Overall, this is a solid choice in terms of comprehensiveness. The modularity of the chapters should allow the instructor to more effectively chunk material than most other textbook options. Not every one covers Civil Rights and Liberties or Foreign and Domestic Policy, but this text does offer a chapter on each of those. This text is not culturally insensitive. A couple of further notes (in no order) that didn't seem to fit anywhere else: 1. The text provides an accurate, informative, cost-effective option for college students. Find step-by-step solutions and answers to United States Government: Our Democracy - 9780076634538, as well as thousands of textbooks so you can move forward with confidence. For example, Chapter 1, Section 3 has a discussion on civic engagement along with colorful graphs and data pertaining to 18-29 yr olds and their political participation. For example, the term latent opinion comes up in the introductory chapter. The writers were able to demonstrate intersections across time, incorporating themes that could easily be segregated in a single chapter. I choose this title because it underlines student political participation. This article lists forms of government and political systems, according to a series of different ways of categorizing them.The systems listed are not mutually exclusive, and often have overlapping definitions. Accuracy is excellent, with essentially an unbiased and error-free content (and i do judge rather stringently the accuracy of historical content given I teach history as well). for only $40. I read the "theme" as being about civic engagement, and the theme appears consistently throughout the text. According to It's nice to have them in one place, and not all other textbooks do that. Great looking book and the price point would be very beneficial to students. United States Government: Our Democracy Textbook 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. I have used this text successfully in the classroom, and students generally respond positively to it. If anything, the text may be a bit on the long side. The text is evenly written with no discernible bias. The text and figures were attractive and easy to navigate. It focuses on the importance of community engagement and social responsibility among middle and high school studentscore themes in the Massachusetts 8th Grade History & Social Science Curriculum Framework. As a form of government, democracy has been practiced for over 2,500 years, though in different forms, such as direct democracy of the ancient Athenian Democratic backsliding in the United States is no longer a matter of speculative concern. At the same time, given the overall quality of this book and the money my students would save if I assigned it, I am seriously considering changing texts for the first time in over a decade. There are a number of instances where, as was previously noted, there are significant blocks of text in long paragraphs without subheadings or some other type of break. To learn about the specific purchase options for this program, please contact our Customer Service team at 800-338-3987. This text will only need updates in the area of the presidency, public policy, and possibly elections. I did not find the book cultural insensitive. There were a few places where the order within the chapter was slightly distracting (the media chapter comes to mind), but this was not a major issue. An Introduction to each unit with the rationale and goals would be helpful. This may just be me, but I take issue with this statement from page 9, "Democracy and capitalism do not have to go hand in hand." I do think you have to have a free market to have democracy, although it might be a regulated market. The content of the book is accurate. Reviewed by Shawn Osborne, Instructor, Portland Community College on 8/21/16, As an introduction to American Government, the text covers the areas and ideas of the subject at a very comprehensive level. Spelling, punctuation and sentence structure were also all very good. I clicked on many, but was not taken to that particular resource. That seems to make the text even more "modular" than would normally be expected. Multiple perspectives on issues and areas of controversy are acknowledged.Enduring themes and tensions between ideas and realities are presented in a way that But the book helpfully highly new and key phrases, and uses plentiful figures and sidebars to improve clarity. While each citizen only has a small say, they do have some say in how the government is run and who runs the government. It even has a chapter on Local government and two policy chapters, Domestic and Foreign. This text covers nearly all of the major topics covered in American Government texts. Well-regarded global democracy indexessuch as Freedom House, 2 Varieties of Democracy, 3 and the Economist Intelligence Unit 4all show an erosion of American democracy since 2016. My only critique of the book is that the sections on Congress, the presidency, and the court system appear later on in the textbook. Chapter 2. Overall it is a bit smaller in word count than a traditional hard copy textbook and some of the chapters are smaller than I would like. The index is thorough and easily navigable with direct links to the Others may view this as a downside, because students will have less guidance in identifying the major themes or "thesis" of the course. Using a free text ensures that all students will HAVE the book, which has been a problem for me in recent years with 'standard' texts. If practical, it would be helpful if there were a hyperlink to OYEZ or Cornell LII for each case. I liked the incorporation of the graphics, which will enable students to work on their graphic/data interpretation skills. The etymological origins of the term democracy hint . I believe students prefer more than black and white words. The text is a fully integrated print-digital solution for students and teachers. I think it would be harder to pull apart sections of the book independently and rearrange them. The sources cited, within the sections of each of the various chapters, are from reputable, recognizable experts in their fields of study. 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. If anything it simplifies our history as to discrimination and racism in the direction of being overly intolerant of past civil rights violations in the light of past cultural norms based on ignorance and insecurities that darken our history, and with which the present continues to deal with. Reviewed by Rod Hanson, Political Science Instructor, Central Oregon Community College on 5/26/19, Krutz textbook is set up exactly the same as the three different United States Government textbooks I have used in nine years of teaching at the community college level. Important terms are underlined throughout the text making it easier for students to see the terms they should know for testing. I am going to consider using it and ask students for their feedback on the textbook because after all, they are the ones deciphering the material. That was the first online textbook that I looked at and it gave me pause when considering using one. This has become such an important issue. From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are Prior to reviewing this text, I was not very familiar with open source textbooks. The topics seem to be organized in a clear, logical fashion, with no jarring transitions. Analyze a variety of primary and secondary sources including text excerpts, political cartoons, photographs, graphs, charts, and maps. I appreciate the spacing of the material, and think that it makes it very clear and readable. At times, the chapters are heavy with history and not as much with theory. However, there were some paragraphs, that were a bit wordy and I am concerned that at times the author may lose the student due to this wordiness. The supplementary material within each chapter/section like Finding Middle Ground and Milestone can be an effective tool for the instructor to use for additional student engagement or an activity as such go deeper into a particular concept than mere text can. The information presented in the text book is accurate and comparable to all other books I have used on the market. Chapter 4. Not every one covers Civil Rights and Liberties or Foreign and Domestic Policy, but this text does offer a chapter on each of those. However, each chapter is organized with clear and explicit learning goals and achieves everything you need from an American Government textbook. Reviewed by Eric Radezky, Adjunct Professor, LaGuardia Community College, CUNY on 5/21/18, This textbook is very comprehensive. The text is not culturally insensitive, supplying context to why the Founders created the government originally and how it has evolved. To learn more about how the presi-dent makes important decisions and leads our nation, view the Democracy in This includes a host of the Critical Thinking questions that I found to be on point and thought provoking. Reviewed by Leo Keneally, Associate Professor, Thomas Nelson Community College on 3/29/19, The textbook covers all the essential parts of American government. While things may change quickly in American government, a lot stays the same. The text contains no grammatical errors of any significance. the Cold War era is not well articulated. The text is also 100% iPad compatible. I did not read the text cover to cover, but it seems largely to be free of grammatical errors. Democratic Values Liberty, Equality, Justice. Analysis of political institutions is well-balanced with substantial attention to the role of the individual and collective action. The links that I checked were still functioning. Yes, the topics are presented in logical and clear fashion. As an instructor of pre-college ABE students working towards a GED, I am always looking for relevant, engaging materials to hook my students. Those considering a new adaption for the introduction to American Government class would do well to give Kurtz et. Key terms are defined with appropriate detail in a glossary and the summaries serve to reinforce the material covered in each section. The text is written in lucid, accessible prose, and provides adequate context for any jargon/technical terminology used. As always, you have the flexibility to organize the course content as you like. I have detected nothing in the text that could be considered culturally insensitive or offensive. It covers all the areas that may be taught in an American Government intro class. One area it could be more inclusive is by including more primary sources and perspectives from underrepresented groups both as parts of chapters and suggested readings/bibliography citations. The pure number of citations is impressive, however they are shown to the reader throughout a chapter in a separated gray box. Overall, the content is relevant and won't quickly become obsolete. read more. The relevance of content is a real strength of this text. By breaking each chapter into sections, the modularity of the textbook itself is enhanced and should allow the instructor to break apart and/or chunk particular sections of interest. This text, American Government 2e by Krutz and Waskiewicz, covers all areas and ideas of the subject appropriately beginning with the origins of each political construct, through its evolution in America, and trends into the future. I didnt have any difficulty navigating the book. This text could very easily replace the book I have used This textbook covers all the main topics need for American government 101. The Political Genius of Franklin D. Roosevelt - Audiobook - Jeffrey US Government Textbook PowerPoints - McGrawHill; Power Points Economics; Power Point files from US Government: Mr. Juan Calderon. The only section that I would point to specifically that I think could be improved significantly comes in Chapter 2, Section 5 and the discussion of Constitutional Change. The "Key terms" section at the end of each chapter is a great resource for students studying for multiple choice exams. 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. It is both well researched and written. Comprehensive in terms of concepts and how they related to current ideas. But after that there is some latitude as to which major theme comes next. The chapter-to-chapter progression is logical. I really like that a section on state and local government is included. The text is easily and readily visible and permits an instructor to select what to cover based on the learning objectives of each chapter. However, this text would need to be updated after all national elections (mid-term and presidential). My only critique here is substantial amounts of white space following some images which may distract the reader. }
have even added very impressive policy chapters (domestic and foreign) that you only see on occasion. Us Government Democracy In Action Teachers 2000. In some cases, students are somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of information presented in the text, but I have found that guiding their attention to certain key sections can help to avoid this obstacle. The font is reader-friendly; pages are uncrowded. The book is comprehensive in that it has everything I usually look for in an intro to American government text: - clear framing around basic theories of representation and collective action (probably less explicitly on the latter than something like the Kernell book, but on balance thats a good thing). The text is very culturally sensitive and I see no cultural offensiveness. Reviewed by Angie Hull, Assistant Teaching Professor, MOBIUS on 1/15/19, Comprehensive in terms of concepts and how they related to current ideas. References are balanced--not exclusively conservative or liberal--and include non-partisan resources.This text appears to be carefully edited and reviewed. As another example, the description of Adam Smiths views on wealth accumulation is oversimplified and arguably misleading. It does a good job of defining terms used in the text and citing relevant sources. read more. There is a good selections of "photographs.". It offers an excellent collection of concepts and ideas useful to political science students. The text being published in 2016, there are several locations that need to be updated. Would hope a new edition will be forthcoming over the next year or so? .nav-contain-highered p{
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. I noticed no issues of the kind. Print Edition ISBNs: Student (2018): 978--07-668113-6 ; Teacher (2018): 978--07-668108-2 ; Contact the company representative for ISBN numbers for online/eText editions. It covers all the areas that may be taught in an American Government intro class. I am glad to have discovered this book. Text is well written and provides adequate context for necessary political science terminology. Below are the modifiedexcerpts that are assigned to you. The textbook is consistently outlined. American Government 3e aligns with the topics and objectives of many government courses. And I don't. and J. D. and Lee Arbetman and Megan L. Hanson and M.S. But given what is currently happening with the COVID-19 Pandemic, I would argue that the textbook remains just as relevant, even though some of your reviewers will claim otherwise. The endnotes are difficult to follow. The text is highly relevant for students studying American government and politics today and will serve students well in subsequent years without seeming obsolete. Sixth, from pp. The accuracy of this text is equivalent or higher than any introductory text I am familiar with. In Chapter Four, for example, there are six "Note" sections in the first four pages and for the book as a whole, the average is one to two "Notes" per page. The work provides a comprehensive overview of both the formal and informal political institutions that one would expect to find in an introductory-level American Government text. The book covers all the main topics that good introductory American Government textbooks typically cover and also includes chapters on topics that are not covered in detail in many textbooks. The book's organization/structure/flow is very good. 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, Afterwards, the Bill of Rights was adopted to appease anti-federalist and it was ratified in an amendment process of Art. no out-of-focus or bad images, good graphs, clear text, etc). I believe the entire flow of the text and ease of read would increase by ditching this method of citation and simply using end notes or foot notes. 33. I assume the work has been, and will continue to be, updated with each election. B. The Founders and Federalism. It also includes a chapter on State and Local Government. Overall, this is a solid choice in terms of comprehensiveness. I also like the presence of key terms at the end of every chapter as in the textbooks one can pay ($) for. Geared as a unit in t The information in several chapters, like the chapters pertaining to the institutions, provide for an in-depth analysis. read more. New Blasts are being added regularly; Spanish language Blasts are also included. The president signs bills into law or vetoes them. Well, longevity is a tough matter for this kind of text. I also don't perceive any bias. Technical terminology is explained in a precise and clear manner. This looks like an excellent resource--well researched and in depth. Everything appears to be up to date, especially in the Voting and Elections chapter, with 2012 statistics and current pictures. As an introduction to American Government, the text covers the areas and ideas of the subject at a very comprehensive level. Reviewed by Matthew Jacobsmeier, Associate Professor, West Virginia University on 4/15/20, The book covers all the main topics that good introductory American Government textbooks typically cover and also includes chapters on topics that are not covered in detail in many textbooks. Ways to Participate in Our Democracy 59. The importance of this document and the story of Shay's Rebellion are too often overlooked and they are covered well here. On the Appendices section, I like that it includes an appendix with relevant court cases (Appendix E). I have also discovered no instances in which the presentation seems unduly slanted or biased. read more. Are the media an "it" or a "they?". Rousseau more clearly articulated the concept of Social Contract, borrowed from Locke. The examples used throughout the text are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, genders, and backgrounds. The required terminology for the curriculum is present with context in every chapter. Finally, there is no sufficient definition of due process anywhere in the book.