Contends that perceived weaknesses in the history profession and historical writing also are manifested by dissatisfaction with history textbooks. Describes the immediate and long-range impact of "The Rise of American Civilization," a college level textbook by Charles and Mary Beard. Contends that the book was comprehensive, well…

Points to remember in getting a textbook published are examined: book idea, publisher's sales representatives, letter of inquiry, qualifications for authorship, author information form, idea proposal, reviews, marketing and sales, publishing agreement, author royalties, and copyright assignment. (CT)

Offers tips on what to do and what to avoid when preparing materials for publication. The "Biographical Dictionary of American Educators" serves as a case study. (DB)

Presents results from two skills surveys of Build a Book (BAB) classes in which students learn geometry by writing and editing their own textbook. Points out that this approach is reasonable and that students who had BAB classes in prior years could identify important areas of learning in addition to geometry. (ASK)

Discusses the positive and negative aspects of textbook writing, noting common pitfalls that will be encountered by new authors. The article also suggests how to become better educated about the process of textbook writing and enhance the chances of producing a quality finished product. (SM)

The study compared the effectiveness of two types of science textbook adaptations--graphics and study guides--and of self-study with 49 learning-disabled high school students in four classes. Results indicated better test scores for students using graphics-adapted texts. No differences were found between study guide adaptations and self-study.…

Criticizes the organization, emphases, scope, and intellectual challenges of basal social studies textbooks widely used in elementary schools. Includes recommendations for improving such textbooks and social studies curricula. (MCG)

The rewards and perils of making the transition from classroom language teacher to developer of English-as-a-Second-Language textbooks are discussed. Issues include national and international marketing as well as the production process. (LB)

Examines the reasons why errors occur in chemistry textbooks. Presents examples of the range of errors and proposes measures for addressing the problem. (ML)

Designed for braille transcribers and teachers of the visually handicapped, this document presents three short articles about literary braille. The first article discusses common pitfalls that occur on trial manuscripts, such as misformed characters, missing and added dots, incorrect title pages, and incorrect word divisions. The second article…

Described are two kinds of mathematical communications. Discusses how language is used to communicate mathematics, especially as it relates to the triangle formed by writer, text, and reader. (PK)

Maintains that a discussion of the Eurocurrency market is now a regular feature of most money and banking textbooks. Explains that the demand for Eurocurrency deposits stems, in part, from a transactions motive and recommends that this approach be added to textbook presentations on the subject. (CFR)

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) professionals know that initial efforts to produce or adapt materials generally require evaluative review and revision. A review process that solicits feedback from teacher and student users is critical because materials writers often find it difficult to envision the problems others may have with their…

Examines the impact of the new California History Social Science Framework on the development of new textbooks. Provides an outline of this K-12 framework and discusses the question of whether the program will falter if textbook development is not adequate. (KO)

The development of "English for Occupational Purposes" (EOP) by a team of seven authors and two project directors for EOP classes at Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore is described. Aspects included the prewriting stage; analyses of the teaching, learning, and target situations analysis; writing and editing; and postwriting stage. (LB)