Ask An Editor Why Are Textbooks So Bloody Expensive

Ask An Editor Why Are Textbooks So Bloody Expensive Ask an Editor: How are textbooks made and why are they so damn expensive? Karrin Marie Varucene is a Reedsy editor with seven years of editorial experience, including development editing, copy editing, and proofreading. She gained her editorial start in educational publishing and has since groomed her skills with creative nonfiction manuscripts and digital content marketing.I don’t think anyone ever wakes up one day and thinks, â€Å"I’d like to be an editor of college textbooks.† I certainly didn’t when I decided to pursue a career in publishing. I loved reading, I loved writing, I enjoyed the process of revision - of making something good, better. I envisioned working with famous authors on future bestsellers.It was quite by accident that I stumbled into educational publishing, but with a B.A. in English and having just returned from a year teaching English abroad in China, I found it to be a logical and worthy fit.Despite having used textbooks throughout their education, most people know very little about the textbook busine ss. So here are answers to questions I’m often asked about my work.Where does the idea for a textbook come from?Acquiring a first-edition textbook usually happens one of two ways:1) The author seeks out the publisher, often contacting the Acquisition Editor with a book proposal and sample manuscript. The proposal would, of course, include a summary of the book's content, the course for which it is intended, a list of competing textbooks, and what would make this book different from similar ones on the market (and therefore worth publishing).2) The Acquisition Editor identifies the need for a particular book for a particular course. S/he will go to educational conferences and search for well-established instructors who would be a good fit, based on professional experience, for writing that book.How do you decide what goes into textbooks?While these are certainly primary contributors to the rising cost of textbooks, I would add to this two additional factors:1) Permission to us e the additional materials included to engage students and appeal to a variety of learning styles - anything beyond the text originated by author or Development Editor - will cost the publisher or author. These costs have risen steeply over the years as publishers have to request not only print rights but also now electronic rights for e-book versions of the texts. Those who hold the rights to those materials have watched textbook prices soar and therefore want a larger share of the growing profit pie (see self-perpetuating cycle above).2) Let’s not forget a school’s bookstore, which often adds a hefty markup on top of an already significant list price to turn a profit of its own. Why are textbooks getting more expensive? An academic editor answers that question, and more! So yes, textbooks are expensive. But they also help shape a student’s future, whether teaching him to write a logical, coherent, grammatically correct essay or teaching her the fundamentals of psychology, which may lead her to pursue a career in child psychology. And knowing that I have a hand in shaping those futures? Well, that feels pretty good.What other burning questions would you like to ask an Academic Editor? Drop them in the comments box below and Karrin will do her best to answer them!

Parallelism Prevents Bumpy Communication

Parallelism Prevents Bumpy Communication Parallelism Prevents Bumpy Communication Parallelism Prevents Bumpy Communication By Michael Parallelism is one rule you learned from your English teacher that is appropriate for all sorts of writing. Parallelism makes your thoughts easier to understand, with limited danger of making it more stilted or overly formal. For example, apples are sweet, but lemons are sour, which is parallel, is less bumpy than apples are sweet, but sour is the word for lemons, which isnt parallel. Bumpy sentences distract your readers from anything you were trying to say. Think of parallelism as balance. I dont think an appreciation for balance is something that has to be taught. The human mind naturally wants to make sentences parallel and orderly. So if a sentence is cock-eyed and skewed, the neurons in your brain will automatically try to unskew it, for better or worse. Heres a sentence that it isnt parallel: I ate whole wheat bread, spread with mustard, and toasted cheese. Heres how I think your neurons naturally try to make sense of that sentence, with somewhat humorous consequences: I ate whole wheat bread I spread with mustard I toasted cheese That changes the meaning. For example, the truth is that my wife did all the sandwich preparations for me. Some hints in the sentence might tell your neurons the sentence is probably about sandwich ingredients rather than sandwich making, and you wont stay confused for long. But it requires a little thought to get to that point, and your neurons resent being made to think when its not necessary. Here is a parallel version of the same sentence: The sandwich was made from whole wheat bread, spread with mustard, and loaded with toasted cheese. Now your neurons can rest easy because the sentence structure is regular and predictable. Each ingredient has its own parallel statement that describes its relationship with the sandwich. made from whole wheat bread spread with mustard loaded with toasted cheese When you write in a parallel form, with subjects, verbs and objects that correspond to each other, youre laying a smooth pathway for your readers and then following it. Youre saying, This is true in the same way that is true. Not only this is true, but that is also true. This, that, and the other are true. Then your readers can focus on what youre saying, rather than be distracted by how you say it. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Yiddish Handbook: 40 Words You Should Know50 Diminutive Suffixes (and a Cute Little Prefix)20 Ways to Laugh

Abortion Should not be legal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Abortion Should not be legal - Essay Example Abortion is considered to be immoral crime affecting not only the mother but also the family, the community, and most significantly the fetus. To undergo an abortion is not an easy decision that makes rather complicated condition and tied up with severe consequences. The pregnant woman who might soon to become a mother should endure the process of abortion where the fetus is slaughtered within the uterus and extract from the mothers body. The decision making regarding the abortion often turns out to be a regrettable option. The parents may think abortion is the only right thing to do at the time but in a while, they may recognize that they actually needed to keep the child and it is too late. And thereon, it affects individuals, family, and the society who said ‘yes’ to the abortion process to be done. Therefore, by legalizing the act, no one is left with a choice, where anyone who says ‘yes’ to abortion must be liable for punishment. Abortion adversely affe cts the teens and youths by perverting them that there is a crooked way out of the unwanted pregnancy. The awareness should be given to the teens on the effectiveness of abstinence from unwanted sex, by which they do need not worry about the consequences of unwanted pregnancy. ... It simply means that aborting a fetus will not contribute to any role modeling skill to show off to your younger ones. Such decisions made regarding abortion can even tear families apart. It becomes tougher for a female to live in a family that forced her to undergo abortion. The consequences are too hard that even the parents of the girl who had an abortion may ask her to keep away from her younger siblings in order to avoid bad influence. Subsequently, such situations may cause more psychological traumas to the girl. The greatest impact of abortion is on the women who must suffer the most out of the process. Many of the major medical journals published recently shows that abortion contributes to increased suicide, clinical depression, and psychiatric problems in women. A renowned psychotherapist Theresa Burke, PhD, has written in her recently published book Forbidden Grief that in many ways women can be tormented for the abortion undergone for years (Beckman). She had brought forwa rd many personal accounts and events that contribute more than the sufficient evidence to reject the particular political view point that abortion not mattes. She puts in that 65-70 percent of women who undergo abortion hold a negative attitude towards the procedures (Beckman). The effects of the abortion on women start at the very beginning of the abortion process. As Barnes describes, the most conventional method of abortion is the surgical method vacuum aspiration, where the mother suffers form excess bleeding, pelvic infection, abdominal swelling, cervical tears, and in extreme cases death too. Another method used for abortion is taking mifepristone followed by misoprostol which often

Fowlers Stages of faith Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 13750 words

Fowlers Stages of faith - Essay Example FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 43 CHAPTER V 54 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 54 5.1. SUMMARY 55 5.2. CONCLUSION 56 5.3. RECOMMENDATIONS 57 5.4. FUTURE POSSIBILITY OF THE RESEARCH AND SOME DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED 58 Bibliography 59 ABSTRACT 63 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.0. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Since the ancient period, humanity has constantly tried to understand people’s relation and position with the world, with the universe, with transcendental reality. The works of Plato and Aristotle offer how human beings may be able to apprehend their position in the cosmos (see Phaedrus, The Republic, The Metaphysics ). However, during the Middle Ages, when people’s nature is defined more in terms of their relation with God, faith seeking understanding has become an attestation of a person’s innate ability to ‘understand’ the person in relation with God. Nonetheless, the questions and the longing for answers do not end there. In this sense, the desire to understand the meaning of life, its purpose and its relation with God and Others have long been part of the questions underpinning human existence. This yearning has become more concrete in the midst of the angst rising from current human experiences, of the present human condition. In this regard, the necessity of understanding faith dimension in the lives of people in the contemporary period becomes more urgent as people try to find meaning and purpose for their lives. However, what is faith? Generally, faith is belief in the reality of a transcendental being. However, over the past few decades, a ‘different’ approach to faith has been given. James Fowler’s theory of faith development is considered as one of the most significant models of faith/spirituality development that has emerged (Stantrock, 1999; Parker, 2006). It seeks to chart the stages of faith within the chronological life span of a person (Fowler, 1981). As such, the model tries to explain the process by whic h individuals' perspectives on ultimate meanings and values change during the course of their life (Fowler, 1981). In this regard, Fowler’s stages of faith, the only recognized measure of faith development stages (Moseley, Jarvis, Fowler & Di Nicola, 1993), has attracted further studies, debates and added evaluation (Streib 2005; Parker, 2006). In lieu with this, the study will look into James Fowler’s stages of faith vis-a-vis Christian faith. 1.1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK As the study seeks to understand the relation between Fowler’s Stages of Faith and the Christian faith, the clarification of the connection between the two will allow for the development of more depth and deeper understanding of faith. This becomes essential as Fowler’s discourse on faith is considered as one of the most important developments in understanding the phenomenon of faith. Furthermore, it attempts to present the position that as Fowler’s faith and Stages of faith is used in addressing concerns in education, in counseling and other fields, it can be used to further explain the notion of faith within the Christian context. In this regard, if clarification of the connection between two conceptions of faith, then a wider and deeper appreciation of faith is possibly attained. It will enable people to discuss faith in seeming abstraction but in the view of concrete and measurable developments that is charted across a person’s life span. 1.2. Statement of the Study: The purpose of this research investigation was to use Fowler’

Adolescence & the human individual Essay Example for Free

Adolescence the human individual Essay During childhood, children basically accept parental authority (Smentana, 1989) and an equilibrium is established in which parents largely determine and control relationships with their children within a context of acceptance and availability (Steinberg and Silverberg, 1986). However, in the state of approaching adolescence and especially during puberty, parent-child relationships are transformed in a number of ways (Collins, 1990). These changes entail increased assertiveness by both parents and children, decreased perceptions of acceptance, inhibited communication, increased incidence of conflictive exchanges, decreased expressions of physical affection and positive feelings among family members, and adjustments in the amount and kind of influence that children exert in family decision making. Difficulties with communication derive in part from sensitivities and embarrassment associated with pubertal changes and this, combined with the adolescents socio-cognitive development and querying of the inequalities in the parent child relationship, often result in tensions and heated exchange (Hill, 1988). Most families, while they sustain close bonds during childrens teenage years, experience such an escalation of conflict, particularly during the early stages of adolescence. Although much of the conflict has been described as mild bickering, disagreements and conflicts over everyday issues and emotional stress during early adolescence (Smetana, 1988), its effects can be debilitating. The role of parents is made more difficult by the legal and status ambiguity of the adolescent period. In todays society, adolescence is an indeterminate period of transition with no rite of passage to mark the distinction between childhood and adulthood. It has been suggested that this has detracted from the capacity of some young people to function as successful adults (Campbell and Moyers, 1988). There is a lack of clarity in the status and legal rights of adolescents which sends confusing messages to parents and teenagers in their relationships with each other. However, several writers have suggested that these apparent perturbations in relationships may serve the positive function of facilitating adolescents independence and diminishing dependence on parents. Via conflicts, family members allow themselves to express distinctive and separate views (Grotevant and Cooper, 1986). It is true that during adolescence, a boy or girl must break, or at least loosen, the ties that bind him or her to home and parents. However, one should not assume that the complete break with, or indifference towards parents or open conflicts with them are a sign of maturity. Quite the contrary is true. Release from home authority is necessary, but revolt is probably not, although a proportion of each adolescent generation leaves home completely as a result of familial conflicts (Henricson and Roker, 2000). For the majority of youth, while once dependent upon their parents, adolescents begin to substitute their friends as the centre of their lives. The centrality of friends and friendship in the life of adolescents has been frequently stressed. It has been claimed that friendships are the most prominent features of the social landscape during adolescence and acceptance by peers generally, and especially having one or more close friends, may be of crucial importance in a young persons life (Coleman and Hardy, 1990). Friendship among adolescents fulfils important tasks, such as providing much of the social context that allows proper performance of actions which will be accepted and rewarded by the peer group, strengthening the self and reaffirming its worth and value. Adolescents use the peer group to express their divided feelings and incoherent images in accordance with their emotional needs and to reinforce their behaviour as they conform to peer norms and behaviour styles (Tatar, 1995). Adolescents perceive popularity and attainment of social status among peers as beneficial and positive, reflecting their desirability as a friend. Adolescents also form larger, more loosely organised groups called crowds. Unlike the more intimate clique, membership into the crowd is based on reputation and stereotype. Whereas the clique serves as the main context for direct interaction, the crowd grants the adolescent an identity within the larger social structure. Adolescents are very aware of the differential social status conferred upon different groups, and this knowledge can affect self-evaluation: categorisation of the self as a member of an unpopular or lower status group can be detrimental to feelings of self-worth and self-esteem (Denholm, Horniblow, and Smalley, 1992). Susceptibility to peer pressure is reported to peak between the ages of twelve to sixteen years (Tarrant, North, Edridge, Kirk, Smith, and Turner, 2001). Peer conformity is a complex process that varies with the adolescents age and need for social approval and with the situation. Adolescents reported that they felt greatest pressure to conform to the most obvious aspects of peer culture, such as, dressing and grooming like everyone else and participating in social activities. Although peer pressure toward misconduct peaked in early adolescence, it was relatively low compared with other areas (Brown, Lohr, McClenahan, 1986). Due to their greater concern with what their peers think of them, early adolescents are more likely than younger or older individuals to give in to peer pressure. Although, when parents and peers disagree, even young adolescents will not consistently rebel against their families. Instead, parents and peers differ in their spheres of greatest influence. Parents have more impact on adolescents basic life values and educational plans, while peers are more influential in short-term, day-today matters, such as type of dress, taste in music, and choice of friends (Berk, 2000).

Economic Recovery During The 1 :: essays research papers

During the 1920`s many economic problems occurred in Britain. However the main problems did not occur until 1929 when the Wall Street Crash occurred. The Wall Street Crash involved share prices falling to about 1/4 or even less than what they were bought for. This essay will examine how Britain was affected during the 1930`s and will look at the reforms introduced by the National Government. This will be done by examining four areas namely Depression, Labours Response, National Governments Response and other reasons for recovery. By examining these four areas it will hopefully become evident whether or not the reforms introduced by the National Government contributed to economic recovery. Depression was felt world wide especially in America and Britain. America was affected by the wall street crash more than other countries because many people held shares and due to prices falling were unable to pay their debts which led to financial ruin. Due to many people relying on trade from America and little money being available meant that America could not provide trade to the same extent as previous years. Britain was badly hit by depression in areas where industries such as coal, steal and shipbuilding were based. Due to demand for trade in these areas being low many of these industries had to lay off their workforce or even close down. Due to these redundancies and closures the levels of unemployment rose. Areas in Britain which were drastically affected by these closures were Clydeside, South Wales, the North East of England and Northern Ireland. During this time of high unemployment figures peaked at 3 million. This level of unemployment stayed the same for a period of t hree years. Overall it can be seen that depression occurred world wide and that full economic recovery was going to be hard to achieve. It can also be seen that it was going to take a long time to achieve full economic recovery especially in areas which relied on traditional industries. The first party to try and tackle the economic problems was the Labour party led by Ramsey McDonald. Labours approach to tackling the economic problems was to follow the traditional line of the classical economists which was to balance the budget and use laissez faire. Laissez faire meant that the government did not get involved in the economy. Their immediate response was to introduce 10% wage cuts for those working in the public sector e.

Mass Media and Violence

Mass Media and Violence Is it hard to believe that just forty years ago only a few privileged American families had televisions in their home? In recent years, it is estimated that a whopping ninety-eight percent of Americans have one or more television sets in their home. Motion pictures, televisions, video games, and the internet are just some forms of mass media that have emerged since the last century. With the rise of mass media, the increase of violent behavior has increased as well. Mass media influences many factors of people’s lives such as moral beliefs, behavior, and values.Violence in mass media is greatly dominating our society and continues to do so. It causes aggression and is a growing epidemic among the youth. Scott Barbour praises the American Academy of Pediatrics: â€Å"The vast majority of studies conclude that there is a cause-and-effect relationship between media violence and real-life violence. This link is undeniable and uncontestable. † It is n o lie when they say the average American child witnesses 200,000 acts of violence on TV by the age of eighteen. Watching violent TV shows or movies promotes aggression.People want to follow what everyone else is doing so they will follow and may even commit what these actors are doing on the television. According to L. R. Huesmann, research shows that fictional TV and film violence contribute to both short and long-term increase in aggression and violence in young viewers. Children are in particular are affected by violence, aggression, or sexual abuse in our media because of their helpless psychology. Some forms of aggression include truancy, lack of social skills, and failing out of school. It is no doubt that the media that promotes violence and aggression is the same one to have an effect on society.This is a monkey see, monkey do world and people may not even know that they being effected, but they are. Especially with the next generation coming up, they sort of are growing up with the violence. It becomes more and more traumatic as they see it more. According to Mughal, children and teen’s values and beliefs will become more aggressive. He goes on to say that media portrays war as entertainment [in video games]. War is not entertainment and nobody wins in real war while real people are getting killed. This illustrates another problem: can ociety depict from reality and fantasy? Most of the recent shootings in the United States were committed by the youth. Is it just a coincidence or is it because of the hostility displayed on their television sets? Many people think that violence in media is entirely based on real life. They proclaim that since we live in the real world, the media cannot possibly be more violent than what we already know. Actually, it is impossible for people to know all horrific events that have taken place. Also, some would say that it is up to the individual to decide what to be exposed to. That is not true, since you are expos ed to cruel media whether you know it or not. Even on the news, â€Å"Crimes such as murders, robberies, and abuse are shown as deviant behavior† rather than actual violence. In conclusion, violence in media does affect society. It is a growing wave and teaches aggression. Some solutions could be placing regulations on TV and motion picture producers. If gun makers have regulations on guns they make, why not placing rules on producers? Also, parents should be aware of what their children watch.There is no way to be completely censored of the media but it can be kept at a minimum. Times have changed since the last show of Leave it to Beaver. If there was less violence in the media, there will be less violence in the real world as well. Works Citied Cline, Victor. â€Å"How the Mass Media Effects Our Values and Behavior. † . N. p. , n. d. 20 Dec 2012. Dean, Gregory. â€Å"A Mediated Culture. † Marketogrpahy N. p. 23 Nov 2010. Web. 19 Dec 2012. Barbour, Scott. â₠¬Å"What Causes Teen Violence? † Teen Violence, pg 49-51. San Deigo, CA. 1999. Print. Huesmann, L.R. and Taylor, Laramie. â€Å"The Role of Media Violence in Violent Behavior. † 2006. PDF. 21 Dec 2012. Mughal, M. A. â€Å"Mass Media and its Influence on Society. † Opinion Maker. N. p. , 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 22 Dec. 2012. Norton, Eric. â€Å"The Dangers of Violence in Modern Mass Media. † Center for Community Health Partnerships. N. p. , 22 June 2009. Web. 21 December 2012. ——————————————– [ 2 ]. Cline, Victor. â€Å"How the Mass Media Effects Our Values and Behavior. † . N. p. , n. d. 20 Dec 2012. [ 3 ]. Dean, Gregory. â€Å"A Mediated Culture. † Marketogrpahy N. p. 3 Nov 2010. Web. 19 Dec 2012. [ 4 ]. Barbour, Scott. â€Å"What Causes Teen Violence? † Teen Violence, pg 51. San Deigo, CA. 1999. Print. 4 Barbour, 49 [ 6 ]. Huesmann, L. R. and Taylor, Laramie. â€Å"The Role of Media Violence in Violent Behavior. † 2006. PDF. 21 Dec 2012. [ 7 ]. Norton, Eric. â€Å"The Dangers of Violence in Modern Mass Media. † Center for Community Health Partnerships. N. p. , 22 June 2009. Web. 21 December 2012. [ 8 ]. Mughal, M. A. â€Å"Mass Media and its Influence on Society. † Opinion Maker. N. p. , 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 22 Dec. 2012. [ 9 ]. Norton, Eric. [ 10 ]. Dean, Gregory.