How to find the ISBN of a book: turn to the copyright page on the back of the title page, or look above the barcode on the back cover, for a 13-digit number starting with 978 or 979. In an e-book, open the copyright screen. Then check the edition number on the title page, because print, e-book and loose-leaf versions of one edition carry different ISBNs.
Key takeaways
- Since January 1, 2007, every ISBN has 13 digits and starts with 978 or 979. Older textbooks may also print a 10-digit ISBN.
- Print books show the ISBN on the copyright page and above the back-cover barcode; e-books show it on the copyright screen.
- Each format gets its own ISBN. Elsevier lists five for the 10th edition of Potter and Perry’s Fundamentals of Nursing, including hardback, loose-leaf and eBook.
- The edition number is on the title page. A “revised reprint” keeps that number but gets a new ISBN.
- Editions renumber chapters: heart failure is Chapter 34 in the 11th edition of Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing and Chapter 38 in the 12th.
- Match study materials on title, lead author, edition number and ISBN-13.
What Is an ISBN Number?
An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a product number for one book, from one publisher, in one edition and one format. The International ISBN Agency says it identifies “the specific title, edition and format,” so it’s the most reliable way to name your textbook. Titles get reused; an ISBN points to one product.
ISBN-13 vs ISBN-10
ISBN-13 is the current format and ISBN-10 the old one: ISBNs had 10 digits until the end of 2006 and have always had 13 since January 1, 2007. Take the single-volume hardback of Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing, 12th edition, 978-0-323-78961-5:
- 978: the prefix, which can only be 978 or 979.
- 0: the registration group. Groups 0 and 1 cover English-speaking countries such as the US, the UK and Australia.
- 323: the registrant (publisher or imprint).
- 78961: the publication element, which pins down this title, edition and format.
- 5: the check digit.
The check digit is plain arithmetic, set out in the ISBN Users’ Manual. Multiply the first 12 digits alternately by 1 and 3 and add them: here, 115. Subtract the remainder after dividing by 10 (5) from 10, and you get the final 5. One mistyped digit breaks the check, so a number that “almost” matches is a different number.
Converting an ISBN-10 isn’t just adding 978 to the front. The U.S. ISBN Agency notes the conversion “frequently results in a change of the last digit.” Open Library’s record for Lewis’s 11th edition lists ISBN-10 0-323-55149-1 and ISBN-13 978-0-323-55149-6: same book, new final digit. Some ISBN-10s end in X, like 0-323-67772-X for the 10th edition of Fundamentals of Nursing (ISBN-13 978-0-323-67772-1); the agency explains that the old modulus-11 check uses X in place of 10.
Why one edition can have several ISBNs
Every format gets its own number. The U.S. ISBN Agency’s FAQ says “Each format or binding must have a separate ISBN,” and the Users’ Manual applies the same rule to e-book file types. One edition can carry five or six ISBNs, and none is wrong.
| Format | ISBN-13 | Listed by |
|---|---|---|
| Hardback, single volume | 978-0-323-78961-5 | Elsevier |
| Hardback (second listing) | 978-0-323-82518-4 | Elsevier |
| eBook (EPUB3, PDF, VitalSource) | 978-0-323-79232-5 | Elsevier |
| Other (VitalSource) | 978-0-323-79233-2 | Elsevier |
| 2-volume set | 978-0-323-88048-0 | Elsevier Educate |
For a 2-volume set, the manual says the set gets its own ISBN and each separately sold volume gets another, with both shown on each volume’s copyright page. Catalogs can add more: Open Library also has a 2022 record for a Lewis 2-volume set under 978-0-323-79242-4.
How to Find the ISBN of a Book in Print
In a print textbook, look on the copyright page and the back cover. The ISBN Users’ Manual requires the number on the verso (back) of the title page, or the foot of the title page if there’s no room, and on the lower outside back cover.
Copyright page
- Open to the title page, with the full title, edition and authors.
- Turn it over. The copyright page has the copyright notice and one or more lines starting with “ISBN.”
- If several ISBNs are listed, read the format label in parentheses, such as (hardback) or (EPUB).
- Copy the number for the format in your hands. Hyphens and spaces only aid readability, so they don’t matter.
Back cover barcode
On the back cover, the ISBN is printed in digits directly above the barcode, which encodes the same 13 digits. In the US and Canada you may see a smaller five-digit barcode beside it; the manual explains that this add-on shows the price, so leave it out when you search. If a sticker covers the barcode, use the copyright page instead.
How to Find the ISBN for an E-Book, Bundle or Access Code
An e-book has its own ISBN, shown on its title or copyright screen in the front matter. The Users’ Manual requires digital editions to display it there. Elsevier lists the eBook of Lewis’s 12th edition as 978-0-323-79232-5, the single-volume hardback as 978-0-323-78961-5, and a separate VitalSource version as 978-0-323-79233-2. The manual says versions tied to different file formats or reading platforms should each get their own number.
Loose-leaf editions and bundles
Loose-leaf printings are separate products too. Elsevier’s page for the 10th edition of Fundamentals of Nursing lists a loose-leaf ISBN, 978-0-323-76043-0, beside the hardback, 978-0-323-67772-1.
When a textbook is packaged with an online access code or another item, the manual says the pack gets one ISBN and the book, if also sold alone, gets another. So a bundle number on a bookstore receipt may not match the ISBN inside the book. That doesn’t mean you have the wrong edition; compare title, author and edition number instead.
How to Find the Edition Number
The edition number is printed on the title page, as “12th Edition” or “Twelfth Edition.” The Users’ Manual says “significant updates, revisions or changes to the content” make a new edition, usually numbered on the title page.
Title page and copyright year
Identify your book by edition number and ISBN, not by year. Elsevier gives Lewis’s 11th edition a 2019 copyright (Mosby imprint) and the 12th a 2022 copyright, so a 2019 book on a 2022 syllabus is a full edition behind.
A reprint is another print run of the same edition, and an unchanged reprint keeps its ISBN. A new cover design or price doesn’t call for a new ISBN either, so a fresh cover doesn’t prove a new edition.
Reading “revised reprint,” “updated” and “international edition”
Extra words after the edition number, such as “Revised Reprint,” signal a changed version that kept its edition number. The manual requires a new ISBN when text changes beyond minor corrections of misprints, and the U.S. ISBN Agency says “A new ISBN is required for a revised edition.”
A real case: Open Library’s record for Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, 12th Edition Revised Reprint with 2021-2023 NANDA-I Updates shows a Mosby paperback dated August 16, 2021, ISBN-13 978-0-323-87988-0. Same 12th edition, updated content, its own ISBN. If your syllabus names a revised reprint, match that ISBN.
Don’t assume an international edition shares the US edition’s ISBN; check the number printed in the copy itself. A translation always gets its own ISBN. Before relying on chapter or page numbers in an international edition textbook, compare its table of contents with your syllabus.
Does the Textbook Edition Matter?
Yes, whenever your coursework refers to chapters, pages or current content. A new edition can add and rename chapters and push later numbers forward.
Chapter renumbering example
Elsevier lists 68 chapters in 13 sections for the 11th edition of Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing and 69 chapters in 12 sections for the 12th edition. The 11th edition’s last section, Nursing Care in Specialized Settings, is gone, and its shock, respiratory failure and emergency chapters moved earlier.
| Topic | 11th ed. (2019) | 12th ed. (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Professional nursing | Ch 1 | Ch 1 |
| Pain | Ch 8 | Ch 9 |
| Fluid, electrolyte and acid-base imbalances | Ch 16 | Ch 17 |
| Heart failure | Ch 34 | Ch 38 |
| Diabetes | Ch 48 | Ch 53 |
| Stroke | Ch 57 | Ch 62 |
| Shock and multiple organ dysfunction | Ch 66 | Ch 42 |
| Acute respiratory failure and ARDS | Ch 67 | Ch 32 |
| Emergency care | Ch 68 | Ch 21 |
So “read Chapter 42” means lower gastrointestinal problems in the 11th edition and shock, sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in the 12th. Chapters 6 through 64 all moved one to five places later, and three chapters from the old final section moved 24 to 47 places earlier. That’s why the medical-surgical nursing test banks on this site are listed edition by edition.
New content and retired content
Elsevier says the 12th edition adds three new chapters and puts more weight on clinical judgment and Next-Generation NCLEX preparation. Three titles appear only in its list: Social Determinants of Health, a chapter on caring for LGBTQ and gender-diverse patients, and Supporting Ventilation. The 11th edition’s Critical Care chapter has no chapter of that name in the 12th.
Terminology moves as well: “Acute Renal Failure” became “Acute Kidney Injury,” and “Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia” became “Dementia and Delirium.” Practice material written for the 11th edition is likely to use the older terms, and it can’t cover chapters that didn’t exist yet. For the course itself, see our med-surg nursing study guide.
Matching Study Aids to Your Textbook Edition
A study aid matches your textbook when title, lead author, edition number and ISBN-13 agree, or when its ISBN is listed for another format of the same edition. Chapter-based materials follow one edition’s chapter list, so a mismatch shifts every reference. See study guides vs test banks for how the two differ.
A test bank is a chapter-by-chapter set of practice questions with answers and, often, rationales. It isn’t a copy of any exam and can’t promise a grade, so use one only where your program’s academic-integrity policy allows it. That’s why our nursing test banks for textbooks are named by edition, with the ISBN-13 shown on the product page.
Edition-check worksheet
Fill this in from your book, then compare each line with your syllabus and any listing you plan to buy from.
| Check | Where to look | Matches when |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Title and subtitle | Title page | Words match, including “Single Volume” or “2-Volume Set” |
| 2. Lead author | Title page | Same first-listed author (Harding for Lewis 12th) |
| 3. Edition number | Title page | Same number |
| 4. Edition label | Title or copyright page | Same label, such as “Revised Reprint,” or none |
| 5. ISBN-13 and format | Copyright page, back cover | Same ISBN, or one listed for another format of that edition |
| 6. Copyright year | Copyright page | Same year the publisher gives |
| 7. Two sample chapters | Table of contents | Numbers and titles match your syllabus |
Checks 3 and 5 settle most cases. If only the format differs, it’s the same edition, which the manual defines as all versions “embodying essentially the same content.” If check 4 or 7 fails, treat it as a different version until confirmed.
If your program allows test banks for self-study, choose the one whose edition and ISBN-13 match the book on your syllabus:
- Test Bank for Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing, 12th Edition by Harding — med-surg courses on the 2022 edition (ISBN-13 978-0-323-78961-5)
- Test Bank for Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing, 11th Edition by Harding — courses still using the 2019 edition (978-0-323-55149-6)
- Test Bank for Fundamentals of Nursing, 10th Edition by Potter — fundamentals courses on the 2020 edition (978-0-323-67772-1)
Each test bank is matched to one edition and ISBN-13. Check the number on your book before you buy.
What to do if you have an older edition
- Ask your instructor whether it’s acceptable for the course.
- Build a chapter crosswalk from both publisher tables of contents, noting your chapter number for each assigned chapter.
- Flag new or renamed chapters and cover them from lectures and assigned readings.
- Match practice materials to the edition you’re tested on.
Once your edition is confirmed, read how to use a nursing test bank the right way for a weekly self-quiz routine. If the edition you need isn’t listed, send its ISBN-13 through the request a textbook page.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ISBN number?
An ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is a 13-digit product number that identifies one book’s title, edition and format from one publisher. It starts with 978 or 979 and ends with a check digit that validates the rest. Bookstores and libraries use it to order and list books, and it’s the fastest way to confirm you have the exact textbook your course requires.
Are ISBN-10 and ISBN-13 the same book?
They can be. An ISBN-10 converts to an ISBN-13 by adding 978 and recalculating the last digit, so 0-323-55149-1 and 978-0-323-55149-6 both identify the single-volume hardback of Lewis’s 11th edition. If the nine digits after 978 match the first nine digits of the ISBN-10, it’s the same book and format. If they don’t, it’s a different product.
Can I use an older edition for my nursing class?
Ask your instructor first. Older editions can differ in chapter numbers, terminology and content: in Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing, heart failure moved from Chapter 34 to Chapter 38 between the 11th and 12th editions, and three new chapter titles appeared. If you use an older edition, map its chapters to the assigned one and cover new material from lectures.
Why do e-books have a different ISBN?
Because an ISBN identifies a format, not just content. The International ISBN Agency says each product form, such as paperback, EPUB or PDF, should be identified separately, and platform-specific versions can get their own numbers too. An e-book of the same edition carries essentially the same content as the print book, so match it on title, author and edition number.
How do I find the ISBN without the book?
Start with your syllabus or LMS course page, which should list the textbook ISBN, then your campus bookstore’s listing for the course. The publisher’s product page lists every format’s ISBN for an edition, and your college library’s catalog record shows the ISBN with the publisher and date. Whichever source you use, make sure the number belongs to the edition and format your course names.
Bottom line: find the ISBN of your book before anything else
Take two minutes today. Open your textbook to the copyright page, copy the ISBN-13 for your format, and note the edition number on the title page. Compare both with your syllabus, then use that pair to check any study guide or test bank before you buy. If they don’t match, ask your instructor which edition the course follows.
Sources & further reading
- International ISBN Agency: What is an ISBN?
- International ISBN Agency: ISBN Users’ Manual, 7th edition
- U.S. ISBN Agency (Bowker): FAQs, General Questions
- U.S. ISBN Agency (Bowker): About the ISBN Standard
- Elsevier: Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing, 12th ed.
- Elsevier: Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing, 11th ed.
- Open Library: Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, 12th Edition Revised Reprint
