It offers an excellent collection of concepts and ideas useful to political science students. The Right to Privacy section of Chapter 4, Section 4 that describes activity from the 9th and 10th Amendments is well done. The writers also relied on tons of well-referenced outside sources that can easily be reorganized and incorporated into additional units. Everything is going to be okay. The figure icon needs to be fixed or dropped. The text is also 100% iPad compatible. Solid end of chapter educational aids are provided. I noticed no issues of the kind. The book also includes more whitespace than a typical textbook (e.g. In addition, the chapter on the Bureaucracy is placed in the "Outputs of Government" section alongside the chapters on domestic and foreign policy, rather than its more traditional place just after The Presidency. The organization and structure are good. Modularity is clearly possible in this text, although I do not think this criteria should be rated high in importance as to determining whether this is a solid textbook. The chapters are well organized and user friendly. But the Krutz book has won back my confidence. I have not noticed any internal tensions or inconsistencies within the text. United States Government Our Democracy | Bookshare As a teacher of history also, I especially look for historical accuracy. The work provides a comprehensive overview of both the formal and informal political institutions that one would expect to find in an introductory-level American Government text. Grammar was excellent. Reviewed by Eric Radezky, Adjunct Professor, LaGuardia Community College, CUNY on 5/21/18, This textbook is very comprehensive. The textbook follows the usual model of an American Government textbook. And I would rather see the civil rights and liberties grouped with discussion of the constitutional framework and courts, while voting and elections are groups with parties and media. Creating the Constitution. The links embedded in the book often do not work. VII of the Constitution. The information in several chapters, like the chapters pertaining to the institutions, provide for an in-depth analysis. While it clearly has a logical structure and is thoughtfully organized, chapters could be selected based on the theme and objectives of the course. Democracy divides us | Alexander Guerrero IAI TV Although this book is culturally sensitive, I challenge the authors to do more. The text is easily divisible into smaller sections that can be reordered within the course. The information is up-to-date through the 2016 presidential election and makes reference to the race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. I look at these minor issues as an opportunity for teachers to clarify in lecture, rather than deal-breaking issues. Overall, this is a good text that seems to be accessible for student learning. The various appendixes include the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, Federalist 10 and 51 and a couple of other items. Our sense of legitimacy is tied to the desire for democratic government D. What is democracy? Each chapter starts with basic concepts and moves discussion toward topics which need more critical thinking. The Founders and Federalism. Fifth, Page 338 discusses the Electoral College as the reason for a two-party system, but the explanation given does not explain why the Electoral College is one of the main reasons why there is an entrenched two-party system. I do think the other subsections on elections get a little shortchanged. Information is presented in a logical order. The founding chapter and the Constitution are great chapters and will always be relevant. Overall, the text is free of interface issues and navigation problems; the main drawback is the sheer volume of links - can get a bit cumbersome. See previous answer immediately above I do not detect any issues here. read more. From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are Textbook solutions. United States Government: Democracy in Action - FREE PDF The authors for this book have used a standard structure that will stay relevant as long as any other. margin-bottom: 1rem !important;
The sections on Native Americans lose their lands and on the rights revolution are too simplistic historically. Each chapter culminates in a Taking Action activity designed to translate learning into informed action. The foundational building blocks of the republic that are provided are similar to the last It's nice to have them in one place, and not all other textbooks do that. 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. It is easy to navigate, the images/charts are relevant and clear, and all other display features serve to enhance the key point, theory, etc. The content delivers plenty of perspective for students to learn about American government. The textbook content is thorough yet very clearly written. Overall, it is solid and accurate. I did not identify any issues with the accuracy of the textbook content. Digital Student Learning Center:Includes the full student edition and inquiry journal, plus engaging resources that provide context and bring the narrative to life such as maps, timelines, infographics, primary sources, images, and videos. The text being published in 2016, there are several locations that need to be updated. Language is neutral and seems to avoid leading or biased undertones. In my own courses, I am going to make up for this by assigning articles from CQ Researcher. I find this a potentially helpful framework to shape my courses. The textbook includes virtually all topics that are critical to foundational course(s) in U.S. Government. font-weight: 400 !important;
In fact, Kurtz et al. United States Government; Our Democracy, c 2018, 9780076681136 This is a slightly difficult area to comment on. The textbook provides for a comprehensive overview of American Government. Constitutional Democracy - civiced.org have taken care to discuss the impact of this issues on minority populations across the many chapters, and not solely in the chapter on Civil Rights as previous texts on the subject tended to do. I found the content of the book accurate and complete. 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. 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. United States Government: Democracy in Action Chapter Tests and Lesson Quizzes:Printed blackline master booklet of Lesson Quizzes and Chapter Tests includes all the editable tests available online. The text does not contain any grammatical errors. This is a welcome inclusion: Although most Americans interact far This usefully guides the reader and provides the shared language and conceptual understanding necessary for more nuanced, thoughtful analysis. The book does include a chapter on state and local government, which is often not covered in U.S. government textbooks. The fully integrated print and digital content of United States Government: Our Democracy is grounded in solid pedagogy, strong authorship, and includes a full suite of thoughtfully designed teaching and learning tools. The work provides a comprehensive overview of both the formal and informal political institutions that one would expect to find in an introductory-level American Government text. To some extent, though, that would make this a book with a specific orientation, which defies one of its strengths. The book was very internally consistent in terms of terminology. In general, I am impressed by the amount of thought and research that has gone in to preparing this edition. One area it could be more inclusive is by including more primary sources and perspectives from underrepresented groups both as parts of chapters and suggested readings/bibliography citations. The graphics, photos, and primary documents add a visual appeal as well as provide students to other literacies. Important terms are underlined throughout the text making it easier for students to see the terms they should know for testing. By comparison, another online textbook on American government (which will remain nameless) had a clear bias from the very first chapter. 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. Each chapter includes embedded boxes with relevant information such as insider perspectives, specific short contemporary case studies, and external links to deeper readers. From an aesthetic perspective, the textbook has a fair amount of graphic material that is appealing to students. The text is highly segmented, which may seem overwhelming at first, but flows in a way that makes sense. To report a technical problem with this Web site, please contact the Web Producer.Web . There are minor mistakes in some of the tables and figures, too. PDF The State of Democracy in the United States - CGTN I like the "exercises" section for assessment of learning and the "glossaries." V. Democracy (pp. Democracy is a term that derives from the ancient Greek language. Reviewed by Robert Asaadi, Instructor, Portland State University on 3/11/20, updated 4/16/20, Thorough coverage of the main thematic areas generally addressed by introductory American Government textbooks. read more. In the balance, I recognize the critiques above may not sound like the book is a good resource. The book looks very good, is easily navigable, and has a pleasing visual style (viz. The textbook covers all the essential parts of American government. Fourth, the idea that the winner-take-all approach to election is the reason for the two-party system is a conventional and weak argument, and there are no citations to back up the text (pp. From the founding and Constitution to the major institutions of Congress, Courts, and the Presidency, these major areas are Further, each section within the chapters does contain a glossary of bolded terms. Exceptionally clear. Democracy in America: How Is It Doing? - The New York Times The division of provisions of the Bill of Rights into three categories is arguable at best. The subchapters are very short, and while they sometimes deal with distinct topics, it would often be more efficient to discuss big ideas by combining them into a more cohesive and less chopped-up narrative. It also includes a chapter on State and Local Government. I was impressed by how up to date the text was. In fact, Kurtz et al. }
For their effort and expertise, I commend them and those who have supported this project. There isnt much to say here. American Government, as a textbook, maintains consistency in its use of terminology throughout every chapter. The grammar is fine, and the book seems well-written. In summary, this is a high-quality book that has most everything anybody would want. I have detected nothing in the text that could be considered culturally insensitive or offensive. The book is internally consistent. While I am generally unfamiliar with how open-resource textbooks are supposed to be ideally positioned, the book provides excellent navigational tools on the left side of the bar that made it easy for me to find what I wanted. 35. Although it lacks some of the additional material that other traditional textbooks provide (i.e., more information on judicial decision-making or constitutional interpretation), the text accomplishes its goal--to provide a clear and accessible overview of the American political process. Although in the last decade I have opted for brief editions of American government, in an electronic format a longer text is useful for students who want to know more about topics that are difficult to cover in a fifteen week semester, including state and local government, public policy and foreign policy. Reviewed by Hyokyung Kwak, Assistance Professor, College of Charleston on 9/19/21, This textbook covers all the main topics need for American government 101. Includes audio, annotation tools, and approaching level option for the student text. Current and updated; the textbook has a wealth of information ad applicable activities. Might be using this text in the spring of 2020, Reviewed by Amedee George, Professor, SUNO on 4/23/19, 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. I plan to print around 100 pages double-sided in additional to providing the online and PDF links. There are a couple other places in the text where this is noticeable. By: Donald A. Ritchie and Richard C. Remy and M. Ed. It focuses on the importance of community engagement and social responsibility among middle and high school studentscore themes in the Massachusetts 8th Grade History & Social Science Curriculum Framework. Uses contemporary examples, but not in depth cases that may be needed in higher level courses. This article lists forms of government and political systems, according to a series of different ways of categorizing them.The systems listed are not mutually exclusive, and often have overlapping definitions. So things will change and go out-of-date. Regarding 7.3 Direct Democracy, although I understand why it is where it is currently, I think that the concept needs to be covered earlier in the text (time of American founding perhaps or even in the first chapter if possible). The content is presented in a way that scaffolds the reader's knowledge from basic understanding of the historical context and key concepts toward analysis, synthesis, and finally enables critical assessment of ideas. The beginning of each module clearly identifies the learning objectives and is organized in such a way that it can be assigned at any point within the course as the instructor sees fit. Right from the get go I enjoyed the section on Civic Engagement as In a couple instances such as above, they simply need to be done. I like how there are separate chapters for Civil Liberties and Civil Rights. For many such students, the clarity in organization will further help clear any obstacles in understanding the political system. Everything in this textbook looks accurate to me. United States Government Our Democracy Textbook PDF Because the textbook has less of an editorial voice, it is easier to move chapters around. Chapter 9: Presidential Leadership - Freeman Middle School most of the chapters are pretty well self-contained and explain relevant concepts from other chapters so the student doesn't get lost. Following The text focuses on current events less than many commercial publishers' alternatives (Keeping the Republic comes to mind). The narrative is engaging and very well written. The importance of this document and the story of Shay's Rebellion are too often overlooked and they are covered well here. This is an excellent and comprehensive American Government textbook. The text and figures were attractive and easy to navigate. Today's must-read. read more. 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. US Government Textbook PowerPoints - McGrawHill; Power Points Economics; Power Point files from US Government: Mr. Juan Calderon. PO 4 Feb. 23, 2017. United States Government Our Democracy Chapter 1 PDF Book Details . Because of the texts design, I believe that it will be a manageable task to keep it up to date. Also in terms of comprehensiveness, there are 17 chapters in total, which at one chapter per week is at least three or four more chapters than most instructors will be able to get through in a semester. In the course of using this textbook, I have discovered no significant errors. I think it does an excellent review of the issue of slavery and how it impacted US government. It is very comprehensive and covers all the necessary information. Display features are intuitive and not confusing to the reader. Personally, I prefer to teach institutions before individual or collective action, and that looks like it would be easy enough to do with this textbook by simply assigning some of the later chapters first and then coming back to the ones in the middle of the book later. Mixed views of structural changes in the political system. 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 president can also send troops into battle, and nominate individuals to serve in the cabinet or on the Supreme Court. It is both well researched and written. It dedicates entire chapters to state and local These help to engage students and cultivate reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills in a unique, and ever-growing platform. Those that do work, can take the reader away from the book and you can not hit the go back button. The US is dominated by a rich and powerful elite. 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. 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. As an introduction to American Government, the text covers the areas and ideas of the subject at a very comprehensive level. It includes the entire student text along with a variety of planning and instructional support for the print and digital resources. }
I love the inclusion of recent current events. The text contains a variety of ideas and concepts. Republic vs. Democracy: What Is the Difference? - ThoughtCo Learning goals are explicit and each chapter has a clear structure and consistent features that carry throughout the chapters. Reviewed by Peter Wielhouwer, Associate Professor of Political Science, Western Michigan University on 12/14/18, This text covers nearly all of the major topics covered in American Government texts. The 2020 census will alter the reapportionment section on Congress and the Electoral College. Content is very much up to date. Again, these are things the author may want to consider. The accuracy of the content presented in the Kurtz et al book is as accurate and unbias as one would expect. I see no reason why that would be different with this text. Those items in chapter 8 are among my favorites. There is no unifying logic, but the lack of this epistemological perspective is one strength of the book. Overall, I like the text very much. The textbook content and organization is consistent throughout. I do not see the natural connection that ties those topics together. The text would be easily divisible by chapter. The book includes internal links to all notes and figures within the text, and also external web links where relevant. There are a number of instances where, as was previously noted, there are significant blocks of text in long paragraphs without subheadings or some other type of break. for only $40. The definition of public opinion is probably not as accurate as it could be. I looked more at concepts and content. I assume the work has been, and will continue to be, updated with each election. However, all textbooks--standard or OER--face this issue. This course must give freshman students the conceptual baseline tools to advance to the next grade. Reviewed by Matthew Jacobsmeier, Associate Professor, West Virginia University on 4/15/20, 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. The text is not culturally insensitive. This is a well put together textbook and with periodic revisions should be useful for students of American government for many years and decades to come. For example, if an instructor wanted to cover formal institutions prior to individual agency and action or mediating institutions, it would not be difficult to do so using this text. Because of the breakdown by the author, students can tackle smaller blocks of material easily and I believe that this will help with comprehension of the material. The text follows the standard format for American Government texts. I will admit, however, I could not get the hyperlinks to work. I don't think that would be a problem here, because the chapters are for the most part logically defined and pretty self-contained. These aren't things I ever bother with in textbooks, so I have no opinion about whether they are useful or not in this case. The textbook has clear images and charts. The text did not include culturally offensive material and seemed inclusive in its examples and discussion. But it is an impressive work overall. However, clearly, the information in this textbook is presented, in a manner that allows for updating as changing occur with major political events, elections, Supreme Court decisions, demographical data, and public opinion. One issue, however, that might be addressed is with the word "media." The charts, graphs and figures are well done and supplement the content. American Government by Krutz and Waskiewicz is an exceptionally good textbook. read more. I have not tested it on a smartphone; however, on a computer the book is easy to navigate - to move between chapters, sections, pages, etc is easy. The text is written in a way that provides context in a comprehensive and organized way. U.S. Government: Our Democracy helps educators teach students about government and how to "do democracy.". United States Government. read more. 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 can see myself using this textbook in the future. One of many things I like about this textbook is that it is well organized throughout. The textbook, American Government, has been written to be a lucid and detailed, book that more than adequately gives context to the terminology used in every chapter. Sections open with learning objectives that tell students the 2-5 most important things to take away from that reading, and quiz questions populate the text at the end of sections to help students self assess their understanding of the reading. 11th Amendment: Grants states immunity from outside lawsuits, 1795. . More than other textbooks I have used or read the framework of this textbook is more attuned to my style of teaching and presentation of material. read more. In the preface, there is a chart of the makeup of the United States Supreme Court, listing the justices, and their ideology of conservative versus liberal. - clear framing around basic theories of representation and collective action (probably less explicitly on the latter than something 5.0. Sentence structure and grammar are excellent. I am skeptical that instructors can get through 17 chapters in a normal semester, but the material is nice to have if desired. It seems to be equal to any 'standard' Am Gov text. Democracy | Definition, History, Meaning, Types, Examples, & Facts The text is easily and readily divisible. The is consistent in its use of terminology, and the frameworks that it provides are generally helpful and clear. The fully integrated print and digital content of United States Government: Our Democracy is grounded in solid pedagogy, strong authorship, and includes a full suite of thoughtfully designed teaching and learning tools.. Focus on big ideas with an accessible student text built around essential questions and inquiry. My concern about the text are the hyperlinks and how they are integrated within the content. Electoral case studies provide for a story within a history. In particular, the text's chapters on interest groups and bureaucracy could be kept separated or recombined to provide instruction, as necessary, on the topic of public policy. Overall, all expected topics, and then some, are covered, hence the text is certainly comprehensive enough by any measure of expectation in an introduction to American government text. The text does not contain any grammatical errors. The text contains a variety of ideas and concepts. The pros and cons of government regulation of group activity (spending) are both presented accurately, and the student is asked to make their own determination. 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. 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. Generally speaking, I think this textbook does as good a job at this as any other good textbook. The structural framework of the chapters maintains a similar design throughout. The AP U.S. Government and Politics framework is organized into five commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. In 1988, the U.S. Senate paid tribute with a resolution 3 that said . - A timely set of examples, nicely updated through the beginning of the Trump presidency. American Government by Glenn Krutz covers a lot of ground. The formatting of the text throughout is excellent. The chapter-to-chapter progression is logical. This topic will require frequent updating. More charts and illustrations interspersed would help maintain student engagement as they read the chapters.
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