Surveys selected British schoolbooks for controversial racial and multicultural content (checklist provided at end of article). Notes customary procedure for textbook production and suggests ways to bring about changes. (JDH)

Evaluates college, high school, and middle school, textbook treatments of the ratification of the Constitution. Discusses treatment of the Federalist and Antiferalist views. Reports an imbalance between the two views in texts sampled. Attributes the imbalance to Federalist victory, herd mentality, and fear that inclusion of controversy will…

In the 16 college-level sexuality textbooks examined, photographs of Blacks have more impact than those of Whites, not only because of their rarity compared to the broad range of representations of Whites, but also because there is a problematic pattern to the kinds of images that appear. (IAH)

Surveys textbooks to examine how the deposing of the monarchy in Hawaii is treated. Suggests that teachers present three questions: (1) was the United States responsible for the overthrow of the monarchy; (2) how was the overthrow treated in textbooks; and (3) is it correct for the United States to deny responsibility? Argues that textbooks…

Metadiscourse, or an author's presence in a text, and its benefits for improving textbooks and children's learning and attitudes are explored in this paper. Through a historical review, the paper reveals that using the interpersonal voice and the author's commentary are legitimate rhetorical devices. Interviews with prominent contemporary…

Surveys U.S. history texts to determine the coverage given to eastern European immigrants. Reports that Poland is most extensively covered and that the amount of coverage of other eastern European peoples increases with Polish coverage. Suggests a correlation between the frequency an ethnic group is cited and the size of its population in the…

Analysis of three Canadian grade 10 social studies textbooks illustrates how the discrimination and persecution endured by Japanese Canadians have been marginalized. As long as textbooks present perspectives of the dominant social group, inequalities embedded in society will remain hidden. Using textbooks critically to interrogate biases inherent…

This documentary study postures Canadian school textbooks as barometers of corporate faith and prevailing world view, tracing the shift toward secularization in 150 years of publication. A perusal of textbooks suggests that the current secularism of school curricula is not neutral and highlights the need to teach about Christianity. (SM)

An examination of eight widely used college English handbooks published since 1974 reveals a range of sexist usage, indicating that authors and editors have not reached a general consensus on which practices they and student writers are to avoid as sexist. Sexism is still manifest in handbooks in such practices as the following: using sexually…

Research on changing attitudes toward parenthood among college students was expanded to include a study of textbooks to determine if they were reflective of the changes. A sample of 980 undergraduate female home economics students in four universities in the Midwest and West Coast areas were involved in this decade retesting of Maxwell and…

Defines scientific theory. States that life science textbooks often misrepresent theory in their presentations. Presents an analysis of "Prentice Hall Life Science," a textbook adopted by several states including California, and two other popular texts. Criticizes these texts for equating myths, beliefs, legends, and theories, and their…

Reports on a review of nine elementary social studies textbooks for their treatment of African-American history and culture. Finds that the West African origins and culture of African Americans is largely ignored. Determines that textbooks present a biased and incomplete picture of slavery in early U.S. history. (CFR)