Textbook Survey

Image courtesy of greenasian

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The best way to work with textbooks is to get to know them. You need to know how they are organized, and where to find important information. You don’t need to write down all the information I’m asking for here, but it might be helpful. Pick a textbook to start with, and do this:

First, look at the front and back covers of the textbook. Make note of both the title of the textbook and the author. Many professors tend to refer to textbooks by the author’s last name, so knowing this will help you figure out which book they are talking about faster. (Not a problem if the class only has one book.)

Open to the front of the book and look at the Table of Contents. Skim through to see what the book will be covering. Take note of any chapters you think you will particularly enjoy, or any that you will not.

Is there any supplemental material at the front of the book? (Lists of drawings, maps, appendices, etc.) If so, what is it and when could it be useful?

Flip through the main text. Do the chapters use headings and subheadings to separate sections? Does the text contain chapter summaries, review questions, or vocabulary lists (or just vocabulary words in bold font)? Many college-level textbooks don’t. Does the text contain many pictures and drawings to illustrate concepts?

Look in the back of the textbook. Is there an index? Is there a glossary? How comprehensive do these references appear to be? Is there any other supplemental material here? What is it and when could it be useful?

Go back and read the first chapter. Is the text easy to understand? Do any drawings or pictures make sense? How many readings would it take to get a full understanding of the topic presented? Was there a lot of new terminology, or did you understand most of the language? In short, is this going to be a hard textbook to read? If not, then you know you can probably read it quickly, without paying as much attention to details. If it is hard, then you know you have to devote more time to this book, and should keep that in mind when planning homework.

Go through this same process for each textbook, thinking about each question. Get to know your books, so you know where to find material. The next time you’re working on a paper six hours before it’s due (which you shouldn’t be doing) and need to find that one graph you saw somewhere, you’ll be glad you found the index of charts in the front of your textbook.

Also, never underestimate the power of a good index and glossary.

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