Working with Authors to Develop Textbook Structure

Introduction

Building a textbook's structure, including the selection of consistent pedagogical elements, can be a useful first step when starting a book project. One way to accomplish this is by using sticky notes. In this section, we'll describe ways to work with an author on building a textbook structure. You may want to refer to the pedagogical elements list in the previous section to help with this process. 

Process

Step 1. Start by asking the author how they would like to structure the textbook. Together, organize the overall book's structure into levels and/or parts. Write each part on a sticky note and align them in a row: Book > Chapter > Section > Subsection.

Step 2. Ask the authors what parts they wish to include, starting at the book level. Write each part on a sticky note and align the notes in a column, under the note with the word "Book" written on it.

 

Step 3. Repeat the process outlined above in Step 2 at the chapter level.

In the example above, several pedagogical elements were added to the chapter level. These include "Introduction", "Chapter Outline", "Objectives", and "Key Terms" as chapter openers, and "Discussion Questions" and "Case Studies" as chapter closers. "Section" is for the main content.

Step 4. Repeat this process as needed. For example, you may want to add pedagogical elements to sections and subsections also.

Together, these steps can help create a consistent textbook structure, which will ideally help the learner use the textbook effectively.

Keep in mind that an author may decide to change the structure during the next phase, when we start to consider content and how it fits into the structure. It's all part of the process!

Sources

Schneider, D. K. (2008, September 3). Textbook writing tutorial. Retrieved March 04, 2018, from http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Textbook_writing_tutorial Links to an external site.