Physical Geography - Version 1

Reviewed by Dimitar Dimitrov, Geography Instructor, Portland Community College on 6/13/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to many topics in the field of physical geography, but it is unbalanced in favor of geology/geomorphology. There is no unit focused on the hydrosphere. Instead, there are two units - Unit 16: Shaped by Coastal Processes, and Unit 17: Shaped by Rivers & Running Water, discussing mostly the role of water as a geomorphic agent. Thus, the textbook falls short of information about important topics like properties of water, ocean currents, lakes, etc. Also, there is no unit about the biosphere.
Each unit starts with a Goals and Objectives section and ends up with a Summary. The text is well illustrated with tables and figures. However, there are no discussions, study questions, or other activities to help students understand the concepts introduced.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I didn’t find any inaccurate information in the textbook.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The textbook is fairly relevant. As it is the case with the physical geography textbooks in principle, the basic concepts covered are not subject to obsolescence.

Clarity rating: 5

The textbook is clearly written and understandable for students who are encountering the basics of physical geography for the first time.

Consistency rating: 5

The textbook is consistent in terms of structure, terminology and framework.

Modularity rating: 5

The units are arranged by topics, beginning with introduction to geography as a discipline. It would be better if the unit introducing geology and geologic time (Unit 3) precedes not the unit about cartography, but the unit about basic mineral development. All of the material could be easily rearranged in accordance with the instructor’s approach.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text is well organized and the flow is logical. A possible improvement would be a unit/units about hydrology, following Unite 7: Weather and Climate, and a unit/units about biosphere, preceding Unit 19: Shaped by Glaciers.

Interface rating: 5

I found no interface issues. Additionally, the textbook is very easy to navigate.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text is well-edited for grammar and I found no grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I didn’t find any offensive language or culturally insensitive issues in both the text and the illustrations.

Comments

The textbook will benefit a lot if the hydrosphere and the biosphere are also covered. Additionally, creating a test bank for the instructors, some activities for the students, and including more maps in the text might be considered possible improvements.