GCSE Double Science

View other editions of GCSE Double Science.
View books by Richard Parsons.

Fantastic help for kids of all abilities - Rated
If you haven't got this book and your child is sitting their GCSE Physics, then I highly recomend this book. It's style is witty (if sometimes childish) and it makes the learning of some difficult topics very simple. Compared to the older text books with their reams of text, this book forms a welcome relief. It summarises the facts, and has revision sections in the form of questions and answers.

I've used this book to teach physics, and it works very well.

Physics - Rated
i liked the CGP range of books because they didnt have alot of usless infomation. the physics one is great as it has diagrams (pictures to normal people) explaining what each formula means and how it works in real life. In my lessons we had 2 rely on this book and it really helped.

Physics Revision Guide not nearly as good as it could be... - Rated
After using CGP's Physics revision book and for other subjects as well, I can't say that they've made a lot of difference to my grade.

The Physics book does contain a lot of information - enough to get you an A*. However, sometimes you get the feeling that they've given you too much information. For the Double Award, you don't need to go into too much depth for each topic. On top of this is the fact that it usually takes over half a page to make a simple point. It's all written in the style that people have weeks to revise Physics and not nine other GCSEs to prepare for. I found it impossible to use for last-minute revision.

The book is reasonably well presented. Each page relates to an individual topic, and there's plenty of sub-headings to divide it up. The cheerful illustrations help you to relate each bit of theory to a real-life situation, although some are more confusing than helpful. At the bottom of each page is a box containing important points or revision tips. However, more-often-than-not, this ends up being patronising or repeating the same point time-and-time-again (the only tip they seem to be able to give is to write mini-essays). A major problem is that each page looks the same. Little imagination has been put into each one. Going through page-after-page presented in the same monotonous way is frankly depressing.

At the end of each chapter are questions which are useful to find the gaps in your revision. There is some good advise too, like a page on formulae and formulae triangles. One thing I found annoying was the fact that, apart from a few hastily done page references at the beginning, it's difficult to know which pages relate to which syllabus. It's easy to revise something which you don't have to - a complete waste of time. Perhaps they should have symbols that relate to each syllabus on the top of each page?

Whether you find this book, and all other CGP books, useful really depends on how you revise best. If you can assimilate facts really easily and quickly, the series' shortcomings won't be a problem to you. If you don't, you will struggle, and your revision will become worse. All in all, CGP have made a bit of a meal of producing a revision book, which shouldn't be a difficult task, as shown by other publishers. The series' main redeeming feature is the fact that nowhere are they expensive, but I would prefer to pay a little bit more for extra quality.

A Must Addition to Your Revision - Rated
If you want to get an A* in GCSE Physics like I did, then this is something that well give you that extra edge on your studies. Gives you everything that you need to know for the exam. If used in conjunction with your syllabus, then will give you all the answers to any questions.

CGP Physics GCSE Revision Guide - Rated
After using the CGP Physics GCSE Revision Guide, along with other CGP Revision guids for other subjects, I am feeling much more confident of success in my ever-nearing GCSE examinations. They provide every piece of useful information to cover a wide variety of syllabus content. The illustrations and humour add interest to the book, encouraging me, as well as other students to use it as a source for revison and class work exercises.
The book itself consists of a variety of chapters, each focusing on the elements of physics, necessary in order to pass the exam at a high standard. Each page contains detailed summaries of individual topics and sections, that are set out in an interesting, informative and eye catching manner, conveying the information in such a way as to understand it fully, without exploring and explaining difficult concepts and terminology, so as to make revising for GCSE's a whole lot easier, putting it's user in an ideal A* oppurtunity.
I would definately recommend this book, and indeed any other of the CGP revision guide range, to anybody who is taking GCSE's, whether they find the subject difficult or easy. The guide is an absoloutly vital ingredient, and will work wonders. I am shocked that the schools don't issue them to students as standard curricular materials.