Customer Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Teachers Guide
Comment: This teachers guide is superb. It begins with an overview of the format of the textbooks. It briefly explains why the contents of each section have been included and why they have compiled them in the format chosen. Brief details of marking schemes, question formats and key skills for both AS and A2 levels are also included in the introduction.The main bulk of the guide takes the teacher through each unit and suggests ideas of how to effectively deliver the text. Some may argue that this is unnecessary however, whether you choose the suggested teachers ideas or not, it is a good addition. There are added explanations of why they have included the each question found in the textbook and gives suggested answers to each question that appears in each section or case study. However, there is one flaw in that some answer, especially in the finance section needs double-checking as mistakes were found when I taught the subjects to students. That said the guide is a worthwhile tool for teachers to have when using the textbook especially the suggested answers to questions. It gives an idea of how the new AS and A2 levels are to be marked. Overall, the guide is a magnificent addition for a teacher on top of a superbly written textbook.
Customer Rating:
Summary: User Friendly Text Book
Comment: In the introduction to Business Studies by Barratt and Mottershead for AS and A Level Business Studies students, the first sentence reads "You are probably thinking: not another Business Studies textbook! This is not just another, it's new and has been written with you in mind at all times". Quite a claim. However, from the contents pages onward it appears to be a true one.The contents pages are clearly sectioned making it easy to find the required unit. There are seven sections in all; Introduction to Business; Marketing; Operations Management; Accounting and Finance; People in Organisation; Business Environment; and Synoptic Case Study. Each section is introduced with yet another contents page. A bit unnecessary I thought. However, as promised, the textbook appears to have the interests of the readers in mind. Visually exciting, all text is clearly laid out using a very comfortable font size interspersed with red text to emphasis particular terms that are essential for the student. The text itself is very informative without the verbal diarrhoea approach that is sometimes adopted. All diagrams and photographs are very clear and, unlike some textbooks, are used to support the text not compensate for the lack of information. Another useful feature in the main text is the "Points for Revision" sections. These provide the student with key terms and summary points from the unit. Case studies are plentiful, clear and concise as are the questions that litter the pages, each with a points score for assessment. Towards the end is the synoptic case study of Ramsbottom Brewery that nicely combines many business concepts. However, the one thing that lets this book down is the insistence of a "Friday afternoon" section. Because of its name, I am not convinced that this section has the interests of the students to heart. As the name implies it is designed as a teacher kop out for the highly problematic Friday afternoon sessions. It is annoying as the section is very useful to the student and could have been named more appropriately. That said, all of promises are duly delivered and I highly recommend this book to students.
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