Analysis of the coverage of ethics in 24 introductory accounting textbooks showed that, in response to past criticisms, many authors now integrate ethical issues and include reinforcing assignments and case materials. (SK)

Examines elementary science methods textbooks to determine how magnet concepts are presented. Focuses on the organization, sequence of concepts, and potential misconceptions, and includes types of investigations. Analyzed 11 elementary science methods textbooks in detail and found great variation in the magnet concepts presented, general omission…

Explains how students' perceptions of validity is affected by the terminology used by teachers and scientists. Analyzes the use of the terms: hypothesis, theory, law, and principle in biology textbooks. (Contains 22 references.) (Author/YDS)

Examines textbooks used in college-level chemistry courses for misleading or erroneous statements leading to student misconceptions about electrochemistry. (CCM)

Six best-selling introductory behavioral statistics textbooks that were published in 1982 and two well-known sampling theory textbooks were reviewed to determine the presence of rules-of-thumb--useful principles with wide application that are not intended to be strictly accurate. The relative frequency and type of rules are reported along with a…

Directors of 100 undergraduate training programs in speech language pathology and audiology were surveyed about the readability level and faculty satisfaction with currently used textbooks. For each of seven fundamental courses, Ss were asked to indicate the academic level at which students typically completed the courses, the textbook currently…

Content and performance-mode codes were used in a page-by-page examination of seven commonly used spelling series in a study of the content of elementary spelling instruction and the kinds of spelling practice provided by current spelling texts. The codes were processed by computer to permit analysis of what is taught. Results showed that most…

Presents the annecdotal results of an analysis of 11 major publishers' high school world history textbooks. Provides criteria for evaluating such books and concludes that, as a group, these textbooks promoted Western ethnocentrism. (JDH)

Reports the results of a study designed to determine whether eight widely used elementary basal social studies textbook series contained more "back-to-basics" content in 1979-82 than they did 10 years prior during the rise of the "new social studies." The data showed a marked influence of back-to-basics in all of these series.…

An evaluation of introductory college level psychology textbooks showed that Alfred Adler's psychology is either neglected or seriously distorted by most texts. (RM)

It is reasonable to be concerned about ideological bias in economics textbooks because of political pressures in the United States to present a positive evaluation of free enterprise. However, an examination of texts does not show the bias that Bruce Romanish claims to have found. (IS)

Describes a study which analyzed 10 current and widely used secondary U.S. history textbooks for their coverage of the Vietnam War to determine their accuracy, completeness, and objectivity. Most of the textbooks studied offered a too sketchy account of the Vietnam War. Certain key topics are often neglected. (RM)

McLaughlin's Smog Index was compared to the Dale-Chall formula for the determination of reading levels of 48 textbooks in business and distributive education. A Modified Smog Index proved a valid substitute for the Dale-Chall formula when used to evaluate the reading levels of business and distributive education narrative. (Author/CT)

A study was made of factors that affect the comprehension of technical discourse. Results showed that when no visual was used: (1) the schematic organization enhanced comprehension and (2) students who participated in the activity outperformed those who did not participate. (CT)

Reports results of a survey on the readability of 12 recently published business communication textbooks. Shows that important differences in readability do exist and that the majority of texts were within or below the lower end of the undergraduate-level reading range. (PD)