Human Anatomy and Physiology Preparatory Course

Reviewed by Geraldine Woodberry-Wright, Professor, Tidewater Community College on 12/23/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

This is an excellent book for a Anatomy and Physiology 2 -semester pre-requisite course. This is not a stand alone text and will require supplementation with other resources. Yet, It is a better alternative than using a complete A & P 2-semester textbook . The textbook will need supplementation in the areas of cell division, cellular respiration and cell organelles, Yet, I feel it is better to add content than to simplify a more complex textbook.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The textbook is accurate and concepts are clearly presented.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The textbook is very relevant, yet I feel the addition of a template to address case studies, current discoveries or research topics could be beneficial.

Clarity rating: 4

The textbook is written in easy to understand language. The readably is appropriate for an advanced high school or 1-100 level college course.

Consistency rating: 5

The terminology is consistent throughout the text.

Modularity rating: 5

The layout of the textbook is excellent and mirrors introductory Anatomy and Physiology textbooks.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book is well organized. The major detour from traditional Anatomy textbooks is that organ systems are introduced at the end of the textbook instead of in chapter one when Anatomy and Physiology are defined.

Interface rating: 4

I had difficulty opening the files to read the Learning objectives. The other links I explored were accessible and opened to a new page.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The textbook is grammatically correct.

Cultural Relevance rating: 2

The textbook images lack diversity. The images need to be updated to exhibit inclusivity and equity

Reviewed by Tina Ramme, Professor of Biology, Massachusetts Bay Community College on 11/9/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This textbook provides a solid basic review of Human Anatomy and Physiology units for a preparatory-level course to enhance a student understanding of the content and support their success in Anatomy and Physiology courses.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The terminology and concepts are accurate. The content was clearly described and accurste.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content of this book is current and relevant and uses modern descriptions.

Clarity rating: 5

This book expressed clarity and relevance important to students who are preparing for further studies in the subject of Anatomy and Physiology. The language was clear and relatable to first year anatomy and physiology students. The descriptions and explanations on figures and other graphics are clear and easy to understand.

Consistency rating: 5

The content was consistent throughout the book. Terminology and descriptions were consistent. Some images were small for reading on devices.

Modularity rating: 5

The book had good modularity that was very easy to use. It was divided into usable sections with an adequate number of images in each section to support the content to enhance understanding.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The book was well-organized in a logical manner that reflects standard content for Anatomy and Physiology courses. Using numbers to divide the section would improve its organization and ease of locating content.

Interface rating: 4

The interface is good but could be improved by increased consistency in image size. Some images were poor quality for viewing.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No noticible grammatical errors were found.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The book was culturally relevant without any noticable lapses.

Comments

I would recommend this text book to supplement course content in an anatomy and physiology course or as a preparatory course for students with little prior experience in the subject.

Reviewed by Akash Garg, Department Chair, Spartanburg Community College on 9/19/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This particular text is very well organized with appropriate outline objectives. Each chapter is well outlined and easy to read for any student preparing for Anatomy and Physiology coursework. I do think it is a wonderful tool for those entering basic anatomy and physiology. My purpose with this text is to familiarize students on the basics needed for the first few weeks of coursework

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Content seems to be correct, may be a difference in spelling for a few terms here and there. The text itself is on the simple side and at times more descriptive terms may be required for the student to understand the topic more fully.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This book provides the basics and with that in mind updates to this text while not needed at this time could be made easily. It is tough for any prep course in anatomy and physiology to need updating.

Clarity rating: 4

I wish the explanations were a bit more detailed and an answer key at the end of this manual would really help students understand if they retained the information. However combined with an instructor to go over answers this is more than adequate.

Consistency rating: 5

The framework is clear and methodical.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is very well organized into modules. Very easy to assign or split sections to students. Adding extra details would also be very easy to do as the supplement materials could follow each module already presented.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

This books starts in a manner that fits our course guidelines. The flow of the course is proper.

Interface rating: 5

No broken links or glitches, very easy to navigate

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No major errors that I noticed

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Science and culture do not always go hand in hand. So for the purpose of the course I feel it is fine.

Comments

As a prepatory aid and supplemental guide, this would be a wonderful resource. As a sole resource for a course I can not fully recommend as I do think students may have a need for some more detailed explanation on certain topics. I do think this is a very useful tool!

Reviewed by Joy Colley, Biology Instructor, Aiken Technical College on 5/13/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The majority of the information is exactly what I need for an introductory A&P course and provides a good baseline for terminology that will be used throughout an intro A&P course. It really can’t be used as an only resource for a college class without chapters on individual body systems, but I can certainly see it being used as designed as a “prep” to get things rolling and get students comfortable with core concepts.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Page 5 LO content #3. “Ethymology”
This term is spelled incorrectly in the header, text, and referred web link. The correct word is “etymology,” there is no “h” in this term.
I found a few definitions (example: “covalent bond” on page 24) to be different in the intro vs. the detailed portion of LO 14. Covalent bonds do occur between “atoms of the same molecule” but not exclusively. One of the examples used is CO2, which does not exactly match your initial definition.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The basic, fundamental chemical and biological terminology presented in this text hasn’t changed relative to recent history. Examples used throughout were “classic” and appropriate other than homeostasis (Module 3 LO 5). Most bio texts discuss homeostasis and use body temperature as an example. I have fought this for years as being the “only example” that students remember when in fact there are literally thousands of examples that could be used. I don’t mind temperature control here as long as there are several others introduced as well

Clarity rating: 5

Students are often intimidated by scientific terms, and this text was particularly good at simplifying the terms in an easily understandable way. The definitions and examples have solid, straight-forward definitions crafted with easy to digest, plain words. There is often a delicate balance between hard to pronounce/hard to understand terminology and much too simple explanations/analogies, but this text hits just the right balance of the 2.
Instructions for the end-of-section questions were worded in an odd way: “do not used loose words.” Perhaps this is a regional phrase? As an instructor, I understand the gist of what they want (or don’t want) here, but it seemed needlessly confusing.

Consistency rating: 4

The text has consistent framework for each module and uses the terminology in a consistent way

Modularity rating: 5

I liked the way each overall topic was separated into several specific topics. This made sense logically and provided just the right amount of info for each concept.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

This prep text is organized in a very “classic” way (simple to more complex) that can be seen in the majority of intro A&P texts and would nicely integrate into a full course.

Interface rating: 4

The entire text is right-justified, which can be distracting and I personally would prefer normal, consistent spacing. Several tables (examples: 2.2, 3.2) are difficult to read and interpret because they are not aligned properly.
The ACTIVITIES would not play on my computer. I received 2 layers of “warnings” about opening this type of .swf file which made me extremely reluctant to open them. Students would likely feel the same way. I do not have access to a flash player, so I could never got these activities to load/run.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

Page 5. Missing an apostrophe; “sources of words etymology” should be possessive = “sources of word’s etymology”

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I did not encounter any offensive or inappropriate verbiage, examples, or diagrams in this text.

Comments

The best part of this prep text is the well-crafted language used throughout to explain each concept. Just the right balance of jargon and layman to be effective! I wish this was an entire text with body system chapters because I would adopt it immediately for my intro A&P.

Reviewed by Melissa DeMotta, Associate Professor, Clarke University on 1/11/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Basic review of topics from general biology that will improve the success of students in anatomy and physiology.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Some terminology may need to be modified depending on the primary textbook used but is accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content in this book is needed to be successful in an Anatomy and Physiology course and is typically taught in a general biology course. This is an excellent resource for review of that information for students who did not take a general biology course prior to Anatomy and Physiology or would benefit students who just finished the general biology course.

Clarity rating: 5

The etymology of the terms is an excellent way to help students understand the terminology. As a review, this resource is succinct which allows students to maximize their time.

Consistency rating: 5

Terminology should be compared to the primary textbook chosen for the course to ensure terms align, but otherwise is consistent within the text itself.

Modularity rating: 5

Modules are effective. Activities are logical and useful.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization of this information in this textbook is similar to other textbooks and is logical.

Interface rating: 5

None detected

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

On page 7 in the "Learning objectives content" section --
Author uses Ethymology -- The correct term is Etymology.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Text is not culturally insensitive or offensive. The science at this basic level does not require or lend itself to inclusiveness.

Comments

This textbook is an excellent review resource for students who are registered for an Anatomy and Physiology textbook. It is not meant to be a stand-alone text for the course but could be an optional resource for students to prepare for the course.

Reviewed by Jay Joshi, Adjunct Science Professor, Roxbury Community College on 6/23/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 2 see less

Not comprehensive for all of A&P - only introduction chapters.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Relevant for small portion of course. Would love to be more comprehensive.

Clarity rating: 4

Clear.

Consistency rating: 4

Consistent.

Modularity rating: 3

Not easily modularized.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Good organization

Interface rating: 5

Perfect

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Good.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Nothing offensive I came across.

Comments

Overall, solid resource and will continue to use as one of my OER resources.

Reviewed by Matthew Goff, Assistant Professor, Virginia Western Community College on 3/18/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

For a preparatory course, this textbook does cover most of the information needed for an A&P course or course sequence. However, I would have like for more information to be included on cell cycle, replication, transcription, translation, and more depth in anatomical terms.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

All of the information presented seems to be accurate and concise.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The material is obviously relevant for the nature of the textbook and will not become obsolete.

Clarity rating: 4

The material was presented in a very clear and concise manner. However, some information may need more elaboration to assist students in understanding the material. For example, the four primary tissues types were just briefly discussed. Having examples of the tissues types and discussing differences would better help student understanding.

Consistency rating: 4

The framework of the textbook is very consistent.

Modularity rating: 5

The textbook is divided into modules that is very easy for students to follow and in my opinion, arranged in the correct order for this type of preparatory course.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Again, the textbook is divided into modules that is very easy for students to follow and in my opinion, arranged in the correct order for this type of preparatory course. Having short quizzes after the sections and links placed throughout were all organized in a manner that was easy to follow.

Interface rating: 5

I did not come across any interface issues. All of the links that I tried opened without any glitches.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not catch any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It is very direct and to the point based on the nature of the textbook.

Comments

I teach a preparatory A&P course at my college and I will most likely use this as a supplemental resource.

Reviewed by MDT Rahman, Lecturer, LAGCC on 5/17/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Good to understanding basic fundamental of Human body organ and their function.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

All the information is correct and logical.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

all the content is up to date.

Clarity rating: 5

clarify is clear and more details

Consistency rating: 5

all the medical terminology is good for all kind of student.

Modularity rating: 5

easy to read and memorize the information.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

all the topic is well organization.

Interface rating: 5

easy to online applicable.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

no grammatical error.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

no cultural insensitivity.

Comments

I recommended the book of higher education.

Reviewed by Adam Franssen, Associate Professor of Biology, Longwood University on 4/5/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

This book is not designed to be comprehensive, but rather as preparation for taking much more detailed A&P courses. The question one might have is if the sections that are present are comprehensive enough. For example, the discussion hydrophillic and hydrophobic molecules on pages 32 and 33 doesn't include information on WHY a molecule might be one or the other or even how it is physiologically relevant. That could hinder a student progressing into the main A&P course and is perhaps not comprehensive enough. On the other hand, the very brief covering of functions of organ systems on pages 80-83 may be comprehensive enough since the expectation would be that a more detailed presentation of those systems would follow.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Yes, the book is mostly accurate. The text is intentionally simplistic and there may be places (such as the hypdrophobic/hydrophillic example above) where more information would help a student as they layer new information on top of what is presented here.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

New examples from current research can be added to any text, but the basic chemical and biological information here is relevant and will remain useful for years.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is clear and easy to read. In one or two places information is presented in a way that might not immediately be clear for readers. For example, why is the word "liquid" italicized and "sugary water" in quotes in the first lines of page 34? Liquid is presented un-italicized elsewhere in the text and "sugary water" isn't really a thing. These minor issues could conceivably leave a student with unnecessary questions about what they are learning.

Consistency rating: 5

The book is organized clearly in to units. Each unit has Modules that contain Learning Objectives, the actual text with figures, Concepts, Terms, & Facts, Study Questions, and a quiz. Readers progressing through the textbook quickly become familiar with this consistent pattern/layout. Similarly, the level of language and terminology appears to be consistent throughout.

Modularity rating: 5

Modularity is a strength of this book. The book is clearly scaffolded such that one section builds upon the knowledge learned in the last, yet each module is mostly self-contained. One can imagine a professor having students skip a section because it was covered at a different point in the curriculum or switching the order in which the macromolecule units are presented to fit the needs of the class. Each module is short, clear, and easily digestible (pun intended).

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The text is well organized into modules with clear learning objectives. Further, knowledge scaffolding is similar to what is found in other A&P textbooks, starting at the atomic level and working to organ systems. Two suggestions for improvement would be to clarify that Modules 3-6 are all about macromolecules. Perhaps something like, "Module 6: Macromolecules - Carbohydrates", "Module 7: Macromolecules - Lipids" etc. Alternatively, those modules could be grouped as Unit 2. A second suggestion for improvement would be to include transcription, translation, and cellular respiration as topics covered. These are of course critical concepts that help inform WHY it's important to understand macromolecules and the functioning of organ systems. That said, this, like other omissions, seems to be intentional to reduce the overall content for this preparatory course.

Interface rating: 4

Navigation within the PDF works perfectly. It's also easy to click on hyperlinks out to other sites. Two things that could be improved are a) not using underline for emphasis since the reader might initially view these as hyperlinks; b) some of the hyperlinks are very general. For example, the hyperlink on page 18 to OpenStax takes you to the main page, which means that a student would have to further click around to find the correct textbook and information relevant to the elemental composition of humans.

Removing the "This content available free" watermark on every page would tremendously improve readability. There is a disclaimer at the bottom of every page, which could be sufficient.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There may be some minor errors, but nothing more than are occasionally found in other textbooks.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Culture isn't a critical part of Anatomy and Physiology at this level. Students can be introduced to demographic-specific risk factors later in their health/biomedical careers. However, it would be ideal if the images included non-whites as well. For example, the figures on pages 81 and 82 could be modified to be more inclusive.

Comments

This textbook is simultaneously more (it covers many topics) and less (not as much depth) comprehensive than might be expected of a preparatory course. As an anatomy professor, it would be great if students came to the first class with a complete understanding of the material in Units 1-4 . If that were the case, the "official" anatomy class could begin with a review of cells continue into tissues, organs, etc. That would help otherwise novice students start the class on similar footing with those who have already have a background in introductory biology and/or chemistry.

However, it might not be necessary for this preparatory course to make the final jump to organs and organ systems in Unit 5. It's not a big difference from what is presented here, but I would rather students be introduced to the language of A&P (e.g., prefixes such as osteo-, mylo-) to help ready them for the significant memorization of new terms that awaits them in the full A&P course.

Overall, I like the concept and can see this textbook as a valuable resource for novice students about to take A&P.

Reviewed by Audrey Cramer, Instructor, Lane Community College on 1/6/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Very good
A few glaring omissions such as not including psoriasis with skin disorders (it is also not listed in Table 21.7 on autoimmune disorders).
Excellent detail on joints, especially ligaments described for the ankle and foot movements.
Should include diagrams of muscle movements, not just text (difficult for students to follow)
Very thorough info on cardiovascular system
Lack of respiratory system details, especially the missing respiratory disorders

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Somatic nervous system chapter includes the senses? Senses should have their own separate chapter, as they have both somatic and autonomic responses.
Otherwise, done well.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Overall very good.

Clarity rating: 4

Many diagrams need to be larger
Bones and muscles should have photos, not just drawings. It is difficult for students to learn bones and muscles well, including on models and cadavers without photos to follow.

Consistency rating: 5

Overall very good; there is a generally consistent level of detail and logical flow between each chapter and topic.
One example that could be fixed: In skin disorders, there are photos of all examples except acne (a relatively easy photo to obtain). Instead there is an illustration, so it’s odd to see this follow only photos of other examples

Modularity rating: 5

Overall very good; there is a generally consistent level of detail and logical flow between each chapter and topic.
One example that could be fixed: In skin disorders, there are photos of all examples except acne (a relatively easy photo to obtain). Instead there is an illustration, so it’s odd to see this follow only photos of other examples

I like the way it’s laid out, with clear titles for each section. One possible improvement would be to corral related pathologies in each chapter.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Well organized and flows well
The Neurological Exam chapter includes information that would best be integrated as part of the relevant nervous system chapters, and NOT as a chapter itself. IF left as its own chapter, then maybe include a Cardiovascular Exam chapter, as this is an equally important part of inspecting a person’s general health.

Interface rating: 4

Large areas of white space (layout could be improved)
For ex. Pg. 751 is ¼ print and ¾ blank; this is where the thyroid gland is described. Then pg. 752 (fig 17.12) shows the thyroid gland in 3 sub-figures; two of those could fit on pg. 751
Also, pg. 1061 is ¼ full. There are others. Most diagrams need to be larger to be easier to learn and study.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

Some minor typos on questions. Two examples are: pg. 38, ques 12 (b) missing “s” and Pg. 1029, ques 8 “to pathogen” should be “to a pathogen”. There are others.
Some incorrect terminology: For example on fig. 4.19, “neuron cells” should be “neurons” (cell is implied in the term neuron)
Some inconsistencies: For example, pg. 1281 and 1282, spell raphae, then raphe for the same anatomical place (the medial scrotal line).

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Overall very good, precisely because it does NOT contain information about human clinal differences (they are not necessary)

Comments

They needs to be more photos of tissues and organs to complement the relatively good drawings and figures. I think more visual content is necessary before this textbook will be widely adopted. There are even areas where movements and directional flows are described with no accompanying illustrations; maybe that should change. Of course, that would add to the length of the text, so it's a trade-off in terms of cost.

Reviewed by Kelly Carlson, Professor, Minnesota State Community and Technical College on 6/19/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This text provides an introduction to different body systems and will help familiarize students with basic concepts of anatomy and physiology. This book is also a good option for programs that only require an introduction to anatomy and physiology.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

This book was accurate and free from errors.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This book was published in 2015 and is up-to-date, this book provides basic knowledge of the body chemistry, and cell biology.

Clarity rating: 5

The text was clear and concise. The modules and learning objectives are easy to follow.

Consistency rating: 4

The terminology is consistent through the book.

Modularity rating: 4

This text is divided by modules and learning objectives. This book is for basic anatomy and physiology and does not go into detail of all the organs and body systems.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The book is broken down by modules and learning objectives which are easy to follow. I found the flow to be logical, keep in mind this book is a very basic A & P book.

Interface rating: 4

Accessing this book was very easy to navigate. I was unable to use the link provided to review the quizzes. The images and charts were clear and detailed.

Grammatical Errors rating: 3

I found a few grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This book is culturally neutral since it focuses on the body and includes images of all human body systems.

Comments

I reviewed this book because our program teaches an Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology. Our students do not need to get in-depth cellular biology as most textbooks cover. This is text would be a good supplement to the current information we provide our students.

Reviewed by Jennifer Mansfield, Annual Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Cincinnati Clermont College on 3/27/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book's title does not give the scope of the material but reading the description provides more information. The book covers an introduction to homeostasis, chemistry, biochemistry and cells. It adds in a very brief introduction of the organ systems at the end. I would almost like to see a subtitle that indicates where the books stops in terms of the A&P concepts. Having said that, once I saw the more complete description and module titles, it was clear to me what material was being covered. The material presented in the book is comprehensive and to the depth needed to prepare students for the initial weeks of an A&P course.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I found the book contained the major concepts that need to be covered and topics were covered accurately.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This book provides the fundamentals for an A&P course- meaning the chemistry, biochemistry and cell biology necessities as well as concepts related to homeostasis. The text could be updated easily (i.e. if additional information about organelles needed to be included) if needed.

Clarity rating: 5

This is a very nice introduction to a variety of concepts. The material is summarized and written in a clear, concise manner.

Consistency rating: 5

The book uses terminology consistently and flows from one topic to the next.

Modularity rating: 5

I like the number of modules in this book. Students (and professors) can easily chunk the material into manageable segments.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

This books starts and overview of A&P and homeostasis and then continues with chemistry and builds through biochemistry into cells. At the end it overviews the organ systems. This is a very logical way to present the material.

Interface rating: 4

I did get confused in accessing this book. I chose online access and then was directed to a .pdf. There was a note about accessing quizzes but when clicking on the link I was taken to an actual course. If I was to use this book, I would encourage the use of the .pdf version.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

There are very few opportunities include "a variety of races, ethnicities and backgrounds" as most of the images are chemical structures and diagrams. The few images of human systems did appear to be Caucasian.

Comments

I chose to review this book hoping it may be used in an Introduction to A&P class (taken by health data management students) which is a lower level course than the nursing A&P course. The information in this book would be a great substitute for about half of my semester. I would love to see additional modules that introduce each organ system in a little more depth. That was not the objective of this book however, and I will consider using this book along with additional resources. I do recommend this book.

Reviewed by Karen M. Mathis, Associate Professor of Biology, University of Cincinnati Clermont College on 3/27/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

This cannot be used for a stand alone course. Although it would be somewhat useful as a review tool for students entering an A&P course taught for allied health sciences (nursing, PTA, surgical technology, etc), it is too simplistic and does not contain enough detail. Some information is vague to the point of inaccuracy. Please see below in "Accuracy" section for specific information.

I do think with addition to this text it could be very useful as a preparatory tool.

Content Accuracy rating: 2

There are some significant inaccuracies due to "simplification." The definition of an atom should be more concrete. The explanation of atomic mass is incorrect and leaves out a discussion of isotopes altogether (which are important clinically). The initial definition of a covalent bond is incorrect. The description of pH is too simplistic and does not explain the difference between units. The definition and description of buffers is incorrect/incomplete initially; although it gives a better description later in the text, this would be difficult for a student to discern which is correct. No description of primary, secondary, or tertiary structure in the description of proteins. No discussion of shape and action in enzymes section-this is A&P at its most basic, but this is ignored. Figure 3.28c indicates that the sugar in DNA is ribose. The link to a review of DNA is quite good but far too complicated given the level of the material in this text. The description of organelle function is incredibly incomplete. No discussion of processes of basic cell function like transcription, translation or mitosis. The unit on organ systems is also too brief. There should at the very least be a list of the organs involved in each system and a bit more detail as to overall function to truly call this a "unit"

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

It would be difficult for an A&P text to become obsolete. This is a good start. Additions to the text would be very welcome.

Clarity rating: 2

Too simplistic of explanations. Reiteration of definitions would lead to confusion on the part of students. The Study Questions at the end of each Learning Objective are simply asking the student to parrot what they read above, not to synthesize ideas. An "Answer Key" at the end would be appropriate if the questions had greater detail.

Consistency rating: 4

The framework is very consistent, as is the language and "voice."

Modularity rating: 4

I think the modules are appropriate in their headings. I think the Unit on organs is much too short and vague. I think the Introduction Unit should contain information about directions, names of regions and body parts (i.e., the neck is "cervical"), planes and cavities.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

Although I think the overall topic organization makes sense and is typical of nearly all A&P books, I did find the organization within some modules to be confusing. For example, Figures 2.1 and 2.2 depict atomic structure in ways that are artistic more than accurate. Proper orbital structure diagrams are used later in the unit-they should be included from the first. A student with no previous knowledge would be unable to tell which is correct and would possibly learn the incorrect forms instead of the correct forms. The link for valence orbits is very nice. The description of a base is not very appropriate for living cells, but more for a chemistry class. I liked the description of functional groups as well as the information on carbohydrates and lipids. I would have liked to see more connection to the "real world" and depiction of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. A table delineating the differences between DNA and RNA would be helpful to students.

Interface rating: 1

I found the giant blue "this content is available for free" very distracting. I cannot emphasize that enough.
I could not access the quizzes so cannot comment on them.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

A few grammar issues here and there-nothing too disturbing.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

Not really applicable because it is about the way the body functions. However, all images of humans are depictions of Caucasians.

Comments

The video link for water and hydrogen bonds was very nice. The text regarding organelles should be beefed up and organized in a fashion that makes it easy to see a description of each individual and its function.
A unit on study skills would be appropriate.

Reviewed by Linda Fergusson-Kolmes, Instructor Biology, Portland Community College on 6/20/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The reference material is very well organized with clearly outline objectives. Each chapter is well outlined and indexed. It is designed to support a preparatory course and this may be very useful for students planning to take a 100 level Anatomy and Physiology course but it would not be enough background to prepare a student for a 200 level course without some additional support.

The topic introductions are very basic and an instructor might find that more work would need to be done to have a student prepared to understand the complexities of membrane transport or protein structure.

Introductory chemistry is covered at a very basic level as are cellular organelles. Cellular respiration is not covered nor are concepts like transcription and translation.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The content is good. There are a few places where it is simplified enough that an instructor might want to make sure that the student did not come away with assumptions that were not correct.
For example atomic weight and mass number are presented as equivalent. This is not correct. However, most of the issues are with a beginning explanation that was very simple and it is hard to do that when the process or structure is not as simple.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content is basic enough that it is unlikely to date quickly. It is very clearly written and very well supported with good diagrams.

Clarity rating: 5

This text is very readable.

Consistency rating: 5

The framework is clear and very consistent.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is very well organized into units. It would be very reasonable to give as pre-reading. An instructor could also easily add in the detail required to support their course if need be. The text is nicely formatted.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization is standard for an introductory textbook and flows logically.

Interface rating: 5

There were a few minor issues with some of the visuals e.g. figure 3.18 is missing some bonds, but overall the visuals are clear. Navigating the chapters is easy. Accessing the quizzes is also straightforward and well-explained.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors were noted

Cultural Relevance rating: 1

The text did not appear to be culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. The basic chemistry presented did not lend itself to the use of inclusive examples. It was a very basic introduction and did not provide much in the way of contextual narrative.

Comments

This would not be a candidate for a text for a term long class that was a prerequisite for Anatomy and Physiology but it was not designed to do that. It is designed to be a brief introduction to some of the topics that Anatomy and Physiology students need.