A Complete
First Course in Textbook Writing
MICHAEL
SPIEGLER,
A. July 28-30, 2008 in
B. January 5-7, 2009 in
Note: Please specify
which session you wish to attend. This
course has a participant fee of $250 (in addition to the application fee).
Textbooks
are a major learning resource for college students. While there is no shortage
of available textbooks for most college subjects, any professor who has a few
years of experience in selecting textbooks knows that there also is no shortage
of mediocre texts on the market. This is not surprising given the difficulty of
writing a good textbook and the lack of training or guidance professors have in
textbook writing. In one sense, textbook
writing is an ultimate form of teaching in that the author/teacher generally
presents material in a single way that must be comprehended by a diverse
audience who is not present to provide direct feedback as in the classroom.
Besides being knowledgeable about and comfortable with the subject matter,
writing a good textbook requires that the author adopt the perspective of the
student readers, employ myriad teaching skills, and motivate students to
continue reading. This is no mean feat.
Although good textbook writers are almost always good teachers, most
good teachers are not good textbook writers. Bridging the gap between teaching
and textbook writing requires the specialized knowledge and skills of textbook
writing.
The purpose of this interactive
three-day workshop is to interest teachers in accepting the challenges and
rewards of textbook writing by providing them with a realistic snapshot of what
it entails, what is required (professionally and personally), how to get
started, and how to bring the vision of a book to fruition (with details about
each phase of the process). The emphasis
of the workshop will be on providing practical information and advice.
Participants' specific individual questions and concerns will be addressed, and
the workshop's content and pace will be customized for participants' individual
needs, to the extent possible. The workshop will be conducted in an interactive
format with many hands-on, active-learning exercises. Topics include: reasons
for writing a textbook, personal and professional prerequisites, writing a
prospectus and sample chapters, contacting publishers, negotiating a favorable
contract, the writing phase (which will receive substantial attention), the
production phase, dealing with publishers, alternatives to traditional
publishing, and survival skills for authors.
For college teachers of: all
disciplines. The workshop is for anyone interested in writing a college
textbook, ranging from teachers who are curious about the endeavor or who have
an idea for a book and want to learn how to get started, to teachers who are
already writing a text or have already written one and are interested in honing
their skills and picking up tricks of the trade. Prerequisites: none. Limit: 20
participants.
Dr. Spiegler is a Professor of Psychology at
Course
Venues
Session A: Room 170, Johnson Hall on the main