08832323.2012.721023
Journal of Education for Business
ISSN: 0883-2323 (Print) 1940-3356 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vjeb20
An Exploration of Textbook Reading Behaviors
Rusty L. Juban & Tará Burnthorne Lopez
To cite this article: Rusty L. Juban & Tará Burnthorne Lopez (2013) An Exploration of
Textbook Reading Behaviors, Journal of Education for Business, 88:6, 325-331, DOI:
10.1080/08832323.2012.721023
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08832323.2012.721023
Published online: 26 Aug 2013.
Submit your article to this journal
Article views: 181
View related articles
Citing articles: 1 View citing articles
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at
http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=vjeb20
Download by: [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji]
Date: 11 January 2016, At: 21:06
JOURNAL OF EDUCATION FOR BUSINESS, 88: 325–331, 2013
C Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Copyright
ISSN: 0883-2323 print / 1940-3356 online
DOI: 10.1080/08832323.2012.721023
An Exploration of Textbook Reading Behaviors
Rusty L. Juban and Tar´a Burnthorne Lopez
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana, USA
Using data from student surveys, the authors investigated reading behaviors and attitudes
regarding the perceived usefulness of an assigned text and supplemental materials. The findings
suggest that even when students are satisfied with the text, they are not likely to read the text as
often as suggested, nor are they likely to use the supplemental materials (i.e., break out boxes,
cases, and exercises) made available to them. Students do, however, demonstrate a preference
toward PowerPoint slides over textbooks for class information. The authors propose several
explanations for these behaviors, including the proliferation of information technology and
new teaching pedagogies.
Keywords: education, reading, students, teaching, textbooks
As educators, we believe selecting a textbook is one of the
most important things we do for a course. The reason for this
is obvious; the course textbook has always been viewed by
faculty and students as an integral feature of instruction and
assessment (Becher, 1964). In some ways, the text is viewed
as the professor in absentia, the source of knowledge when
the professor is not there (Lichtenberg, 1992).
For those responsible for choosing textbooks, this choice
has been made easier (or more difficult, depending on the
perspective) by the increasing number of textbook options.
It is difficult to avoid the weekly e-mails, flyers, and samples distributed by publishers announcing new texts. For
courses with traditionally large enrollments, the choices are
numerous considering the authors and editions from which
to choose. To add to the available choices, publishers have
recently tried to cash in on the proliferation of e-readers and
iPads to provide another option, digital textbooks, which can
be purchased and downloaded (MacMillian, 2011).
An added concern when choosing a textbook is the cost for
the student (Carbaugh & Gosh, 2005). As university tuition
and fees have increased, so have the costs of textbooks. It is
not uncommon for college students to spend over $200 on
books for a single course and more than $1,000 per semester
for books and supplies. Because state and federal funds go
to pay for textbooks through student loans and grants, government intervention in the cost of textbooks may not be
Correspondence should be addressed to Rusty L. Juban, Southeastern
Louisiana University, Department of Management and Business Administration, SLU 10350, Hammond, LA 70402, USA. E-mail: rjuban@selu.edu
far off. In 2006, Congress commissioned a study to look at
the rising costs of textbooks. The Government Accounting
Office (2005) found that textbook prices rose 186% in the
United States between 1986 and 2004, an average of around
six percent per year.
An emerging question is whether students utilize textbooks over other sources of information due to the ease of
accessing information through technology. Technology such
as smart phones and iPads has made access to the Internet
almost limitless. Students are very comfortable accessing online sources, such as Wikipedia, for their information. It is
possible to argue that textbooks may potentially become obsolete or at least evolve into a format very different from the
textbooks we have historically selected for classes.
Given the pressure to minimize costs coupled with an expanding number of textbook options and students’ increased
access to information through technology, it is useful to explore how students use textbooks and student perceptions
of textbooks as a reference tool versus other information
sources. For example, how do students view the different
ancillary elements, such as breakout boxes and introductory
cases, that publishers and authors increasingly add to new
textbooks to help students learn? While these elements may
excite publishers and college professors, an important question to address is how students are using the texts and readings
suggested (and required) for a course.
The need for this type of inquiry was reinforced when,
several years ago while deciding on a potential textbook for
a principles of management course, we informally surveyed
students on their perceptions of the current text and what improvements could be made. While there were some general
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
326
R. L. JUBAN AND T. B. LOPEZ
comments about content and writing style, some students
honestly admitted they had never read the text. When we
asked why, several students felt that the lecture, notes, and
PowerPoint’s (which most of our university’s faculty provide
through our course management software) were sufficient
until it came time to take an exam or do assignments. On
those occasions, students said they did not have time to read
through the entire chapter but skimmed it for the material
they needed. We were dismayed by these responses; however, this was not completely unexpected having sat (and
sometimes slept) through more than our fair share of college
classes. This led us to a question what we really knew about
the reading behavior of our students. For example, how many
students actually read the textbook? When students read the
textbook, what material do they actually read and are students benefiting from the supplemental material included in
the textbook? The purpose of this study was to explore these
questions in the hope of better understanding student behavior as it relates to textbook usage, student perceptions
of textbooks, and how students are (and are not) benefitting
from an assigned text.
LITERATURE REVIEW
It is generally accepted that textbooks are important for collecting and disseminating the available knowledge in an academic field (Davis & Marquis, 2005; Stambaugh & Trank,
2010). Considering the large number of articles on methods and pedagogies in business education, we assumed that
researchers would have thoroughly explored the issue of textbook effectiveness and student reading behaviors. Our literature search found that the majority of academic research
centered on three themes: the veracity of current textbooks,
the textbook adoption process, and the recent changes in
technology and the publishing industry. The literature on
textbook content is an assortment of works arguing the best
approach for incorporating new knowledge and methods to
teaching field specific knowledge (i.e., Laksmana & Tietz,
2008). If looked at separately, these contentious papers appear to give the impression that the academic community
should have little faith in the theories and models presented
by textbook authors. However, we believe that the critical
review of textbooks by the academic community is the very
feature that establishes their validity. It is the obligation of
faculty to scrutinize the information presented in textbooks,
the same as a journal reviewer would an academic article submitted for publication (Rotfeld & Terry, 2000). If faculty did
not question the efficacy and currency of the material from
profit-oriented publishers, faculty would have little trust in
textbooks.
With regard to the textbook selection process, several studies have examined how factors like costs, content, readability,
and the availability supplemental material weigh in the pro-
fessors choice of a text (Lowry & Moser, 1995). Because
the textbook adoption process is a faculty decision, surveys
in this area have found that content is rated as the primary
factor in textbook adoption (Silver, Stevens, Tiger, & Clow,
2011). While cost is an important issue, a survey by Silver,
Stevens, and Clow (2012) found that faculty may resist efforts by administrators to force the adoption of lower cost (or
open) textbooks. Another factor in adoption process related
to textbook content is text readability. These studies have
applied several well-accepted measures of writing level to
predict adoption decisions (Razek & Cone, 1981; Villere &
Stearns, 1976).
A more recent line of research on college textbook adoption concerns the effectiveness and adoption of new technology, such as electronic textbooks. According to an industry
report, by 2016 electronic textbooks sales will make up 18%
of total textbook sales. To accomplish this, analysts predict
an average yearly increase in sales growth of approximately
150–200% over the next five years. There are several factors
facilitating this dramatic growth including lower pricing for
electronic textbooks, the growing availability of content, and
the increasing number of students with access to e-readers.
We also broadened our literature search to include teaching pedagogies found in most texts such as the use of case
studies, group learning activities, simulations and other interactive learning activities. These studies have provided direction for increasing student interaction, retention of material and student satisfaction. The majority of principles
textbooks incorporate case studies, individual exercises, and
group assignments and on the balance faculty perceive supplements as useful (Kennett-Hensel, Sneath, & Pressley,
2007). Some textbook publishers also incorporate additional
content on websites and include quizzes, interactive assignments, videos, current readings, and programmed scenarios.
Evaluating how students use these new technologies, Jonas
and Norman (2011) found the critical predictor to be if a faculty had made it a condition (or assignment) for the course.
While the current research in this area does make a substantial contribution to how texts are evaluated and selected,
these research topics are from the professor’s perspective,
not the student’s. An exception was an early article which
unobtrusively examined student reading behaviors by gluing pages of a textbook together and checking at the end of
the semester to determine if students had tampered with the
pages (Friedman & Wilson, 1975). While novel, this study
did not provide much insight into explaining student behavior. Other exceptions are several recent studies that have
examined student decisions to purchase textbooks. A survey by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, a nonprofit
consumer-advocacy organization, found that 70% of college
students had not purchased a textbook at least once in their
academic career due to increasing textbook costs (Redden,
2011). The survey, which consisted of 1,905 undergraduates on 13 campuses, did not measure student outcomes or
AN EXPLORATION OF TEXTBOOK READING BEHAVIORS
attempt to determine which predict the type of student most
likely to forgo buying books because of high prices. The
study also reported that 78% of students who reported not
buying a textbook said they expected to perform worse in
that class, even though some borrowed or shared the textbook. Additionally, Toerner (2006) offered some insight into
student use of accounting textbooks.
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
RESEARCH QUESTION
Considering the knowledge that can be gained from reading the text, and the financial investments made by students,
it may appear that the decision to read the text is obvious.
However, most faculty have at least some anecdotal evidence
that supports the idea that students may cut corners in class
and read only what and when it is necessary. Again, according to the premise of the professor in absentia, is the
textbook providing learning opportunities for the student?
While most modern textbooks go beyond the presentation
of basic knowledge and include methods to increase student retention of knowledge, the question that remains is
how students use the text and the chapter contents. This
leads to our research question: How are students using assigned textbooks and what are their perceptions of the text,
text supplements, and of other sources of subject-related
information?
METHOD
To address the research question, we administered an attitudinal and behavioral survey to multiple sections of principals
of management courses at an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business–accredited university. The survey
examined student’s general perceptions and use of the assigned textbook. In the application of the survey, students
were assured anonymity and it was stressed that the intent
of the survey was not to evaluate teacher effectiveness, but
the content and use of textbooks. While there are limitations
with the self-report method and students may have felt pressured to provide positive responses to please the instructor,
as an exploratory study of this topic, using self-report of
perceptions was a solid methodological choice. The survey
was administered to five sections of a principles of management course open to juniors and older students. The principles of management text served as the students’ reference
point for the survey. As noted previously, there is evidence
that many students may decide not to purchase the textbook
for a course (Redden, 2011). While this would affect student survey results on textbook usage, our university’s situation with textbooks is advantageous in that textbooks are
made available to students at the beginning of the semester
and rental fees are included as a mandatory part of their
tuition.
327
A total of 168 surveys were collected from five course
sections that had a total enrollment of 201 students. The survey sections included student perceptions of the textbook,
student readership of the chapters and ancillary components,
frequency with which students read the textbook, and student
likelihood of using various resources for subject-matter information. Student perceptions of the textbook were captured
using a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Readership and use of resources
were captured using a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from
1 (never) to 5 (always). Finally, to assess frequency of use,
students were asked to indicate whether they read their textbook twice (or more) a week, once a week, twice a month,
once a month, or only before exams.
RESULTS
The study yielded several interesting findings. To begin to
understand how students use their textbooks, the students
were asked when they were most likely to read the text.
Forty-seven percent responded that they read the text once or
twice a week (see Table 1). On the other hand, 40% responded
that they read the textbook only before exams.
To understand if students read because they liked or disliked the textbook, it was important for us to understand student perceptions of the current textbook. The results showed
that students held a favorable impression of the assigned
textbook (see Table 2). Seventy percent of students strongly
agreed or agreed that the information in the text was easy to
understand (x¯ = 3.9). Eighty-two percent felt that the information was current (x¯ = 4.1). Also, 68.1% of the students
agreed or strongly agreed that the information in the text
satisfied their needs (x¯ = .3.8).
We then divided the sample into two groups based on the
frequency with which they read the textbook to determine
whether the perceptions of the textbook varied between these
groups. By splitting the sample into groups that read the text
at least once a week (Group 1, n = 76) and those that read
the text less than once a week (Group 2, n = 81), we found
statistically significant differences between the two groups
in all the satisfaction criteria based on independent samples
t-tests (see Table 3). The tests indicated that Group 1 always
TABLE 1
When Are Students Most Likely to Read the
Textbook?
When are you most likely to read the textbook?
Twice a week
Once a week
Twice a month
Once a month
Only before exams
%
8.64
38.27
7.41
5.56
40.12
328
R. L. JUBAN AND T. B. LOPEZ
TABLE 2
Satisfaction With Current Textbook and Usefulness of Text Supplements
Statement
Strongly agree (%)
Agree (%)
Neutral (%)
Disagree (%)
Strongly disagree (%)
26.7
55.8
15.8
1.8
0.0
22.3
47.6
26.5
3.6
0.0
23.5
50.0
22.9
3.6
0.0
20.9
47.2
24.5
4.9
2.5
43.9
40.9
28.7
36.6
3.0
5.5
0.0
0.6
38.1
33.5
31.9
42.5
45.7
45.8
5.6
6.1
6.0
0.6
1.8
1.2
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
I feel the information in this text is
current (x¯ = 4.1)
I feel the textbook is written in a way
that is easy to understand (x¯ = 3.9)
I feel that the figures and tables are
beneficial (x¯ = 3.9)
I feel that the text we use in this class
satisfies my needs (x¯ = 3.8).
I feel the following elements in the textbook are useful:
Chapter summary (x¯ = 3.9)
24.4
Review and discussion
16.5
questions.(x¯ = 3.7)
Breakout boxes (x¯ = 3.6)
13.1
Introductory case (x¯ = 3.5)
12.8
Exercises at the end of chapter (x¯
15.1
= 3.5)
or often found the text to be easier to understand, t(155) =
4.21, p < .000, and more current, t(154) = 2.46, p < .015,
than Group 2. Group 1 was also were more likely to say it
satisfied their needs, t(152) = 3.678, p < .000.
To investigate the usefulness of the supplemental sections
of the text we asked students the extent to which they found
introductory cases, break out boxes, the chapter summary,
review and discussion questions, and exercises at the end of
the chapter useful (see Table 2). These specific supplements
were selected because they represented the supplements inTABLE 3
Satisfaction With and Usefulness of Current Textbook
Based on Frequency of Reading Text
Statement
I feel the information in
this text is current.
I feel the textbook is
written in a way that is
easy to understand.
I feel that the figures and
tables are beneficial.
I feel that the text we use
in this class satisfies my
needs.
Group 1
(n = 76)
Group 2
(n = 76)
t
p
4.23
3.95
2.461
.015∗
4.17
3.67
4.212
.000∗∗
4.09
3.80
2.331
.021∗
4.08
3.56
3.678
.000∗∗
2.341
3.293
.021∗
.001∗∗
3.754
3.239
2.837
.000∗∗
.001∗∗
.005∗∗
I feel the following elements in the textbook are useful:
Chapter summary
4.07
3.76
Review and
3.91
3.47
discussion questions
Breakout boxes
3.84
3.36
Introductory case
3.73
3.29
Exercises at the end of
3.72
3.33
chapter
∗p
≤ .05. ∗∗ p ≤ .01.
cluded in the referenced principles of management textbook.
The paired samples t-test suggests that students perceive the
chapter summary to be a significantly more useful supplement to the text than the other supplements. Review and
discussion questions were deemed second in usefulness, significantly more useful than the remaining supplements.
Using the aforementioned two frequency of reading
groups, we considered whether perceptions of the usefulness of the text supplements varied between those who read
the text frequently versus those who did not (Table 3). Paired
samples t-tests revealed that there were significant differences in perceptions of usefulness between the two groups
for all supplements in the text. Students who read the text at
least once a week (Group 1) perceived all supplements to be
more useful than those who read less (Group 2).
When students were asked to indicate how often they read
the text and the supplements in each chapter, the mean responses varied from 3.4 to 2.3 on a 5-point scale (see Table 4).
Of the students surveyed, 21.8% responded that they seldom
or never read the main body of the chapter. Using paired
samples t-test, it was found that students were more likely to
read the main body of the chapter and the chapter summary,
and less likely to read the other sections, such as exercises,
cases, and breakout boxes. Interestingly, this supports a previously discussed finding in which students indicated that
the chapter summary was the most useful element of the text.
Therefore, it follows that it would also be the section they
are most likely to read.
An important question in the current age of technology
is whether students consider the textbook to be an important
resource for class information. We asked students to indicate
how often they use the textbook, PowerPoint slides from the
instructor, online information from the textbook, Wikipedia,
and general Internet search, a friend, or other sources
when looking for information related to the class. Students
AN EXPLORATION OF TEXTBOOK READING BEHAVIORS
TABLE 4
Frequency Reading Textbook and Supplemental
Material
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
Frequency
reading
Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
Chapter summary (x¯ =
3.44)
Main body of the
chapter (x¯ = 3.36)
Introductory case (x¯ =
2.63)
Break out boxes (x¯ =
2.59)
Review and discussion
questions (x¯ = 2.59)
Exercises at the end of
chapter (x¯ = 2.27)
27.1
28.3
21.1
8.4
15.1
24.9
17.8
35.5
11.8
10.0
5.4
17.3
34.5
20.2
22.6
6.0
15.6
34.7
19.2
24.6
8.9
17.8
24.3
21.3
27.8
5.9
11.2
24.9
20.1
37.9
responded on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1
(never) to 5 (always). A series of paired samples t-tests
revealed several interesting findings (see Table 5). First,
students were significantly more likely to use instructorprovided PowerPoint slides as a resource of finding information than the textbook, t(167) = −9.118, p < .000. Second,
students were equally likely to use the textbook as a resource as they were to use a general Internet search, t(166) =
−0.694, p < .489. They are less likely to use the remaining
sources.
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS AND FUTURE
RESEARCH
Though exploratory in nature, our research to determine how
students use textbooks and the supplemental material in textbooks has contributed to knowledge in this area by offering
TABLE 5
Textbook as a Source for Class Information
If you have a question
regarding a problem in
class, how often do you
use the following
sources of information
...
PowerPoint slides from
instructor (x¯ = 4.42)
General Internet search
(x¯ = 3.38)
Textbook (x¯ = 3.25)
Ask a friend (x¯ = 2.77)
Wikipedia (x¯ = 2.22)
Online information
provided by textbook
(x¯ = 2.00)
Other (x¯ = 1.90)
Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
66.7
18.5
10.1
0.0
4.8
26.3
21.6
30.5
7.2
14.4
20.1
11.3
8.4
3.6
21.9
16.7
12.0
11.9
31.4
32.7
21.0
16.4
16.6
16.1
10.8
17.9
10.1
23.2
47.9
50.6
13.1
4.3
9.8
3.3
68.9
329
several relevant findings. At our university and many others,
it is recommended that students spend 3 hr per week per 3-hr
class studying in addition to in-class time. However, more
than 50% of students in the first study stated that they read
the textbook less than once a week. This led us to wonder:
Do students value the text information or do students feel
they already get the information in class and the text does
not offer additional value? This finding may be a result of
the perceived value of a rental textbook. Perhaps students
who pay for texts would be more likely to value and use the
textbook given the amount they paid.
Our research findings suggest that student decisions not to
read the textbook are not related to negative attitudes about
the textbook. In fact, the students had a generally positive
attitude about the textbook. However, it is clear that students
who read the textbook more frequently had a significantly
more positive attitude toward the textbook as well as toward
the chapter supplements. One possible explanation is that
with increased exposure, students begin to appreciate the
relevance and benefits of the textbook material.
The one supplemental element of the text stood out as being perceived as the most useful and as most read by students
was the chapter summary. Interestingly, review and discussion questions were rated as being second in usefulness after
chapter summaries, but when we compared that with the frequency of use results, we found that review and discussion
questions was among the least used supplements. That suggests that students recognize the usefulness of the review and
discussion questions but avoid actually using them because
of the increased effort and time required to answer the questions. However, an interesting question for future research
would be whether student behaviors toward the elements of
the text would vary for more qualitative versus more quantitative courses. In other words, students in a finance course
may use end-of-chapter exercises more than those in a management course.
Despite generally positive attitudes toward the textbook,
students were more likely to use PowerPoint files as their
source for class information. This is a cause for concern given
that PowerPoint slides are a presentation tool, typically with
an outline of the presentation content, and not a true in-depth
reference source. Students who rely heavily on PowerPoint
files will likely miss the details and depth necessary to truly
understand most concepts. While PowerPoint files were the
most common source for class information for students, the
textbook and general Internet searches were the second most
common. It is interesting that students are equally as likely
to use each of these sources. It is possible to assume that due
to the ease of access to information, students would be more
likely to use the Internet to locate class information.
CONCLUSIONS
As faculty, we believe it is our responsibility to evaluate the
effectiveness of our teaching and our methods. However, it
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
330
R. L. JUBAN AND T. B. LOPEZ
may be time to re-examine the value of textbooks if students
do not utilize them or their supplements. There can be little
argument that if textbooks are not regularly read by students,
then they are not an effective means of communicating material to students. This does not suggest that textbooks should
not be a part of college reading assignments; this research
does not question that texts are still a trusted repository of
tested research and knowledge in the field. In addition, many
textbooks go beyond the presentation of material to include
exercises and activities to help students further develop their
skills and learning. However, one of the most important elements of the teaching equation, the willingness of students
to actually read the material contained in the text, is often
assumed and unmeasured.
Results from our survey show that a sizable portion of
students are not regularly reading the textbook and some
may never read it at all. In addition, the supplemental material that is designed to aid students in retaining information
is often ignored. From the findings presented here, we believe that faculty who select college textbooks for courses
need to critically rethink how reading assignments are approached in college courses. Today’s college students may
be overloaded with all of the information sources they have
available. It’s possible that students ignore the value of using
a text because of all the information available to them. As
our research shows, they are equally or more likely to use
instructor-provided PowerPoint files and information from
web searches. Another explanation may be that Generation Y
students are less tolerant of textbooks that follow a structured
outline and would prefer to use more condensed forms of information, such as chapter summaries and PowerPoint files,
or electronic media that allows them to search for key terms.
The research presented here is not intended to provide
faculty with an alternative approach to course assigned textbooks or other reading assignments, instead we believe that
it points out a potential flaw in assuming that all students
diligently read course material out of some assumed sense
of obligation. As the costs of textbooks continue to rise, faculty may want to consider the value that a textbook brings
to students (i.e. using a cost-benefit analysis for requiring
a textbook). After assessing the benefit of assigning a traditional text, which could cost several hundred dollars and
may not generate much student interest, some faculty may
be encouraged to venture into other forms of reading material. E-textbooks are less expensive than hardbound texts
and offer the advantage of media searches and more interactive supplements, including video and audio files. But, these
electronic texts may suffer from some of the same problems
as other traditionally structured texts, that is, lack of student
interest. Some faculty may choose to forego a text altogether
and take advantage of free information available on the Internet. However, we should point out that information from the
Internet comes in a variety of formats. This could cause problems as students are forced to sift through unorganized and
sometimes outdated information. Another hazard involved
when using free information for learning purposes is that it
is not validated by scholars in the field and subject to change
by the provider.
It is our hope that the findings presented here will create
more interest in student reading behaviors. It would be beneficial for faculty to understand what compels some students
read the text, while others ignore it. Some of these variables
may be student centered or driven by the demands of the
course. These questions may be rooted in the criteria that
make up a good versus a poor performing student. Also, for
faculty who want to move away from traditional text, there
are a variety of factors that would need to be identified to
in choosing the best option. Whether it is time to consider
replacing textbooks with other forms of reading, or changing how we give reading assignments, we believe that it is
questioning the effectiveness of our methods that will make
us better educators.
REFERENCES
Becher, P. (1964). Management by the textbook. Management of Personnel
Quarterly, 2(4), 14–19.
Carbaugh, R., & Ghosh, K. (2005). Are textbooks priced fairly? Challenge,
48(5), 95–112.
Davis, G., & Marquis, C. (2005). Prospects for organizational theory in the
early twenty-first century: Institutional fields and mechanisms. Organizational Science, 16, 332–343.
Friedman, M., & Wilson, W. (1975). Applications of unobtrusive measures to
study textbook usage by college students. Journal of Applied Psychology,
60, 659–663.
Government Accounting Office. (2005). Enhanced offerings appear to drive
recent price increases. Washington, DC: Author.
Jonas, G., & Norman, C. (2011). Textbook websites: User technology acceptance behavior. Behaviour & Information Technology, 30,
147–159.
Kennett-Hensel, P., Sneath, J., & Pressley, M. (2007). Powerpoint and other
publisher provided supplemental materials: Oh Lord, what have we done?
Journal for Advancement of Marketing Education, 10, 1–11.
Laksmana, I., & Tietz, W. (2008). Temporal, cross-sectional, and timelag analysis of managerial and cost accounting textbooks. Accounting
Education, 17, 291–312.
Lichtenberg, J. (1992). The new paradox of the college textbook. Change,
24(5), 10–18.
Lowry, J., & Moser, W. (1995). Textbook selection: A multistep approach.
Marketing Education Review, 5(3), 21–28.
MacMillian, B. (2011, June 16). Textbook 2.0. Business Week, 28.
Razek, J. R., & Cone, R. (1981). Readability of business communication
textbooks: An empirical study. Journal of Business Communication, 18,
33–40.
Redden, M. (2011, August 23). 7 in 10 students have skipped buying a
textbook because of its costs, survey finds. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/7-in-10-Students-HaveSkipped/128785/
Rotfeld, H., & Terry, C. (2000). The textbook effect: Conventional wisdom,
myth, and error in marketing. Journal of Marketing, 64, 122–126.
Silver, L., Stevens, R., & Clow, K. (2012). Marketing professors’ perspectives on the cost of college textbooks: A pilot study. Journal of Education
for Business, 87, 1–6.
Silver, L., Stevens, R., Tiger, A., & Clow, K. (2011). Quantitative methods
professors’ persectives on the cost of college textbooks. Academy of
Information & Management Sciences Journal, 14, 39–55.
AN EXPLORATION OF TEXTBOOK READING BEHAVIORS
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
Spinks, N., & Wells, B. (1993). Readability: A textbook selection criterion.
Journal of Education for Business, 69, 83–88.
Stambaugh, J., & Trank, C. (2010). Not so simple, Integrating new research into textbooks. Academy of Management Learning & Education,
9, 663–681.
331
Toerner, M. (2006). Student readership of supplemental, In-chapter material
in introductory accounting textbooks. Journal of Education for Business,
82, 112–117.
Villere, M., & Stearns, G. (1976). The readability of organizational behavior
textbooks. Academy of Management Journal, 19, 132–137.
ISSN: 0883-2323 (Print) 1940-3356 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vjeb20
An Exploration of Textbook Reading Behaviors
Rusty L. Juban & Tará Burnthorne Lopez
To cite this article: Rusty L. Juban & Tará Burnthorne Lopez (2013) An Exploration of
Textbook Reading Behaviors, Journal of Education for Business, 88:6, 325-331, DOI:
10.1080/08832323.2012.721023
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08832323.2012.721023
Published online: 26 Aug 2013.
Submit your article to this journal
Article views: 181
View related articles
Citing articles: 1 View citing articles
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at
http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=vjeb20
Download by: [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji]
Date: 11 January 2016, At: 21:06
JOURNAL OF EDUCATION FOR BUSINESS, 88: 325–331, 2013
C Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Copyright
ISSN: 0883-2323 print / 1940-3356 online
DOI: 10.1080/08832323.2012.721023
An Exploration of Textbook Reading Behaviors
Rusty L. Juban and Tar´a Burnthorne Lopez
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana, USA
Using data from student surveys, the authors investigated reading behaviors and attitudes
regarding the perceived usefulness of an assigned text and supplemental materials. The findings
suggest that even when students are satisfied with the text, they are not likely to read the text as
often as suggested, nor are they likely to use the supplemental materials (i.e., break out boxes,
cases, and exercises) made available to them. Students do, however, demonstrate a preference
toward PowerPoint slides over textbooks for class information. The authors propose several
explanations for these behaviors, including the proliferation of information technology and
new teaching pedagogies.
Keywords: education, reading, students, teaching, textbooks
As educators, we believe selecting a textbook is one of the
most important things we do for a course. The reason for this
is obvious; the course textbook has always been viewed by
faculty and students as an integral feature of instruction and
assessment (Becher, 1964). In some ways, the text is viewed
as the professor in absentia, the source of knowledge when
the professor is not there (Lichtenberg, 1992).
For those responsible for choosing textbooks, this choice
has been made easier (or more difficult, depending on the
perspective) by the increasing number of textbook options.
It is difficult to avoid the weekly e-mails, flyers, and samples distributed by publishers announcing new texts. For
courses with traditionally large enrollments, the choices are
numerous considering the authors and editions from which
to choose. To add to the available choices, publishers have
recently tried to cash in on the proliferation of e-readers and
iPads to provide another option, digital textbooks, which can
be purchased and downloaded (MacMillian, 2011).
An added concern when choosing a textbook is the cost for
the student (Carbaugh & Gosh, 2005). As university tuition
and fees have increased, so have the costs of textbooks. It is
not uncommon for college students to spend over $200 on
books for a single course and more than $1,000 per semester
for books and supplies. Because state and federal funds go
to pay for textbooks through student loans and grants, government intervention in the cost of textbooks may not be
Correspondence should be addressed to Rusty L. Juban, Southeastern
Louisiana University, Department of Management and Business Administration, SLU 10350, Hammond, LA 70402, USA. E-mail: rjuban@selu.edu
far off. In 2006, Congress commissioned a study to look at
the rising costs of textbooks. The Government Accounting
Office (2005) found that textbook prices rose 186% in the
United States between 1986 and 2004, an average of around
six percent per year.
An emerging question is whether students utilize textbooks over other sources of information due to the ease of
accessing information through technology. Technology such
as smart phones and iPads has made access to the Internet
almost limitless. Students are very comfortable accessing online sources, such as Wikipedia, for their information. It is
possible to argue that textbooks may potentially become obsolete or at least evolve into a format very different from the
textbooks we have historically selected for classes.
Given the pressure to minimize costs coupled with an expanding number of textbook options and students’ increased
access to information through technology, it is useful to explore how students use textbooks and student perceptions
of textbooks as a reference tool versus other information
sources. For example, how do students view the different
ancillary elements, such as breakout boxes and introductory
cases, that publishers and authors increasingly add to new
textbooks to help students learn? While these elements may
excite publishers and college professors, an important question to address is how students are using the texts and readings
suggested (and required) for a course.
The need for this type of inquiry was reinforced when,
several years ago while deciding on a potential textbook for
a principles of management course, we informally surveyed
students on their perceptions of the current text and what improvements could be made. While there were some general
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
326
R. L. JUBAN AND T. B. LOPEZ
comments about content and writing style, some students
honestly admitted they had never read the text. When we
asked why, several students felt that the lecture, notes, and
PowerPoint’s (which most of our university’s faculty provide
through our course management software) were sufficient
until it came time to take an exam or do assignments. On
those occasions, students said they did not have time to read
through the entire chapter but skimmed it for the material
they needed. We were dismayed by these responses; however, this was not completely unexpected having sat (and
sometimes slept) through more than our fair share of college
classes. This led us to a question what we really knew about
the reading behavior of our students. For example, how many
students actually read the textbook? When students read the
textbook, what material do they actually read and are students benefiting from the supplemental material included in
the textbook? The purpose of this study was to explore these
questions in the hope of better understanding student behavior as it relates to textbook usage, student perceptions
of textbooks, and how students are (and are not) benefitting
from an assigned text.
LITERATURE REVIEW
It is generally accepted that textbooks are important for collecting and disseminating the available knowledge in an academic field (Davis & Marquis, 2005; Stambaugh & Trank,
2010). Considering the large number of articles on methods and pedagogies in business education, we assumed that
researchers would have thoroughly explored the issue of textbook effectiveness and student reading behaviors. Our literature search found that the majority of academic research
centered on three themes: the veracity of current textbooks,
the textbook adoption process, and the recent changes in
technology and the publishing industry. The literature on
textbook content is an assortment of works arguing the best
approach for incorporating new knowledge and methods to
teaching field specific knowledge (i.e., Laksmana & Tietz,
2008). If looked at separately, these contentious papers appear to give the impression that the academic community
should have little faith in the theories and models presented
by textbook authors. However, we believe that the critical
review of textbooks by the academic community is the very
feature that establishes their validity. It is the obligation of
faculty to scrutinize the information presented in textbooks,
the same as a journal reviewer would an academic article submitted for publication (Rotfeld & Terry, 2000). If faculty did
not question the efficacy and currency of the material from
profit-oriented publishers, faculty would have little trust in
textbooks.
With regard to the textbook selection process, several studies have examined how factors like costs, content, readability,
and the availability supplemental material weigh in the pro-
fessors choice of a text (Lowry & Moser, 1995). Because
the textbook adoption process is a faculty decision, surveys
in this area have found that content is rated as the primary
factor in textbook adoption (Silver, Stevens, Tiger, & Clow,
2011). While cost is an important issue, a survey by Silver,
Stevens, and Clow (2012) found that faculty may resist efforts by administrators to force the adoption of lower cost (or
open) textbooks. Another factor in adoption process related
to textbook content is text readability. These studies have
applied several well-accepted measures of writing level to
predict adoption decisions (Razek & Cone, 1981; Villere &
Stearns, 1976).
A more recent line of research on college textbook adoption concerns the effectiveness and adoption of new technology, such as electronic textbooks. According to an industry
report, by 2016 electronic textbooks sales will make up 18%
of total textbook sales. To accomplish this, analysts predict
an average yearly increase in sales growth of approximately
150–200% over the next five years. There are several factors
facilitating this dramatic growth including lower pricing for
electronic textbooks, the growing availability of content, and
the increasing number of students with access to e-readers.
We also broadened our literature search to include teaching pedagogies found in most texts such as the use of case
studies, group learning activities, simulations and other interactive learning activities. These studies have provided direction for increasing student interaction, retention of material and student satisfaction. The majority of principles
textbooks incorporate case studies, individual exercises, and
group assignments and on the balance faculty perceive supplements as useful (Kennett-Hensel, Sneath, & Pressley,
2007). Some textbook publishers also incorporate additional
content on websites and include quizzes, interactive assignments, videos, current readings, and programmed scenarios.
Evaluating how students use these new technologies, Jonas
and Norman (2011) found the critical predictor to be if a faculty had made it a condition (or assignment) for the course.
While the current research in this area does make a substantial contribution to how texts are evaluated and selected,
these research topics are from the professor’s perspective,
not the student’s. An exception was an early article which
unobtrusively examined student reading behaviors by gluing pages of a textbook together and checking at the end of
the semester to determine if students had tampered with the
pages (Friedman & Wilson, 1975). While novel, this study
did not provide much insight into explaining student behavior. Other exceptions are several recent studies that have
examined student decisions to purchase textbooks. A survey by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, a nonprofit
consumer-advocacy organization, found that 70% of college
students had not purchased a textbook at least once in their
academic career due to increasing textbook costs (Redden,
2011). The survey, which consisted of 1,905 undergraduates on 13 campuses, did not measure student outcomes or
AN EXPLORATION OF TEXTBOOK READING BEHAVIORS
attempt to determine which predict the type of student most
likely to forgo buying books because of high prices. The
study also reported that 78% of students who reported not
buying a textbook said they expected to perform worse in
that class, even though some borrowed or shared the textbook. Additionally, Toerner (2006) offered some insight into
student use of accounting textbooks.
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
RESEARCH QUESTION
Considering the knowledge that can be gained from reading the text, and the financial investments made by students,
it may appear that the decision to read the text is obvious.
However, most faculty have at least some anecdotal evidence
that supports the idea that students may cut corners in class
and read only what and when it is necessary. Again, according to the premise of the professor in absentia, is the
textbook providing learning opportunities for the student?
While most modern textbooks go beyond the presentation
of basic knowledge and include methods to increase student retention of knowledge, the question that remains is
how students use the text and the chapter contents. This
leads to our research question: How are students using assigned textbooks and what are their perceptions of the text,
text supplements, and of other sources of subject-related
information?
METHOD
To address the research question, we administered an attitudinal and behavioral survey to multiple sections of principals
of management courses at an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business–accredited university. The survey
examined student’s general perceptions and use of the assigned textbook. In the application of the survey, students
were assured anonymity and it was stressed that the intent
of the survey was not to evaluate teacher effectiveness, but
the content and use of textbooks. While there are limitations
with the self-report method and students may have felt pressured to provide positive responses to please the instructor,
as an exploratory study of this topic, using self-report of
perceptions was a solid methodological choice. The survey
was administered to five sections of a principles of management course open to juniors and older students. The principles of management text served as the students’ reference
point for the survey. As noted previously, there is evidence
that many students may decide not to purchase the textbook
for a course (Redden, 2011). While this would affect student survey results on textbook usage, our university’s situation with textbooks is advantageous in that textbooks are
made available to students at the beginning of the semester
and rental fees are included as a mandatory part of their
tuition.
327
A total of 168 surveys were collected from five course
sections that had a total enrollment of 201 students. The survey sections included student perceptions of the textbook,
student readership of the chapters and ancillary components,
frequency with which students read the textbook, and student
likelihood of using various resources for subject-matter information. Student perceptions of the textbook were captured
using a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Readership and use of resources
were captured using a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from
1 (never) to 5 (always). Finally, to assess frequency of use,
students were asked to indicate whether they read their textbook twice (or more) a week, once a week, twice a month,
once a month, or only before exams.
RESULTS
The study yielded several interesting findings. To begin to
understand how students use their textbooks, the students
were asked when they were most likely to read the text.
Forty-seven percent responded that they read the text once or
twice a week (see Table 1). On the other hand, 40% responded
that they read the textbook only before exams.
To understand if students read because they liked or disliked the textbook, it was important for us to understand student perceptions of the current textbook. The results showed
that students held a favorable impression of the assigned
textbook (see Table 2). Seventy percent of students strongly
agreed or agreed that the information in the text was easy to
understand (x¯ = 3.9). Eighty-two percent felt that the information was current (x¯ = 4.1). Also, 68.1% of the students
agreed or strongly agreed that the information in the text
satisfied their needs (x¯ = .3.8).
We then divided the sample into two groups based on the
frequency with which they read the textbook to determine
whether the perceptions of the textbook varied between these
groups. By splitting the sample into groups that read the text
at least once a week (Group 1, n = 76) and those that read
the text less than once a week (Group 2, n = 81), we found
statistically significant differences between the two groups
in all the satisfaction criteria based on independent samples
t-tests (see Table 3). The tests indicated that Group 1 always
TABLE 1
When Are Students Most Likely to Read the
Textbook?
When are you most likely to read the textbook?
Twice a week
Once a week
Twice a month
Once a month
Only before exams
%
8.64
38.27
7.41
5.56
40.12
328
R. L. JUBAN AND T. B. LOPEZ
TABLE 2
Satisfaction With Current Textbook and Usefulness of Text Supplements
Statement
Strongly agree (%)
Agree (%)
Neutral (%)
Disagree (%)
Strongly disagree (%)
26.7
55.8
15.8
1.8
0.0
22.3
47.6
26.5
3.6
0.0
23.5
50.0
22.9
3.6
0.0
20.9
47.2
24.5
4.9
2.5
43.9
40.9
28.7
36.6
3.0
5.5
0.0
0.6
38.1
33.5
31.9
42.5
45.7
45.8
5.6
6.1
6.0
0.6
1.8
1.2
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
I feel the information in this text is
current (x¯ = 4.1)
I feel the textbook is written in a way
that is easy to understand (x¯ = 3.9)
I feel that the figures and tables are
beneficial (x¯ = 3.9)
I feel that the text we use in this class
satisfies my needs (x¯ = 3.8).
I feel the following elements in the textbook are useful:
Chapter summary (x¯ = 3.9)
24.4
Review and discussion
16.5
questions.(x¯ = 3.7)
Breakout boxes (x¯ = 3.6)
13.1
Introductory case (x¯ = 3.5)
12.8
Exercises at the end of chapter (x¯
15.1
= 3.5)
or often found the text to be easier to understand, t(155) =
4.21, p < .000, and more current, t(154) = 2.46, p < .015,
than Group 2. Group 1 was also were more likely to say it
satisfied their needs, t(152) = 3.678, p < .000.
To investigate the usefulness of the supplemental sections
of the text we asked students the extent to which they found
introductory cases, break out boxes, the chapter summary,
review and discussion questions, and exercises at the end of
the chapter useful (see Table 2). These specific supplements
were selected because they represented the supplements inTABLE 3
Satisfaction With and Usefulness of Current Textbook
Based on Frequency of Reading Text
Statement
I feel the information in
this text is current.
I feel the textbook is
written in a way that is
easy to understand.
I feel that the figures and
tables are beneficial.
I feel that the text we use
in this class satisfies my
needs.
Group 1
(n = 76)
Group 2
(n = 76)
t
p
4.23
3.95
2.461
.015∗
4.17
3.67
4.212
.000∗∗
4.09
3.80
2.331
.021∗
4.08
3.56
3.678
.000∗∗
2.341
3.293
.021∗
.001∗∗
3.754
3.239
2.837
.000∗∗
.001∗∗
.005∗∗
I feel the following elements in the textbook are useful:
Chapter summary
4.07
3.76
Review and
3.91
3.47
discussion questions
Breakout boxes
3.84
3.36
Introductory case
3.73
3.29
Exercises at the end of
3.72
3.33
chapter
∗p
≤ .05. ∗∗ p ≤ .01.
cluded in the referenced principles of management textbook.
The paired samples t-test suggests that students perceive the
chapter summary to be a significantly more useful supplement to the text than the other supplements. Review and
discussion questions were deemed second in usefulness, significantly more useful than the remaining supplements.
Using the aforementioned two frequency of reading
groups, we considered whether perceptions of the usefulness of the text supplements varied between those who read
the text frequently versus those who did not (Table 3). Paired
samples t-tests revealed that there were significant differences in perceptions of usefulness between the two groups
for all supplements in the text. Students who read the text at
least once a week (Group 1) perceived all supplements to be
more useful than those who read less (Group 2).
When students were asked to indicate how often they read
the text and the supplements in each chapter, the mean responses varied from 3.4 to 2.3 on a 5-point scale (see Table 4).
Of the students surveyed, 21.8% responded that they seldom
or never read the main body of the chapter. Using paired
samples t-test, it was found that students were more likely to
read the main body of the chapter and the chapter summary,
and less likely to read the other sections, such as exercises,
cases, and breakout boxes. Interestingly, this supports a previously discussed finding in which students indicated that
the chapter summary was the most useful element of the text.
Therefore, it follows that it would also be the section they
are most likely to read.
An important question in the current age of technology
is whether students consider the textbook to be an important
resource for class information. We asked students to indicate
how often they use the textbook, PowerPoint slides from the
instructor, online information from the textbook, Wikipedia,
and general Internet search, a friend, or other sources
when looking for information related to the class. Students
AN EXPLORATION OF TEXTBOOK READING BEHAVIORS
TABLE 4
Frequency Reading Textbook and Supplemental
Material
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
Frequency
reading
Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
Chapter summary (x¯ =
3.44)
Main body of the
chapter (x¯ = 3.36)
Introductory case (x¯ =
2.63)
Break out boxes (x¯ =
2.59)
Review and discussion
questions (x¯ = 2.59)
Exercises at the end of
chapter (x¯ = 2.27)
27.1
28.3
21.1
8.4
15.1
24.9
17.8
35.5
11.8
10.0
5.4
17.3
34.5
20.2
22.6
6.0
15.6
34.7
19.2
24.6
8.9
17.8
24.3
21.3
27.8
5.9
11.2
24.9
20.1
37.9
responded on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1
(never) to 5 (always). A series of paired samples t-tests
revealed several interesting findings (see Table 5). First,
students were significantly more likely to use instructorprovided PowerPoint slides as a resource of finding information than the textbook, t(167) = −9.118, p < .000. Second,
students were equally likely to use the textbook as a resource as they were to use a general Internet search, t(166) =
−0.694, p < .489. They are less likely to use the remaining
sources.
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS AND FUTURE
RESEARCH
Though exploratory in nature, our research to determine how
students use textbooks and the supplemental material in textbooks has contributed to knowledge in this area by offering
TABLE 5
Textbook as a Source for Class Information
If you have a question
regarding a problem in
class, how often do you
use the following
sources of information
...
PowerPoint slides from
instructor (x¯ = 4.42)
General Internet search
(x¯ = 3.38)
Textbook (x¯ = 3.25)
Ask a friend (x¯ = 2.77)
Wikipedia (x¯ = 2.22)
Online information
provided by textbook
(x¯ = 2.00)
Other (x¯ = 1.90)
Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
66.7
18.5
10.1
0.0
4.8
26.3
21.6
30.5
7.2
14.4
20.1
11.3
8.4
3.6
21.9
16.7
12.0
11.9
31.4
32.7
21.0
16.4
16.6
16.1
10.8
17.9
10.1
23.2
47.9
50.6
13.1
4.3
9.8
3.3
68.9
329
several relevant findings. At our university and many others,
it is recommended that students spend 3 hr per week per 3-hr
class studying in addition to in-class time. However, more
than 50% of students in the first study stated that they read
the textbook less than once a week. This led us to wonder:
Do students value the text information or do students feel
they already get the information in class and the text does
not offer additional value? This finding may be a result of
the perceived value of a rental textbook. Perhaps students
who pay for texts would be more likely to value and use the
textbook given the amount they paid.
Our research findings suggest that student decisions not to
read the textbook are not related to negative attitudes about
the textbook. In fact, the students had a generally positive
attitude about the textbook. However, it is clear that students
who read the textbook more frequently had a significantly
more positive attitude toward the textbook as well as toward
the chapter supplements. One possible explanation is that
with increased exposure, students begin to appreciate the
relevance and benefits of the textbook material.
The one supplemental element of the text stood out as being perceived as the most useful and as most read by students
was the chapter summary. Interestingly, review and discussion questions were rated as being second in usefulness after
chapter summaries, but when we compared that with the frequency of use results, we found that review and discussion
questions was among the least used supplements. That suggests that students recognize the usefulness of the review and
discussion questions but avoid actually using them because
of the increased effort and time required to answer the questions. However, an interesting question for future research
would be whether student behaviors toward the elements of
the text would vary for more qualitative versus more quantitative courses. In other words, students in a finance course
may use end-of-chapter exercises more than those in a management course.
Despite generally positive attitudes toward the textbook,
students were more likely to use PowerPoint files as their
source for class information. This is a cause for concern given
that PowerPoint slides are a presentation tool, typically with
an outline of the presentation content, and not a true in-depth
reference source. Students who rely heavily on PowerPoint
files will likely miss the details and depth necessary to truly
understand most concepts. While PowerPoint files were the
most common source for class information for students, the
textbook and general Internet searches were the second most
common. It is interesting that students are equally as likely
to use each of these sources. It is possible to assume that due
to the ease of access to information, students would be more
likely to use the Internet to locate class information.
CONCLUSIONS
As faculty, we believe it is our responsibility to evaluate the
effectiveness of our teaching and our methods. However, it
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
330
R. L. JUBAN AND T. B. LOPEZ
may be time to re-examine the value of textbooks if students
do not utilize them or their supplements. There can be little
argument that if textbooks are not regularly read by students,
then they are not an effective means of communicating material to students. This does not suggest that textbooks should
not be a part of college reading assignments; this research
does not question that texts are still a trusted repository of
tested research and knowledge in the field. In addition, many
textbooks go beyond the presentation of material to include
exercises and activities to help students further develop their
skills and learning. However, one of the most important elements of the teaching equation, the willingness of students
to actually read the material contained in the text, is often
assumed and unmeasured.
Results from our survey show that a sizable portion of
students are not regularly reading the textbook and some
may never read it at all. In addition, the supplemental material that is designed to aid students in retaining information
is often ignored. From the findings presented here, we believe that faculty who select college textbooks for courses
need to critically rethink how reading assignments are approached in college courses. Today’s college students may
be overloaded with all of the information sources they have
available. It’s possible that students ignore the value of using
a text because of all the information available to them. As
our research shows, they are equally or more likely to use
instructor-provided PowerPoint files and information from
web searches. Another explanation may be that Generation Y
students are less tolerant of textbooks that follow a structured
outline and would prefer to use more condensed forms of information, such as chapter summaries and PowerPoint files,
or electronic media that allows them to search for key terms.
The research presented here is not intended to provide
faculty with an alternative approach to course assigned textbooks or other reading assignments, instead we believe that
it points out a potential flaw in assuming that all students
diligently read course material out of some assumed sense
of obligation. As the costs of textbooks continue to rise, faculty may want to consider the value that a textbook brings
to students (i.e. using a cost-benefit analysis for requiring
a textbook). After assessing the benefit of assigning a traditional text, which could cost several hundred dollars and
may not generate much student interest, some faculty may
be encouraged to venture into other forms of reading material. E-textbooks are less expensive than hardbound texts
and offer the advantage of media searches and more interactive supplements, including video and audio files. But, these
electronic texts may suffer from some of the same problems
as other traditionally structured texts, that is, lack of student
interest. Some faculty may choose to forego a text altogether
and take advantage of free information available on the Internet. However, we should point out that information from the
Internet comes in a variety of formats. This could cause problems as students are forced to sift through unorganized and
sometimes outdated information. Another hazard involved
when using free information for learning purposes is that it
is not validated by scholars in the field and subject to change
by the provider.
It is our hope that the findings presented here will create
more interest in student reading behaviors. It would be beneficial for faculty to understand what compels some students
read the text, while others ignore it. Some of these variables
may be student centered or driven by the demands of the
course. These questions may be rooted in the criteria that
make up a good versus a poor performing student. Also, for
faculty who want to move away from traditional text, there
are a variety of factors that would need to be identified to
in choosing the best option. Whether it is time to consider
replacing textbooks with other forms of reading, or changing how we give reading assignments, we believe that it is
questioning the effectiveness of our methods that will make
us better educators.
REFERENCES
Becher, P. (1964). Management by the textbook. Management of Personnel
Quarterly, 2(4), 14–19.
Carbaugh, R., & Ghosh, K. (2005). Are textbooks priced fairly? Challenge,
48(5), 95–112.
Davis, G., & Marquis, C. (2005). Prospects for organizational theory in the
early twenty-first century: Institutional fields and mechanisms. Organizational Science, 16, 332–343.
Friedman, M., & Wilson, W. (1975). Applications of unobtrusive measures to
study textbook usage by college students. Journal of Applied Psychology,
60, 659–663.
Government Accounting Office. (2005). Enhanced offerings appear to drive
recent price increases. Washington, DC: Author.
Jonas, G., & Norman, C. (2011). Textbook websites: User technology acceptance behavior. Behaviour & Information Technology, 30,
147–159.
Kennett-Hensel, P., Sneath, J., & Pressley, M. (2007). Powerpoint and other
publisher provided supplemental materials: Oh Lord, what have we done?
Journal for Advancement of Marketing Education, 10, 1–11.
Laksmana, I., & Tietz, W. (2008). Temporal, cross-sectional, and timelag analysis of managerial and cost accounting textbooks. Accounting
Education, 17, 291–312.
Lichtenberg, J. (1992). The new paradox of the college textbook. Change,
24(5), 10–18.
Lowry, J., & Moser, W. (1995). Textbook selection: A multistep approach.
Marketing Education Review, 5(3), 21–28.
MacMillian, B. (2011, June 16). Textbook 2.0. Business Week, 28.
Razek, J. R., & Cone, R. (1981). Readability of business communication
textbooks: An empirical study. Journal of Business Communication, 18,
33–40.
Redden, M. (2011, August 23). 7 in 10 students have skipped buying a
textbook because of its costs, survey finds. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/7-in-10-Students-HaveSkipped/128785/
Rotfeld, H., & Terry, C. (2000). The textbook effect: Conventional wisdom,
myth, and error in marketing. Journal of Marketing, 64, 122–126.
Silver, L., Stevens, R., & Clow, K. (2012). Marketing professors’ perspectives on the cost of college textbooks: A pilot study. Journal of Education
for Business, 87, 1–6.
Silver, L., Stevens, R., Tiger, A., & Clow, K. (2011). Quantitative methods
professors’ persectives on the cost of college textbooks. Academy of
Information & Management Sciences Journal, 14, 39–55.
AN EXPLORATION OF TEXTBOOK READING BEHAVIORS
Downloaded by [Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji] at 21:06 11 January 2016
Spinks, N., & Wells, B. (1993). Readability: A textbook selection criterion.
Journal of Education for Business, 69, 83–88.
Stambaugh, J., & Trank, C. (2010). Not so simple, Integrating new research into textbooks. Academy of Management Learning & Education,
9, 663–681.
331
Toerner, M. (2006). Student readership of supplemental, In-chapter material
in introductory accounting textbooks. Journal of Education for Business,
82, 112–117.
Villere, M., & Stearns, G. (1976). The readability of organizational behavior
textbooks. Academy of Management Journal, 19, 132–137.