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 guide for authors of correspondence course units is presented to aid staff and consultants who will develop a correspondence cum residential course in curriculum development at the Kenya Institute of Education. The guide is based on observations at the Open University at Milton Keynes. The following areas are considered: the contribution of…

This booklet addresses the question of what is wrong with textbooks and then shows how textbooks can be improved through the selection process. A conceptual scheme is proposed as the basis of the selection process. Specific attributes and features to look for when selecting textbooks, based on this conceptual scheme, are discussed. Five categories…

The planning of an introductory calculus textbook in classical mechanics is shown as an example of an approach to textbook design that uses four main cognitive categories: sources of learning, instruments of learning, processes of knowing, and mechanisms of knowing. The aspects, domains, description, and elements of each section of the textbook…

To determine whether revisions incorporating features of a Time-Life style would improve students' recall of text, a writer and an editor revised two expository passages from a high school history textbook. They added action verbs, created a sense of drama, made explicit transitions, provided background information, and inserted "nuggets"--vivid…

In response to the need for a system of control over the academic quality of distance education texts, this article proposes a methodological model based on criteria that evaluate written materials based on their instructional quality, design, and production. A discussion and figures evaluate educational aspects of content, communication,…

Based on expert review and research, this book provides an innovative standard and guide to social studies textbooks used in kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms for content, style, and design. The standards provide a foundation for individuals to select satisfactory textbooks and to help educators and school boards in the adoption of…

The enhancement of the European dimension in the national curriculum is a large scale educational innovation that affects many European countries. This report puts forward the proposition that broad scale educational innovation has more success if the aims and objectives find their way into textbooks. The reasons why a European dimension in…

This "Writers' Handbook" was prepared in response to the many requests for "a book that tells how to write textbooks and other educational materials for schools." These requests have come from educators of other countries as well as from the United States. The authors believe that the handbook holds valuable information and suggestions for heads…