Recommended books for H1 Chemistry?
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Hi all,
I'll be taking H1 Chemistry A levels as a private candidate next year. Please recommend me any useful guidebook(s) and assesment book(s).
Regards
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For H1 Chemistry, just get CS Toh's 'A' level study guide, CS Toh's 'A' level Practice Qns (essential a TYS with worked solutions) and/or David Bevan's International 'A' Level for CIE (Cambridge International Exams) Chemistry Revision Guide.
H2 Chemistry students aiming to do Chemistry-based courses in the University (eg. Medicine, Pharmacy, Chemical Engineering, etc) may also wish to obtain some of the following University-level textbooks :
http://infinity.usanethosting.com/Tuition/#Books_for_H2_Chemistry
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Hi ultimaonline. Thanks for your prompt reply. Should i get CS Toh's H1 or H2 Chem guidebook?
Thanks
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Originally posted by Dizzyday:
Hi ultimaonline. Thanks for your prompt reply. Should i get CS Toh's H1 or H2 Chem guidebook?
Thanks
Since you're taking H1 Chem, if you can find CS Toh's H1 Chem guidebook, by all means get it. But due to low demand, you may only be able to obtain the H2 Chem guidebook, which is fine as well. Just ignore the H2-only topics. -
Hi ultimaonline. Once again, thanks for your reply. Does TYS for H1 Chem exist or do i get TYS for H2 Chem and do only the questions which are applicable to the H1 Syllabus?
Thanks
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Originally posted by Dizzyday:
Hi ultimaonline. Once again, thanks for your reply. Does TYS for H1 Chem exist or do i get TYS for H2 Chem and do only the questions which are applicable to the H1 Syllabus?
Thanks
H1 books are like the mythical Loch Ness monster or extraterrestrial UFOs : you hear rumours about them but it's terribly hard to actually get your hands on one.Officially, H1 TYS do exist, but every year publishers print very few copies due to low demand. As a result, you may not be able to find a H1 TYS, and may have to rely on a H2 TYS.
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Hi all,
Sorry if this is a bit off-topic but how is the H2 Physics guidebook by CS Toh?
Thanks
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One more thing : registration is still open, you can still change your subjects. Why don't you consider registering for H2 Chem instead (with Practical Exam option, instead of SPA if you think you screwed up your SPA results last year), because H1 Chem is useless for use as prerequisites when applying for Uni (NUS or NTU) Science courses.
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Hi ultimaonline, I'm not interested in any science-related courses in the university as i plan to study accountancy or Economics.
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If you're sure you're not gonna take science-related courses in the Uni, then it would indeed make better sense to take science as H1 (due to a gentler bell-curve for H1, easier to score distinction).
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Difficulty-wise, H1 and H2 Chem are the same right?
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Originally posted by Dizzyday:
Difficulty-wise, H1 and H2 Chem are the same right?
Question-wise yes same difficulty, just less content / topics for H1, and a gentler bell-curve (and hence easier to score distinction for H1 than H2). -
Ok once again, i can't thank you enough ultimaonline. I really really appreciate your time spent answering my questions.
Thank You
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No problem. Remember to feel free to post your H1 Chem qns here on the forum anytime!
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Originally posted by UltimaOnline:
For H1 Chemistry, just get CS Toh's 'A' level study guide, CS Toh's 'A' level Practice Qns (essential a TYS with worked solutions) and/or David Bevan's International 'A' Level for CIE (Cambridge International Exams) Chemistry Revision Guide.
H2 Chemistry students aiming to do Chemistry-based courses in the University (eg. Medicine, Pharmacy, Chemical Engineering, etc) may also wish to obtain some of the following University-level textbooks.
http://infinity.usanethosting.com/Tuition/#Books_for_H2_Chemistry
Thanks for your recommendation :) I brought it and some of the parts are really identical to my lecture notes :) (Copying ?).
Btw, school candidates are required to take SPA right, cannot choose practical exam right? (Cause I am confused of your previous post)
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Hi ultimaonline,
I've come across an "Advanced Study Guide" book by CS Toh. Is his A level study guide sufficient or should i get the Advanced Study Guide instead?
I managed to contact Ecogreen Technology (one of the distributors of Step-By-Step books by CS Toh) and they can deliver the books to me tommorow.
Regards
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SBS n SMRT, yes school candidates must take SPA. Only private candidates can take the Practical Exam (in lieu of SPA). As a figure of speech, I always tell my students : You (ie. all JC students) can burn away all your JC's lecture notes and just use CS Toh's 'A' level study guide for the H2 Chem 'A' levels, it's enough. Of course, if you happen to come across any apparent contradiction between your JC's lecture notes and CS Toh's 'A' level study guide, feel free to ask about it here. I'll tell you on a case-by-case basis which version is better for you to use in the 'A' levels (in some topics, Cambridge will accept more than one version, for instance, the equation for formation of the nitronium cation during electrophilic aromatic substitution, the tri-iodomethane equation, etc). You're taking your H2 Chem & H2 Bio 'A' levels this year 2011 yes?Dizzyday, the Advanced Study guide combines the Chemistry syllabuses for Singapore H2 'A' levels + International Baccalaurate + Hong Kong 'A' levels + Cambridge International 'A' levels. So it's a useful book to have if you're keen to pursue a Chemistry based course in the Uni, but since you're not, his H1 'A' level study guide will suffice for your needs. You might as well buy CS Toh's H2 Physics and H2 Maths 'A' level study guides together, tomorrow. (Bonus : When you see Peter Soh (he *is* Ecogreen Technology) tomorrow, ask him about the Thomas Bond and Chris Hughes.)
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Hi, i've both the Chris Hughes and Thomas Bonds H2 Physics guidebook as well as CS Toh's H2 Physics guidebook. In my opinion, CS Toh's guidebook seems more detailed and more relevant to the Singapore A levels.
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yes, i am taking my a levels this year, hope for the chemistry paper to be easier (last year is sheer killer)
To TS:
Btw, for the advanced guide, it is too high level, for one section on proteins, NADPH formation is also illustrated (which even H2 Biology or H3 Biology students is not expected to know)
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Originally posted by Dizzyday:
Hi, i've both the Chris Hughes and Thomas Bonds H2 Physics guidebook as well as CS Toh's H2 Physics guidebook. In my opinion, CS Toh's guidebook seems more detailed and more relevant to the Singapore A levels.
You misunderstood my statement. I'm suggesting that when you meet Peter Soh (the man who will go to your house to sell you CS Toh's book), ask him about Chris Hughes and Thomas Bond, and he will share with you an interesting story. -
Hi ultimaonline, actually Mr Soh came to deliver the books to my house just before i made my previous post. What's the interesting story he shared with you?
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Originally posted by Dizzyday:
Hi ultimaonline, actually Mr Soh came to deliver the books to my house just before i made my previous post. What's the interesting story he shared with you?
Hehe ok nvm then. It's just a tale of political intrigue and corporate espionage between Thomas Bond & Chris Hughes versus CS Toh. -
Haha lol. From what i understand, Yellowreef publishes both books right?
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Originally posted by Dizzyday:
Haha lol. From what i understand, Yellowreef publishes both books right?
Nvm no comments liao.
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Hi ultimaonline, since you are knowledgeable in our local A level chemistry exams, i'd like to ask you this question on my friend's behalf. My friend is taking H2 Chem Practical Exam this year (She took her A levels in JC in 2009 and is unable to carry forward her SPA results). How should she go about studying for the practical exam?
Thanks