[IWantSomeMushu]

I am going to be self teaching myself AQA A-Level Physics A.

Could you guys recommend some textbooks, please?

Thanks.

Edit: I have seen numerous reviews of the official AQA one and many say it is poor.

[a.partridge]

Presumably the AQA one?

you don't really get much credit for extra curricular knowledge and A level exams tend to want answers written in their framework using their wording

[IWantSomeMushu]

(Original post by a.partridge)
Presumably the AQA one?

you don't really get much credit for extra curricular knowledge and A level exams tend to want answers written in their framework using their wording

I've edited my post to explain why I'm posting.

The reviews for the official AQA books are pretty poor. I just want to look at the best other options.

[IWantSomeMushu]

Bump.

[BananaWhale]

http://www.cgpbooks.co.uk/pages/prod...sp?book=PAAR71

These books are brilliant for revision. (you can also get just AS or A2 versions but I linked you to the AS & A2 one).
If AQA do their own book then I'd advise getting that too though.

[teachercol]

Exam boards dont do their own books. Authors / teachers write them and the exam board merely acknowledge that they cover their syllabus. They dont check them or recommend them.

[number23]

The cgp one is realy good... its very simplified but about 80% of the info you need
make sure you look at the specification as well

[The Polymath]

(Original post by a.partridge)
Presumably the AQA one?

you don't really get much credit for extra curricular knowledge and A level exams tend to want answers written in their framework using their wording

This is true. My Physics board (OCR) look for really specific wording, and sometimes the CGP guide definitions would not have given the marks :O

[a.partridge]

(Original post by Junaid96)
This is true. My Physics board (OCR) look for really specific wording, and sometimes the CGP guide definitions would not have given the marks :O

Yeah I did OCR last year so that's what I based my statement on - to do well it's just about learning every single word in the textbook (got me fulls 'ums') - downside is most of which is not that useful once the degree starts

[The Polymath]

(Original post by a.partridge)
Yeah I did OCR last year so that's what I based my statement on - to do well it's just about learning every single word in the textbook (got me fulls 'ums') - downside is most of which is not that useful once the degree starts

I'm the opposite I get bogged down on the concepts and trying to understand the actual physics, and never get round to learning how to answer exam questions

[Existentialistic]

I use this one but for WJEC, not that it makes any real difference. The book is superb, it goes into an immense amount of detail on all of the subjects of the syllabus, and contains a lot of stuff you will be seeing at UG level. It's old (almost 20 years old) and very long (almost 1000 pages), but that only means it is more rigorous when compared with today's "watered down" physics syllabus.

It's a pretty tough book at times, but you will want something like this if you are teaching yourself. I would recommend it to anyone who is not only serious about doing well in A-level physics but also wants to go above and beyond the standard syllabus. I bought this second hand via Amazon, for about £15.00 - less than half the price of the first hand copies and it is in excellent condition considering its age. Enjoy!

[IWantSomeMushu]

(Original post by Existentialistic)
I use this one but for WJEC, not that it makes any real difference. The book is superb, it goes into an immense amount of detail on all of the subjects of the syllabus, and contains a lot of stuff you will be seeing at UG level. It's old (almost 20 years old) and very long (almost 1000 pages), but that only means it is more rigorous when compared with today's "watered down" physics syllabus.

It's a pretty tough book at times, but you will want something like this if you are teaching yourself. I would recommend it to anyone who is not only serious about doing well in A-level physics but also wants to go above and beyond the standard syllabus. I bought this second hand via Amazon, for about £15.00 - less than half the price of the first hand copies and it is in excellent condition considering its age. Enjoy!

I have heard quite a bit about this book, and I think it will be good for me, as I plan on studying Physics at University.

I know the A-Level Physics syllabus on all exam boards is quite watered-down, and so may look to combine this book with an 'AQA endorsed' one, seeing as I will need to learn their key words and good exam technique to score high marks.

Thanks