I do miss a chapter on political culture, but even without it, the text is good. These long reading stretches are furthermore too frequently interrupted by "Note" features that while allowing for the opening up of key court cases concerning the topic at hand also lengthens the necessary attention span expected of the students beyond a reasonable extent. The text of each chapter does form a consistency. In addition, the reading selections are inconsistentsome are very long lists and others only include five or six books. One nice feature of the text is the ability directly to citations through the texts footnotes. The concise introductions at the beginning of each chapter effectively frame the chapter topic. I could go on, but you have some important ones. The links for figures seem to be useful in quickly navigating them. There are also some advantages to this textbook, including clarity of the writing and various appendixes that include the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Federalist 10 and 51 right in the book. I did not notice anything plainly inaccurate. The text is fairly clear but lacks some of the professional editing that I frequently see in pay-to-play textbooks. } Overall the book is balanced, but there are areas where things could be more even handed. Because the textbook has less of an editorial voice, it is easier to move chapters around. Create assignments for whole class or individual students. To learn about the specific purchase options for this program, please contact our Customer Service team at 800-338-3987. The structure is on par with leading texts in this area. The United States Government Manual. This text will only need updates in the area of the presidency, public policy, and possibly elections. On the other hand, if students were to use their phones to try to read the book I could see that being a problem. This textbook covers all the main topics need for American government 101. In this textbook, you will find a built-in structure that helps you identify the key concept in every lesson and see it in action. Building Democracy for All - EdTech Books Chapter 2: The Origins of American Government I also wish that some videos were integrated into the text as students love videos and this might help to draw them into the content even more. Table 17.1 on page 643 is useless. Spelling, punctuation and sentence structure were also all very good. I have not found culturally insensitive comments. Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 PO 4. The "Middle Ground" feature might need to be updated as controversies change but overall this definitely a relevant textbook. History, Nonfiction, Textbooks, Politics and Government Grade Levels: College Freshman, College Sophomore, College Junior, College Senior, Undergraduate Student Submitted By: Daproim Africa Proofread By: Daproim Africa Usage Restrictions: This is a copyrighted book. The language is sophisticated throughout the text. The textbook utilizes a wide array of references to various cultures, both in its written content and its supplementary graphics. read more. This text could very easily replace the book I have used Comprehensive in terms of concepts and how they related to current ideas. In the preface, there is a chart of the makeup of the United States Supreme Court, listing the justices, and their ideology of conservative versus liberal. The textbook follows the usual model of an American Government textbook. It covers all the bases of an Introduction to American Government and then some. U. S. Government: Democracy In Action - McGraw Hill Education For example, the term latent opinion comes up in the introductory chapter. Exam Weighting (Multiple-Choice Section) Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy. Overall, the text is free of interface issues and navigation problems; the main drawback is the sheer volume of links - can get a bit cumbersome. It is such a long and comprehensive textbook that possibly it might suffer from not having a clear and overriding theme. U.S. Government - Mr. Tredinnick's Class Site Geared as a unit in t The historical approaches This has become such an important issue. I saw no issues there. The entire unmodified textbook can be accessed here on OpenStax, where you can also download a PDF, install the app, or even order a hard copy from Amazon if you desire. One particular aspect related to the question of comprehensiveness was the authors decision to include a chapter on state and local government. 3. The book covers all of the basic components of American government. I really like that a section on state and local government is included. I like how you included the FCC. One of the first things that I check when reviewing any textbook is the organization of the information in the table of contents for its structure. American Government by Krutz and Waskiewicz is an exceptionally good textbook. This is not a pervasive problem, however but an occasional one. I sometimes worry that textbooks I use are hard for students to understand. There are even two chapters on public policy, which many basic textbooks omit. Sometimes it is used in plural sense, but most often used in the singular sense. I would not consider this to be a fatal flaw by any means, but one of the advantages of a digital text is that these types of updates are easier to make. Please read our Terms of Use and Privacy Notice before you explore our Web site. There are even two chapters on public policy, which many basic textbooks omit. The Links to Learning and Insider Perspective features in the text help to enrich the material without breaking the overall flow of discussion. This textbook provides a comprehensive framework for introductory American government. The following key features of U.S. Government: Our Democracy support both government content and civic engagement standards: Government in Your Community, which prompts students to . As clearly noted, I found far more to like about the text than not. For example, I do a lot with the 9th Amendment, but it only has three paragraphs in the textbook. The text's clarity is excellent. Sometimes the content makes leaps (are heuristics really an appropriate topic for an Intro to Government textbook, given how complex the concept is in the political psych literature)? Charles N. Quigley, Executive DirectorCenter for Civic Education5115 Douglas Fir Road, Suite JCalabasas, CA 91302(818) 591-9321(818) 591-9330 (fax)e-mail: web@civiced.org. In fact, Kurtz et al. Reviewed by Brian Jones, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Political Science, Northern Virginia Community College on 6/20/17, The comprehensiveness of Krutz's American Government text is such that it more than adequately addresses the curricular requirements of the American government and politics courses offered by the Virginia Community College System. From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are addressed. The Art Program, which "is designed to enhance students understanding of concepts through clear and effective statistical graphs, tables, and photographs", is excellent. But at the mass level most Tea Party identifiers are Republicans, and in Congress the vast majority of Tea Party sympathizers (perhaps all) are Republicans. Right from the start is an engaging "What is Government" and "Who governs" introductory sections, followed by excellent descriptions of our constitutional backgrounds and developments, Chapter 8 on the Media is the best chapter I've seen on that subject. The invitation to re-introduce discussion of governors, state legislatures, city councils, and other forms of sub-national government is much appreciated. The text is written in a way that provides context in a comprehensive and organized way. And I would rather see the civil rights and liberties grouped with discussion of the constitutional framework and courts, while voting and elections are groups with parties and media. I don't see how you could read text meant for an 8.5 by 11 inch page on a smart phone. This book is easy to divide into chapters or sections that make sense for the progression of the semester. You have been searching for correct information on United States Government Our Democracy Textbook . Finally, the "further reading" section is missing major works. United States Government Our Democracy Textbook PDF Book Details . However, the day after Election Day, this chapter will need an overhaul. It covers necessary topics clearly and comprehensively. Im not sure, for instance, that 6.2 and 6.3 need to be different chapters, and have concerns about the modularity of chapter 5 in particular. Each module is self-contained with its own summaries, key terms, assessments, and suggestions for further study. .nav-contain-highered p{ Includes pre-built and customizable tests and quizzes, with a variety of question types to provide critical practice for high-stakes assessments. That is as comprehensive or more comprehensive than other textbooks I have used. Do away with elections and democracy itself might be saved, argues Alexander Guerrero. The text is very written and edited, I did not notice any grammatical errors, although that was not the primary focus of my review. While the examples could become outdated, the issues used have been relevant for a long period of time. Following each chapter are a glossary and comprehension/study questions. The links that I checked were still functioning. If you click on the Media icon subsets you can go straight to that subsection of the Media chapter. Your textbook makes no mention of Rousseau. The foundational building blocks of the republic that are provided are similar to the last two textbooks I used (We the People & By the People) and for that matter correspond to the textbook I myself used over thirty years ago in my Intro course which I still refer to in the classroom. The text covers the full range of standard American Government textbooks, from government and civic engagement, to civil liberties and rights to branches of government and foreign policy. The point-by-point "Summary" section is a great way for students to review the main ideas in the chapter. It covers all the areas that may be taught in an American Government intro class. Here, the author does provide a chapter on our crappy treatment of some groups, but it is not as inclusive as it could be, and sidesteps coverage of some important groups. And the Fall of the Patronage system in Section 1 of Chapter 15 also stood out to me as excellent. Before joining OU, he served on the faculty of Arizona State University and helped run two large-scale National Science Foundation projects as a doctoral student at Texas A&M University. American Government 3ealigns with the topics and objectives of many government courses. Includes audio, annotation tools, and approaching level option for the student text. Cumulative Hands-On Chapter Projects and additional Technology Extension activity provide authentic performance assessment. Equality in voting 2. It follows the standard layout of American Government textbooks and offers an effective and easily searchable index. The textbook includes many illustrations, photographs, and examples that are recent enough for students to be able to relate to without much difficulty. Even though there are many different authors/contributors the book reads like a cohesive work. In general, I am impressed by the amount of thought and research that has gone in to preparing this edition. The textbook is consistently outlined. Fourth, the idea that the winner-take-all approach to election is the reason for the two-party system is a conventional and weak argument, and there are no citations to back up the text (pp. This means that you promise loyalty to the United States. Excellent use of sub-sections in each chapter. The text appropriately covers the essential concepts, and their related application, for American government and politics. And sections on the actually branches of government come near the end. The authors do a superb job. Offers many examples and insights to a wide variety of political views and cultures. Reading and writing support such as guided notes, vocabulary pop-ups, and graphic organizers help improve understanding of the content. All of the topics you would expect to be covered in an American government 101 course are here: origins of our republic, institutions, individual action and collective action. As a teacher of history also, I especially look for historical accuracy. United States Government: Our Democracy (2016) Publisher: McGraw-Hill . I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster and everyone else has a seat belt. The book was very internally consistent in terms of terminology. The book does a nice job of acknowledging racial injustice at the time of the American founding, including the Three-Fifths Compromise, as well as the importance of the Civil War Amendments in beginning to correct those wrongs (p. 63). The Bill of Rights. You can use that resource if you would . They are usually a couple of paragraphs long and illustrate key concepts with practical examples followed by links to websites that have additional relevant information. Right from the start is an engaging "What is Government" and "Who governs" introductory sections, followed by excellent descriptions of our constitutional backgrounds and developments, and next the originality and purpose of our federal system of government. Mrs Doering s Classroom Government Wikispaces. This text is VERY detailed in its coverage, which is impressive and surprising given its relative brevity. Many varied examples and leaders are highlighted. Overall, this is a solid choice in terms of comprehensiveness. Within the chapters, there are simple navigational linksoften to external resourcesthat are helpful and not distracting. Concepts well explained and presented. The text is divided into 5 categories. The text appears to be free from grammatical errors. I note there is a link to the homepage of those repositories in the text. Delivering Collective Action: Formal Institutions 5. I like the fact that the authors attempt to present both sides in discussing problems and issues which contributes to an unbias pr The terminology is consistent and the textbook has a glossary at the end of each chapter; which is useful for students to identify terms and concepts. United States Government: Our Democracy 2016 - McGraw Hill The coverage and scope is presented in a way that is well organized, concise, and engaging. It is easy to navigate, the images/charts are relevant and clear, and all other display features serve to enhance the key point, theory, etc. read more. A menu to the left of the online textbook allows readers to quickly and efficiently navigate to another topic of the textbook. Democratic backsliding in the United States is no longer a matter of speculative concern.