Student Perception Of Traditional Versus Alternative Textbook Value

Abstract

In today’s environment of rising tuition andtextbook costs, we surveyed business majors concerning their preferencesregarding various text options that are available for their academicstudies.   Specifically, we surveyed 329students enrolled in upper-level business courses at a mid-level Association toAdvance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited Midwestern university.  Students were asked to report the variety ofclassroom texts that they have utilized in the past and their text preferences basedon their text experiences  From thesample of students, 67% reported that they had used an online e-text for one ormore of their classes.  However, only 41of the 220 students, or 19%, believed that the online e-text was a betterlearning vehicle or more convenient than the traditional text they used intheir other classes.  The entire sampleof 329 students was also asked if they had a preference for a course text modebased on whether the course was a part of their major, involved extensivereading, analytical work, or was terminology oriented.  In all areas, the students indicated a slightor strong preference for the traditional hard text.