The sheer quantity of textbooks available for introductory algebra has left many parents, teachers, schools, and districts wondering which books are most useful and which are not. Introductory algebra is terribly important to the future success of all students, making this issue a most salient one. While most modern textbooks note their adherence to NCTM standards in one way or another, this provides little guidance in assessing the quality of the various textbooks available today.
This project is intended to provide a review of a sample of introductory algebra textbooks. In so doing, a method that can be used for the evaluation of other algebra books is described. The method may also serve as a model of a general approach to textbook evaluation.
This project only evaluates student texts. There is no intention of evaluating supplemental materials of any sort. While supplemental materials vary greatly in quality and quantity, the focus here is on the main text as the student encounters it. The overall objective is to assess the depth and breadth of student learning that is supported by the textbook.