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- Title
Assessing the Readability of Geoscience Textbooks, Laboratory Manuals, and Supplemental Materials.
- Authors
Hippensteel, Scott P.
- Abstract
Reading materials used in undergraduate science classes have not received the same attention in the literature as those used in secondary schools. Additionally, reports critical of college textbooks and their prose are common. To assess both problems and determine the readability of assignments and texts used by geoscience faculty at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a readability study was conducted on the most commonly used textbooks, laboratory manuals, and supplemental materials (magazine/journal articles). The Flesch-Kincaid readability test was used to measure the reading grade level from nine textbooks, three self-published laboratory manuals, and six magazines/ journals from introductory and upper level undergraduate courses. Although seven of the nine textbooks were within one grade level of the students enrolled in the course, and all lab manuals were found to be at the appropriate reading level, the peer-reviewed journals consistently had reading grade levels several grades above the students, suggesting they should be assigned with carefulness or guidance.
- Subjects
GEOLOGY education; READABILITY (Literary style); LABORATORY manuals; TEXTBOOKS; SUPPLEMENTARY reading; READING materials; UNDERGRADUATES
- Publication
Journal of College Science Teaching, 2015, Vol 44, Issue 6, p24
- ISSN
0047-231X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2505/4/jcst15_044_06_24