Physical Geography - Version 1

Reviewed by Justin Hartnett, Assistant Professor, James Madison University on 10/24/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 1 see less

The comprehensiveness of Physical Geography by Professor Jeremy Patrich is notably limited. While the textbook covers key components such as the atmosphere, lithosphere, and geomorphology, it entirely omits discussions on the biosphere and provides only a superficial treatment of hydrology. This incomplete coverage restricts its effectiveness as a comprehensive resource for introductory courses.

Additionally, the organization of the content could be improved, as certain units—such as Unit 2, which discusses Earth's place in the cosmos—are deemed unnecessary and do not align with the core principles of physical geography. The textbook also lacks depth in critical areas like atmospheric stability and soil classification, resulting in significant knowledge gaps.

Overall, while the text includes engaging features and a logical flow, it would benefit from more thorough exploration of essential topics and a clearer thematic organization to serve as a complete introduction to physical geography.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

The accuracy of Physical Geography by Professor Jeremy Patrich has several concerns. While the textbook includes generally reliable content, it contains notable inaccuracies and misleading representations. For example, Figure 6.3 incorrectly implies that the ionosphere and thermosphere are synonymous, when in fact the ionosphere is a subsection of the thermosphere.

Additionally, some critical atmospheric concepts, such as air stability and adiabatic processes, are either omitted or inadequately addressed, creating gaps in essential knowledge. The treatment of technical terms lacks sufficient clarification, which could lead to misunderstandings for students unfamiliar with the subject matter.

Overall, while the textbook has potential, these inaccuracies and omissions detract from its reliability as a resource for physical geography. Improved precision in content and illustrations is necessary for it to effectively convey accurate geographical principles.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

The relevance of Physical Geography by Professor Jeremy Patrich is somewhat limited due to its incomplete coverage of essential topics within the field. While it addresses key components like the atmosphere, lithosphere, and geomorphology, it entirely omits discussions on the biosphere and offers only a superficial treatment of hydrology. This gap reduces its applicability for a comprehensive introductory course in physical geography.

Additionally, the inclusion of certain units, such as the discussion of Earth’s place in the cosmos, is deemed unnecessary for the subject matter, further detracting from its relevance. The lack of depth in important areas, like atmospheric stability and soil classification, means that students may not gain a full understanding of critical concepts that are integral to physical geography.

The text's limitations in scope and depth diminish its relevance as a primary resource for students seeking a well-rounded introduction to physical geography. To enhance its relevance, the text would benefit from broader coverage and a more focused approach on core themes in the discipline.

Clarity rating: 4

While the textbook generally presents information in a structured manner, certain concepts and technical terms are not adequately defined or explained, which can lead to confusion for students. For example, terms like aphelion and perihelion are mentioned but lack sufficient context, making it difficult for learners unfamiliar with these concepts to grasp their meanings.

The treatment of critical topics, such as atmospheric stability and soil classification, is also superficial, leaving significant gaps in knowledge that are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of physical geography.

Overall, while the text includes engaging elements and logical transitions, the lack of clear definitions, accurate representations, and thorough explanations detracts from its overall clarity. To improve this aspect, the textbook would benefit from more explicit explanations, better-defined terms, and accurate visual representations to ensure that students can effectively understand and engage with the material.

Consistency rating: 4

This was a notable strength of the text as it used consistent terminology and flow to the different units. I would recommend a glossary for terms that are introduced that students may be unfamiliar with.

Modularity rating: 5

This also was a strength of the text as it was divided into logical section with manageable content.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 2

The organization of Physical Geography by Professor Jeremy Patrich has notable strengths and weaknesses. The textbook features a generally logical structure, with smooth transitions between topics within individual units, which helps guide students through foundational concepts effectively. However, the overall organization could be improved for greater coherence and focus.

One significant issue is the inclusion of Unit 2, which discusses Earth's place in the cosmos; this topic is deemed unnecessary for a physical geography course and detracts from the core themes of the subject. Additionally, the organization of units is not thematically coherent, as critical areas like the biosphere and hydrology are underrepresented, leading to an uneven distribution of content depth.

Recommendations for improvement include restructuring the units to better align with core themes, such as consolidating discussions of the atmosphere, lithosphere, and geomorphology into more cohesive sections. Overall, while the text has a logical flow at the unit level, a more thematic organization would enhance its clarity and effectiveness as a comprehensive resource for students.

Interface rating: 4

Images were clear, easy to access and read. There was a disproportionate amount of activities embedded in the geologic units and could benefit from more links/external resources for the other sections.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Overall, the text was well written with no noticeable grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

There were no concerns raised while reviewing the text.

Comments

In conclusion, Physical Geography by Professor Jeremy Patrich possesses several strengths, including an engaging format and logical topic flow. However, the textbook's limitations, particularly its incomplete coverage of critical physical geography topics and some organizational issues, hinder its effectiveness as an introductory resource. The lack of depth in discussing the biosphere, hydrology, and essential atmospheric concepts means that the book may not serve well in a broader introductory course on physical geography.

For the text to reach its full potential, substantial revisions are recommended, including the incorporation of additional themes such as biogeography and a clearer thematic organization of units. Enhancing the clarity of terms and figures, as well as providing a more comprehensive overview of physical geography, would make this textbook a more valuable resource for students and educators alike. While it shows promise, Physical Geography currently fits better as a specialized text focusing on lithospheric or geomorphological studies rather than a broad introduction to the discipline.

Reviewed by Jackie Gallagher, Associate Professor, University of Mary Washington on 8/6/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 2 see less

The table of contents is detailed. There is no index or glossary. There are 18 units, and each has a summary. While most areas of physical geography are touched on, details are lacking, the content feels thin. Example: climates of the world are not discussed, although they are introduced. There are no climographs. There is nothing on biomes or biogeography. The section on Atmosphere feels jumpy as it covers so much in a short unit. Based on topics with which my own students struggle, more diagrams and more detailed explanations would be beneficial.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text appears to be accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The content does not use very recent examples but rather general terms for types of events, and classic examples, like the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.

Clarity rating: 3

The text is written in an approachable manner for an undergraduate, with an almost chatty style or familiarity that I find a bit distracting. In places, there are many examples; elsewhere, phrases are introduced but not explained. Figures are all numbered, but the numbers are not used by the text when referring to figures, leading to confusion. Unit headings are not numbered. Although they are hierarchical by text style, it is easy to get lost. There are spelling mistakes (e.g., atmospheric gasses) and occasional more significant errors (e.g., greenhouse gas section describes a table that does not appear).

Consistency rating: 5

The text is consistent.

Modularity rating: 4

This is true, but use of numbers within units, and connections between units, would be beneficial. An example is connecting unity 6 on earth's atmosphere with unit 17, where they hydrologic cycle is shown.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

For the most part, this is true, but numbering sections, and use of figure numbers in referring to diagrams, would increase clarity.

Interface rating: 5

The interface worked.

Grammatical Errors rating: 3

There are a few spelling mistakes, and some changes in voice even within the same sentence.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I found no cultural insensitivities.

Comments

There are no references. For the student who wants a deeper explanation, or to follow up on a topic, there is nowhere to go. A glossary would be very valuable.

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.