This is a very attractive and comprehensive text that is in many ways an improvement on the texts I have used for my American Government class. I did not see any issues with the accuracy of the book. 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. Photos and other content (such as graphs) are clearly positioned and captioned, providing useful supplementation to the written content. However, the preponderance of examples from the Obama and Trump eras will become outdated and need updates supplied by the instructor. I do miss a chapter on political culture, but even without it, the text is good. This textbook is very comprehensive. Chapter 13: Constitutional Freedoms - Freeman Middle School As always, you have the flexibility to organize the course content as you like. PDF The Crisis of - ed 5. Milestone Documents | National Archives It is a well planned and logical progression of chapters and topics. I saw no issues there. It was quite easy to use. I appreciate the spacing of the material, and think that it makes it very clear and readable. The text uses the 2016 election, in particular, to help the reader better understand the varying voting methods within the Electoral College by stating: "In 2016, Republican Donald Trump won one congressional district in Maine, even though Hillary Clinton won the state overall. have even added very impressive policy chapters (domestic and foreign) that you only see on occasion. Offers coverage of topics that most instructors would cover in such a class, including political behavior, civil rights/liberties, American political culture, and structure. This is a slightly difficult area to comment on. I would reduce the number of "in order to" and replace with "to" in many sentences. The book also does not always allow the reader to skip pages or go straight to a section to read. I didnt notice obvious grammatical errors in this textbook. The accuracy of the content is reinforced by the textbook's frequent use of references, such as source citations, to articles, books, and studies. Donald A. Ritchie, Richard C. Remy. I was actually surprised at the 'updatedness" of the book. The organization and structure are good. Landmark cases and events bring history alive. The content delivers plenty of perspective for students to learn about American government. The textbook does not contain grammatical errors. I found the language clear. I was quite impressed with this textbook, and have made plans to adopt it next year. Those considering a new adaption for the introduction to American Government class would do well to give Kurtz et. I am also not sure that the students will click on the hyperlinks unless they are told to specifically read them. 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. The text does not contain any grammatical errors. While most of the narrative text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections, there are sections that go on for a page and a half of densely worded blocks of text that many of my first and second year students would find challenging in comprehension given that length. Each chapter is clearly divided into main sections with learning objectives, and there the text is further divided under clearly delineated sub-section heads. There are numerous ways to define or describe political power, and they should be conveyed in the textbook. margin-bottom: 1rem !important; The chapters are subdivided into appropriate sections with relevant information with documentation given with charts, diagrams, references to Supreme Court decisions and stories from media sources. I was impressed by how up to date the text was. I hasten to add that I teach at the community college level where I often have to address certain shortcomings and misunderstandings regarding the students high school knowledge in this topic area, so perhaps this preference only applies because of my specific student audience. The book is well laid out and uses terminology consistent throughout the chapters. The content is up-to-date including most of the Trump presidency, which is helpful for students' understanding and familiarity. American Government, as a textbook, maintains consistency in its use of terminology throughout every chapter. An easy example is seen in not grouping the federal bureaucracy in part 4 with the other institutions, instead placing it in section 5, the outputs of government. 33. I would like the links available, but not mixed in with the text. The book leans more towards describing American government than explaining it, which may be fine for many instructors, especially for an introductory course. Americans believed all people (i.e., White males) possessed the rights to life, liberty, and property. "in order to" was overused. The text focuses on current events less than many commercial publishers' alternatives (Keeping the Republic comes to mind). Founding Father James Madison may have best described the difference between a democracy and a republic: "It [the difference] is that in a democracy, the people meet and exercise the government in person: in a republic, they assemble and administer it by their representatives and agents. I will likely use this book to replace and supplement my graduate level course materials. American Government by Krutz and Waskiewicz is an exceptionally good textbook. While the focus on diversity is certainly not as all-encompassing as some commercial books that make racial/ethnic diversity the "thesis of the book" (most notably McClain and Tauber's American Government in Black and White), the book certainly does not limit discussion of racial/ethnic diversity to the chapter on Civil Rights, as many textbooks have done historically. The Links to Learning and Insider Perspective features in the text help to enrich the material without breaking the overall flow of discussion. It covers all of the major topics an introductory text should cover and a few others as well. As a policy professor with professional experience in the field, I would be likely to use cases to follow up about how policy content accounts for those decisions in a process that includes policy actors (private and public)). Uses contemporary examples, but not in depth cases that may be needed in higher level courses. The glossary of terms after each chapter and the illustrations, examples, color pictorials and web links are all critical to the issue of clarity. SyncBlasts:Online SyncBlasts permit teachers to leverage rich, multi-media reading and writing assignments focused on social studies and current event articles. There is little to nothing lost compared to a mainstream textbook. And the text generally attempts to present its material in a balanced and unbiased way, presenting several perspectives on controversial issues. The uniqueness of the American system is rarely mentioned (e.g., the fact that it has a presidential, federal system, with true separation of powers). read more. I'm seeing paragraph errors on my machine, but that may be unique to me. Multiple perspectives on issues and areas of controversy are acknowledged.Enduring themes and tensions between ideas and realities are presented in a way that The text is written in lucid prose with technical terminology highlighted, defined in the text, and listed again in a glossary. I plan to use this textbook in my first year Intro to American Government & Politics classes and will use the State & Local chapter in that class. The United States Government Manual. Technical language is defined within the text or in the chapter glossaries. This is a very impressive work, and I will most certainly adopt this book. read more. I did not see anything that I would say is not accurate, as much as a couple items that need to be updated, but that is discussed below. For every chapter a special effort could be made to fully integrate the experiences and writings of people of color. The is consistent in its use of terminology, and the frameworks that it provides are generally helpful and clear. The index is clear and useful and the chapter glossaries are Students may find it annoying. 1st - 10th Amendments: The Bill of Rights, 1791. For instance, the many examples of LGBTQ issues like marriage was well documented and current through recent case law like Masterpiece Cakeshop. Grammar and sentence structure are appropriate for the reading comprehension level expected in an introductory level course. Modularity is important for me as I usually find myself teaching "out of order" with respect to the book's chapter organization. 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. This text will only need updates in the area of the presidency, public policy, and possibly elections. As for "flow," here again I suggest that there are too many "Note" interruptions to the readings. I like how you included the FCC. Clear organization led to clarity of content. I found it especially comprehensive in its coverage of civil rights, voter registration and turnout, and the concluding policy chapters. The 'Insider Perspective' sections in each chapter reflect this in their profiles of diverse individuals. 3. This book would be easy to update as changes occur. Wish contents would take me straight to the chapter I click. Its designed with the C3 Framework for social studies in mind. This textbook is extremely comprehensive. I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster and everyone else has a seat belt. Reviewed by Robert Perry, Chair, Department of Social Sciences, The University of Texas of the Permian Basin on 6/19/18, Very well done. This means that pretty much every major topic you could want is in this book and all you have to do is choose which chapters you want to cover. However, the day after Election Day, this chapter will need an overhaul. This follows from previous comments. Also, the yellow for Saudi Arabia doesn't show up very well. Instructors planning on using this book may want to request access to the instructor resources very early to avoid issues. One note of concern is that the captions thereon in many instances are not fully compatible for a text reader. Gerrymandering and redistricting is continually evolving. Relax. I like the additional chapter on State and Local Government (Chap 14). The text is free from interface issues as it was easy to read and navigate, and the graphics displayed properly. One nice feature of the text is the ability directly to citations through the texts footnotes. Milestone Documents. For example, I appreciate the discussion of women as political candidates in the chapter on elections. The content is presented clearly and appropriately. The Organization of American States (OAS) is the world's oldest regional organization, dating back to the First International Conference of American States, held in Washington, D.C., from October 1889 to April 1890. However, it does do a nice job of considering the broader themes that characterize United States politics today. The material progresses in a way that makes the most sense. I did not see any grammatical errors while doing so. 3. I suppose that in this case the decision was made to put individual action next as a way to show students how they can participate in government and how government affects them. United States Government Our Democracy | Bookshare United States Government: Our Democracy, Complete Classroom Set, Digital, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Complete Classroom Set, Digital, 6-year subscription (set of 30), United States Government: Our Democracy, Complete Classroom Set, Print (set of 30), United States Government: Our Democracy, Complete Classroom Set, Print and Digital, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Complete Classroom Set, Print and Digital, 6-year subscription (set of 30), United States Government: Our Democracy, Chapter Tests and Lesson Quizzes, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Edition, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Lesson Center, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Suite, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Suite, 6-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Edition, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Learning Center, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Suite, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Suite, 6-year subscription. Although the U.S. has been a strong proponent of democracy, it did not invent democracy. The text is internally consistent with respect terminology and framework. I was quite impressed by the clear prose used in this text. According to Yale professor Juan Jos Linz there are three main types of political systems today: democracies, totalitarian regimes and, sitting between these two, authoritarian regimes . The sources cited, within the sections of each of the various chapters, are from reputable, recognizable experts in their fields of study. All the chapters have commendable "Finding Middle Ground," "Insider Perspectives," and "Links to Learning" website listed. Reviewed by Eileen Feldman, Instructor, Bunker Hill Community College on 11/20/20, 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. The current book I use fully integrates free people of color into each chapter. Reviewed by Andrew Thangasamy, Associate Professor, Metropolitan State University of Denver on 8/28/20, In terms of content, the textbook has all the chapters one normally expects from an introductory American Government textbook. 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. Democracy is a means of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy reflects citizens' preferences. Reviewed by Alexander Cohen, Assistant Professor, Augustana College on 6/19/18, By the standards of Introduction to American Politics textbooks, this is a comprehensive offering. TEXT: United States Government: Democracy in Action US GOVERNMENT COURSE CALENDAR 2014 - 2015: Unit 1: Foundations of American Government August 19 - September 10 In this Unit: Exploring the Big Ideas Resources & Activities Chapter 1: People and Government. I have used this text this semester (fall 2017) here at Penn State Berks with good success. read more. For example, on page 205 of the text, the author writes "With the rise of the Internet and social media, however, traditional media have become less powerful agents of this kind of socialization." read more. The book certainly has all of the topics expected of an Introduction to American Government text. As an introduction to American Government, the text covers the areas and ideas of the subject at a very comprehensive level. Ive covered organization under clarity above, so setting this aside, the textbook is good at being consistent in its tone and content, and chapters are easy enough to utilize. The book is consistent in terms and focus. The text is arranged using logical progression and builds upon itself so that it effectively connects topics, theory, and application for the reader while at the same time being structured in such a way that modules are easily and readily divisible (see modularity comments). The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework. ISBN: 9780076634538. read more. The text would be very easy to divide into smaller sections. read more. Display features are intuitive and not confusing to the reader. For example, the text's section on "Engagement in a Democracy," outlines how individuals can become more civically engaged and showcases how ordinary people can effect change. You can use that resource if you would prefer, but you're responsible for locating the correct excerpts. It offers an excellent collection of concepts and ideas useful to political science students. Chapter Tests and Lesson Quizzes:Printed blackline master booklet of Lesson Quizzes and Chapter Tests includes all the editable tests available online. Yet a majority also says that the "fundamental design and structure" of U.S. government is in need of "significant changes" to make it work today. Democracy and government, the U.S. political system, elected officials and governmental institutions Americans are generally positive about the way democracy is working in the United States. The textbook is highly relevant with topics that will continue to be important to include in a foundational study of U.S .government. Also helpful are the key historical moments "milestones" allowing a broader context viewpoint. This is a welcome inclusion: Although most Americans interact far For example, reelection rates to Congress stops at 2014. In particular, I would like to see some more/more direct There are no grammar or spelling errors, but sometimes the choice or placement of topics doesnt align with the larger argument being made in a chapter, which can be confusing. In fact. 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. Separation of powers refers to the process of dividing government into different branches and giving . My experience is that a significant number of my students will not read/fully comprehend a 30-40 page chapter at one pass. Lincoln preserved . The text is not overladen with jargon, and when specialized terms are used, there is an effort to provide definitions for terms. The language might not appeal as well to the Z generation. 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). There were graphics to illustrate some of the material, and it is nice that PDF and online versions are available. The reader benefits from content that is organized in a fashion that is both comprehensible and predictable. It means "rule by the people" or "sovereignty of the people". line-height: 1.5 !important; Multiple perspectives on issues and areas of controversy are acknowledged.Enduring themes and tensions between ideas and realities are presented in a way that is not reductive. The online navigation is exceptionally good. The headings and subheadings are appealing and provide the students with direction about what is coming next. The concepts Direct Democracy and Representative Democracy are key to an American Government course. This textbook provides a comprehensive framework for introductory American government. }, United States Government: Our DemocracyRemy Ritchie Arbetman Scott Hanson. read more. Of course, this is a college textbook and there is much to learn, my recent experience is that if the volume of the reading appears ominous such may not be read in whole or be comprehended as well as the instructor may have hoped. As an I have not noticed any internal tensions or inconsistencies within the text. This is a pragmatic generation of learners. DOC Concept 1: Foundations of Government - azlibrary.gov I can definitely see the advantage of having them all in one place. This is a positive choice as it provides students with some knowledge of state and local government without usurping the information that is taught in a state and local government class. The textbook covers all the essential parts of American government. It includes the entire student text along with a variety of planning and instructional support for the print and digital resources. For example, in section 8.1 there is no break for 11 paragraphs/over one thousand words. However, on the library listing page, there is a typo in the index for chapter 17. The organization of the text is fairly traditional, with the decision to include the topic of bureaucracy under the Outputs of Government as one less conventional approach. The authors for this book have used a standard structure that will stay relevant as long as any other. UPC: 9780076681136 As clearly noted, I found far more to like about the text than not. They provide both classic and current concepts throughout the textbook. I wish the footnotes included links back to main text. A menu to the left of the online textbook allows readers to quickly and efficiently navigate to another topic of the textbook. The authors do a superb job. Each subsection has a quick review at the end to help readers see if they understand the section. 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. Are the media an "it" or a "they?". The attention to both content and process in the chapters on policy is useful. The term is derived from the Greek dmokratia, which was coined from dmos ("people") and kratos ("rule") in the middle of the 5th century bce to denote the political systems then existing in some Greek city-states, notably Athens. The text was easily navigable and the Index, search function, and drop-down menus in the Table of Contents functioned seamlessly. Spelling, punctuation and sentence structure were also all very good. I do not see the natural connection that ties those topics together. read more. U.S. Government - Mr. Tredinnick's Class Site Reviewed by Matthew Wright, Associate Professor, American University on 2/1/18, The book is comprehensive in that it has everything I usually look for in an intro to American government text: Create assignments for whole class or individual students. Following The content of the book is accurate. For example, p. 44. and in most of the chapters. 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. .nav-contain-highered p{ The Founders and Federalism. For many such students, the clarity in organization will further help clear any obstacles in understanding the political system. By comparison, another online textbook on American government (which will remain nameless) had a clear bias from the very first chapter. read more. . In reviewing the table of contents, I found the book has a logical flow that begins with defining what government is and then proceeds to provide information on the critical subjects of our It is a good alternative to expensive textbooks. This immediately gives an indication of how the material will flow. I find this a potentially helpful framework to shape my courses. For printing purposes, it would be helpful if graphics and/or sections did not run onto the next page. read more. However I do feel that stylistically the presentation of in-text citations is cumbersome and distracting. Generally speaking, I think this textbook does as good a job at this as any other good textbook. United States Government Our Democracy Textbook PDF I have used this text successfully in the classroom, and students generally respond positively to it. The book certainly has all of the topics expected of an Introduction to American Government text. Donald A. Ritchie, Richard C. Remy. Given the nature of an American politics course, I don't frequently see my colleagues, nor do I, order concepts much differently than they are ordered in this book. The content is mostly up to date. I have used it in my classes and value its comprehensive nature and the ease of access and affordability it provides for my students. My preferred text, The Logic of American Politics (Kernell et al. In this textbook, I was pleased with both. Particularly well written is the "Approach to Foreign Policy, p. 650, especially, the "Classic Approach" and the more recent history of U.S. foreign policy. Reviewed by David Weiden, Associate Professor, Colorado State Board of Higher Education on 11/23/19, The book covers all of the basic components of American government. I certainly will moving forward. This is the first time that I have thoroughly reviewed an open source textbook for potential use in a course, and I was impressed by the overall quality of the book. United States Government - Adventist Education The textbook is error-free and unbiased. The foundational building blocks of the republic that are provided are similar to the last 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)? Has good index. I mentioned this earlier, but I think it is important to have the chapters presented in a different order. ISBN. read more. 35. The "Key terms" section at the end of each chapter is a great resource for students studying for multiple choice exams. Usually the image it only an inch or two from the Figure citation, but not always clear. Differentiate with Spanish language resources, and strategies for approaching level, beyond level, and ELL students. Of course, the question is how many students really do that? The language is sophisticated throughout the text. Journalism, Media Studies & Communications, Chapter 1: American Government and Civic Engagement, Chapter 2: The Constitution and Its Origins, Chapter 6: The Politics of Public Opinion. When you become a U.S. citizen, you also make these promises: give up loyalty to other countries defend the Constitution and laws of the United States obey the laws of the United States serve in the U.S. military (if needed) do important work for the nation (if needed) The book was not culturally insensitive or offensive. I spotted no factual inaccuracies, and the text does not belay any obvious political bias. Similar to removing the bureaucracy form the discussion of institutions, I found the grouping of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights with Public Opinion and Elections to be an odd placement decision. In each chapter, there are charts, diagrams, pictures from the news media that are appropriate, and informative that connect with the material in the chapter. These issues are prevalent in American political and social life, and have been accentuated during the first term of President Trump. The textbook content is thorough yet very clearly written. The book clearly defines all the terms and theories and in plain language for non-majors to understand. Changes on the composition of the members of the elected branches are easily updated and/or can be explained in the classroom. The text then moves through its substantive topics in a coherent manner with useful transitions between topics.
What Does Earwig Poop Look Like,
How Does Monopolistic Competition Differ From Perfect Competition?,
Suspicious Observers Space Weather News,
Tommy Morrison Net Worth 1995,
Articles U