The Characteristics of Good Text-Books by Raub

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 4, 1908

The Characteristics of Good Text-Books

By Raub

THE characteristics of a good text-book are as follows: A properly arranged text-book is not only a great aid to the pupils in pursuing a study, but it is also an important help to the teacher in conducting the recitation. The principles and facts stated should not be fragmentary. Each, so far as possible, should be connected with knowledge previously acquired or statements previously presented. A logically arranged text-book induces logical modes of thought, and thus in itself furnishes valuable discipline.

The language of a text-book should be so clear that the learner can not misunderstand it. In the statement of principles or problems the pupils should not be left in doubt as to the meaning by any ambiguous construction which a sentence may bear. Facts should be stated in such clear language that the learner may apprehend the meaning at a glance. Text-books of this character tend to simplify greatly the work of both teaching and learning.

Text-books may be made interesting by their arrangement as well as by the matter they are made to contain. They ought not to be a mere mass of dry facts; the principles enunciated should be illustrated by such examples as will attract the attention of the learner, and at the same time elucidate the subject treated in such a way as to make him comprehend. The most important principles and the most interesting facts should be given, and these in such a way as to create in the pupil a love for study.

A text-book is not designed to present an exhaustive discussion of any subject, and it ought not, therefore, to be made too comprehensive. A suggestive text-book that leads the pupil to original investigation or the consulting of cyclopedias and dictionaries is much more valuable than one which attempts to be exhaustive in its treatment. True, a book may present all the most important facts and principles of a branch of knowledge and be a good text-book, but the best books always leave much for the teacher to add or for the learner to find out for himself.

The style in which a text-book is written should not only be clear and the language such as the pupil can readily comprehend, but the thoughts should be presented in such a forceful and yet graceful way as to attract the attention. It is too often the case that an author's style is so labored, or his language so obscure, that the student finds great difficulty in deciphering the meaning. The language should be not only choice, but also correct. Nothing will have a stronger tendency to throw doubt on the statement of an author than the fact that he does not use his own language correctly.

In general, they can write text-books best who best understand the operations of the child-mind; and they understand the child-mind best who constantly associate with children, and who, as teachers, observe the mode of thought which the child follows. A book, written in such style or such language as is beyond the capacity of the child to grasp is not only useless, but it is also pernicious. In such case the child will either commit the words of the book to memory without understanding what is meant, or become discouraged, and lose interest in the study. All text-books, therefore, should be adapted to the capacity of the class of pupils for whom they are intended, and this both in style and language, as well as in the matter presented.

The chief requisites to a beautiful text-book are good paper, attractive illustrations, and good-sized, clear type. It is a serious mistake to use broad pages and small type for any text-book. No one can estimate the injury done to eyesight by text-books of this character. When the page exceeds three or three and a quarter inches in width, it tires the eye more or less in passing from one line to another, and the broader the page the greater the injury. The cost of manufacturing books with good type and good paper is but little greater, comparatively, than that of manufacturing those of poorer material. The same rule of economy that is good elsewhere is good here—that good goods, though higher in price, are the least expensive.—Raub.