I don't strictly require any textbooks for my courses, but I strongly recommend that you purchase (or borrow) at least one. There are several textbooks devoted to general biology (BIO181 or BIO182). Any of them will provide you with the necessary information. The main difference is that they will vary in the way the material is presented to you. There is no single book that is best for every student. If you want to have a textbook that features the same figures that I will present in my lectures, then I suggest that you use the textbook that appears in my syllabus. However, you'll have access to all of those slide shows, anyway, via the website. Also, whichever book you choose, there's no great need to buy the latest (and therefore most expensive) edition. Below you will find links to new and used copies of the textbooks I use for my courses, as well as several other books that might help you. They are only suggestions. Also, if you prefer to wait until after my first lecture to purchase books, that will be no problem.

The important thing is for you to have a textbook that is useful to you personally. All of my examinations will feature questions taken directly from my lectures. Nearly all of that information can be found in just about any general biology textbook. However, if you want to use the optional MasteringBiology website (which you can access via the optional MyLabsPlus website), you'll need to either purchase the full version of the 8th Edition, purchase the Custom Edition for EMCC, or purchase access to the website. The Custom Edition includes only the first 18 chapters of Campbell Biology, and if you choose that option you must purchase it through the campus bookstore. The Custom Edition is enough if you do not need to go on to take BIO182. If you will take BIO182, then you will need an entire textbook (whether it's the Campbell textbook or not). If you choose to buy only a used version of a textbook (even if it's Campbell), then you will not have access to the optional materials within MyLabsPlus and MasteringBiology, because used textbooks will not include the necessary access code. Even if you choose a used book, however, you can always purchase (through the bookstore) access to the optional websites.