Arithmetic was the first mathematical subject to enter the school curriculum in the United States in a formalized manner. Until the first quarter of the nineteenth century, the prevailing pedagogy of this subject revolved around the tenets of mental discipline theory and the rules method of teaching, which valued memorization and repetitive drill…

Writing a textbook is close to a unique experience in the work of a psychologist. In this article, we discuss the steps authors need to take in preparing to write a textbook. We take the reader through a series of steps, from formulating an idea for a textbook to negotiating a contract. Writing a textbook can be one of the greatest joys of a…

A textbook author reflects on the ethical and ideological choices she made in her quest to create a history book that would be relevant to demographically diverse high school students.

This article describes the self-publishing journey, challenges and methods of development, impact, the value of a self-published e-textbook in tenure decisions, and recommendations. This journey led to the self-publishing of an e-textbook for iPad® delivery at a Midwest university for a course on electronic distribution and hotel management in the…

This article reassesses the Fred Newton Scott and Joseph Villiers Denney collaborative textbook authorship by emphasizing Denney's generally overlooked contributions to that coauthorship and to the field of composition generally. Through an examination of Denney's scholarly work and his personal correspondence with Scott during the period marking…

Writing and publishing a textbook for the first time is an arduous process. Potential authors are provided information on things they should, and should not, do to insure a more successful experience in writing their first textbook. Authors are provided information on decisions to be made and actions to be taken at the various stages of…

A textbook author tells of her early struggle to become a textbook writer, the long journey and the many detours she took along the way to getting her first textbook published. Having identified early in her career that writing a textbook was her chosen way to have an impact on her field of organization theory, she encountered many obstacles to…

A series of eight manuals dealing with the triad text characteristics--learning processes--learning outcomes are being prepared for use by authors and editors as an aid in the design and writing of educational texts. These manuals are based upon a model for the functioning of text characteristics which in turn is part of a decision model for the…

Examines the sociological mechanism which is driven by five audiences (students, instructors, peer/colleagues, publishers, and the individual's inner feelings/needs), which shapes the college textbooks that are adopted and used by today's science teaching community. (JN)

In order to obtain a publishing contract, an author must usually submit a prospectus of the text which includes a description of the proposed text, an annotated table of contents, and sample chapters. (JN)

Authors of texts for instruction in English as a second language have several options for publishing: the traditinal method, dealing directly with large, well-known publishers, or with smaller, specialized houses, or with author-formed groups. This process begins with an idea, and involves making contacts and submitting proposals, review and…

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)

What are textbooks that teach? How can they help solve pedagogical problems? How can their pedagogical design be improved? These questions were used to develop a problem-solving model of textbook design. Textbooks that teach evoke learner activities designed to achieve contemporary cognitive goals. Suggestions for using textbooks to help solve…

Discusses relationships among teachers, curriculum package authors, and publishers. Describes the Atlantic Science Curriculum Project's reform efforts. Recommends that curriculum development projects include: (1) lengthy informal development; (2) combined testing of design and materials; (3) the withholding of contracts until materials are in…

The negotiation, development, testing, and publishing of a specialized text for instructing Chinese geologists and petroleum engineers in English as a second language are chronicled. Aspects of the process discussed include the initial contact and oral agreement with the corporate representative who had requested the training materials, scheduling…