Factors to Consider When Evalutating Textbooks

Content

• Content is up to date
• Content is scientifically accurate
• Content matches your district or school framework
• Historical background
• Science, Technology & Society
• Unit Objective clearly stated
• Relevant

Readability

• Readability index
• Glossary
• New terms defined
• Root words explained

Instructional Approach

• Inductive, inquiry oriented?
• Material presented at a variety of cognitive levels
• Questions at a variety of cognitive levels
• Suggested Activities for further study

Organization

• Advanced Organizers
• Logical curricular sequence
• Material well organized
• Easy to outline
• Well indexed and cross-referenced

Illustrations

• Good quality photographs
• Photographs not "dated"
• Illustrations allied with text
• Clear, unambiguous line diagrams
• Graphs
• Tables

Ancillary material

Laboratory book

• Labs are appropriate for students and facilities
• Labs stress investigation rather than cookbook
• Lab activities correlate with text
• Supply lists
• Teacher edition for laboratory manual

Test Bank

• Computer software and data file
• Test questions at a variety of cognitive levels

Overheads

Software

Workbook

• Copyright privileges?

Teacher Guide

• Useful teacher annotations
• Solutions to problems explained