However, on the library listing page, there is a typo in the index for chapter 17. I did not find the book cultural insensitive. -- to shed light on a wide variety of phenomena and encourage students to think analytically. I like the additional chapter on State and Local Government (Chap 14). Such can pose a roadblock for the easily distracted student or the person using the aid of a text reader. And I don't. Republic vs. Democracy: What Is the Difference? - ThoughtCo have even added very impressive policy chapters (domestic and foreign) that you only see on occasion. That said, there are areas where the text is quite brief and doesn't provide terribly deep discussion. Overall there are no major things to complain about here. The chapters in the Kurtz et al e-book covers all relevant chapters of American Government and even offers chapters on Foreign policy, Domestic policy and State and Local government. Two points will be commented on here. Exam Weighting (Multiple-Choice Section) Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy. The book contained appropriate section breaks so that students can jump directly to the relevant subsection. These long reading stretches are furthermore too frequently interrupted by "Note" features that while allowing for the opening up of key court cases concerning the topic at hand also lengthens the necessary attention span expected of the students beyond a reasonable extent. The comprehensiveness of Krutz's American Government text is such that it more than adequately addresses the curricular requirements of the American government and politics courses offered by the Virginia Community College System. The interface is very easy to use, with no navigation problems or distracting features. It would also be helpful if the text came with bookmarks to the main chapters and subsections. As for "flow," here again I suggest that there are too many "Note" interruptions to the readings. read more. I am especially excited about he design combining theory and practice and critical thinking. None that I could detect. Unit. Everything appears to be up to date, especially in the Voting and Elections chapter, with 2012 statistics and current pictures. The chapter on Congress should also be updated and with data from 2016 and 2018. See previous answer immediately above I do not detect any issues here. Display features are intuitive and not confusing to the reader. To learn about the specific purchase options for this program, please contact our Customer Service team at 800-338-3987. Straightforward comparisons with oligarchy and monarchy. I am glad to have discovered this book. read more. On the plus side, the fact that the chapters are divided into sections aids the instructor in assigning chunks of material and the reader in being able to jump to a particular section therein. These hyperlinks will distract the reader. The text offers a consistent presentation of terms situated within a logical and approachable framework for college students. In general, the content is suitably up to date, although some tables and figures should probably be updated soon. To some extent, though, that would make this a book with a specific orientation, which defies one of its strengths. The book is actually slightly longer and denser than other texts I have assigned for an introductory course in American It is only mentioned in the chapter on civil rights. That is as comprehensive or more comprehensive than other textbooks I have used. In summary, this is a high-quality book that has most everything anybody would want. Chapters are structured in reasonable ways. If the candidate fails to achieve 270 votes, then the election is sent to the House of Representatives. read more. The prose is accessible, and the authors' have done an outstanding job avoiding the jargon that can unnecessarily complicate a text. Table 17.1 on page 643 is useless. This means that the program can easily fit into your curriculum, no matter how high-tech or low-tech your classroom is. The terms is not introduced again in the public opinion chapter. I imagine the authors are planning to update every two years and it should be relatively simple to add/subtract topical material without substantial modifications to the foundational text. read more. This text could very easily replace the book I have used Comprehensive in terms of concepts and how they related to current ideas. It is certainly a viable option for my course. Each subsection has a quick review at the end to help readers see if they understand the section. - Good supplementary framing around the founding documents and federalism The book was very culturally sensitive but more could be added throughout each chapter. read more. There seem to be problems with the formatting, though that could just be on machine, with some not converted paragraphs. The textbook provides for a comprehensive overview of American Government. The authors updated the contents reflecting current events and political landscape. Modularity is excellent. I think it does an excellent review of the issue of slavery and how it impacted US government. This textbook does a nice job covering women Chapter 7, especially in regards to elections. The content is accurate, straightforward, and unbiased. I like the fact that the authors attempt to present both sides in discussing problems and issues which contributes to an unbias pr Reviewed by Nicole Kalaf-Hughes, Assistant Professor, Bowling Green State University on 2/1/18, The text covers all areas that one would expect from an introduction to American Government textbook. However, the day after Election Day, this chapter will need an overhaul. That was the first online textbook that I looked at and it gave me pause when considering using one. } One nice feature of the text is the ability directly to citations through the texts footnotes. With this objective in mind, the content of this textbook has been developed and arranged to provide a logical progression from the fundamental principles of institutional design at the founding, to avenues of political participation, to thorough coverage of the political structures that constitute American government. This is a pragmatic generation of learners. Following this is a separate section on media, parties, and interest groups. Do away with elections and democracy itself might be saved, argues Alexander Guerrero. democracy, literally, rule by the people. Again, the sections of the book include origins of the republic (in this case called "Students and the System"), individual action, collective action, formal institutions and government output. At the same time, I should point out that, at least in my view, the book is organized in an unconventional way. read more. 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). It follows the standard layout of American Government textbooks and offers an effective and easily searchable index. This textbook provides a comprehensive framework for introductory American government. 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. has on the daily lives of each and every American, motivating students to become active participants in all aspects of our political system, and helping overcome the In his haste to laud American democracy as a good, if evolving, system, the author sometimes fails to recognize critical perspectives, or interpret them as straw-men. I was impressed by how up to date the text was. The text's modularity is such that the instructor that would be able to easily reorganize and realign the readings to fit the curricular requirements of the course taught. Elazar is a bit dated to present as useful fact (14.2) Many Supreme Court Justices do not regard the Court systems as the guardians of individual rights, but reserve this right to Congressthe Court, in their eyes, is there only to enforce laws that are made, whether right or wrong, so long as they are strictly in concordance with the Constitution. Photos and other content (such as graphs) are clearly positioned and captioned, providing useful supplementation to the written content. It incorporates an impressive amount of historical references to add context and depth. As mentioned earlier, the book is reasonably up to date. This organization allows instructors and students to easily reference particular sub-units of content. I am strongly considering adopting this for my students, though I wish that it were weightier and lengthier. Though as I said before, more recent in time statistics, graphs, charts, and pictures would help, the use of the visuals organizationally as far as charts, maps, and graphs is very good. The narrative is engaging and very well written. I repeat that the textbook content is well written. Right from the get go I enjoyed the section on Civic Engagement as many textbooks do not cover civic engagement to the level it was covered in this text. Key Terms are highlighted within a chapter and then are defined again in the at the end of the chapter which should help student recall for those who want to check along. The text is evenly written with no discernible bias. Issues related to race, ethnicity, gender, and class are addressed in appropriate ways. There are a few points the author may want to consider. The material is generally laid out in a straightforward fashion that should make sense to the reader. While things may change quickly in American government, a lot stays the same. Although the order of the chapters differ from the way I may group chapters together, the book does maintain a consistent pattern based on the logic of the book it presents. PDF DEMOCRACY: ITS PRINCIPLES AND ACHIEVEMENT - Inter-Parliamentary Union Some texts may cover only one additional chapter other than the The text repeatedly incorporates up-to-date examples to illustrate its reasoning and explain how foundational themes relate to contemporary political developments. 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, . Additionally, there are critical thinking questions offered that challenge students to consider how persons different from them may feel regarding not only the history of the treatment they have received based on who they are, but how politics, public opinion, media coverage, public policy, and court decisions impact their ability to fully participate in our democracy. read more. The supplemental materials (graphs, charts, figures, etc.) The content is presented clearly and appropriately. The importance of this document and the story of Shay's Rebellion are too often overlooked and they are covered well here. The continuing calls for student engagement is also a nice addition in that it allows the student to see more of how they can be active participants in governing beyond just paying taxes or voting. SKU: b117200 . This book does a much better job of bringing these groups in than some other texts I have seen. The language might not appeal as well to the Z generation. The book also does not always allow the reader to skip pages or go straight to a section to read. These issues are prevalent in American political and social life, and have been accentuated during the first term of President Trump. It is a well-written and solid introduction to American Government. It offers an excellent collection of concepts and ideas useful to political science students. The information is presented in a logical way. Understanding Economics. This is probably a sensitive issue. I plan to regularly assign these items to use in discussion and written work. Students at all levels will have no difficulty with the language used therein. United States Government: Our Democracy - 9780076634538 - Quizlet I think the flow of the book is clear, with different headings and images to explain the material. However, when I went over each chapter in detail I realized that there is no consistency throughout the textbook regarding the film selection. Verified. The information in several chapters, like the chapters pertaining to the institutions, provide for an in-depth analysis. Coverage same as most standard Am Gov textbooks, with chapters organized same as most (expensive) standard texts and each chapter about as long as standard texts. The text focuses on current events less than many commercial publishers' alternatives (Keeping the Republic comes to mind). I find first and second year college students (the levels I teach) have limited attention spans with regard dense text no matter how articulately written. The text does a good job of covering the standard content (governments, federalism, civil rights, separation of powers, media, etc.). United States Government Our Democracy View larger image. 1st - 10th Amendments: The Bill of Rights, 1791. The content of the work is accurate and unbiased. The United States Government Manual. The language is sophisticated throughout the text. Milestone Documents | National Archives There are some lapses here. I am seriously considering using this text the next time I teach introduction to American Government. Chapter 13: Constitutional Freedoms - Freeman Middle School Includes pre-built and customizable tests and quizzes, with a variety of question types to provide critical practice for high-stakes assessments. The inclusion of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, selected Federalist Papers and electoral college results will aid the student in referencing those materials over the instructor including a link (to be lost) or the student conducting a search. The topics in the text are presented in a clear and logical fashion. I do not think this book is at all culturally insensitive. This textbook covers all the main topics need for American government 101. The index is useful. There are even two chapters on public policy, which many basic textbooks omit. Included is a Power Point and outlined note packet that is used to introduce the origins of government for a high school American Government course. .nav-contain-highered p{ 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). I like the additional chapter on State and Local Government (Chap 14). It offers an excellent collection of concepts and ideas useful to political science students. There is no unifying logic, but the lack of this epistemological perspective is one strength of the book. I really liked that it had information from the 2016 election, as that is interesting to many students. One of the strengths of the Krutz text; each chapter format patterns the same learning styles and methods. In updates to this text, it may be useful to search for more contemporary illustrations of key concepts, and this would be a relatively easy fix to implement. The chapter organization was not revolutionary but logical and familiar. The use of the Electoral College and same-sex marriage across chapters are examples that I found useful in this regard. The text is not culturally insensitive. SyncBlasts:Online SyncBlasts permit teachers to leverage rich, multi-media reading and writing assignments focused on social studies and current event articles. by Richard C. Remy. The book is very accessible. Key terms are also defined at the end of each chapter. The textbook is very comprehensive with more than 650 pages of content plus appendices with relevant documents. I suspect students will read the chapters as rather lengthy. The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework. Overall, an excellent textbook which covers the needed subject matter comprehensively. Key terms are defined with appropriate detail in a glossary and the summaries serve to reinforce the material covered in each section. This textbook is extremely comprehensive. The content of the book is accurate. 36 Question #70. It covers all of the major topics an introductory text should cover and a few others as well. One important tenet of this system is democracy, in which the ultimate power rests with the people. There are long stretches of well written but long winded paragraphs. 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)? The index is clear and useful and the chapter glossaries are excellent. The explanation of disagreements and legal decisions in particular is objective yet clear what values, tradeoffs, etc were at stake and how the decisions affected government especially. have even added very impressive policy chapters (domestic and foreign) that you only see on occasion. They are usually a couple of paragraphs long and illustrate key concepts with practical examples followed by links to websites that have additional relevant information. A menu to the left of the online textbook allows readers to quickly and efficiently navigate to another topic of the textbook. If anything, the text may be a bit on the long side. A Constitutional Democracy Interactive Notebook, which works for both print and Google Drive, investigates and helps gain an understanding of how the federal, state, and local governments in the United States work under the Constitution and the responsibilities of citizenship. Although the U.S. has been a strong proponent of democracy, it did not invent democracy. al consideration. Learning objectives are clearly identified for each unit, and each unit concludes with a concise summary of main points followed by multiple-choice and short answer questions. For example, could chapter 8 be divided into six or eight sections? I like the "Feature Boxes" with the "Get Connected!" Furthermore, it also includes chapters on linkage institutions like parties, interest groups, and the media. Student Web Activity Visit the United States Government: Democracy in Action Web site at gov.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 13 Student Web Activitiesfor an activity about constitutional rights. This text covers nearly all of the major topics covered in American Government texts. The founding chapter and the Constitution are great chapters and will always be relevant. DOC Concept 1: Foundations of Government - azlibrary.gov Reviewed by Angie Hull, Assistant Teaching Professor, MOBIUS on 1/15/19, Comprehensive in terms of concepts and how they related to current ideas. 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. I did not notice any grammatical errors, though I admit I was not closely proofreading for this purpose. 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. United States Government: Our Democracy, Chapter Tests and Lesson Quizzes, United States Government: Our Democracy, Spanish Student Suite Bundle, 6-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Learning Center with Complete Inquiry Journal Bundle, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Learning Center with Complete Inquiry Journal Bundle, 6-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Suite with Complete Inquiry Journal Bundle, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Suite with Complete Inquiry Journal Bundle, 6-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Edition, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Lesson Center, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Lesson Center, 6-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Lesson Center, 7-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Suite with LearnSmart Bundle, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Teacher Suite with LearnSmart Bundle, 6-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Inquiry Journal, United States Government: Our Democracy, Print Inquiry Journal, 6-year Fulfillment, United States Government: Our Democracy, Print Inquiry Journal, 7-year Fulfillment, United States Government: Our Democracy, Spanish Student Edition, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Edition, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Learning Center, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Learning Center, 6-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Learning Center, 7-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Suite with LearnSmart Bundle, 1-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Suite with LearnSmart Bundle, 6-year subscription, United States Government: Our Democracy, Student Suite with LearnSmart, 7-year subscription. The text is highly segmented, which may seem overwhelming at first, but flows in a way that makes sense. The textbook covers all the essential parts of American government. There are some nice inserts in each chapter called Link to Learning. Differentiation strategies as well as project-based learning materials are included. 5. For example, the term latent opinion comes up in the introductory chapter. The judiciary doesn't change that often and it rarely affects more than two members at a time. 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. There is a consistent pattern in terms of the major headings outlined at the beginning of the book. Textbook solutions. Reviewed by Nicholas Goedert, Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech on 6/20/17, The text is impressively comprehensive, both with respect to its range of coverage and depth of discussion of each topic. I would say, though, that while the book is not insensitive, there are plenty of opportunities to weave considerations of the struggles of various groups into its pages rather than shoeboxing them into a few chapters. Of course since a key feature of this book is to present a considerable amount of material that combines theory and application and stimulate critical thinking, covering the volume of materials given the way it is divided may present a challenge over one semester. Page 1 Reading text only The United States is a representative democracy. One issue, however, that might be addressed is with the word "media." To report a technical problem with this Web site, please contact the Web Producer.Web . Here again I suggest that there are too many long blocks of text to read made even more so by the frequent "Note" sections expecting students to further read about key court cases. This text is VERY detailed in its coverage, which is impressive and surprising given its relative brevity. Very logical and clear organization. Geared as a unit in t That said, those places were few and far between. Having learning objectives at the beginning of each subsection (not just in a chapter) could help students stay focus on important takeaways. United States Government: Our Democracy (2016) Publisher: McGraw-Hill . For example, the definition of the margin of error that is provided is not technically correct, and the example that follows the definition is not correct even in a non-technical sense. 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. It could easily be mistaken for a book that costs students $75, and so that fact that it is free of charge means everybody should use it. While some textbooks do delve deeper into certain subjects (seemingly at random), it is good to see a textbook that offers nuts and bolts that will make it usable to nearly any instructor, allowing them ample room to discuss areas of their expertise without conflicting with the textbook. read more. Terminology is placed bolded for easy identification. There is a good selections of "photographs.". These subjects were covered using terminology that was timely and clear. I don't think that would be a problem here, because the chapters are for the most part logically defined and pretty self-contained. I like that the chapters are divided into numbered subsections, which helps give students clearer instructions when I am dividing chapters over multiple days. But it is an impressive work overall. margin-bottom: 1rem !important; The chapters have a mix of history, current facts and evidence along with key concepts traditional of American government texts. The text contains no grammatical errors that jumped out at me which is quite an accomplishment in such a voluminous text. While some sentences are a bit languid and I might have organized thoughts differently, there is no direct error in any sentence that I could see. The chapter organization is clear, so it would be easy to teach the chapters in a different order. The modularity of the chapters should allow the instructor to more effectively chunk material than most other textbook options. The writers also relied on tons of well-referenced outside sources that can easily be reorganized and incorporated into additional units. The text covers exactly what an introduction to political science/government textbook should cover. For many such students, the clarity in organization will further help clear any obstacles in understanding the political system. Comprehensive in terms of concepts and how they related to current ideas. I think it would be easy for me to pick and choose sections of the book to focus on and to present chapters in a customized order. Faculty involved in the project have endeavored to make government workings, issues, debates, and impacts meaningful and memorable to students while maintaining the conceptual coverage and rigor inherent in the subject. But the Krutz book has won back my confidence. It covers necessary topics clearly and comprehensively. The book is available in multiple formats. From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are addressed. Im not sure, for instance, that 6.2 and 6.3 need to be different chapters, and have concerns about the modularity of chapter 5 in particular. There are occasional editorial comments and examples of protests which suggest liberal criticisms of the status quo. The use of terminology appears to be consistent between chapters and is a strength of the textbook as repetition is valuable for student retention of a particular term or concept. United States Government: Our Democracy 2018 - McGraw Hill Each topic by chapter is integrated with all the others in some way. The authors also included new terms such as the use of Astroturf movement on page 379 and PIRGS on page 382. I would like the links available, but not mixed in with the text. This coverage emphasizes and links back to the section of the text on Civic Engagement. It is as accurate as any standard, mainstream textbook on American government. The text is easily and readily divisible. Students will develop an appreciation for the value of citizenship and civic . That noted, I will assign a section or two to aid in a specific class activity and these chapters can be used to supplement material in another course or two, particularly State & Local Government. The question-and-an-swer format covers a broad range of topics dealing with the legisla- While there's always room to incorporate more diversity, overall the book does a nice job. There is an additional chapter on State & Local government aside from the chapter on federalism - which offers An innovative inclusion is that, in addition to the standard chapter on federalism, American Government (2e) also includes a separate chapter (14) on State and Local Governments. This means that you promise loyalty to the United States. The text's interface is similar to any American Government textbook and has clear charts, tables, and numerous features that are clear and unobtrusive. For example, while Federalism (Chapter 3) is included in the "Students and the System" section, State and Local Government comes much later in the book (Chapter 14, in the "Formal Institutions" section). Excellent. I looked more at concepts and content. The Constitution of the United States | National Archives The section summaries will help students distill important ideas and the glossary/test questions will be a useful study aid.