Do College Students Agree With Using Their Professors' Book as Their Class Text?

By Kylie Exline on October 18, 2016

Throughout our college career, some of us have had professors that have written scholarly books and therefore required them for the specific course they were teaching. Through personal experience, this can sometimes be for the better or for the worse, depending.

It is a fact that some professors teach to a method that works best for you, and some are better able to articulate their lectures and assignments. Regardless, if they require their personal book that they wrote as the class textbook, then you do not have much say in the matter. Sorry to disappoint.

Continue reading below to see various students’ takes on whether they approve or disagree with their professor assigning their own book as required reading for the class.

“I don’t care.”

Jasmine Samuel, first-year grad student at Hofstra University, thinks that at the end of the day, it does not really matter if they wrote it or not.

“It usually just means that they’re going to center the class around the book and discuss what they find important,” Samuel said.

Not caring means that regardless if every assignment and reading comes from the book, as a student you are still respecting the author with a sense of non-bias and it does not really affect you either way.

“It’s smart and profitable.”

Jonas Volkman, exercise science senior at Florida State University, thinks that “it can be reassuring to have a professor that can relate to the material.”

If you have a question, you can personally ask them during class or office hours; plus you can receive an answer immediately. Nothing like a quick response time.

When a professor writes their own book, it means that they should have a better grasp on the information and can better apply the concepts to in-class discussion.

Volkman said that it makes him “feel as if they actually know what they are talking about” when they teach with their own book.

“I enjoy it because there’s no gray area.”

Jolina Nerona, elementary education senior at University of Florida, believes that when professors use their personal book, their “lectures in class are directly reflected through the reading.”

This means that there should not be foreign concepts or headings because all of the information is already included.

However, if a professor uses their book, this does not mean that all of the information is up to date given knowledge changes consistently. Not to say it is not accurate, but they may lecture and teach on subjects that were left out of the book because they were unknown at the time of the publishing date.

“They always bring up the fact.”

Amanda Gutierrez, biology sophomore at Florida State University, thinks that most professors “make it a required reading because they want students to buy the book.”

This makes evident sense for various reasons, but it also adds into the argument if this is morally right. Plus, it can become pretty annoying if they mention it every other class. No one likes a bragger.

Hopefully, if a professor requires their text for their class, then it actually relates to the course and can be applied to the overall subject areas being taught. If not, then it appears as though they wanted students to purchase the book strictly because it brings them profit. And that would not be a really nice thing to do.

When a professor requires their book for class, it usually ends in one of two ways: It worked exceptionally well, or it was a waste of money to invest in. That is the case for most textbooks though, keep in mind.

If a professor requires it, the reactions are mixed. Every student learns at a separate pace and method. And if you have to purchase a book for the class in general, wouldn’t you want it to be by the professor that is teaching the class?

In the end, it relies on the specific professor. Who knows, you may have one that hasn’t written a book ye,t and then you do not even have to worry about the dilemma at hand.

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