I have no problem with older editions and often encourage my students to check 
the internet before buying their books at our bookstore! I teach as set of 
concepts that are loosely based on the text I use but could be adapted to 
almost any text in any class that I teach--intro, research methods, cognitive. 
My homework problems are my own, my tests are pretty much my own with a little 
help from test banks when I'm feeling lazy. 

I think that the cost of some of the texts is ridiculous. When a text with no 
color pictures is in its 10th edition just how much does it really cost the 
publisher? I find it hard to believe that $150 dollars for a cognitive book 
with no color is defensible. And since I don't usually teach the course 
semester to semester but every spring instead, it means that the bookstore 
doesn't buy the book back. 

But that's just my 2 cents. To answer the original question, I guess it depends 
on the teacher and how much they follow the text and base their assessments on 
text-dependent items.

Annette


Annette Kujawski Taylor, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
University of San Diego
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110
619-260-4006
[EMAIL PROTECTED]


---- Original message ----
>Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2007 18:08:44 -0600
>From: Peter Harzem <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>  
>Subject: [tips] Re: Pre-registered student's question  
>To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)" <[email protected]>
>
>   On Jan 4, 2007, at 4:52 PM, karen block wrote:
>
>     Well Peter and Michael, I guess you have not
>     experienced the change from one edition to the
>     next in homework problems.  I had a time
>     consuming term when I answered yes to the edition
>     question and then had to participate in the the
>     mapping of homework problems from one edition to
>     the next.  Never again.  Just say NO.   KB
>
>   Karen, I truly do sympathize with the problem you
>   note.   Also, I must admit that  as one becomes
>   more senior one acquires greater flexibility in the
>   organization of her/his courses.   (I have been in
>   higher education for 50 years--but, of course, I
>   started when I was 15!)  I have never made use of
>   such things as homework  problems (which I think,
>   is one of the many devices to persuade teachers to
>   adopt the new edition).   As I said, I do not use
>   the bells and whistles but, to repeat, considering
>   the pressures on faculty  nowadays, I sympathize. 
>    In fact, given these conditions, the publishers
>   take advantage not only of students but also the
>   faculty, especially the young faculty.
>   By the way, I am of the opinion that the
>   introductory course is the most important, and
>   should be assigned to  senior (i.e. experienced)
>   faculty, and not palmed of to junior faculty who
>   need their time in so many different ways so that
>   they simply cannot give what needs to be given to
>   the introductory course.
>   I suspect with the above I may have tread on some
>   toes, but then when you are as senior (not old,
>   please) as I am, you can say whatever you want.
>   Peter
>   Peter Harzem, B.Sc.(Lond.), Ph.D.(Wales)
>   Hudson Professor Emeritus
>   Department of Psychology
>   Auburn University
>   Auburn, AL 36849-5214
>   USA
>   Phone:   +334 844-6482
>   Fax:       +334 844-4447
>   E-mail:  [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>   Personal E-mail:  [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>   ---
>   To make changes to your subscription go to:
>   
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