<p>So... our professor wants us to get Modern Principles: Microeconomics for class. But it's the second edition he wants. That edition cost about $150 (It cost even more at our school store). So I was about to buy it off of Amazon, when I saw the first edition for $8. I was thinking, why the hell does it matter which edition I get. It's Microeconomics. The book shouldn't change all that much. And the editions are only two years apart. We also have another textbook we use, and I already got that one. I just really don't want to get this one. I'm honestly kind of scared that by the time the semester ends, a new edition will come out. Since it'll be close to two years since it came out before it ends.</p>
<p>What do you think I should do? Do any of you guys ever get the older edition in your classes even though your professor tells you otherwise?</p>
<p>In my experience, it hasn’t. I’ve had some classes post the most recent edition for the bookstore but then send out an email and say if we can find an older edition cheaper, go for it. Most times, the only difference between the first and second or eighth and ninth, is the cover and a few pictures and maybe the chapter order (rare). I would only go back one edition, though. Two or more back and there could be more differences with chapter order and page numbers.</p>
<p>It really depends on the book. I’m using an older edition of my chem book right and the only thing that is different is the pictures and some of the page numbers (some pictures added, others taken out).
For my geog class I took, it made a HUGE difference since the world is always changing.</p>
<p>I would talk to your professor about it. Another option might be to go to your school library, compare both copies of the books and make a decision based on that.</p>
<p>As long as the assignment is “read chapter 3” and not “read pages 56-74” you should be mostly fine. Two things to check: (1) is there a copy in your school library? (Some profs even put one on reserve at the front desk.) (2) ask to look through a friend’s copy to make sure your chapters line up with the new edition.</p>
<p>Usually the material will stay similar enough that for studying the old edition will work but this is not always the case. A more frequent and serious problem is that if homework problems are assigned from the book the numbers are unlikely to correspond even if the vast majority of exercises remain the same.</p>
<p>I would ask the professor. In my experience, most professors will say that an older edition is fine, but warn that the problems will most likely not match up between editions.</p>
<p>Also, lol on the thread title. That was pretty much the whole reason I bothered to click on the thread. XD</p>
<p>Same they all said, it should be fine. But watch out for the practice problems.</p>
<p>I know from one of my textbook, the prof asked for a 2012 version…but my friend got himself a 2010 version. On our first textbook assignment, he found out that the old version was missing 4 questions and another 2 that had different number-values in the problems.</p>
<p>And I’ve heard of new versions having extra chapters or sections. My 2011 physic book had a whole new chapter that was not in the old 2009 version.</p>
<p>Sometimes they do. Sometimes they actually add more content. I think is is quite rare, though. I’d say in general it shouldn’t be a problem. You could probably find the book online somewhere. I bought an old edition for chemistry and it wasn’t any different.</p>