Questions about Textbooks

[Sprinkles]

Im starting 1L shortly and im struggling to find info/advice about textbooks.

1. Are all of them necessary to get in order to do well in the class? Will there be information in exams from textbooks that wasn't covered in lectures? (i had some classes in undergrad that didn't use the textbook at all). If it varies between classes/profs, I have Choudhury for Contracts, Sutherland for Torts, Kierstead for Legal Process, Tanguay-renaud for Criminal and Hewitt for Public/Const.

2. Should i get the hard copy version or the electronic versions? (are we allowed to use laptops/ebooks during exams?)

3. Do you know where I can find used copies? (is there a fb group? I only found "Sell your textbooks! - york university" and "legal and lit used book page" which doesn't have many listings)

 

Thanks so much!

[99problems]

19 hours ago, Sprinkles said:

Are all of them necessary to get in order to do well in the class?

No, you can use previous years' summaries. But make sure to be attentive in the class just in case the prof adds something.

19 hours ago, Sprinkles said:

Will there be information in exams from textbooks that wasn't covered in lectures?

Yes, but that information was surely included in the reading materials. The prof just didn't find the time to talk about it or it wasn't as important as other topics. But if your question is really about the information in the textbook that you were not assigned to read, then the answer is NO.

19 hours ago, Sprinkles said:

Should i get the hard copy version or the electronic versions?

Totally up to you and how you are better able to read and comprehend. I started by buying hard copies, switched to e-versions, and ended up using others' summaries. 

19 hours ago, Sprinkles said:

(are we allowed to use laptops/ebooks during exams?)

The exam application locks your laptop, so you wouldn't be able to use any files on your computer. I doubt tablets are allowed. At any rate, if you use your textbook during exams, you are doing it wrong. What you need is the summary that either you created when you read the materials or got it from someone else (some call it a long summary). Some students condense the long summary into a short one for the exam. Regardless of which you end up using, you have to print it and take it with you to the exam.

20 hours ago, Sprinkles said:

Do you know where I can find used copies?

People post on fb. York library probably has used copies too. Also, there is a buy/sell section in this forum (no idea how active it is).

[Byzantine]

Not from Osgoode, but just finished 1L. Although textbooks are expensive, I would recommend getting them (either a physical or digital depending on your preference). You won’t need to do all the readings all year, but I would suggest doing all the readings at least for the first couple months. You’ll then learn which readings you can skip/skim. I found doing the readings quite useful in learning how to read/understand cases. After that for some classes you’ll find that everything is explained well by the professor, others you’ll want to do readings ahead of time. 
 

My 2 cents, YMMV

[StephenToast]

22 hours ago, Sprinkles said:

1. Are all of them necessary to get in order to do well in the class? Will there be information in exams from textbooks that wasn't covered in lectures? (i had some classes in undergrad that didn't use the textbook at all). If it varies between classes/profs, I have Choudhury for Contracts, Sutherland for Torts, Kierstead for Legal Process, Tanguay-renaud for Criminal and Hewitt for Public/Const.

I took PubCon with Hewitt last year and found the book very helpful. I bought Kierstead's LP1 book third-hand and it remains pristine today. It was absolutely useless in my experience. However, your LP1 in the winter term will be taught by Richard Haigh (I had Kierstead for both terms), who might make more use out of it.

22 hours ago, Sprinkles said:

3. Do you know where I can find used copies? (is there a fb group? I only found "Sell your textbooks! - york university" and "legal and lit used book page" which doesn't have many listings)

I bought all my used textbooks from the Legal and Lit group. More postings will come out as we get closer to the start of term, especially since many upper years are out-of-town or too busy working their summer positions to sell books right now. Most profs will upload pdfs of readings for the first few weeks to give you extra time to get your books.

[SNAILS]

Sutherland does not use a textbook for torts (unless she changed it this year). It's all online, and it's pretty much all case excerpts.

I read all my readings for LP1 and got nothing out of them. Kierstead floods you with online readings and little activities. Complete them all, on time.

Tanguay-Renaud's textbook (1L Criminal Law) might be useful. Be sure to get a 15E since the 14E has the same content but the pages are a pain in the next to cross-reference. Tanguay-Renaud will teach in a way that has very little to do with what he will actually test you on on in the exam. I can't explain this without writing half a page, but basically, you need to be able to navigate the Criminal Code and identify the mens rea and actus reus elements of offences within a hypothetical fact scenario. You do not need to know the the theory of why we have criminal law (etc), and you do not need to know the detailed facts of 30+ criminal law precedents.

A fair price for a textbook is $50-$80 cash. They will be readily available around campus in early September, and you do not need to own the books before early September.