I did not stumble over any grammatical errors. Chapter 17 appears to be in need of updating. consent of Rice University. I worry a bit that students used to traditional science books will initially find this open source book dry and unappealing, but I think they will soon be won over by the just-the-facts approach (and I truly mean that in a good way). This text is a nice way to help students organize those core ideas, all in one place. Specialized terms are introduced (in bold) and defined, and examples are provided. The flow and organization is comparable to other texts in the market. This is well done. The book itself is generally free of grammatical errors. Our mission is to improve educational access and learning for everyone. In the online version, each term is hyperlinked to the appropriate section, whereas in the pdf index, the link goes to the key term list at the end of the chapter. I didn't notice any major factual errors while I was going through the book. One inconsistency of note is the use, or lack of use, of graphical phylogenetic hypotheses. Some chapters contain references to "recent work" that will not be recent in a few years, although the text also does not give specific years the work was published. It would be nice to have links to the full-sized image. 2. then you must include on every physical page the following attribution: If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, ),Opp.- Vinayak Hospital, Sec-27, Noida U.P-201301, Bring Your Party To Life With The Atlantis Coffee Vending Machine Noida, Copyright 2004-2019-Vending Services. This particular information is relatively new in the field of biology, though most of the current discoveries lie in the realm of gene function and would be included in an upper level course. However, no zoology textbook Ive found since R. MacNeil Alexanders Animals of the 1990s has attempted to fully integrate these molecular details of function with protist structure. type of secondary protein structure formed by folding the polypeptide into a helix shape with hydrogen bonds stabilizing the structure, a protein's monomer; has a central carbon or alpha carbon to which an amino group, a carboxyl group, a hydrogen, and an R group or side chain is attached; the R group is different for all 20 common amino acids, secondary structure in proteins in which hydrogen bonding forms "pleats" between atoms on the polypeptide chain's backbone, large molecule necessary for life that is built from smaller organic molecules, biological macromolecule in which the ratio of carbon to hydrogen and to oxygen is 1:2:1; carbohydrates serve as energy sources and structural support in cells and form arthropods' cellular exoskeleton, polysaccharide that comprises the plants' cell wall; provides structural support to the cell, chaperonin), protein that helps nascent protein in the folding process, type of carbohydrate that forms the outer skeleton of all arthropods that include crustaceans and insects; it also forms fungi cell walls, condensation), reaction that links monomer molecules, releasing a water molecule for each bond formed, loss of shape in a protein as a result of changes in temperature, pH, or chemical exposure, double-helical molecule that carries the cell's hereditary information, two sugar monomers that a glycosidic bond links, catalyst in a biochemical reaction that is usually a complex or conjugated protein, bond formed by a dehydration reaction between two monosaccharides with eliminating a water molecule, chemical signaling molecule, usually protein or steroid, secreted by endocrine cells that act to control or regulate specific physiological processes, reaction that causes breakdown of larger molecules into smaller molecules by utilizing water, macromolecule that is nonpolar and insoluble in water, RNA that carries information from DNA to ribosomes during protein synthesis, smallest unit of larger molecules that are polymers, biological macromolecule that carries the cell's genetic blueprint and carries instructions for the cell's functioning, monomer of nucleic acids; contains a pentose sugar, one or more phosphate groups, and a nitrogenous base, type of polyunsaturated fat that the body requires; numbering the carbon omega starts from the methyl end or the end that is farthest from the carboxylic end, bond formed between two amino acids by a dehydration reaction, linkage covalent chemical bond that holds together the polynucleotide chains with a phosphate group linking neighboring nucleotides' two pentose sugars, membranes' major constituent; comprised of two fatty acids and a phosphate-containing group attached to a glycerol backbone, chain of monomer residues that covalent bonds link; polymerization is the process of polymer formation from monomers by condensation, long chain of amino acids that peptide bonds link, long chain of monosaccharides; may be branched or unbranched, linear sequence of amino acids in a protein, biological macromolecule comprised of one or more amino acid chains, type of nitrogenous base in DNA and RNA; adenine and guanine are purines, type of nitrogenous base in DNA and RNA; cytosine, thymine, and uracil are pyrimidines, association of discrete polypeptide subunits in a protein, single-stranded, often internally base paired, molecule that is involved in protein synthesis, RNA that ensures the proper alignment of the mRNA and the ribosomes during protein synthesis and catalyzes forming the peptide linkage, long-chain hydrocarbon with single covalent bonds in the carbon chain; the number of hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon skeleton is maximized, regular structure that proteins form by intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the oxygen atom of one amino acid residue and the hydrogen attached to the nitrogen atom of another amino acid residue, type of lipid comprised of four fused hydrocarbon rings forming a planar structure, a protein's three-dimensional conformation, including interactions between secondary structural elements; formed from interactions between amino acid side chains, fat formed artificially by hydrogenating oils, leading to a different arrangement of double bond(s) than those in naturally occurring lipids, process through which messenger RNA forms on a template of DNA, RNA that carries activated amino acids to the site of protein synthesis on the ribosome, process through which RNA directs the protein's formation, triglyceride), fat molecule; consists of three fatty acids linked to a glycerol molecule, long-chain hydrocarbon that has one or more double bonds in the hydrocarbon chain, lipid comprised of a long-chain fatty acid that is esterified to a long-chain alcohol; serves as a protective coating on some feathers, aquatic mammal fur, and leaves, Bio Honors Ch 3 Vocabulary Flash Cards (From, Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols Page 1 -, OpenStax Biology 2e Chapter 2 The Chemical Fo, OpenStax Biology 2e Chapter 4 Cell Structure, OpenStax Biology 2e Chapter 5 Structure and F, OpenStax Microbiology Chapter 1 An Invisible, OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology Chapter 28 De, OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology Chapter 27 Th, OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology Chapter 26 Fl, Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, Hendrick Van Ness, J.M. While some topics and visuals are redundant across chapters, this also helps with modularity of the text. A few images had some distortion of text. The content appears to be accurate. The book highlights different career paths for students in each respective field of biology using engaging real-world examples, and explicitly calls out areas that cause frequent confusion for students (for example, the difference between weather and climate when discussing climate change, and common misunderstandings about the process of evolution. 10. On page 94, the term homology is used but not clearly defined or explained. The content, as least in the chapters I cover, is extremely similar to my current Also the writing style needs to be kept the same throughout the text. However, I can't say for sure that one order is better than the other for student learning. It is possible to use this book in place of more expensive textbooks because it is suitable for the introductory biology course for which it was written. A suggested and testable explanation for an event is called a ________. I think this book is comprehensive for a general biology textbook, but it lacks some depth and breath for some concepts. Again, the instructor can supplement. The machines that we sell or offer on rent are equipped with advanced features; as a result, making coffee turns out to be more convenient, than before. I did not find instructional resources, but I assume that if I had purchased the text I would have been granted access to them. The book is not written in a conversational or condescending voice, a plague among other biology textbooks. On p. 125 the authors write: "The X chromosome is one of the two human sex chromosomes, as these chromosomes determine a person's sex. The Biology 2e text has done an excellent job of "breaking up" the reading material into manageable sections split with images, videos, and links to outside sources that deepen student knowledge and facilitate engagement with the material. However, the blanket statement as written by the authors instead plays to the very common misconception that genes are all-powerful and determine ones fate. Vending Services (Noida)Shop 8, Hans Plaza (Bhaktwar Mkt. With the downloaded pdf or (I am assuming) the printed text version, the glossary comes at the end of the chapter. Some amount of jargon is inescapable in a general biology text, where students are hit with as much new terminology as in an introductory course in a foreign language, but this book is refreshingly free of unnecessary jargon. On page 1304, the text states, Animals faced with temperature fluctuations may respond with adaptations, such as migration, in order to survive. This reinforces a common and deeply rooted student misconception that organisms adapt in order to survive. WebBiology 2e (2nd Edition) Book Edition. We found both the online book and pdf to be easy to navigate and especially appreciated the online versions expandable table of contents panel that allows for easy navigations across chapters. A glossary of key terms is provided for each chapter. Chapter and section content is consistent throughout. In a very few places this book might need to be updatedfor example, some of the taxonomic diversity of prokaryotic and eukaryotic groups, and some other statements (for example, there is a lot of life near deep sea vents that does not depend in any way on photosynthesis). They aren't just in the book, they are incorporated into the discussion. In my review, I focused mainly on Units 1 3 (Chemistry, The Cell, and Genetics) as those encompass the topics that I typically address in the first semester of General Bio. Pinacocytes are epithelial-like cells, form the outermost layer of sponges, and enclose a jelly-like substance called mesohyl. This textbook has learning objectives at the beginning of each section. science that seeks to expand knowledge and understanding regardless of the short-term application of that knowledge. (other than the colour/color thing) The placement of the chapter within the larger text makes sense, following a section on the introduction to metabolism, and preceding a section on photosynthesis. For example, in 4.1 Studying Cells, one learning outcome is "Describe the role of cells in organisms.". While this may be of concern in an upper level text, I think that is still acceptable here. On the other hand if the authors wanted to dwell on minutia they could say that catabolic reactions also require input of energy to overcome the energy of activation. anabolic (also anabolism) pathways that require an energy input to synthesize complex molecules from simpler ones. (Examples include: why do we use action potentials for internal communication instead of direct current or signaling using photons; why are our skeletons made of calcium and phosphate rather than other minerals, and why do mammals use an inefficient tidal lung while birds use an efficient one-way flow that can extract more oxygen than mammals?) There were some obvious modern features that I thought I would find but didnt, such as genome editing with CRISPR-Cas9. The chemistry of life and macromolecules in biology have to be discussed before gene regulation which itself has to precede the various organ systems. The content, as least in the chapters I cover, is extremely similar to my current majors level text (Campbell Biology 10th Ed., Reece et. We recommend using a The number and placement of headings and sub-headings seemed appropriate not too many that the flow of text was disrupted, but not too few that readers would have to stretch on and on with simple text. Chapters that involve complex areas including genetics, physiology, and the immune system could be a bit more user friendly for the population that this text should serve. read more. WebAnswers will vary. Some of the links to learning dont work, such as for the second part of glycolysis link. Furthermore, authors did not avoid controversial topics, but instead try to present all sides of scientific debates or discussions, distilling information in a way that is easy to understand for students just starting college. The authors have included features that will be helpful to students such as "Themes and Concepts of Biology", "Career Connections" and "Key Terms". For example, chapters on Chemistry and Biological molecules both explain important fundamentals and provide adequate detail to maintain interest and give context to these topics. Van der Waals attractions can occur between any two or more molecules and are dependent on slight fluctuations of the electron densities, which are not always symmetrical around an atom. Students would benefit from learning about totipotency and tissue culture, development and growth, phytohormones and associated signaling mechanisms etc., in plants, Each chapter is provided with much useful key terms and definitions, chapter summary and review questions. Each section has a Glossary but I could not identify a Glossary for the whole text. As I was looking through a chapter, I kept needing to load the next section and could not see the entire chapter at once. The information builds on previous chapters in a manner that deepens student knowledge. This book does suffer from the expert gap phenomenon. I am unlikely to switch back to the traditional textbook model, which I feel has become far too costly for my students. I think students will find it easy and straightforward to read. A typical concern with introductory texts is a lack of coverage in ecological concepts and this text does well in representing all aspects well. Wherever technical jargon is used, it is immediately explained so the reader gets used to field terminology but also understands it. However, I have found some points of disagreement that are perhaps matters of emphasis, philosophy or omission. I think you need to hire someone to give the text a consistent voice and internal refences. Since the text is foundational, many of the subjects aren't changing rapidly. then you must include on every physical page the following attribution: If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, The organization makes sense and flows well. Of course this applies to any textbook. We are proud to offer the biggest range of coffee machines from all the leading brands of this industry. Introduction to some of the emerging concepts and techniques would have been useful. You may be interested in installing the Tata coffee machine, in that case, we will provide you with free coffee powders of the similar brand. The links to learning videos are often from utube with no evidence that they come from scientific peer reviewed sources. I read the chapters I would cover quite carefully, and did not find any errors of note. Book reads like an easy nonfiction science read. Reviewed by Aruna Kilaru, Associate Professor, East Tennessee State University on 4/13/20, This book will serve the purpose of introductory biology and could very well be used in place of the expensive textbooks. organisms with simple diffusion through countercurrent flow) and then using human systems as examples. There is very little discussion of this domain in the text. While other recent textbooks also have taken this approach, it is important that we move forward and write textbooks that are consistent with what is well known now about evolutionary history. Although the text states that H-bonds create the double-helix structure, this is not shown in the Figure. thank you so much! Overall the writing is clear. The Career Connection sections are good, although they are definitely American and not Canadian. Chemokines are not discussed. In this review, we focus on the textbook units (cell biology, genetics, physiology) that align with the specific topics we teach in the first and second semesters of introductory biology for science majors. The index is helpful but there is no glossary. My review of the text found no errors and it appeared in every since to follow the standard for a quality general biology text. Sanger sequencing is described in chapter 14 as being widely used today (p. 385). Instead, climate change is dealt with separately. Overall, grammar in the text is strong. The concepts are covered fully and are presented in a way that information can easily be scaffolded for a particular learner/course. I really liked the variety of outside sources and animations the text directs students to explore. Organization is appropriate and is adaptable for the specifics of individual course requirements. The book could definitely be broken up into small sections for lectures, discussions and homework. Although there were some minor figure errors which I did not find in the traditional textbook, there was effectively no difference in accuracy. Certainly from the perspective of an instructor, maintaining some consistency from one semester to another is helpful, but I am hoping that future updates will not be limited to errata. There are several instances of subtle inaccuracies, which is expected in any textbook. There are a few errata, but they were mostly grammatical errors. Should a student wish to purchase a physical copy, they can do so at a very reasonable rate. The book is similar in scope to the textbooks mentioned above and follows a conventional topic and chapter sequence, with molecular and cellular topics (plus genetics and evolution) in the first part of the book and the more organismic topics and ecology occupying the rest of the book. In other places (particularly Chapter 6 on metabolism), it seems like the order within the chapter had been changed, so that sometimes topics (including the second law of thermodynamics and entropy) are referenced, but not fully explained until later in the chapter. Some students may need more context to learn the vocabulary. Page 344 has a link to a Khan Academy video that is ostensibly supposed to be about sex-linked traits. Easy to navigate the contents list, especially when downloaded as PDF, and very easy to switch from one section to another. These were accessible with a QR reader for the offline versions. I did not read any insensitive or offensive language in the chapters I reviewed. They are generally uniform in length, although some subsections are longer or shorter than others depending on the topic. It would be nice to see more career examples and spotlights on diverse scientists, but this would make the text hard to keep updated and current, so I can understand it not being done. The structure and formatting of the text allows for the students to build up a set of habits over time if used properly. Some current topics, such as epigenetics and biotechnology, were covered very well and I did not examine all of the review questions in the 26 chapters I engaged, but I came across one that to my mind rises to the level of error (Section 19.1 Population Evolution. The authors have done an excellent job in this regard. Complete the following page as thoroughly as possible. Then, waste no time, come knocking to us at the Vending Services. Consistency in the artwork could be improved such that visuals within and across chapters are more similar (e.g., plasma membrane visuals). You might want to consider having the figure become larger in a popup or opening a new window. For the most part topics are presented in a logical sequence, except for the Evolution chapters. Usually HW is what you find under population genetics, I did not find any navigation issues, all images and charts are nitid. Diffusion plays a key role in the movement of molecules across plasma membranes, which are only 8 nm thick. The layout and flow of the text (intro paragraph, learning objectives, text, etc) was consistent throughout. The text covers most necessary areas, but not always with clarity or accuracy. I think that in an introductory course, it is more important to convey the more general, big picture of concepts without adding confusion with over-exertion of details. The text reads well and has no grammatical errors. I did not find any obvious examples of insensitive or offensive language. bond formed by a dehydration reaction between two monosaccharides with eliminating a water molecule. Reading those sections alone would seem to reinforce memorization of the details rather than an understanding of the relevance process. The glossary appears comprehensive, however, many duplicates (ie. Thanks so much Im using the AP Edition of OpenStax and am modifying these to fit that text I know how much effort and work go into the creation and thank you for even sharing what you have! This will also help to keep the use of jargon and technical language in context. Necessary and appropriate disciplinary terminology is employed well, and definitions in context are supplemented by end-of-chapter lists of key terms, with definitions. Non-major students who dislike biology After having used the book for majors biology course for the last 4 semester, I have pleased to say that I content is simple yet efficient and effective. The coloration of these figures should also be improved for contrast. Why are two base pairs (T-A and incorrectly labeled C-G) shown? Granted that the texbook is "inaccurate" with respect to T cell subpopulations (at this detail level), but if one wants to know more about T-cells, then perhaps an Immunology textbook would be more appropriate! 7+$3 X@mc !B"+ Its a shame because it would have been relatively easy to bring in a great deal more diversity in portrayals of human scientists. Figure 1.16 is one example where the display issues make the figure almost useless. Biology includes rich features that engage students in scientific inquiry, highlight careers in the The text is visually appealing; section titles and sub-section titles are easy to see (green text). It was easy to download and view. I encountered no glaring examples of concepts being presented in a sequence that would hinder student comprehension. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. The majority of the photos in this textbook are images adopted from American-based resources. The contents list expands readily, and the names of the chapters mirrors those in the competitor texts. There were biological examples from across the globe. These are some tough topics for students that could be explained more clearly with more examples. Therefore, I conclude that the text is neither culturally relevant, nor culturally insensitive. science that seeks to expand knowledge and understanding regardless of the short-term application of that knowledge. Please check your connection and try again. This text covers all subject matter used in a one semester introductory biology course. At the end of the chapter, there is a mini glossary, defining key terms that were found throughout the chapter, which will be a nice resource for students. This book covers the fundamental concepts of biology well and asks appropriate questions at the ends of chapters, and therefore has staying power. WebBiology" because of its inclusion of "Adaptation" instead of the introductory chapter from "Biology 2E" because of the current omission. Although some might miss that focus on the history of science and classic experimental designs, I appreciated that this led to a decrease in the number of pictures of what my students have deemed old white men doing very serious science, which can feel almost constant in other introductory texts. read more. That said, I found no problems with the text interface. Reviewed by John Lepri, Professor (Biology), University of North Carolina at Greensboro on 12/5/16, Spanning 47 chapters, the OpenStax "Biology" production is as comprehensive as its competitors. The text is easily divisible into smaller reading sections just by including the link to the text in a syllabus and specifiying which sections need to be read. Giving a more accurate representation may sway students to pursue some of the more cutting edge aspects of Biotechnology research. Rather good in Chapters 1,2,16,18 and 19. This book has a degree of modularity that should readily accommodate a variety of approaches for covering its topics. Chapter 15, Section 15.4 Svante Paabos TED talk,) are a great perk. In Figure 45.10, there is no such thing as the carrying capacity of seals. My students who use the PDF and iBook versions report that they like being able to search for topics. But I applaud the effort and appreciate that they are there to use as I settle in to the new text. This is a shame and could wind up creating misconceptions about the current study of animal behavior. But it does allow the reader to come to their own conclusion. I think, well, hope, that this attention to clarity of language will allow students to more readily grasp the concepts without becoming mired in the weeds of jargon. One misconception is in the link on text page 149 to the process of diffusion as it actually links to a video showing dispersion of a dye in water due to turbulent currents created by adding the dye to a beaker of water (and is correctly labeled as dispersion in Wikipedia), rather than diffusion. 1999-2023, Rice University. Reviewed by Robert Sorensen, Professor, Minnesota State University Mankato on 6/10/15, The 8 units this textbook, chemistry through ecology, sufficiently cover the range of topics that would be covered in an Introductory Biology series of courses.The order in which topics are addressed follows the common approach of building from No Dihybrid Cross (Independent Assortment) in 12.2 Characteristics & Traits, even though incomplete dominance, codominance, multiple alleles, and X-linkage are discussed. Bar codes are used in many places for easy conversion as media changes. However, they are inconsistent in the quality of the website links. The content is up to date with no glaring and serious mistakes. It shows biology in light of evolution and in light of molecular biology. Headings and subheadings are clearly labeled so sections can be found easily. This text ties together conceptual understand and application to the real-world in a way that I feel will benefit many first year Biology students. I feel the text is quite readable, concepts do not require much interpretation, and students do not appear to get lost in a concept, In no case did I find a chapter that appeared inconsistent with the overall quality of the text., nor clarity of concept, It does fit well into the organization of our curriculum, though I would prefer that the discussions of Evolution be moved to the beginning of the text, and more emphasis put on the role of Evolution in life, As above, I'd prefer that evolution be discussed in the first section, The book is very easy to read, concepts are well presented, and illustrations support the writing very effectively. Joint and body movement illustrations and descriptions are very detailed while important concepts like trophic cascade are not included at all. Another inaccuracy has to do with wording used to describe genes and their influences on traits. The book was published in 2013 and in spite of the 2017 Rice University copyright notice it does not appear to have been updated since the original publication. I would like to see more than headshots of "discoverers", particularly since they are bound to be primarily white men, and more emphasis on the work of culturally diverse teams, reflective of what labs and discoveries look like today. Figures were also accurate and current. But I confess that I was not look closely at the grammar. I found that the level of detail is appropriate for a lower level undergraduate biology course. This is false, of course. Most of the time you are linked right to the page you clicked off of. However, in order to sustain student interest, it maybe useful to add a few more examples where biological concepts are applied to daily living making this subject more interesting to the reader. In order to overcome this obstacle this reviewer seeks out examples from daily living in order to reinforce biological concepts. My audience rate it highly. These are clearly presented and provide simple ways for students to connect the material to their own lives.
