Is this the correct textbook?

[emiinaaa]

I've chosen German as a breadth, and am not sure if this is the prescribed textbook (Begegnungen. Deutsch als Fremdsprache. Integriertes Kurs- und Arbeitsbuch. Sprachniveau A1+) : http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Begegnungen/9783929526868
Also, from your experience is the textbook even useful?

[John President]

(bear in mind here I know nothing about German)

Obviously, it varies depending on the textbook. Given that books can often be expensive, a decent rule of thumb to follow is see how often the lecturer references the textbook in the first week before buying, or at least ask/listen to see if he recommends it.

Also note how extensive the online resources are. If they are sub-par, buy the textbook. If they cover a lot of detail on everything, then perhaps buying an expensive textbook isn't necessary.

In your case, I'd first look on the LMS (http://www.lms.unimelb.edu.au) to see if a specific textbook is recommended.

[Hehetymen]

Depends on the subject.

IMO instead of spending $300 or w/e on a book you might use for 1 semester you should just borrow it. Alternatively download it, download an older edition of it, or rent it.

[emiinaaa]

John President, what exactly am I looking for on the LMS?

And thanks for both of your advice!

[John President]

Often there's a tab that says "Reading and Resources" or similar. There may not be anything - it varies from subject to subject.

And definitely avoid buying books from the Melbourne Uni Bookshop when possible. If you want second-hand books, http://www.textbookexchange.com.au is a good place to start, although there are other sites.

[emiinaaa]

It says I'm not enrolled in any subjects, so I'll try again at a later date..

So I've heard! Thanks for that