Reading Material Presents Challenges

Required Reading Materials Present Challenges For Eastern Students.





Mandy Grenier

April 1, 2013



Acquiring required reading materials for courses is presenting several challenges for Students here at Eastern Michigan University.



Many of the classes at EMU have required reading materials in addition to the standard text book. Although these materials are used as an important part of the course curriculum, students are reporting difficulties in locating them.



Publishing companies are not producing large quantities of many of the required readings. Large class sizes, particularly in upper level courses required for graduation, cause more demand than supply. While some books can be found at off campus book stores and online, older publications are especially difficult to locate.



Kerry Ellington,Sophomore, working towards his B.A. in Sociology said “ I wasn't able to buy a copy of “The Brothers Karamazov” for my Philosophy of Religion class last semester. Our library only has a few copies of the book, and they were checked out almost as quickly as they were returned. I feel I would’ve gotten a better grade in the class had I been able to find a printed copy of the book because many of the questions on tests and my midterm were about that particular book.”



Students reported similar challenges in Children's Literature, Theater and African American Studies.



In addition to difficulty locating required reading, students also reported other challenges with materials. Entire classes having difficulty locating assigned online articles and expensive materials were common among students interviewed. Students reported copies of required reading materials costing as much as 200$ to rent.



Some courses supply their students with required materials, or extend class deadlines if the majority of a class report having been unable to locate them. Other students have sought cliff notes if not able to acquire a printed copy of a book and in some cases had difficulties finding useable online sources.



Students registering for high volume courses should purchase their materials as soon as possible to avoid high demands and lack of supply. Otherwise, locate a study partner or group to share copies when materials are scarce.