrams
Review Questions Using Diagrams
Index

Biology Higher Level (Heinemann Baccalaureate)(Pearson Baccalaureate) – Alan Damon, William Ward, Patricia Tosto & Randy McGonegal (Update!)

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

Name: Biology Higher Level (Heinemann Baccalaureate)
Author: Alan Damon, William Ward, Patricia Tosto & Randy McGonegal
Publisher: Heinemann Baccalaureate (Pearson Baccalaureate)
Published: 2007
Pages: 702
ISBN: 0435994247

My Review

I got this book through the other day and have had a good look through it before posting this review. Wow. I never knew how thick it was! 700 pages, of course it’s going to be thick, but when I first saw it I was a little gobsmacked.

The first thing I noticed in the book was the wide range of colours and pictures, for some people these may not be worth much, but I know that I learn better with colours and variety, so this book is going to be more helpful than the Oxford Press book, but does it match the oxford book in terms of content? Pretty Much! The book contains all the information including the options (why it is so thick!) The diagrams are really clear and mostly well explained, sometimes the Clegg book describes a diagram in more detail which helps, but as always, it is better to have a variety of these books to take the best from each.

The book also includes nice little boxes, a different colour box for a different function. For example you have important words with their meaning in one colour box and in another colour box there are links to sites with more information to help with the study, they are called Heinemann Hotlinks, you just enter to code and presto! you get redirected to the useful page that Heinemann has checked is safe from viruses and of suitable content. What more could you want?

This book doesn’t come with a disc, which is a shame as I like to have a digital copy of my textbooks incase the original book is damaged or lost. But it is to be expected as a PDF file is very easily shared using the internet and the power of torrents.

In conclusion, this is a good book, the diagrams are clear and concise. The information is easy to understand, I found it easier to understand than that Oxford book which is very heavy reading sometimes.

This book is from the same people that published the History – Cold War book, which is part of the Heinemann Baccalaureate series and I assume know that this book will be is just as great! This book is for people that are studying IB Biology at Higher Level, if you are studying IB Biology at Standard Level you will be better with the Biology Standard Level (Heinemann Baccalaureate), Clegg and Oxford University Press books.

The book is usually around £29.50 or $71 or cheaper depending on how many are available when you buy.

You can download sample chapters from this book, provided by Heinemann.
Chapter One
Chapter Two

Contents of Book
Introduction
1. Statistical Analysis
2. Cells
3. The chemistry of life
4. Genetics 1
5. Ecology and evolution
6. Human health and physiology 1
7. Nucleic acids and proteins
8. Cell respiration and photosynthesis
9. Plant science
10. Genetics 2
11. Human health and physiology 2
12. (Option A) Human nutrition and health
13. (Option B) Physiology of exercise
14. (Option C) Cells and energy
15. (Option D) Evolution
16. (Option E) Neurobiology and behaviour
17. (Option F) Microbes and biotechnology
18. (Option G) Ecology and conservation
19. (Option H) Further human physiology
Theory of Knowledge
Advice on Internal Assessment
Advice on the Extended Essay
Answers
Index

If you own this book feel free to submit a review! :)

The series of ‘Heinemann Baccalaureate’ books has changed names to ‘Pearson Baccalaureate’. This post has been updated accordingly.

Mathematical Studies (Heinemann Baccalaureate)(Pearson Baccalaureate) – Ron Carrell & David Wees

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009



Name: Mathematical Studies (Heinemann Baccalaureate)
Author: Ron Carrell & David Wees
Publisher: Heinemann Baccalaureate (Pearson Baccalaureate)
Pages: 608
Published: 2008
ISBN: 043599431X

My Review

I do not take Mathematical Studies as a subject for IB, so I can not give a review of this book. However, From the sample pages and knowledge of other Heinemann Books, I think that this would be a great book for Mathematical Studies students. There are over 600 pages with lots of detail. If you own this book please submit your review!

You can download these two sample chapters from the book, provided by Heinemann.
Chaper Two
Chaper Three

Contents of Book
Introduction
1. Presumed Knowledge
2. Numbers
3. Functions I (linear, quadratic, exponential)
4. Functions II (since, cosine, unfamiliar)
5. Geometry I (basic concepts, 2-D, 3-D)
6. Geometry II (solving triangles)
7. Sequences and Series
8. Financial
9. Sets
10. Logic
11. Probability
12. Statistics I (basic concepts)
13. Statistics II (regression line, chi-square)
14. Calculus
15. The Project
16. Practice IB exams
Theory of Knowledge
Answers
Index

This book is available from Amazon in the UK for £28 and is not yet available from Amazon in the USA. However, Amazon UK can ship this worldwide!

The series of ‘Heinemann Baccalaureate’ books has changed names to ‘Pearson Baccalaureate’. This post has been updated accordingly.

Theory of Knowledge (Heinemann Baccalaureate)(Pearson Baccalaureate) – Sue Bastian

Monday, April 20th, 2009



Name: Theory of Knowledge (Heinemann Baccalaureate)
Author: Sue Bastian
Publisher: Heinemann Baccalaureate (Pearson Baccalaureate)
Published: 2008
ISBN: 0435994328

My Review

This book is being delivered soon! I’ll have a full review up as soon as I have had a full look through it! For now I’ve been having a look at the Sample Chapters, see below, and I’m liking the look of the book so far (The reason I bought it in the first place), and also because it’s Heinemann =D.  I especially like the way the book is set out, see contents list below. If you own the book, please submit your review for the book using the comments section!

You can download these two sample chapters from the book, provided by Heinemann.
Chaper One
Chaper Two

Contents of Book
Introduction
1. Your knower profile
2. Key ideas and vocabulary
3. Knowledge
4. Belief
5. Certainty
6. Truth
7. The ideal knower
8. Ways of knowing
9. Perception
10. Emotion
11. Language
12. Reason
13. Areas of knowledge
14. Mathematics
15. Science
16. Social science
17. History
18. Ethics
19. Art
20. The learner profile
Themes of global significance
Index

This book is available from £23 and $45.

The series of ‘Heinemann Baccalaureate’ books has changed names to ‘Pearson Baccalaureate’. This post has been updated accordingly.