Reviews how the subject of communications technology is treated in nine mass media textbooks that have been adopted widely and form the intellectual introduction for students studying mass communication. (PD)

The most obvious clue of the general absence of prosociality in social studies texts is the general omission of prosocial concepts in their organizing frameworks. Practical ideas for infusing social studies curricula with prosocial content are presented. (RM)

A four-factor approach to estimating the readability of content area texts for learning disabled students focuses on vocabulary, syntax, density, and format. (CL)

Indicates that the Rix modification of the Lix Readability Formula is easy to calculate, correlates highly with other popular formulas, and is useful for materials for grades 3 through 12. (AEA)

Reviewed are eight recent instructional kits, supplementary texts, and professional references for K-8 library and study skills instruction. (SJL)

"Purpose" is an important term in rhetorical theory and writing pedagogy. An analysis of the presentation of "purpose" in three well-regarded, theory-based textbooks ("Writing in the Liberal Arts Tradition: A Rhetoric with Readings,""Writing with a Purpose," and "Form and Surprise in Composition")…

Elementary and secondary social studies teachers are first asked to rate their classroom textbooks concerning readability, interest level, quality and quantity of illustrations, clarity, and organization. Techniques that they can use to enrich each of these areas are then presented. (RM)

Reviews nine speech communication textbooks specifically written for high school students. Comments on the state-of-the-art of contemporary high school textbooks in speech communication. (PD)

Many corporations and vested interest groups prepare free or inexpensive educational materials for the schools. The authors present guidelines teachers can use to screen such material for objectivity, accuracy, appropriateness, and feasibility. (SJL)

Suggests that social studies teachers use cloze procedure to determine the reading level of materials they use in the classroom. The method consists of excerpting a 300-word passage from the intended text and deleting every fifth word. Students fill in words through attention to context. (Author/KC)

Reviewed are 12 recent instructional kits, supplementary texts, and professional references for library and study skills instruction in the secondary grades. (SJL)

Identifies some of the erroneous and misleading statements discovered in the three-volume middle and junior high school integrated science text, SCIENCE Interactions. (ZWH)

Reviews three geometry textbooks in order to examine both the quantity and content of algebra review. Concludes that although the books incorporate a great deal of algebra, much of it is noncontextual review. (ASK)

Provides British elementary and middle grade teachers with guidelines for teaching about minorities, as well as for judging and taking action on bias in school books. (Editor/SJL)

Describes how to use a readability graph to determine the reading level of Biology textbooks. (MA)