Focuses on the development of materials to help textbook adoption committees evaluate the instructional quality of commercially developed basal reading programs. Describes the development of the Adoption Guidelines Booklets. (Author/NH)

Describes how in the 1960s and 1970s critics of the schools as well as the transitory interests of the schools themselves were the greatest forces for change in basal reader programs. Discusses how current demand for high test scores has influenced those who prepare basal material. (Author/NH)

Shows that a wide variety of textbook characteristics play a role in influencing teachers' selection process, and that some of these interact with teacher characteristics. (FL)

Presents a critical analysis of "An Outline of American Geography," a textbook distributed free to teachers in the United Kingdom and other European countries by the Embassy of the United States. While bias is present in the text, the use of dated material is deemed its most severe shortcoming. (JDH)

An analysis of 12 secondary economics textbooks revealed that the economic issues of poverty, unemployment, and labor as they relate to Blacks and Hispanics are often ignored. Economics texts would be greatly improved if critical work led to the inclusion of even such rudimentary information as race-specific employment data. (RM)

The central finding of a review of 63 high school history, geography, civics, and economics textbooks is that the textbooks are not accurately describing the world economy. For example, few of the texts refer to economic gains being made by many countries or mention the existence of middle income countries. (RM)

Concludes that it is necessary to consider text frequency and standard frequency index and to discriminate technical words from technical support and nontechnical words to obtain a reliable indication of a science text's readability. (AEA)

This investigation attempts to determine if the congruity in textbook-test content varies as a function of different styles of textbook use. Across all standardized tests, instructional validity of the five styles of textbook use was far lower for the management-by-objectives model than for any other styles. (Author/PN)

Results indicated considerable difference in total number of running words among series; an increase in different words for grades two-three in each series; repetition of most words in each series between one and nine times; and no high degree of word overlap between series or grades in any given series. (Author/CM)

To provide a rationale for textbook evaluation, a study examined the major and minor topics covered in 20 selected college-level business communication textbooks, the readability level presented for each text, and the number of schools currently using the text. (HOD)

Discusses the need for a global approach to world history to help students at all levels understand social, economic, and ecological change. The author evaluates one example of a secondary global world history textbook--"People and Civilization: A World History" (Lexington, MA: Ginn and Company, 1977). (AM)

Examines the impact of nationalism on six leading secondary level U.S. world geography textbooks. Specific examples of nationalistic bias are cited. Particular emphasis is given to the parallel between changes in American foreign policy and the focus of textbooks published over several decades. (AM)

Concludes that there is a need for a broader-based compensatory reading program at the college freshman and sophomore levels. (FL)

Advocates the use of historical biography in social studies instruction but warns that each biography should first be evaluated for its reading level, realism, reliability, and intellectual respect for the reader. Lists 19 Civil War and 34 American West biographies and ranks each title by these four criteria. (SJL)

Describes and reviews 16 texts, supplements, kits, and professional references for bilingual education and English for foreign speakers. Nine items relate specifically to Spanish speakers. (SJL)