Reports on the scholarly content of four widely adopted introductory college sociology textbooks and the scholarly activity of their respective authors. Finds that, although all used a wide variety of source materials, there were substantial differences in source selection. (CFR)

Reports on a study of "considerateness" of five fifth-grade social studies textbooks. Identifies four elements of considerateness: (1) readability level; (2) placement of relevant pictures or illustrations; (3) use of subtitles; and (4) use of words and phrases to connect ideas within and between sentences. (CFR)

Discusses the applicability of research into cognitive schemas, metacognition, instructional design, and learning strategies to textbook creation; the value of well-structured, coherent, and focused texts; readability formulas, narrative characteristics, science and social studies texts, glossaries, dictionaries, teachers' manuals, and practice…

Reports on a study of the treatment of family issues in 12 college-level U.S. history textbooks. Concludes that instructors who want to introduce serious discussions of families into a survey course must be prepared to offer additional readings, lecture material, and exercises beyond the textbook content. (CFR)

A model for developing instructional analogies was used to produce experimental treatments that included text from a high school biology textbook to which was added extended verbal analogies written by the researcher linking each of two biology concepts to analogous familiar concepts. The control treatment was text from the biology textbook…

Examines aspects of the introductory psychology textbook market through a publishing house survey. Aspects covered are the current and future number of introductory texts, fewer textbook publishers, custom publishing, changing content, and computer technologies. Discusses the results of the publishers' responses and provides statistical tables of…

Utilizes citation analysis to examine issues of author attribution in academic scholarship. Although widely credited to W. I. Thomas, the "Thomas Theorem" appears in a book written in collaboration with Dorothy Swaine Thomas. Citations routinely ignored Dorothy Thomas's contribution until the 1970s, when gender issues became prevalent.…

Discusses lying by public officials and governments. Reviews history textbook research, and concludes that the content is selected and written to preserve political and economic power. Questions whether or not societies should allow children to be brought up with false beliefs about their own history. (CFR)

Reports on a forum of publishers with international experience producing geography textbooks for higher education. Discusses the role of textbooks, international differences in courses, impact of changes within the discipline, and emerging technologies. Outlines three thematic trends in geography textbook publishing. (CFR)

Reports on the research and development of a history textbook on Puerto Rico. Discusses the issues of historical synthesis and the special problems associated with writing a book about an island that is neither an independent nation nor a colonial possession. (CFR)

Asserts that decisions regarding textbook content China are political and determined by the central government. Reports on a study of 15 elementary and secondary geography textbooks published between 1948 and 1991. Finds that the image of the United States portrayed in these books has changed dramatically. (CFR)

Asserts that during the past two decades, the coverage of African Americans in college-level U.S. history textbooks has improved in both quantity and quality. Reports that, despite these advances, a survey of 14 textbooks revealed a significant portion of African American history remains beyond the boundaries of these texts. (ACM)

Contends that differences in historical interpretations presented in textbooks have implications for citizenship education. Compares the treatment of the civil rights movement in two secondary level U.S. history textbooks. Concludes that selection committees should examine historical interpretation as well the amount of information about…

Summarizes the various interpretations and representations of Canadian educational history in textbooks and other scholarly publications from the last 20 years. Charts the appearance in educational history of intellectual and social history, as well as minority and feminist considerations. (MJP)

Contends that social studies textbooks remain a basic source of information for students and they ascribe to texts the values of objectivity and truth. Concludes that, in spite of improvements in recent years, six major concerns about gender-related issues remain. (CFR)