Intro to Textbook Structure
Textbooks are complex publications. They need to cover a body of knowledge in a structured way, using design elements to help the learner better understand the subject. In this section, we will highlight some textbook design concepts, starting with textbook structure.
For a helpful introduction to what makes textbooks unique, watch Characteristics of a textbook, a seven-minute video by Oxford University Press Southern Africa.
Textbook Structure
Authors and collaborators often start a project by determining a textbook’s structure, or a consistent way to organize content. Textbook structure may take a variety of forms depending on the course content, learning context, pedagogical approach and other factors.
Below are three typical textbook structures.
Example 1: BookChapterSection
Example 2: BookChapterSectionSubsection
Example 3: BookUnitChapterSectionSub-section
For our example, let’s say an author decides to organize their book according to example 1, i.e. BookChapterSection. The book structure would look something like this (showing chapter one sections only):
Often a book’s structure is described using terms like “parts” or “levels”.
It may be useful to map the book’s structure, thereby creating a basic outline, before beginning to write.
Pedagogical Elements
Next we’ll take a look at pedagogical elements that are commonly used in textbook design. These are elements designed to provide context, overview, motivation, review, and other functions that are useful for learning.
1Schneider, D. K. (2008, September 3). Textbook writing tutorial. Retrieved March 04, 2018, from http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Textbook_writing_tutorialLinks to an external site.
2For simplicity, Integrated Pedagogical Devices and Interior Feature Strands – as defined by Schneider – have been combined into one broad category we’re calling Integrated Pedagogical Devices.