My preference would be to have these topics addressed earlier on in the textbook. My only critique of the book is that the sections on Congress, the presidency, and the court system appear later on in the textbook. I liked how things were broken down so I could deposit topics that students find challenging. Complex ideas were synthesized inlanguage that was easy to understand. I really liked the authors writing style. I love the inclusion of recent current events. Most textbooks for undergraduates in this topic area don’t include this topic, and it’s a welcome addition. I really like that a section on state and local government is included. This textbook is perfect for my American government course that I teach to undergraduates at the community college level.
Reviewed by Heidi Getchell-Bastien, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Government, Massachusetts Bay Community College on 6/28/21 It is a good alternative to expensive textbooks. I would consider using this textbook in my American Government 101. The text is not culturally offensive, but I would like to see more sections or paragraphs that flesh out diversity and politics. I didn’t notice obvious grammatical errors in this textbook. The links for figures seem to be useful in quickly navigating them.
The textbook has clear images and charts. I didn’t find any interface issues in this textbook. Having learning objectives at the beginning of each subsection (not just in a chapter) could help students stay focus on important takeaways. Each chapter starts with basic concepts and moves discussion toward topics which need more critical thinking. Although I found having a chapter on Bureaucracy toward the end of the textbook unconventional, overall organization of the topics covered in the text are presented in a logical fashion. One of many things I like about this textbook is that it is well organized throughout. The chapters are well organized and reader friendly. I did not find enormous blocks of text without subheadings. Also, each chapter sticks to an identical structure. The book is well laid out and uses terminology consistent throughout the chapters. I found it very appropriate for undergraduates. The text is arranged in a way that necessary updates can be easily integrated. They provide both classic and current concepts throughout the textbook. The authors updated the contents reflecting current events and political landscape. Also, discussions are not biased toward any political ideology. I found the content of the book accurate and complete. The index is concise and effective, and the book has key terms aggregated toward the end of each chapter. Unlike many other textbooks, it has a separate chapter on State and Local government which I think would be useful as I found it is helpful for students to understand the lower level governments in relation to the federal government when discussing American politics. This textbook covers all the main topics need for American government 101. Reviewed by Hyokyung Kwak, Assistance Professor, College of Charleston on 9/19/21 Journalism, Media Studies & Communications.