Recommended IB textbooks!
Hello everyone,
I think there comes a time when every IB student comes to the realization that most of the textbooks for IB subjects are rubbish. I found this out pretty quickly after starting my courses.
However, recently I have come across a few IB textbooks I think are so awesome that I need to recommend it to as many people I can. All of these books are published by Pearson Baccalaureate and I have the ones for Mathematics HL, Physics HL and Chemistry SL. Below follows a short mini-review for each textbook and links to purchase them on Amazon:
Pearson Baccalaureate: Higher Level Physics:
This is in my opinion the best physics textbook I have ever had the pleasure of owning. It is written by Chris Hamper, an experience IB Physics teacher who teaches at the Red Cross Nordic United World College in Norway. The textbook contains everything you need for the HL course, including all the options. What makes this a great textbook is that it consists of great explanations and examples with colored diagrams and illustrations to make a seemingly hard subject like physics a joy to learn. An added bonus is that you get a link to a website where the author has uploaded all the answers to every single problem in the book, with complete solutions. Please, if you are an IB physics student, do yourself a favor and buy this book right now!
Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pearson-Baccalaureate-Physics-International-Editions/dp/0435994425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292145418&sr=8-1
Pearson Baccalaureate: Standard Level Chemistry:
My opinion on this book is very similar to the physics one. Chemistry has never been one of my favorite subjects mostly because I never REALLY understood the concepts, even though I was able to do the problems. This textbook offers great examples and explanations and makes chemistry really simple. It also a link to website with complete solutions to every single problem. Recommended!
Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pearson-Baccalaureate-Standard-Chemistry-International/dp/0435994468/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292145960&sr=1-1
Pearson Baccalaureate: Higher Level Mathematics:
I've used three textbooks for mathematics during my stay at the IB, and this one wins hands down. As with the chemistry and physics textbooks, this comes with even more examples so you really get the mathematical intuition needed to succeed in a subject like Math HL. The book itself does not contain any of the options, but you get a link to website online where you have the option to download all the four options in PDF format.
Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pearson-Baccalaureate-Mathematics-International-Editions/dp/0435994417/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292146184&sr=1-2
Oh, and all three textbooks come with loads of past exam questions, so you can get the practice you need before the exam.
I really hope this helps anyone out having to deal with frustrating textbooks.
If you have an IB textbook that you really like, feel free to share it with everyone!
I think there comes a time when every IB student comes to the realization that most of the textbooks for IB subjects are rubbish. I found this out pretty quickly after starting my courses.
However, recently I have come across a few IB textbooks I think are so awesome that I need to recommend it to as many people I can. All of these books are published by Pearson Baccalaureate and I have the ones for Mathematics HL, Physics HL and Chemistry SL. Below follows a short mini-review for each textbook and links to purchase them on Amazon:
Pearson Baccalaureate: Higher Level Physics:
This is in my opinion the best physics textbook I have ever had the pleasure of owning. It is written by Chris Hamper, an experience IB Physics teacher who teaches at the Red Cross Nordic United World College in Norway. The textbook contains everything you need for the HL course, including all the options. What makes this a great textbook is that it consists of great explanations and examples with colored diagrams and illustrations to make a seemingly hard subject like physics a joy to learn. An added bonus is that you get a link to a website where the author has uploaded all the answers to every single problem in the book, with complete solutions. Please, if you are an IB physics student, do yourself a favor and buy this book right now!
Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pearson-Baccalaureate-Physics-International-Editions/dp/0435994425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292145418&sr=8-1
Pearson Baccalaureate: Standard Level Chemistry:
My opinion on this book is very similar to the physics one. Chemistry has never been one of my favorite subjects mostly because I never REALLY understood the concepts, even though I was able to do the problems. This textbook offers great examples and explanations and makes chemistry really simple. It also a link to website with complete solutions to every single problem. Recommended!
Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pearson-Baccalaureate-Standard-Chemistry-International/dp/0435994468/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292145960&sr=1-1
Pearson Baccalaureate: Higher Level Mathematics:
I've used three textbooks for mathematics during my stay at the IB, and this one wins hands down. As with the chemistry and physics textbooks, this comes with even more examples so you really get the mathematical intuition needed to succeed in a subject like Math HL. The book itself does not contain any of the options, but you get a link to website online where you have the option to download all the four options in PDF format.
Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pearson-Baccalaureate-Mathematics-International-Editions/dp/0435994417/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292146184&sr=1-2
Oh, and all three textbooks come with loads of past exam questions, so you can get the practice you need before the exam.
I really hope this helps anyone out having to deal with frustrating textbooks.
If you have an IB textbook that you really like, feel free to share it with everyone!
I like Physics for the IB Diploma By K.A Tsokos..Its a little difficult to understand though..but still its good 
http://www.amazon.com/Physics-IB-Diploma-K-Tsokos/dp/0521604052
http://www.amazon.com/Physics-IB-Diploma-K-Tsokos/dp/0521604052
Original post by ethical21
I like Physics for the IB Diploma By K.A Tsokos..Its a little difficult to understand though..but still its good
http://www.amazon.com/Physics-IB-Diploma-K-Tsokos/dp/0521604052
http://www.amazon.com/Physics-IB-Diploma-K-Tsokos/dp/0521604052
True, this one is probably the best specifically-for-IB physics textbook I have come across. I have also used Giancoli's physics textbook, but it is quite advanced stuff sometimes and a lot of things you do not need for IB - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Physics-Chapters-1-15-Principles-Applications/dp/013035256X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292162842&sr=1-2
For Economics, I'd recommend the Oxford Course Companion - though there are few errors here and there in the book, it contains everything you need for IB. And it is not as heavy as some other books :P http://www.amazon.co.uk/IB-Course-Companion-Economics-Programme/dp/0199151245/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292162936&sr=1-3
I have not seen the Pearson Bacc. Math textbook, but all the other books for IB Mathematics (HL) were rather terrible - wrong solutions, mistakes in exercises, proofs and derivations of some formulas were very basic/without sufficient explanation. Probably the best textbook for math I have seen is a two-volume series by Perkins and Perkins http://www.amazon.co.uk/Advanced-Mathematics-Combined-Statistics-Mechanics/dp/0713512725/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292163499&sr=1-3 and http://www.amazon.co.uk/Advanced-Mathematics-Combined-Statistics-Mechanics/dp/0713513225/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292163499&sr=1-1
Original post by ethical21
I like Physics for the IB Diploma By K.A Tsokos..Its a little difficult to understand though..but still its good
http://www.amazon.com/Physics-IB-Diploma-K-Tsokos/dp/0521604052
http://www.amazon.com/Physics-IB-Diploma-K-Tsokos/dp/0521604052
Really? We use it at school and I don't like it at all. It's explanations are not very simple, and the exercises do not at all resemble IB questions. It doesn't even have past IB questions.
Original post by chrypton
Really? We use it at school and I don't like it at all. It's explanations are not very simple, and the exercises do not at all resemble IB questions. It doesn't even have past IB questions.
Yeah it doesnt have previous year questions, but its still good.
For maths HL I find this book good..
http://www.ibbookshop.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=23&products_id=363&osCsid=e30d88cfe68ad4cfef8259e397e7d9d4
DO NOT DISS TSOKOS. TSOKOS was the REASON I received a 6 in IB Physics HL. His explanations are absolutely PERFECT. STFU.
Original post by The Man of the Hour
DO NOT DISS TSOKOS. TSOKOS was the REASON I received a 6 in IB Physics HL. His explanations are absolutely PERFECT. STFU.
A 6 in Physics HL..!
Awesome man, Please give me some tips and other details about how you achieved it and if you can please tell me which chapter IB most focuses on?
Original post by ethical21
A 6 in Physics HL..!
Awesome man, Please give me some tips and other details about how you achieved it and if you can please tell me which chapter IB most focuses on?
Awesome man, Please give me some tips and other details about how you achieved it and if you can please tell me which chapter IB most focuses on?
Here are some tips. PRINT OUT THE SYLLABUS AND HIGHLIGHT THE **** OUT OF IT. With the textbook, make notes on EVERYTHING and try as many interesting questions as possible. The answers are in the back and your teacher should be able to tell you how to do the questions if you are stumped. Make sure you keep track of all the equations and information that you will not have come exam day and study it inside and out.
Next: get the questionbank. It's on the Internet somewhere and contains...hundreds of IB questions. And just do the ones for each section you are on. The whole point is...have the skill to do them and then use them for practice. You'll find that after you do a couple, you will be a PRO at a certain section. As well, practice the multiple choice questions for each section...keep track of the ones you get entirely wrong and get someone to help you understand why a certain answer is correct.
So...for labs: http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/gossesf/IB%20Physics/2010&11/IBPhysics%20HL12%202010&11/Curriculum.pdf A temporary link for the curriculum document. Print this baby out. Go to Group 4: Internal assessment criteria + Clarification of the IA Criteria and make sure your labs meet every single one of these outcomes without ERROR. I almost aced my labs for IB physics by doing this!
I didn't have this when I went through IB, but here's something also: http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/gossesf/template/Internalassessmentguidelines.pdf that my former teacher made up. This should help you a lot if you are taking IB physics.
Another tip: Learn your options well. If you have Optics...it's a tough deal. If you have relativity, it's fairly simple in HL because you have 99% of the equations and just need to know the concepts. The questions are LAUGHABLY easy for relativity in IB. For exams, you are ideally looking at this for your studying: a couple of weeks studying the AHL and Core stuff so you can do the problems and multiple choice questions. AND CRAM THOSE OPTIONS IN THE NIGHT BEFORE. This is what most people do, but this is all contingent on your learning the concepts well beforehand.
So, one last thing: make sure that your teacher is covering everything in a decent amount of time! My teacher finished around...March or something like that, and spent the last few weeks reviewing and doing labs and other IB things. Other teachers are not like that at all...you need a number of months to understand the concepts before you go into final study mode. And don't neglect any other science you might have: I neglected Chemistry SL and received a 4 as my final mark when I had level 6 labs. :P
IB really evaluate EVERYTHING on the final exam, so no chapter is unimportant. Just do them all like this!
There you go, and good luck with everything! If you need any sample labs and stuff, send a PM!
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by The Man of the Hour
Here are some tips. PRINT OUT THE SYLLABUS AND HIGHLIGHT THE **** OUT OF IT. With the textbook, make notes on EVERYTHING and try as many interesting questions as possible. The answers are in the back and your teacher should be able to tell you how to do the questions if you are stumped. Make sure you keep track of all the equations and information that you will not have come exam day and study it inside and out.
Next: get the questionbank. It's on the Internet somewhere and contains...hundreds of IB questions. And just do the ones for each section you are on. The whole point is...have the skill to do them and then use them for practice. You'll find that after you do a couple, you will be a PRO at a certain section. As well, practice the multiple choice questions for each section...keep track of the ones you get entirely wrong and get someone to help you understand why a certain answer is correct.
So...for labs: http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/gossesf/IB%20Physics/2010&11/IBPhysics%20HL12%202010&11/Curriculum.pdf A temporary link for the curriculum document. Print this baby out. Go to Group 4: Internal assessment criteria + Clarification of the IA Criteria and make sure your labs meet every single one of these outcomes without ERROR. I almost aced my labs for IB physics by doing this!
I didn't have this when I went through IB, but here's something also: http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/gossesf/template/Internalassessmentguidelines.pdf that my former teacher made up. This should help you a lot if you are taking IB physics.
Another tip: Learn your options well. If you have Optics...it's a tough deal. If you have relativity, it's fairly simple in HL because you have 99% of the equations and just need to know the concepts. The questions are LAUGHABLY easy for relativity in IB. For exams, you are ideally looking at this for your studying: a couple of weeks studying the AHL and Core stuff so you can do the problems and multiple choice questions. AND CRAM THOSE OPTIONS IN THE NIGHT BEFORE. This is what most people do, but this is all contingent on your learning the concepts well beforehand.
So, one last thing: make sure that your teacher is covering everything in a decent amount of time! My teacher finished around...March or something like that, and spent the last few weeks reviewing and doing labs and other IB things. Other teachers are not like that at all...you need a number of months to understand the concepts before you go into final study mode. And don't neglect any other science you might have: I neglected Chemistry SL and received a 4 as my final mark when I had level 6 labs. :P
IB really evaluate EVERYTHING on the final exam, so no chapter is unimportant. Just do them all like this!
There you go, and good luck with everything! If you need any sample labs and stuff, send a PM!
Next: get the questionbank. It's on the Internet somewhere and contains...hundreds of IB questions. And just do the ones for each section you are on. The whole point is...have the skill to do them and then use them for practice. You'll find that after you do a couple, you will be a PRO at a certain section. As well, practice the multiple choice questions for each section...keep track of the ones you get entirely wrong and get someone to help you understand why a certain answer is correct.
So...for labs: http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/gossesf/IB%20Physics/2010&11/IBPhysics%20HL12%202010&11/Curriculum.pdf A temporary link for the curriculum document. Print this baby out. Go to Group 4: Internal assessment criteria + Clarification of the IA Criteria and make sure your labs meet every single one of these outcomes without ERROR. I almost aced my labs for IB physics by doing this!
I didn't have this when I went through IB, but here's something also: http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/gossesf/template/Internalassessmentguidelines.pdf that my former teacher made up. This should help you a lot if you are taking IB physics.
Another tip: Learn your options well. If you have Optics...it's a tough deal. If you have relativity, it's fairly simple in HL because you have 99% of the equations and just need to know the concepts. The questions are LAUGHABLY easy for relativity in IB. For exams, you are ideally looking at this for your studying: a couple of weeks studying the AHL and Core stuff so you can do the problems and multiple choice questions. AND CRAM THOSE OPTIONS IN THE NIGHT BEFORE. This is what most people do, but this is all contingent on your learning the concepts well beforehand.
So, one last thing: make sure that your teacher is covering everything in a decent amount of time! My teacher finished around...March or something like that, and spent the last few weeks reviewing and doing labs and other IB things. Other teachers are not like that at all...you need a number of months to understand the concepts before you go into final study mode. And don't neglect any other science you might have: I neglected Chemistry SL and received a 4 as my final mark when I had level 6 labs. :P
IB really evaluate EVERYTHING on the final exam, so no chapter is unimportant. Just do them all like this!
There you go, and good luck with everything! If you need any sample labs and stuff, send a PM!
THANKS SO MUCH MAN!
This really helps!
Well I'll try to get a 7..!
Fortunately I dont have optics..!
I will PM you if anything comes up..
Anyways Thanks Again
sweet, this is just the thread im looking for
im in HL math and i have a teacher that cant really teach
we use the harris textbook (blue cover australian one), and i find the problems in it a bit superficial
can anyone recommend a good math course companion if theres such a thing? or the best way would be to just do past papers...
im in HL math and i have a teacher that cant really teach
we use the harris textbook (blue cover australian one), and i find the problems in it a bit superficial
can anyone recommend a good math course companion if theres such a thing? or the best way would be to just do past papers...
Original post by wongzai
sweet, this is just the thread im looking for
im in HL math and i have a teacher that cant really teach
we use the harris textbook (blue cover australian one), and i find the problems in it a bit superficial
can anyone recommend a good math course companion if theres such a thing? or the best way would be to just do past papers...
im in HL math and i have a teacher that cant really teach
we use the harris textbook (blue cover australian one), and i find the problems in it a bit superficial
can anyone recommend a good math course companion if theres such a thing? or the best way would be to just do past papers...
I also use the Harris Book for maths..and I find it good...u can do all your problems from past papers or find question banks on internet.
Past papers have the perfect questions, do all of them and u'll do fine.
The oxford book is also good.
Original post by wongzai
sweet, this is just the thread im looking for
im in HL math and i have a teacher that cant really teach
we use the harris textbook (blue cover australian one), and i find the problems in it a bit superficial
can anyone recommend a good math course companion if theres such a thing? or the best way would be to just do past papers...
im in HL math and i have a teacher that cant really teach
we use the harris textbook (blue cover australian one), and i find the problems in it a bit superficial
can anyone recommend a good math course companion if theres such a thing? or the best way would be to just do past papers...
Since you're only in your first year, doing past papers now is a bit early. I would do a lot of exercises and problems from the textbooks to stress the concepts.
Also, if your teacher can't teach, I'd really recommend check this link out:
http://khanacademy.org
It's a site containing hundreds of educational videos primarily on mathematics but also in physics, chemistry, economics and history. All made by Salman Khan(hence the name), and I have to tell you that he is a great teacher. I've been using this resource for a few years now.
Original post by chrypton
Since you're only in your first year, doing past papers now is a bit early. I would do a lot of exercises and problems from the textbooks to stress the concepts.
Also, if your teacher can't teach, I'd really recommend check this link out:
http://khanacademy.org
It's a site containing hundreds of educational videos primarily on mathematics but also in physics, chemistry, economics and history. All made by Salman Khan(hence the name), and I have to tell you that he is a great teacher. I've been using this resource for a few years now.
Also, if your teacher can't teach, I'd really recommend check this link out:
http://khanacademy.org
It's a site containing hundreds of educational videos primarily on mathematics but also in physics, chemistry, economics and history. All made by Salman Khan(hence the name), and I have to tell you that he is a great teacher. I've been using this resource for a few years now.
That website is just what i'm looking for! Thanks
http://www.ibdamned.com
Site is AMAZING for IB Textbooks.
Site is AMAZING for IB Textbooks.
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