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{{Short description|Type of academic study book}} |
{{Short description|Type of academic study book}} |
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{{Globalize|article|USA|2name=the United States|date=December 2013}} |
{{Globalize|article|USA|2name=the United States|date=December 2013}} |
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[[File:Afghan textbooks in Pashto.jpg|thumb|Textbooks written in [[Pashto]] distributed to Afghan school children]] |
[[File:Afghan textbooks in Pashto.jpg|thumb|Textbooks written in [[Pashto]] distributed to Afghan school children]] |
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A '''textbook''' is a |
A '''textbook''' is a book containing a comprehensive compilation of content in a branch of [[Study skills|study]] with the intention of explaining it. Textbooks are produced to meet the needs of educators, usually at educational institutions. '''Schoolbooks''' are textbooks and other books used in schools.<ref>{{AHDict|schoolbook}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=schoolbook - definition of schoolbook in English from the Oxford dictionary |url=http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/schoolbook |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818041404/http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/schoolbook |archive-date=18 August 2016 |access-date=23 April 2016}}</ref> Today, many textbooks are published in both print and digital formats. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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The history of textbooks dates back to ancient civilizations. For example, [[Ancient Greece|Ancient Greeks]] wrote educational texts. The modern textbook has its roots in the mass production made possible by the printing press. [[Johannes Gutenberg]] himself may have printed editions of ''Ars Minor'', a schoolbook on Latin grammar by [[Aelius Donatus]]. Early textbooks were used by tutors and teachers (e.g. alphabet books), as well as by individuals who taught themselves. |
The history of textbooks dates back to ancient civilizations. For example, [[Ancient Greece|Ancient Greeks]] wrote educational texts. The modern textbook has its roots in the mass production made possible by the printing press. [[Johannes Gutenberg]] himself may have printed editions of ''Ars Minor'', a schoolbook on Latin grammar by [[Aelius Donatus]]. Early textbooks were used by tutors and teachers (e.g. alphabet books), as well as by individuals who taught themselves. |
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The Greek philosopher [[Socrates]] lamented the loss of knowledge because the media of transmission were changing.<ref>{{ |
The Greek philosopher [[Socrates]] lamented the loss of knowledge because the media of transmission were changing.<ref>{{Cite web |title=True Stuff: Socrates vs. The Written Word |url=http://wondermark.com/socrates-vs-writing/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130020156/http://wondermark.com/socrates-vs-writing/ |archive-date=30 January 2013 |access-date=12 May 2013}} True Stuff: Socrates vs. the Written Word, 27 January 2011. By David Malki</ref> Before the invention of the [[Greek alphabet]] 2,500 years ago, knowledge and stories were recited aloud, much like [[Homer]]'s epic poems. The new technology of writing meant stories no longer needed to be memorized, a development Socrates feared would weaken the Greeks' mental capacities for memorizing and retelling. (Ironically, we know about Socrates' concerns only because they were written down by his student [[Plato]] in his famous Dialogues.)<ref>Marcia Clemmitt, "Learning Online Literacy," in "Reading Crisis?" CQ Researcher, 22 February 2008, pp. 169-192.</ref> |
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The next revolution in the field of books came with the 15th-century invention of printing with changeable type. The invention is attributed to German metalsmith Johannes Gutenberg, who cast type in molds using a melted metal alloy and constructed a wooden-screw [[printing press]] to transfer the image onto paper. |
The next revolution in the field of books came with the 15th-century invention of printing with changeable type. The invention is attributed to German metalsmith Johannes Gutenberg, who cast type in molds using a melted metal alloy and constructed a wooden-screw [[printing press]] to transfer the image onto paper. |
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Gutenberg's first and only large-scale printing effort was the now iconic [[Gutenberg Bible]] in the 1450s |
Gutenberg's first and only large-scale printing effort was the now iconic [[Gutenberg Bible]] in the 1450s – a Latin translation from the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek [[New Testament]]. Gutenberg's invention made mass production of texts possible for the first time. Although the Gutenberg Bible itself was expensive, printed books began to spread widely over European trade routes during the next 50 years, and by the 16th century, printed books had become more widely accessible and less costly.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wight |first=C. |title=Gutenberg Bible: Background about Gutenberg and his Bibles |url=https://www.bl.uk/treasures/gutenberg/background.html |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=bl.uk}}</ref> |
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While many textbooks were already in use, [[compulsory education]] and the resulting growth of schooling in Europe led to the printing of many more textbooks for children. Textbooks have been the primary teaching instrument for most children since the 19th century. Two textbooks of historical significance in United States schooling were the 18th century [[New England Primer]] and the 19th century [[McGuffey Readers]]. |
While many textbooks were already in use, [[compulsory education]] and the resulting growth of schooling in Europe led to the printing of many more textbooks for children. Textbooks have been the primary teaching instrument for most children since the 19th century. Two textbooks of historical significance in United States schooling were the 18th century [[New England Primer]] and the 19th century [[McGuffey Readers]]. |
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===The market for textbooks=== |
===The market for textbooks=== |
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As in many industries, the number of providers has declined in recent years (there are just a handful of major textbook companies in the United States).<ref> |
As in many industries, the number of providers has declined in recent years (there are just a handful of major textbook companies in the United States).<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 May 2011 |title=The Columbus Dispatch - Local/State | The Columbus Dispatch |url=http://www.dispatch.com/live/contentbe/dispatch/2007/08/05/20070805-D1-01.html |access-date=20 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523050151/http://www.dispatch.com/live/contentbe/dispatch/2007/08/05/20070805-D1-01.html |archive-date=23 May 2011 }}</ref> Also, elasticity of demand is fairly low. The term "broken market" appeared in the economist James Koch's analysis of the market commissioned by the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Koch |first=James P. |date=June 2006 |title=An Economic Analysis of Textbook Prices and the Textbook Market |url=http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED497025&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED497025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622145100/http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED497025&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED497025 |archive-date=22 June 2012 |access-date=12 June 2012}}</ref> |
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In the United States, the largest textbook publishers are [[Pearson Education]], [[Cengage]], [[McGraw-Hill Education]], and [[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]]. Together they control 90% of market revenue.<ref>{{ |
In the United States, the largest textbook publishers are [[Pearson Education]], [[Cengage]], [[McGraw-Hill Education]], and [[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]]. Together they control 90% of market revenue.<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 January 2020 |title=Textbook publishers Cengage, McGraw-Hill extend merger agreement to May 1 |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mcgrawhill-m-a-cengage-idUSKBN1ZS37C |access-date=2 December 2020}}</ref> Another textbook publisher is [[Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Alfonso, III |first=Fernando |date=24 July 2020 |title=This one letter in a textbook could change how millions of kids learn about race |publisher=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/23/us/black-capitalization-school-textbooks-mcgraw-hill-trnd/index.html |access-date=2 December 2020}}</ref> |
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The market for textbooks doesn't reflect classic supply and demand because of [[Principal–agent problem|agency problems]].<ref>http://www.igmchicago.org/surveys/textbook-prices |
The market for textbooks doesn't reflect classic supply and demand because of [[Principal–agent problem|agency problems]].<ref>{{citation |title=Textbook Prices |url=http://www.igmchicago.org/surveys/textbook-prices |access-date=2023-02-20 |date=2015-01-27 |work=[[Initiative on Global Markets]]}}</ref> |
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===New editions and the used book market in the United States=== |
===New editions and the used book market in the United States=== |
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Students who look beyond the campus bookstore can typically find lower prices. With the ISBN or title, author and edition, most textbooks can be located through online used booksellers or retailers. |
Students who look beyond the campus bookstore can typically find lower prices. With the ISBN or title, author and edition, most textbooks can be located through online used booksellers or retailers. |
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Most leading textbook companies publish a new edition every 3 or 4 years, more frequently in math and science. Harvard economics chair James K. Stock has stated that new editions are often not about significant improvements to the content. "New editions are to a considerable extent simply another tool used by publishers and textbook authors to maintain their revenue stream, that is, to keep up prices."<ref>{{ |
Most leading textbook companies publish a new edition every 3 or 4 years, more frequently in math and science. Harvard economics chair James K. Stock has stated that new editions are often not about significant improvements to the content. "New editions are to a considerable extent simply another tool used by publishers and textbook authors to maintain their revenue stream, that is, to keep up prices."<ref>{{Cite web |last1=D’gama |first1=Alissa |last2=Jaffe |first2=Benjamin |date=4 March 2008 |title=Professors Find Different Uses for Textbook Profits |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2008/3/4/professors-find-differents-uses-for-textbook |access-date=14 July 2019 |publisher=The Harvard Crimson}}</ref> A study conducted by The Student [[Public Interest Research Group|PIRGs]] found that a new edition costs 12% more than a new copy of the previous edition (not surprising if the old version is obsolete), and 58% more than a used copy of the previous edition. Textbook publishers maintain these new editions are driven by demand from teachers. That study found that 76% of teachers said new editions were justified "half of the time or less" and 40% said they were justified "rarely" or "never".<ref name="ripoff-101">{{Cite web |date=27 February 2005 |title=Ripoff 101: 2nd Edition |url=https://studentpirgs.org/2005/02/27/ripoff-101-2nd-edition/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Student PIRGs |language=en-US}}</ref> The PIRG study has been criticized by publishers, who argue that the report contains factual inaccuracies regarding the annual average cost of textbooks per student.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inside Higher Ed's News |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/08/29/textbooks |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Inside Higher Ed |language=en}}</ref> |
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The Student PIRGs also point out that recent emphasis on e-textbooks does not always save students money. Even though the book costs less up-front, the student will not recover any of the cost through resale.<ref name="course-correction"> |
The Student PIRGs also point out that recent emphasis on e-textbooks does not always save students money. Even though the book costs less up-front, the student will not recover any of the cost through resale.<ref name="course-correction">{{Cite web |date=1 August 2008 |title=Course Correction |url=https://studentpirgs.org/2008/08/01/course-correction/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Student PIRGs |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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===Bundling in the United States=== |
===Bundling in the United States=== |
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Another publishing industry practice that has been highly criticized is "bundling", or shrink-wrapping supplemental items into a textbook.{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}} Supplemental items range from CD-ROMs and workbooks to online passcodes and bonus material. Students often cannot buy these things separately, and often the one-time-use supplements destroy the resale value of the textbook.<ref name="required-reading"> |
Another publishing industry practice that has been highly criticized is "bundling", or shrink-wrapping supplemental items into a textbook.{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}} Supplemental items range from CD-ROMs and workbooks to online passcodes and bonus material. Students often cannot buy these things separately, and often the one-time-use supplements destroy the resale value of the textbook.<ref name="required-reading">{{Cite web |date=27 October 2007 |title=Required Reading |url=https://studentpirgs.org/2007/10/27/required-reading/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Student PIRGs |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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According to the Student PIRGs, the typical bundled textbook is 10%-50% more{{clarify|date=January 2019}} than an unbundled textbook, and 65% of professors said they |
According to the Student PIRGs, the typical bundled textbook is 10%-50% more{{clarify|date=January 2019}} than an unbundled textbook, and 65% of professors said they "rarely" or "never" use the bundled items in their courses.<ref name="ripoff-101" /> |
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A 2005 [[Government Accountability Office]] (GAO) Report in the United States found that the production of these supplemental items was the primary cause of rapidly increasing prices: |
A 2005 [[Government Accountability Office]] (GAO) Report in the United States found that the production of these supplemental items was the primary cause of rapidly increasing prices: |
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<blockquote> |
<blockquote> |
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While publishers, retailers, and wholesalers all play a role in textbook pricing, the primary factor contributing to increases in the price of textbooks has been the increased investment publishers have made in new products to enhance instruction and learning...While wholesalers, retailers, and others do not question the quality of these materials, they have expressed concern that the publishers’ practice |
While publishers, retailers, and wholesalers all play a role in textbook pricing, the primary factor contributing to increases in the price of textbooks has been the increased investment publishers have made in new products to enhance instruction and learning...While wholesalers, retailers, and others do not question the quality of these materials, they have expressed concern that the publishers’ practice |
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of packaging supplements with a textbook to sell as one unit limits the opportunity students have to purchase less expensive used books....If publishers continue to increase these investments, particularly in technology, the cost to produce a textbook is likely to continue to increase in the future.<ref name=GAO>"[http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-05-806 College Textbooks: Enhanced Offerings Appear to Drive Recent Price Increases] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619071824/http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-05-806 |date=2008-06-19 }}." U.S. Government Accountability Office, Washington, DC, 2005. Abstract. Retrieved 7 October 2011.</ref> |
of packaging supplements with a textbook to sell as one unit limits the opportunity students have to purchase less expensive used books....If publishers continue to increase these investments, particularly in technology, the cost to produce a textbook is likely to continue to increase in the future.<ref name="GAO">"[http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-05-806 College Textbooks: Enhanced Offerings Appear to Drive Recent Price Increases] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619071824/http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-05-806 |date=2008-06-19 }}." U.S. Government Accountability Office, Washington, DC, 2005. Abstract. Retrieved 7 October 2011.</ref> |
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</blockquote> |
</blockquote> |
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Bundling has also been used to segment the used book market. Each combination of a textbook and supplemental items receives a separate ISBN. A single textbook could therefore have dozens of ISBNs that denote different combinations of supplements packaged with that particular book. When a bookstore attempts to track down used copies of textbooks, they will search for the ISBN the course instructor orders, which will locate only a subset of the copies of the textbook. |
Bundling has also been used to segment the used book market. Each combination of a textbook and supplemental items receives a separate ISBN. A single textbook could therefore have dozens of ISBNs that denote different combinations of supplements packaged with that particular book. When a bookstore attempts to track down used copies of textbooks, they will search for the ISBN the course instructor orders, which will locate only a subset of the copies of the textbook. |
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Legislation at state and federal levels seeks to limit the practice of bundling, by requiring publishers to offer all components separately.<ref name="ReferenceB"> |
Legislation at state and federal levels seeks to limit the practice of bundling, by requiring publishers to offer all components separately.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://studentpirgs.org/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Student PIRGs |language=en-US}}</ref> Publishers have testified in favor of bills including this provision,<ref>{{Cite web |title=House Committee on Education (03/06/2008) |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2008A/commsumm.nsf/58e6d054c29cbe1287256e5f00670a70/78f66284de2d10b28725740400734883?OpenDocument |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413042944/http://www.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2008A/commsumm.nsf/58e6d054c29cbe1287256e5f00670a70/78f66284de2d10b28725740400734883?OpenDocument |archive-date=13 April 2008 |access-date=23 April 2016}}</ref> but only in the case that the provision exempts the loosely defined category of "integrated textbooks." The Federal bill<ref>"[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.04137: Higher Education Opportunity Act] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921103240/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.04137: |date=2008-09-21 }}." H.R.4137, U.S. House of Representatives, 110th Congress (2007-2008.) Public Law No. 110-315. Retrieved 7 October 2011.</ref> only exempts 3rd party materials in integrated textbooks, however publisher lobbyists have attempted to create a loophole through this definition in state bills.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HB 2048 - TEXTBOOK TRANSPARENCY ACT - Zimmerman, Jake |url=https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills081/bills/hb2048.htm |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=house.mo.gov}}</ref><ref name="leg.state.co.us">{{Citation |title=Summarized History for Bill Number SB08-073 |url=https://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/csl.nsf/billsummary/6A69934AE701F1788725738C0065864E |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=[[Colorado General Assembly]] Home Page}}</ref> |
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===Price disclosure=== |
===Price disclosure=== |
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Given that the problem of high textbook prices is linked to the "broken" economics of the market, requiring publishers to disclose textbook prices to faculty is a solution pursued by a number of legislatures.<ref>{{ |
Given that the problem of high textbook prices is linked to the "broken" economics of the market, requiring publishers to disclose textbook prices to faculty is a solution pursued by a number of legislatures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elia Powers |title=Textbook Battle's New Frontier |url=http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/04/13/textbooks |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821104447/https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/04/13/textbooks |archive-date=21 August 2016 |access-date=23 April 2016}}</ref> By inserting price into sales interactions, this regulation will supposedly make the economic forces operate more normally. |
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No data suggests that this is in fact true. However, The Student PIRGs have found that publishers actively withhold pricing information from faculty, making it difficult to obtain. Their most recent study found that 77% of faculty say publisher sales representatives do not volunteer prices, and only 40% got an answer when they directly asked. Furthermore, the study found that 23% of faculty rated publisher websites as |
No data suggests that this is in fact true. However, The Student PIRGs have found that publishers actively withhold pricing information from faculty, making it difficult to obtain. Their most recent study found that 77% of faculty say publisher sales representatives do not volunteer prices, and only 40% got an answer when they directly asked. Furthermore, the study found that 23% of faculty rated publisher websites as "informative and easy to use" and less than half said they typically listed the price.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> |
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The US Congress passed a law in the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act that would require price disclosure.<ref name="ReferenceB"/><ref>{{ |
The US Congress passed a law in the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act that would require price disclosure.<ref name="ReferenceB" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Congress.gov - Library of Congress |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.04137 |access-date=8 May 2018 |website=thomas.loc.gov}}{{Dead link|date=August 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jason |date=11 February 2008 |title=The Stingy Scholar |url=http://stingyscholar.blogspot.com/2008/02/house-passes-legislation-to-make.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504130651/http://stingyscholar.blogspot.com/2008/02/house-passes-legislation-to-make.html |archive-date=4 May 2016 |access-date=23 April 2016}}</ref> Legislation requiring price disclosure has passed in Connecticut,<ref>{{Cite web |title=AN ACT CONCERNING TEXTBOOK AFFORDABILITY. |url=http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/PA/2006PA-00103-R00HB-05527-PA.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311060930/https://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/PA/2006PA-00103-R00HB-05527-PA.htm |archive-date=11 March 2016 |access-date=23 April 2016}}</ref> Washington,<ref name="leg.state.or.us">{{Cite web |title=Archived copy |url=http://www.leg.state.or.us/07reg/measpdf/sb0300.dir/sb0365.b.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910041933/http://www.leg.state.or.us/07reg/measpdf/sb0300.dir/sb0365.b.pdf |archive-date=10 September 2008 |access-date=24 March 2008}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceB"/> Minnesota,<ref>{{Cite web |title=HF 1063 |url=http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=House&f=HF1063&ssn=0&y=2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121224095318/http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=House&f=HF1063&ssn=0&y=2007 |archive-date=24 December 2012 |access-date=23 April 2016}}</ref> Oregon,<ref name="leg.state.or.us" /> Arizona,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Documents For Bill |url=http://www.azleg.gov/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=1175 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111538/http://www.azleg.gov/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=1175 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=23 April 2016}}</ref> Oklahoma,<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 November 2015 |title=Tutoring Rates in Oklahoma: An Analysis of over 34,000 Private Tutors |url=https://ateamtutors.com/tutoring-study-in-britain-and-ireland/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721220424/https://ateamtutors.com/tutoring-study-in-britain-and-ireland/ |archive-date=21 July 2020 |access-date=14 June 2016 |website=ateamtutors.com}}</ref> and Colorado.<ref name="leg.state.co.us" /> Publishers are currently supporting price disclosure mandates, though they insist that the "suggested retail price"<ref>{{Cite web |title=House Bill Proposes Disclosure Rules to Control Textbook Prices |url=http://chronicle.com/daily/2008/01/1465n.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216021300/http://chronicle.com/daily/2008/01/1465n.htm |archive-date=16 February 2008 |access-date=23 April 2016 |website=The Chronicle of Higher Education}}</ref> should be disclosed, rather than the actual price the publisher would get for the book. |
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===Used textbook market=== |
===Used textbook market=== |
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As for buyback on a specific campus, faculty decisions largely determine how much a student receives. If a professor chooses to use the same book the following semester, even if it is a custom text, designed specifically for an individual instructor, bookstores often buy the book back. The GAO report found that, generally, if a book is in good condition and will be used on the campus again the next term, bookstores will pay students 50 percent of the original price paid. If the bookstore has not received a faculty order for the book at the end of the term and the edition is still current, they may offer students the wholesale price of the book, which could range from 5 to 35 percent of the new retail price, according to the GAO report.<ref name=GAO/> |
As for buyback on a specific campus, faculty decisions largely determine how much a student receives. If a professor chooses to use the same book the following semester, even if it is a custom text, designed specifically for an individual instructor, bookstores often buy the book back. The GAO report found that, generally, if a book is in good condition and will be used on the campus again the next term, bookstores will pay students 50 percent of the original price paid. If the bookstore has not received a faculty order for the book at the end of the term and the edition is still current, they may offer students the wholesale price of the book, which could range from 5 to 35 percent of the new retail price, according to the GAO report.<ref name=GAO/> |
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When students resell their textbooks during campus |
When students resell their textbooks during campus "buyback" periods, these textbooks are often sold into the national used textbook distribution chain. If a textbook is not going to be used on campus for the next semester of courses then many times the college bookstore will sell that book to a national used book company. The used book company then resells the book to another college bookstore. Finally, that book is sold as used to a student at another college at a price that is typically 75% of the new book price. At each step, a markup is applied to the book to enable the respective companies to continue to operate. |
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====Student to student sales==== |
====Student to student sales==== |
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Students can also sell or trade textbooks among themselves. After completing a course, sellers will often seek out members of the next enrolling class, people who are likely to be interested in purchasing the required books. This may be done by posting flyers to advertise the sale of the books or simply soliciting individuals who are shopping in the college bookstore for the same titles. Many larger schools have independent websites set up for the purpose of facilitating such trade. These often operate much like digital classified ads, enabling students to list their items for sale and browse for those they wish to acquire. Also, at the [[US Air Force Academy]], it is possible to |
Students can also sell or trade textbooks among themselves. After completing a course, sellers will often seek out members of the next enrolling class, people who are likely to be interested in purchasing the required books. This may be done by posting flyers to advertise the sale of the books or simply soliciting individuals who are shopping in the college bookstore for the same titles. Many larger schools have independent websites set up for the purpose of facilitating such trade. These often operate much like digital classified ads, enabling students to list their items for sale and browse for those they wish to acquire. Also, at the [[US Air Force Academy]], it is possible to e-mail entire specific classes, allowing for an extensive network of textbook sales to exist. |
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====Student online marketplaces==== |
====Student online marketplaces==== |
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In response to escalating textbook prices, limited competition, and to provide a more efficient system to connect buyers and sellers together, online textbook exchanges were developed. Most of today's sites handle buyer and seller payments, and usually deduct a small commission only after the sale is completed. |
In response to escalating textbook prices, limited competition, and to provide a more efficient system to connect buyers and sellers together, online textbook exchanges were developed. Most of today's sites handle buyer and seller payments, and usually deduct a small commission only after the sale is completed. |
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According to textbook author [[Henry L. Roediger III|Henry L. Roediger]] (and Wadsworth Publishing Company senior editor Vicki Knight), the used textbook market is illegitimate, and entirely to blame for the rising costs of textbooks. As methods of "dealing with this problem", he recommends making previous editions of textbooks obsolete, binding the textbook with other materials, and passing laws to prevent the sale of used books.<ref>{{ |
According to textbook author [[Henry L. Roediger III|Henry L. Roediger]] (and Wadsworth Publishing Company senior editor Vicki Knight), the used textbook market is illegitimate, and entirely to blame for the rising costs of textbooks. As methods of "dealing with this problem", he recommends making previous editions of textbooks obsolete, binding the textbook with other materials, and passing laws to prevent the sale of used books.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Henry L. Roediger, III |date=January 2005 |title=Why Are Textbooks So Expensive? |url=https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/why-are-textbooks-so-expensive |url-status=live |magazine=Observer |publisher=Association for Psychological Science |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317041203/https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/why-are-textbooks-so-expensive |archive-date=17 March 2018 |access-date=23 April 2016}}</ref> The concept is not unlike the limited licensing approach for computer software, which places rigid restrictions on resale and reproduction. The intent is to make users understand that the content of any textbook is the intellectual property of the author and/or the publisher, and that as such, subject to copyright. Obviously, this idea is completely opposed to the millennia-old tradition of the sale of [[used book]]s, and would make that entire industry illegal. |
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==== E-textbooks ==== |
==== E-textbooks ==== |
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{{see also|Digital textbook}} |
{{see also|Digital textbook}} |
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Another alternative to save money and obtaining the materials you are required are e-textbooks. The article "E books rewrite the rules of education" states that, alternately to spending a lot of money on textbooks, you can purchase an e-textbook at a small amount of the cost. With the growth of digital applications for iPhone, and gadgets like the Amazon kindle, e-textbooks are not an innovation, but have been "gaining momentum".<ref>{{Cite web| |
Another alternative to save money and obtaining the materials you are required are e-textbooks. The article "E books rewrite the rules of education" states that, alternately to spending a lot of money on textbooks, you can purchase an e-textbook at a small amount of the cost. With the growth of digital applications for iPhone, and gadgets like the Amazon kindle, e-textbooks are not an innovation, but have been "gaining momentum".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mullan |first=Eileen |date=4 May 2009 |title=Ebooks Rewrite the Rules of Education |url=http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/News/News-Feature/Ebooks-Rewrite-the--Rules-of-Education-53676.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317231848/http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/News/News-Feature/Ebooks-Rewrite-the--Rules-of-Education-53676.htm |archive-date=17 March 2018 |website=EContent Magazine}}</ref> According to the article " Are textbooks obsolete?", publishers and editorials are concerned about the issue of expensive textbooks. "The expense of textbooks is a concern for students, and e-textbooks, address the face of the issue, Williams says " As publishers we understand the high cost of these materials, and the electronic format permit us diminish the general expense of our content to the market".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Are textbooks obsolete? An education in the impact of electronic textbooks |url=http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sort=RELEVANCE&docType=Cover+story&tabID=T003&prodId=CDB&searchId=R8&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchType=BasicSearchForm&contentSegment=¤tPosition=3&searchResultsType=SingleTab&inPS=true&userGroupName=pcc&docId=GALE%7CA223373889&contentSet=GALE%7CA223373889 |access-date=22 January 2016 |website=go.galegroup.com}}</ref> E-textbook applications facilitate similar experiences to physical textbooks by allowing the user to highlight and take notes in-page. These applications also extend textbook learning by providing quick definitions, reading the text aloud, and search functionality.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reckelhoff |first=Benjamin |date=16 February 2021 |title=Vitalsource Bookshelf App capabilities for etextbooks |url=https://www.vitalsource.com/bookshelf-features |website=VitalSource Bookshelf}}</ref> |
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=== Rental programs === |
=== Rental programs === |
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In-store rentals are processed by either using a kiosk and ordering books online with a third party facilitator or renting directly from the store's inventory. Some stores use a hybrid of both methods, opting for in-store selections of the most popular books and the online option for more obscure titles or books they consider too risky to put in the rental system. Rented items can be used for a set duration of time, then are required to be returned to the physical store or shipped back to the third party facilitator by the rental due date. Writing and highlighting is sometimes allowed in rented items, although excessive markup which makes the item unrentable is discouraged.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Reckelhoff|first=Benjamin|date= |
In-store rentals are processed by either using a kiosk and ordering books online with a third party facilitator or renting directly from the store's inventory. Some stores use a hybrid of both methods, opting for in-store selections of the most popular books and the online option for more obscure titles or books they consider too risky to put in the rental system. Rented items can be used for a set duration of time, then are required to be returned to the physical store or shipped back to the third party facilitator by the rental due date. Writing and highlighting is sometimes allowed in rented items, although excessive markup which makes the item unrentable is discouraged.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reckelhoff |first=Benjamin |date=10 February 2021 |title=College Book Rental Frequently Asked Questions |url=https://www.ecampus.com/textbook-rental |website=eCampus.com}}</ref> Overdue items are often charged a fee up to the retail price of the rented item. Rented items typically do not include supplemental materials such as access codes, CDs, or loose-leafs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reckelhoff |first=Benjamin |date=10 February 2021 |title=Will my rental come with an access card/CD/study guide/supplement |url=https://www.ecampus.com/help/faq/will-my-rental-come-with-an-access-cardcdstudy-guidesupplement/62 |access-date=10 February 2021 |website=eCampus}}</ref> |
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=== Textbook sharing === |
=== Textbook sharing === |
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=== Open textbooks === |
=== Open textbooks === |
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{{main|Open textbook}} |
{{main|Open textbook}} |
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The latest trend in textbooks is "open textbooks." An [[open textbook]] is a free, openly licensed textbook offered online by the copyright holders. According to PIRG, a number of textbooks already exist, and are being used at schools such as MIT and Harvard.<ref> |
The latest trend in textbooks is "open textbooks." An [[open textbook]] is a free, openly licensed textbook offered online by the copyright holders. According to PIRG, a number of textbooks already exist, and are being used at schools such as MIT and Harvard.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Open Textbooks: Catalog |url=https://studentpirgs.org/open-textbooks-catalog/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Student PIRGs |language=en-US}}</ref> A 2010 study published found that open textbooks offer a viable and attractive means to meet faculty and student needs while offering savings of approximately 80% compared to traditional textbook options.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> |
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Although the largest question seems to be who is going to pay to write them, several state policies suggest that public investment in open textbooks might make sense.<ref>{{ |
Although the largest question seems to be who is going to pay to write them, several state policies suggest that public investment in open textbooks might make sense.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AB 2261 Assembly Bill - INTRODUCED |url=http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_2251-2300/ab_2261_bill_20080221_introduced.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304135209/http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_2251-2300/ab_2261_bill_20080221_introduced.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=23 April 2016}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}} To offer another perspective{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}}, any jurisdiction might find itself challenged to find sufficient numbers of credible academics who would be willing to undertake the effort of creating an open textbook without realistic compensation, to make such a proposal work. Currently, some open textbooks have been funded with non-profit investment. |
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The other challenge involves the reality of publishing, which is that textbooks with good sales and profitability subsidize the creation and publication of low demand but believed to be necessary textbooks.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} Subsidies skew markets and the elimination of subsidies is disruptive; in the case of low demand textbooks the possibilities following subsidy removal include any or all of the following: higher retail prices, a switch to open textbooks, a reduction of the number of titles published. |
The other challenge involves the reality of publishing, which is that textbooks with good sales and profitability subsidize the creation and publication of low demand but believed to be necessary textbooks.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} Subsidies skew markets and the elimination of subsidies is disruptive; in the case of low demand textbooks the possibilities following subsidy removal include any or all of the following: higher retail prices, a switch to open textbooks, a reduction of the number of titles published. |
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On the other hand, independent open textbook authoring and publishing models are developing. Most notably, the startup publisher [[Flat World Knowledge]] already has dozens of college-level open textbooks that are used by |
On the other hand, independent open textbook authoring and publishing models are developing. Most notably, the startup publisher [[Flat World Knowledge]] already has dozens of college-level open textbooks that are used by more than 900 institutions in 44 countries.<ref>[http://pressitt.com/smnr/Flat-World-Knowledge-President-Eric-Frank-Addresses-Oregon-Legislators-on-Solving-Textbook-Affordability-/3569/ Flat World Knowledge President Eric Frank Addresses Oregon Legislators on Solving Textbook Affordability.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223233038/http://pressitt.com/smnr/Flat-World-Knowledge-President-Eric-Frank-Addresses-Oregon-Legislators-on-Solving-Textbook-Affordability-/3569/ |date=23 February 2011 }} Pressitt. 21 February 2011.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 August 2009 |title=Open-source textbook co. Flat World goes back to school with 40,000 new customers |url=https://venturebeat.com/business/open-source-textbook-co-flat-world-blasts-goes-back-to-school-with-40000-new-customers/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Press Release Distribution |url=https://www.notified.com/GNW-PR/press-release-distribution |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Notified |language=en}}</ref> Their business model<ref>{{Cite web |title=Flat World Knowledge: Open College Textbooks | Opensource.com |url=https://opensource.com/education/10/2/flat-world-knowledge-open-college-textbooks-disrupting-traditional-textbook-publishin |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=opensource.com |language=en}}</ref> was to offer the open textbook free online,<ref>[http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/pub/organizational-behavior-v1.1/141350#pdf-1 Organizational Behavior v1.1] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110405154150/http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/pub/organizational-behavior-v1.1/141350 |date=5 April 2011 }} by Talya Bauer & Berrin Erdogan. Irvington, NY: Flat World Knowledge. 2010. (Free online open textbook format sample - PDF view)</ref><ref>[http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/pub/introduction-psychology/296056#web-296056 Introduction to Psychology] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110407103338/http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/pub/introduction-psychology/296056 |date=7 April 2011 }} by Charles Stangor. Irvington, NY: Flat World Knowledge. 2010. (Free online open textbook format sample - web view)</ref> and then sell ancillary products that students are likely to buy if prices are reasonable - print copies, study guides, [[ePub]], .Mobi ([[Amazon Kindle|Kindle]]), [[PDF]] download, etc. Flat World Knowledge compensates its authors with [[royalties]] on these sales.<ref>See [http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/authors Flat World Knowledge's website] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120730204416/http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/authors |date=30 July 2012 }}</ref> With the generated revenue Flat World Knowledge funded high-quality publishing activities with a goal of making the Flat World financial model sustainable. However, in January 2013 Flat World Knowledge announced their financial model could no longer sustain their free-to-read options for students.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why Flat World is Moving from Free to Fair on January 1, 2013 |url=http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/free2fair |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120205043/http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/free2fair |archive-date=20 January 2013 |access-date=17 February 2013}} Flat World Knowledge Website.</ref> Flat World Knowledge intends to have open textbooks available for the 125 highest-enrolled courses on college campuses within the next few years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Flat World Knowledge Gets $15 Million in Funding |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/financial-reporting/article/45842-flat-world-knowledge-gets-15-million-in-funding.html |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en}}</ref> |
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[[CK-12 Foundation|CK-12]] [[Flexbook |
[[CK-12 Foundation|CK-12]] [[Flexbook]]s are the open textbooks designed for United States K-12 courses.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |title=CK12-Foundation |url=https://www.ck12.org/student/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=ck12.org}}</ref> CK-12 FlexBooks are designed to facilitate conformance to national and United States and individual state textbook standards. CK-12 FlexBooks are licensed under a [[Creative Commons]] [[BY-NC-SA]] license. CK-12 FlexBooks are free to use online and offer formats suitable for use on portable personal reading devices and computers - both online and offline. Formats for both [[iPad]] and [[Amazon Kindle|Kindle]] are offered. School districts may select a title as is or customize the open textbook to meet local instructional standards. The file may be then accessed electronically or printed using any [[print on demand]] service without paying a royalty, saving 80% or more when compared to traditional textbook options. An example print on demand open textbook title, "College Algebra" by Stitz & Zeager through Lulu is 608 pages, royalty free, and costs about $20 ordered one at a time (March 2011).<ref>[http://ohiotextbookhq.ning.com/page/carl-stitzjeff-zeager Carl Stitz/Jeff Zeager on Ohio Textbook HQ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714184158/http://ohiotextbookhq.ning.com/page/carl-stitzjeff-zeager |date=14 July 2011 }} 2010.</ref> ''(Any print on demand service could be used - this is just an example. School districts could easily negotiate even lower prices for bulk purchases to be printed in their own communities.)'' Teacher's editions are available for educators and parents. Titles have been authored by various individuals and organizations and are vetted for quality prior to inclusion in the CK-12 catalog. An effort is underway to map state educational standards correlations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=State, National, and Common Core Standards Correlations | CK-12 Foundation |url=https://www.ck12info.org/standards-reports/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=ck12info.org}}</ref> [[Stanford University]] provided a number of titles in use.<ref name="auto"/> |
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[[Curriki]] is another modular K-12 content non-profit "empowering educators to deliver and share curricula." Selected Curriki materials are also correlated to U.S. state educational standards.<ref> |
[[Curriki]] is another modular K-12 content non-profit "empowering educators to deliver and share curricula." Selected Curriki materials are also correlated to U.S. state educational standards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Curriki – Shaping the Future of Learning |url=https://www.curriki.org/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=curriki.org}}</ref> Some Curriki content has been collected into open textbooks and some may be used for modular lessons or special topics. |
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===International market pricing=== |
===International market pricing=== |
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Similar to the issue of reimportation of [[pharmaceuticals]] into the U.S. market, the GAO report<ref name=GAO/> also highlights a similar phenomenon in textbook distribution. Retailers and publishers have expressed concern about the re-importation of lower-priced textbooks from international locations. Specifically, they cited the ability students have to purchase books from online distribution channels outside the United States at lower prices, which may result in a loss of sales for U.S. retailers. Additionally, the availability of lower-priced textbooks through these channels has heightened distrust and frustration among students regarding textbook prices, and college stores find it difficult to explain why their textbook prices are higher, according to the National Association of College Stores. Retailers and publishers have also been concerned that some U.S. retailers may have engaged in reimportation on a large scale by ordering textbooks for entire courses at lower prices from international distribution channels. While the 1998 [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] decision [[Quality King v. L'anza]] protects the reimportation of copyrighted materials under the [[first-sale doctrine]], textbook publishers have still attempted to prevent the U.S. sale of international editions by enforcing contracts which forbid foreign wholesalers from selling to American distributors.<ref>{{ |
Similar to the issue of reimportation of [[pharmaceuticals]] into the U.S. market, the GAO report<ref name=GAO/> also highlights a similar phenomenon in textbook distribution. Retailers and publishers have expressed concern about the re-importation of lower-priced textbooks from international locations. Specifically, they cited the ability students have to purchase books from online distribution channels outside the United States at lower prices, which may result in a loss of sales for U.S. retailers. Additionally, the availability of lower-priced textbooks through these channels has heightened distrust and frustration among students regarding textbook prices, and college stores find it difficult to explain why their textbook prices are higher, according to the National Association of College Stores. Retailers and publishers have also been concerned that some U.S. retailers may have engaged in reimportation on a large scale by ordering textbooks for entire courses at lower prices from international distribution channels. While the 1998 [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] decision [[Quality King v. L'anza]] protects the reimportation of copyrighted materials under the [[first-sale doctrine]], textbook publishers have still attempted to prevent the U.S. sale of international editions by enforcing contracts which forbid foreign wholesalers from selling to American distributors.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lewin |first=Tamar |date=21 October 2003 |title=Students Find $100 Textbooks Cost $50, Purchased Overseas |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/21/us/students-find-100-textbooks-cost-50-purchased-overseas.html |url-status=live |access-date=24 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916004116/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/21/us/students-find-100-textbooks-cost-50-purchased-overseas.html |archive-date=16 September 2009}}</ref> Concerned about the effects of differential pricing on college stores, the National Association of College Stores has called on publishers to stop the practice of selling textbooks at lower prices outside the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 July 2004 |title=Testimony of Marc L. Fleischaker, Counsel, National Association of College Stores |url=http://republicans.edlabor.house.gov/archive/hearings/108th/21st/textbooks072004/fleischaker.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090806091310/http://republicans.edlabor.house.gov/archive/hearings/108th/21st/textbooks072004/fleischaker.htm |archive-date=6 August 2009 |access-date=24 September 2009 |website=Hearing on "Are College Textbooks Priced Fairly?" |publisher=U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Education and the Workforce, Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness}}</ref> For example, some U.S. booksellers arrange for drop-shipments in foreign countries which are then re-shipped to America where the books can be sold online at used prices (for a "new" unopened book). The authors often getting half-royalties instead of full-royalties, minus the charges for returned books from bookstores. |
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===Production=== |
===Production=== |
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Textbook publishing in the U.S. is a business primarily aimed at large states. This is due to state purchasing controls over the books, most notably in Texas, where the [[Texas Education Agency]] sets curricula for all courses taught by the state's 1,000+ school districts, and therefore also approves which textbooks can be purchased. |
Textbook publishing in the U.S. is a business primarily aimed at large states. This is due to state purchasing controls over the books, most notably in Texas, where the [[Texas Education Agency]] sets curricula for all courses taught by the state's 1,000+ school districts, and therefore also approves which textbooks can be purchased. |
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Commonly used American history textbooks are customized for students in California and Texas.<ref>{{ |
Commonly used American history textbooks are customized for students in California and Texas.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Dana |date=12 January 2020 |title=Two States. Eight Textbooks. Two American Stories. |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/01/12/us/texas-vs-california-history-textbooks.html |access-date=2 December 2020}}</ref> |
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===High school=== |
===High school=== |
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In recent years, high school textbooks of United States history have come under increasing criticism. Authors such as [[Howard Zinn]] (''[[A People's History of the United States]]''), [[Gilbert T. Sewall]] (''[[Textbooks: Where the Curriculum Meets the Child]]'') and [[James W. Loewen]] (''[[Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong]]''), make the claim that [[History of the United States|U.S. history]] textbooks contain mythical untruths and omissions, which paint a whitewashed picture that bears little resemblance to what most students learn in universities. Inaccurately retelling history, through textbooks or other literature, has been practiced in many societies, from ancient [[Rome]] to the [[Soviet Union]] (USSR) and the |
In recent years, high school textbooks of United States history have come under increasing criticism. Authors such as [[Howard Zinn]] (''[[A People's History of the United States]]''), [[Gilbert T. Sewall]] (''[[Textbooks: Where the Curriculum Meets the Child]]'') and [[James W. Loewen]] (''[[Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong]]''), make the claim that [[History of the United States|U.S. history]] textbooks contain mythical untruths and omissions, which paint a whitewashed picture that bears little resemblance to what most students learn in universities. Inaccurately retelling history, through textbooks or other literature, has been practiced in many societies, from ancient [[Rome]] to the [[Soviet Union]] (USSR) and the People's Republic of China. The content of history textbooks is often determined by the political forces of state adoption boards and ideological pressure groups.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jr |first=James C. McKinley |date=12 March 2010 |title=Texas Conservatives Win Curriculum Change |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/education/13texas.html |access-date=18 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230107135554/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/education/13texas.html |archive-date=7 January 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> |
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Science textbooks have been the source of ongoing debates and have come under scrutiny from several organizations. The presentation or inclusion of controversial scientific material has been debated in several court cases. Poorly designed textbooks have been cited as contributing to declining grades in mathematics and science in the United States and organizations such as the [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]] (AAAS) have criticized the layout, presentation, and amount of material given in textbooks. |
Science textbooks have been the source of ongoing debates and have come under scrutiny from several organizations. The presentation or inclusion of controversial scientific material has been debated in several court cases. Poorly designed textbooks have been cited as contributing to declining grades in mathematics and science in the United States and organizations such as the [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]] (AAAS) have criticized the layout, presentation, and amount of material given in textbooks. |
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Discussions of textbooks have been included on [[Creationism|creation]] and [[evolution]] in the public education debate. The ''[[Smith v. Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County]]'' case brought forward a debate about scientific fact being presented in textbooks. |
Discussions of textbooks have been included on [[Creationism|creation]] and [[evolution]] in the public education debate. The ''[[Smith v. Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County]]'' case brought forward a debate about scientific fact being presented in textbooks. |
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In his book, ''[[Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!]]'', the late physics |
In his book, ''[[Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!]]'', the late physics Nobel Prize laureate [[Richard P. Feynman]] described his experiences as a member of a committee that evaluated science textbooks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Book Review: Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! |url=http://textbooks.org/2012/09/book-review-surely-youre-joking-mr-feynman/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508135103/http://textbooks.org/2012/09/book-review-surely-youre-joking-mr-feynman/ |archive-date=8 May 2016 |access-date=23 April 2016 |website=Textbooks.org - Compare Textbook Prices}}</ref> At some instances, there were nonsensical examples to illustrate physical phenomena; then a company sent – for reasons of timing – a textbook that contained blank pages, which even got good critiques. Feynman himself experienced attempts at bribery. |
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==Higher education== |
==Higher education== |
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[[File:Programming language textbooks.jpg|thumb|Programming language textbooks]] |
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In the U.S., college and university textbooks are chosen by the professor teaching the course, or by the department as a whole. Students are typically responsible for obtaining their own copies of the books used in their courses, although alternatives to owning textbooks, such as textbook rental services and library reserve copies of texts, are available in some instances. |
In the U.S., college and university textbooks are chosen by the professor teaching the course, or by the department as a whole. Students are typically responsible for obtaining their own copies of the books used in their courses, although alternatives to owning textbooks, such as textbook rental services and library reserve copies of texts, are available in some instances. |
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In some European countries, such as Sweden or Spain, students attending institutions of higher education pay for textbooks themselves, although higher education is free of charge otherwise. |
In some European countries, such as Sweden or Spain, students attending institutions of higher education pay for textbooks themselves, although higher education is free of charge otherwise. |
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With higher education costs on the rise, many students are becoming sensitive to every aspect of college pricing, including textbooks, which in many cases amount to one tenth of tuition costs. The 2005 Government Accountability Office report on college textbooks said that since the 1980s, textbook and supply prices have risen twice the rate of inflation in the past two decades.<ref name="College Textbook Prices Have Risen 1,041 Percent Since 1977">{{ |
With higher education costs on the rise, many students are becoming sensitive to every aspect of college pricing, including textbooks, which in many cases amount to one tenth of tuition costs. The 2005 Government Accountability Office report on college textbooks said that since the 1980s, textbook and supply prices have risen twice the rate of inflation in the past two decades.<ref name="College Textbook Prices Have Risen 1,041 Percent Since 1977">{{Cite news |last=Ben |first=Popen |title=College Textbook Prices Have Risen 1,041 Percent Since 1977 |work=nbc news |publisher=nbc news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/freshman-year/college-textbook-prices-have-risen-812-percent-1978-n399926 |access-date=17 March 2022}}</ref> A 2005 PIRG study found that textbooks cost students $900 per year, and that prices<ref name="GAO" /> increased four times the rate of inflation over the past decade.<ref name="ripoff-101"/> A June 2007 Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance (ACSFA) report, "Turn the Page," reported that the average U.S. student spends $700–$1000 per year on textbooks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Archived: Advisory Committee for Student Financial Assistance (ACSFA) - U.S. Department of Education |url=http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/acsfa/edlite-txtbkstudy.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509204934/http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/acsfa/edlite-txtbkstudy.html |archive-date=9 May 2012 |access-date=23 April 2016}}</ref> |
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While many groups have assigned blame to publishers, bookstores or faculty, the ACSFA also found that assigning blame to any one party—faculty, colleges, bookstores or publishers—for current textbook costs is unproductive and without merit. The report called on all parties within the industry to work together to find productive solutions, which included a movement toward [[open textbook]]s and other lower-cost digital solutions. |
While many groups have assigned blame to publishers, bookstores or faculty, the ACSFA also found that assigning blame to any one party—faculty, colleges, bookstores or publishers—for current textbook costs is unproductive and without merit. The report called on all parties within the industry to work together to find productive solutions, which included a movement toward [[open textbook]]s and other lower-cost digital solutions. |
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Textbook prices are considerably higher in law school. Students ordinarily pay close to $200 for case books consisting of cases available free online. |
Textbook prices are considerably higher in law school. Students ordinarily pay close to $200 for case books consisting of cases available free online.{{fact|date=February 2023}} |
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==Textbook bias on controversial topics== |
==Textbook bias on controversial topics== |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[Casebook]] - A special type of textbook used in [[Law school in the United States|law schools in the United States]]. |
*[[Casebook]] - A special type of textbook used in [[Law school in the United States|law schools in the United States]]. |
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*[[Japanese textbook controversy]] |
*[[Japanese textbook controversy]] |
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*[[Kanawha County textbook controversy]] |
*[[Kanawha County textbook controversy]] |
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*[[List of medical textbooks]] |
*[[List of medical textbooks]] |
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*[[List of textbooks in electromagnetism]] |
*[[List of textbooks in electromagnetism]] |
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*[[List of textbooks in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics]] |
*[[List of textbooks in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics]] |
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==Citations== |
==Citations== |
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==Further reading== |
==Further reading== |
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* Baier, Kylie, et al. "College students’ textbook reading, or not." ''American Reading Forum Annual Yearbook'' Vol. 31. 2011. [http://americanreadingforum.org/yearbook/11_yearbook/documents/BAIER%20ET%20AL%20PAPER.pdf online] |
* Baier, Kylie, et al. "College students’ textbook reading, or not." ''American Reading Forum Annual Yearbook'' Vol. 31. 2011. [http://americanreadingforum.org/yearbook/11_yearbook/documents/BAIER%20ET%20AL%20PAPER.pdf online] |
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* Berkeley, Sheri, et al. "Are History Textbooks More "Considerate" After 20 Years?." ''Journal of Special Education'' (2014) 47#4 |
* Berkeley, Sheri, et al. "Are History Textbooks More "Considerate" After 20 Years?." ''Journal of Special Education'' (2014) 47#4 PP: 217-230. |
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* Buczynski, James A. "Faculty begin to replace textbooks with "freely" accessible online resources." ''Internet Reference Services Quarterly'' (2007) 11#4 pp: 169-179. |
* Buczynski, James A. "Faculty begin to replace textbooks with "freely" accessible online resources." ''Internet Reference Services Quarterly'' (2007) 11#4 pp: 169-179. |
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* Campbell, Alex, and Mr Flint. "New Digital Tools Let Professors Tailor Their Own Textbooks for Under $20 And that's just one option, along with mix-and-match Web sites from big publishers and libraries of open-source content." ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' ( |
* Campbell, Alex, and Mr Flint. "New Digital Tools Let Professors Tailor Their Own Textbooks for Under $20 And that's just one option, along with mix-and-match Web sites from big publishers and libraries of open-source content." ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' (9 October 2011). [http://www.agnesscott.edu/teachingandlearning/files/documents/professors-create-their-own-texts.doc online] |
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* Carbaugh, Robert, and Koushik Ghosh. "Are college textbooks priced fairly?." ''Challenge'' (2005) 48#5 pp: 95–112. |
* Carbaugh, Robert, and Koushik Ghosh. "Are college textbooks priced fairly?." ''Challenge'' (2005) 48#5 pp: 95–112. |
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* {{ |
* {{Cite journal |last=Casper |first=Scott E. |display-authors=etal |year=2014 |title=Textbooks Today and Tomorrow: A Conversation about History, Pedagogy, and Economics |journal=Journal of American History |volume=100 |issue=4 |pages=1139–1169 |doi=10.1093/jahist/jau008 |doi-access=free}} |
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* Chiappetta, Eugene L., and David A. Fillman. "Analysis of five high school biology textbooks used in the United States for inclusion of the nature of science." ''International Journal of Science Education'' (2007) 29#15 pp: 1847–1868. |
* Chiappetta, Eugene L., and David A. Fillman. "Analysis of five high school biology textbooks used in the United States for inclusion of the nature of science." ''International Journal of Science Education'' (2007) 29#15 pp: 1847–1868. |
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* Doering, Torsten, Luiz Pereira, and L. Kuechler. "The use of e-textbooks in higher education: A case study." ''Berlin (Germany): E-Leader'' (2012). [http://www.g-casa.com/conferences/berlin/papers/Doering.pdf online] |
* Doering, Torsten, Luiz Pereira, and L. Kuechler. "The use of e-textbooks in higher education: A case study." ''Berlin (Germany): E-Leader'' (2012). [http://www.g-casa.com/conferences/berlin/papers/Doering.pdf online] |
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* Koulaidis, Vasilis, and Anna Tsatsaroni. "A pedagogical analysis of science textbooks: How can we proceed?." ''Research in Science Education'' (1996) 26#1 pp: 55–71. |
* Koulaidis, Vasilis, and Anna Tsatsaroni. "A pedagogical analysis of science textbooks: How can we proceed?." ''Research in Science Education'' (1996) 26#1 pp: 55–71. |
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* Liang, Ye, and William W. Cobern. "Analysis of a Typical Chinese High School Biology Textbook Using the AAAS Textbook Standards." (2013). [http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1047&context=science_slcsp online] |
* Liang, Ye, and William W. Cobern. "Analysis of a Typical Chinese High School Biology Textbook Using the AAAS Textbook Standards." (2013). [http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1047&context=science_slcsp online] |
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* {{ |
* {{Cite journal |last=Myers |first=Gregory A |year=1992 |title=Textbooks and the sociology of scientific knowledge |journal=English for Specific Purposes |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=3–17 |doi=10.1016/0889-4906(92)90003-S}} |
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* Richardson, Paul W. "Reading and writing from textbooks in higher education: a case study from Economics." Studies in Higher Education (2004) 29#4: 505–521. [http://users.monash.edu.au/~hwatt/articles/Richardson2004_SHE_29_4.pdf online]; on Australia |
* Richardson, Paul W. "Reading and writing from textbooks in higher education: a case study from Economics." Studies in Higher Education (2004) 29#4: 505–521. [http://users.monash.edu.au/~hwatt/articles/Richardson2004_SHE_29_4.pdf online]; on Australia |
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* Roediger III, Henry L. "Writing Textbooks: Why Doesn’t It Count?." ''Observer'' (2004) 17#5 [https://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/uncategorized/writing-textbooks-why-doesnt-it-count.html online] |
* Roediger III, Henry L. "Writing Textbooks: Why Doesn’t It Count?." ''Observer'' (2004) 17#5 [https://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/uncategorized/writing-textbooks-why-doesnt-it-count.html online] |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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{{commons category|Textbooks}} |
{{commons category|Textbooks}} |
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* [http://historico.conaliteg.gob.mx Historic textbooks used in Mexico in primary school from 1960 to 2013] |
* [http://historico.conaliteg.gob.mx Historic textbooks used in Mexico in primary school from 1960 to 2013] |
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{{Books}} |
{{Books}} |