Every now and then, some college lecturer publishes a book covering the current University syllabus. This is invariably a cut and paste job done in the two months' summer break. There are no references (forget in-text documentation) at all. Each chapter deals with the topic exactly as some other author has done(who might have also copied from another) and has a set of problems and diagrams chosen from different existing textbooks, typed out in order and then sent off for publication. Local publishers publish them; sometimes they even commission such books. This is done in all colleges.
Lecturers who write such books are given awards.
A talk on plagiarism---rudimentary stuff, not complex ethical questions where debate is possible, a talk similar to one that must be given to undergrad students--- seems to have offended some people.
7 comments:
Unfortunately such books are more popular with our students than bonafide standard textbooks that are followed all over the world. Many of these good textbooks are by foreign authors (at least in my subject) and can be somewhat expensive...Surely these publishers would do students a big service if they decided to bring out affordable Indian editions of good textbooks rather than encouraging the college lecturers to write such rubbish?
Students have to read such books if they want marks in the exam. While correcting the answer scripts after the University exams, the lecturers use these books as reference. The student's answer must match what is written in these books.... in fact if the book gives 5 bulletted points for the postulates of Valence bond theory, the student must write 5 bulletted points in his answer, else marks will be cut.
In TN state board, 12th std Math exam is nothing but a memory test. If the values asked in the numerical differ from that given in the text book, the student will get free full marks as that is regarded as 'out of syllabus'. So, many students solve numerical backwards. I mean they know the exact number of steps and the final answer, so they will start of with the final answer and proceed backwards. If you don't memorize, you wont get credits. So parents send their children to 'beast masters' (tuition master) who will have canes in their hand and will make sure that the child stores the entire book in his brain. Moreover in school boards, Math teacher corrects English paper, English teacher Science paper and so on. Even in CBSE in which I studied, the board exams will have 80% of the questions verbatim reproduced form NCERT textbook. When I solve a problem differently, not only that I loose marks but also am made fun in front of whole class (esp opp gender students).
These books are not necessarily cheaper than good text books. The reason for their popularity is that they contain only "important" part of the syllabus. So it is easier to memorize them as opposed to the complete text book.
@Dheeraj Sanghi: Yes. They are only marginally cheaper than some of the better textbooks in subjects like Physics and Chemistry, though not in Microbiology or Genetics where good books are exorbitant(I wonder why).
It's indeed extremely frustrating to find good books at decent prices. I'm an undergradstudent of life sciences.
My friends and I have bought 4-5 good books, each well over a 1000 bucks and share it among ourselves. And then, shamelessly take multiple photocopies for ourselves.
One thing I've found is that these 'local author' books are terrible with awful english and content not deep enough to give you a solid understanding of the subject. It's very superficial/exam oriented.
@anonymous of March 26th: It is sad if different methods of solving a problem are not appreciated, but don't get disheartened by that. Be happy that you are developing your problem solving skill, and no one can take that away from you.
I am sure English teachers do not correct Maths... it's not that bad.
@xoxymoronsx: Yes some of these 'local books' are misleading-- not exactly wrong,but just confuses students.
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