Reviews 14 international economics textbooks to help instructors with selection. Includes organization and structure, topics covered, and characteristics of the texts. Suggests considerations such as course length, level of abstraction desired, opinion of numerically based graphical analysis, extensiveness of examples and applications, and whether…

Seventeen educational measurement textbooks were reviewed to analyze current perceptions regarding true-false achievement testing. A synthesis of the rules for item writing is presented, and the purported advantages and disadvantages of the true-false format derived from those texts are reviewed. (TJH)

Analyzes the two basal reader series used in the Singapore primary school for discrepancies in the treatment of male and female characters. Finds imbalances in the female/male ratio, in the amount of speech given to characters, and in role representation. (MG)

Critiques an elementary social studies program by analyzing commercially available curriculum materials. Discusses goals, content selection, organization and sequencing, and explication in the text. Suggests that publishers should (1) shift from content coverage objectives to more general social education purposes; (2) connect information in…

Six sixth-grade science textbooks were examined for conceptual structure and readability. Hierarchical concept maps were composed on text segments for chosen topics and maps were scored. Reading analyses were also computed. Two trends were visually but not statistically evident. The Fry readability scores were higher than sixth grade, but no…

Analyzed a sample of English-as-a-Second-Language textbooks currently used in Spanish secondary schools and language schools to determine how well they reflected current theories on reading, particularly the interactive approach to reading. Overall, the coursebooks reflected current views on interactive reading, but they differed in number and…

Advocates removing the taboo regarding anthropomorphism and teleology in biology education. Argues that for high school students, accepting such formulations does not necessarily imply anthropomorphic or teleological reasoning. Further, living organisms seem goal-oriented because of their adaptation for survival. Concludes with the argument that…

Analyzes the ways some school science textbooks for 14-16 year-olds were used in Great Britain to portray the topic of human sexuality. Examines 15 books that vary greatly in their approach to the topic. Contains 30 references. (DDR)

Examines coverage of critical thinking in 37 full-length introductory psychology textbooks published from 1955 to 1997. Checks for coverage of scientific thinking, cognitive biases in thinking, and difficulties in statistical reasoning. Suggests that findings should facilitate the review and decision process for instructors interested in…

This case study evaluates the extent to which seven basal mathematics programs for fourth-grade students adhered to salient instructional design criteria when teaching the mathematics skill of subtraction across zeros. Results indicated that across the 1994-1995 mathematics series, only Silver Burdett & Ginn satisfied most criteria. (Author/CR)

Compares university, community college, and high school students' evaluations of 15 common textbook learning aids along three dimensions: (1) familiarity, (2) probability of use, and (3) educational value. Finds striking agreement about which aids are most useful, including boldface technical terms, running or chapter glossaries, chapter…

Develops a history and philosophy of science framework based on a rational reconstruction of experimental observations that led to the Millikan-Ehrenhaft controversy, and evaluates 31 chemistry books for coverage of the controversy. Finds that most books lacked a history and philosophy of science perspective and did not adequately address several…

Examines the treatment of day care and maternal employment in introductory psychology textbooks between 1970 and 1997. Finds that the coverage of day care and maternal employment increased over the 28 year span, while 95% of the later textbooks presented views ranging from positive to balanced in the mid-1990s. (CMK)

Examines the manner in which introductory psychology textbooks present issues about child sexual assault. Finds that four texts made no mention of any child sexual assault issues and of the remaining textbooks, the majority of the information concerning child sexual assault dealt with memory issues. Identifies five overgeneralizations in relation…

Provides feature and content analyses of 14 social and 17 abnormal psychology full-length textbooks from 1995-98 that are available for undergraduate psychology courses. Provides instructors of these courses a means for more informed text selection. (CMK)