During the past 30 years, the author has worked with children and young adults from ages 3 to 18 (not to mention teachers, families, administrators, lecturers, and visiting authors), and she has read a lot of books. Because there are so many kids' books being published these days, she is not expecting total perfection. Still, there are many things…

Until the end of the last century the school textbook served only one purpose, which was to educate; today, faced with competition from the media, it also must be attractive. The development of the textbook over the last century has been characterized, on one hand, by greater diversity, and hence greater complexity, in the typographical methods…

Questions the continued misuse of Markovnikov's Rule in organic chemistry texts. Claims that the results of several studies that show the reaction to be more complex than it appears at first. Criticizes authors of new texts who have perpetrated the rule based on reading older texts. (TW)

Reviews research related to textbook development and provision in developing nations. Stresses the importance of increased access to textbooks as a cost-effective means for improving educational quality. Examines four policy options for textbook development in developing countries: adoption, adaptation, government publication, and international…

This interim report, intended to help textbook authors and publishers, describes the results of a project in which American schools critiqued Soviet textbooks and Soviet scholars critiqued American textbooks. Secondary level history and geography texts were the focus of the study. There are five chapters to the report: Background to the Study;…

Organized in three sections, this report presents the first case study from a project aimed at developing prototypes of ideal textbook chapters. The report (1) discusses the Ideal Text Project, in which a number of researchers in instructional science have been challenged to design a textbook chapter that incorporates the design features they…

Examines the strengths and weaknesses of an 1828 geography textbook for children, specifically in relation to other textbooks. Jesse Olney's text deviated from the norm by introducing the students to activities focused on community and local geography. Ethnocentrism and racism occasionally marred the lavishly illustrated text. (MJP)

Evaluates textbook content in light of goals set forth by the National Science Teacher's Association Project Synthesis. Examines the history of textbook change over two decades in comparison to CHEM Study 1963. Summarizes major features of texts that promote memorization at the expense of understanding. (JM)

A British publisher conducted a readability study of its English language content area texts being used in foreign countries to determine how the texts could be made more readable. A cloze procedure assessment of a secondary school Hong Kong social studies series indicated that the English texts were too difficult for 91% of the pupils tested.…

Presented is a compilation of papers focusing on new questions and new directions for research in science education. Papers are grouped into one of three related fields of research: (1) analysis of curriculum materials, especially science textbooks; (2) investigations of science understandings of students and experts; and (3) investigations of the…

Provides some background on Frank Abbott Magruder and compares the 1917 and 1993 editions of his landmark textbook, "American Government." Although the text has gone through 76 editions it remains true to Magruder's original intention to portray the fluid and dynamic nature of U.S. democracy. (MJP)