From: Michael Gizzi
Date: 4/19/99
Time: 3:09:47 PM
Remote Name: 198.233.35.32
I have used a textbook for most of the past decade. While I agree that it is hard to get intro students to read the text; I am really doubtful that assigning them multiple "real" books will result in more reading.
When I took the American Government course as an undergraduate, the course was taught without a textbook. I recall purchasing about 6 books for the course. The problem that I recall with that approach, if I can think back 13 years, is that it was hard to read an entire book on Congress in a course in which only a week or so was spent on Congress. The same was true with the book we were assigned on the presidency. I don't think I finished most of the books assigned that semester.
Now, as a professor, I think about how hard it is to cover most of the things I feel I should be covering, and wouldn't even think about assigning book-length material to issues that get 3 or 4 classes dedicated to it. At least the textbook enables students to read a smattering about each topic.