Biology : the essentials

Biology: The Essentials epitomizes what the market has come to recognize as Mariëlle Hoefnagels’s distinct and student-friendly writing style. Mariëlle presents up-to-date information through What's the Point?, Why We Care, Burning Questions, Get the Picture, and Scientific Literacy, which are pedagogical tools designed to demonstrate to readers, and her own students, that biology is everywhere. Survey the Landscape and Pull It Together concept maps illustrate the connections within each unit and chapter. Biology: The Essentials offers a broader and more conceptual introduction to biology, simplifying the more complex biological content to the essential elements that introductory students need. "I have been teaching nonmajors biology at the University of Oklahoma since 1997 and over that time have encountered many students who fear science in general and biology in particular. The complexity, abstractions, and unfamiliar terms can seem overwhelming at first, but with practice, I know that anyone can think like a scientist. Learning to think scientifically is important well beyond passing your biology class. After all, scientific issues confront you every day as you navigate your life and your social media accounts. How do you know if a claim about climate change is scientific? Will you be able to identify misinformation and interpret graphs during the next global health crisis? This book will teach you not only to understand the scientific terms you encounter but also to distinguish "good science" from unscientific claims. I've created the following features to help you make the transition from memorizing facts to understanding concepts-from accepting scientific claims to analyzing them for yourself. These tools will help you to pass your class and to be an informed citizen"-- Provided by publisher