<p>ok, so i wanted to buy some textbooks online, but for some classes like Astronomy C10 and UGBA10 the bookstore says that it needs a whole package, including something called a reader. what is a reader and can it cost $50??? does it change from sememter to semester? if it does can i buy the textbook online and buy the reader at school? thanks for the help</p>
<p>a reader is usually a bunch of articles, readings, and excerpts put together for a specific class. yes it can cost 50 bucks. for the most part they don’t change semester to semester. yes you can buy the text online and the reader at school. most of the times you can only get the reader at school.</p>
<p>do people sell their old readers? or is it a better idea to just get that new</p>
<p>Readers usually vary year to year so last year’s reader may not have the article you need for your class. People don’t usually sell their readers but you can check comegetused.com; that’s the easiest way to buy a reader unless you know someone who took the class.</p>
<p>I got one reader over my three semesters at Berkeley and I didn’t even need that one. For some classes, they’re useful. But I have not taken any of those classes. Everything mentioned in the reader that could end up on the test the GSI usually goes over in discussion (and occasionally the professor mentions it in lecture). Often, it is simply (very expensive) supplemental information that is nice to know but not at all necessary. Also, many of the articles are usually available online, and you can access them through your local public library subscription to JSTOR or whatever or just by going to an academic journal catalog’s website if you’re living in the dorms/otherwise on the UC Berkeley internet network. My advice would be to not buy the reader until you really need it because you won’t be able to resell it/return it.</p>