Good article. As a reviewer I have often found that none of my suggestions are incorporated. Example: Plotnik text continued use of that stupid tongue map! Twice I reviewed the text and twice I provided solid evidence to back up my contention that it should be dumped. I was NOT paid handsomely and already was using the text prior to being asked to review it! So I thought AHA, they want feedback from someone already familiar with the text....
I am currently reviewing a human memory full text--about 1000 pages, for a paltry $200--I am in the market but I don't think that will be motivation to adopt or not. Annette Quoting "ROBERT [EMAIL PROTECTED]@MATHSCIENCE" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Very interesting and certainly food for thought and topics for discussion on > a number of different levels. > > For those of you who have published text books, is the perception that > reviews (obtained by a publisher) have little influence on the final product > and/or on the revision process a true/realistic perception? > > Rob Flint > ---------------------------- > Robert W. Flint, Jr., Ph.D. > Assistant Professor of Psychology > The College of Saint Rose > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Renner, Michael [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Mon 6/23/2003 10:24 AM > To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences > Cc: > Subject: Chronicle article - Selling Out: a Textbook Example > > TIPsters - > > I thought this article might be of interest. It's long, but raises troubling > issues that are worthy of some serious discussion. > > Michael Renner > > _________________________________________________________________ > The Chronicle of Higher Education > From the issue dated June 27, 2003 > > Selling Out: a Textbook Example > > By THOMAS BARTLETT > > James Williams received his letter last fall. "Dear > Professor," it began.The form letter went on to offer him > $4,000 for reviewing an introductory history textbook. "I > thought, 'That's an interesting amount of money,'" says the > associate professor of history at Middle Tennessee State > University. > > Mr. Williams filled out a form online, as the letter > requested. A few days into the application process, however, > he began to feel uncomfortable. When it became clear that in > order to receive the money, he would have to require his > students to buy the book, he backed out. He had "several > ethical issues" with accepting money to adopt a textbook, he > told the company. > > "I could come to no other conclusion," Williams says, "than > the reason they do this is to sell expensive books to large > numbers of students, and the professor would be bribed to do > it." > > His colleague, Amy Staples, received the same letter. The > assistant professor of history had similar reservations. But > the lure of the $4,000 -- "twice what I make in a month > take-home pay," she says -- was too strong. "I bought a house > in June, and I needed a washer and dryer. I had decided to use > a textbook and -- poof! -- all the stars aligned and I got > this letter in the mail." > > When asked whether she understands that she was adopting a > textbook for money, Ms. Staples pauses for a moment. "Yeah," > she says. > > The average college student spends $450 a year on textbooks. > That student coughs up the money assuming that the books > listed as "required reading" have been selected by a professor > concerned with what's best for the class. > > Yet what goes on behind the scenes between professors and > publishers might make students question whether anyone has > their interests at heart. Interviews with top publishing > executives, textbook sales representatives, and professors > across the country reveal a pattern of ethically questionable > financial arrangements between deans and publishers, of > kickbacks masquerading as royalties, even of professors' being > paid thousands of dollars to adopt a book. > > "To be blunt, you have to find a way to buy off the > professor," says one sales representative at a large textbook > company. > > As the industry has become more competitive, sales > representatives are feeling the pressure. Their jobs often > depend on the number of "textbook adoptions" they win. That's > industry-speak for persuading a professor to require a book. > Big publishers like Thompson Learning, McGraw-Hill Education, > and Pearson Education dominate the $6-billion market, while > smaller players like Houghton Mifflin, W.W. Norton, and Wiley > Publishing fight over what's left, carving out niches in > certain disciplines. > > But the publisher that is attracting the most attention is not > among those giants. It's a tiny California company with just > a handful of books in its catalog. North West Publishing, the > source of the letters to Mr. Williams and Ms. Staples, has > been offering thousands of dollars to professors who adopt its > books. Some argue that such an approach is not much different > from what larger publishers do -- just less subtle. > > "They've pushed the envelope one notch further from where it > already was," says Robin Hahnel, a professor of economics at > American University. > > By pushing that envelope, North West has also forced > professors to ask themselves which comes first -- their > students or their wallets. > > Strings Attached > > Francine M. Butler's qualms about North West's offer were > overcome by the desire to pay off her back taxes. "I failed an > audit with the IRS and this caught me up," says the professor > of economics at Grand View College. "They made me do it by the > pure profit angle." > > For Julie L. Smith, too, profit was the deciding factor. "I > had a student-loan payment come due," says the assistant > professor of history at the University of North Carolina at > Pembroke. > > To Gerhard Grytz, an adjunct professor of history at Idaho > State University, $4,000 seemed like a hefty sum, considering > his $26,000 salary. "I thought, 'Oh, that's a lot of money.'" > Like the others, he adopted the book. > > Professors who took the deal say they knew they were being > paid to use North West's textbooks. Ms. Smith says she > understood that the payment had nothing to do with her review > of the book. That bothered her, but not enough to hold her > back. "On that day, a thousand dollars sounded good," she > says. Now she wishes she had thrown the letter away. "I don't > think it's right," she says. "It sounds like a kickback: Here, > use our book and get our money." > > Ms. Butler concurs. " 'Under the table' is a good phrase to > describe it," she says. "Maybe I was lured by the money, and > maybe other people were, too. But I've only done it once, and > that's it." > > Likewise, Mr. Grytz says he regrets his decision. He realized > only after he had adopted the book that there was something > suspicious about the offer, he says. "I thought, 'This might > be a scam -- you adopt the book, you get money.'" > > Other professors, like Anna Bates, an assistant professor of > history at Aquinas College in Michigan, say they were aware of > North West's intentions from the start. "I went into this > knowing that it was a marketing ploy," she says. When asked > why she decided to use the book anyway, she answers, > "Everybody needs cash. That's why I did it." > > North West denies that the payments are tied to textbook > adoption. As proof, Jason James, the textbook-review manager, > said he could provide the names of professors who were paid > for reviews but did not adopt a book. Despite repeated > requests, he never did turn over such a list. The company has > refused to answer other questions about its business > practices. > > In one sense, North West's offer is unusual. Major publishers > don't send form letters to professors. Instead, they send > sales representatives. And they don't offer thousands of > dollars, just hundreds. > > Unlike North West, major publishers will pay for reviews -- > not for publication, they are used internally by the companies > -- even if the professors don't adopt the books they are > reviewing. But the reason for the payments is the same: The > companies hope to convince professors to use a certain > textbook. A marketing specialist at a large textbook company, > who asked not to be named, acknowledges that the primary > reason for paying a professor to write a review is to get that > professor to adopt the book. > > Daniel Bartell, vice president and national sales manager at > W.W. Norton, says the real purpose of textbook reviews is no > secret in the industry. "You'll pay $250 or $300 for a review, > and that doesn't always lead to an adoption," he says. "It's > not quid pro quo, but they'll give you a closer look." > > Mr. Hahnel has written his share of reviews. He says he has > been paid "two, three, four hundred dollars" to review > textbooks over the years. But he doesn't kid himself that the > publishers were interested in his insights. "I think > publishers take it and put it immediately into the circular > file," the economics professor says. "We know it's really just > a come-on to get us to adopt the book." > > He criticizes what he calls "the commercialization of supposed > academic integrity." Yet he has no compunction about accepting > payments for reviews from publishers, or about assigning books > he has written -- and from which he receives royalties -- to > his students, a practice that many colleges frown on. And when > North West's letter arrived, offering him thousands of dollars > to review and adopt their textbook, he signed up right away. > > "Do I support this kind of activity on the part of this > company? No," says Mr. Hahnel. "But it's not an effective way > for me to change the world by turning down these people's > money." He has bills to pay, he says, including "college > tuition for my kids." > > "I think most people are susceptible to twinges of guilt," Mr. > Hahnel adds. "I'm not susceptible to those twinges of guilt." > > Henry Rosovsky believes that professors who accept money to > adopt textbooks should feel guilty. The former dean of the > Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, who has > written about ethical questions faced by professors, sees the > issue as clear-cut. "Just the way a physician should pick the > best and most effective drug, the professor should choose the > best textbook regardless of side payments," he says. "If they > use money as a reason, even in a marginal way, then it's > unprofessional conduct." > > Winthrop Jordan agrees. Consequently, whenever the professor > of history at the University of Mississippi requires students > to buy a book he has written, he estimates his royalties and > donates the amount to charity to "avoid conflict of interest." > It is always wrong for professors to make money from the books > they assign to their students, he says. > > And that is why he is particularly upset that his name is > associated with North West. The publisher's introductory > history textbook was written by Mr. Jordan and Leon Litwack, a > professor of history at the University of California at > Berkeley, both of whom are well known in the discipline. The > book had been published by Prentice Hall, but was out of > print for several years when North West decided to resurrect > it last year. > > At first, the two professors were happy that their book might > be given a new life. That happiness disappeared when Mr. > Jordan started receiving e-mail messages from professors > around the country asking about the money that the book's new > publisher was offering professors who adopted it. "They make > it clear if you don't adopt, don't bother reviewing it," Mr. > Jordan says. As for professors who sign up for the deal, he > says simply, "I think it's unethical." > > To add to the authors' displeasure, there is some doubt about > whether North West even has the legal right to publish their > two-volume work, The United States, which costs $150. North > West says via e-mail that it took the proper steps to obtain > the copyright for the book. Wendy Spiegel, a spokeswoman for > Pearson, which owns Prentice Hall, says it still holds the > copyright and has turned the matter over to its lawyers. The > two authors, for their part, say they have received no > royalties from North West. > > Behind Closed Doors > > Adoption decisions are not always made by individual > professors. Often, a department will decide to use one > textbook in every section of a particular course. Such > decisions are usually made by a panel of professors, who > examine several textbooks before choosing one. While some > institutions have specific guidelines about adopting > textbooks, they are often vague. Many colleges have no such > guidelines at all. > > When trying to win these important adoptions, publishers like > to tout their custom-publishing capabilities -- that is, > creating a book specifically for one professor or one > department. A company like Pearson can draw material from a > number of its subsidiaries and combine it into one book, > giving the publisher an advantage over companies with smaller > catalogs. In addition, customizing a textbook makes it harder > for students to sell their used copies. As a result, > customized books can mean more profits for publishers in the > long run. > > Colleges, too, can profit from customized books. > > When Virginia Tech's English department was looking for a > textbook to use in its first-year composition course, the word > among publishers was that the cash-strapped department was > interested mostly in raising money. Whoever cut them the best > deal would win the adoption. Or so went the rumor. > > It was pretty much true, according to Paul Heilker, director > of the first-year composition program at Virginia Tech, which > has been subject to large budget cuts. Though he says the > department wasn't really searching for the highest bidder, > bringing in money was definitely the point. "We were looking > for external revenues," he says. "That's how this thing got > started. Going in it was, 'Wow, this could really help > financially.'" > > He says a sales representative from Pearson Longman, a > subsidiary of Pearson Education, explained to Lucinda Roy, the > chairwoman, that the English department could receive a > royalty on every copy sold if professors were willing to write > some of the content. "Longman was very interested in helping > folks out," Mr. Heilker says. > > This "helping out" included a 15-percent royalty on each sale > of the $48 book, which meant $2,400 for the department this > past year. The book will yield an even bigger return next > year, when it is purchased by the more than 3,000 freshmen who > will take the first-year composition course. > > Ms. Roy and Pearson's spokeswoman both defend the royalty as a > legitimate payment for the content that professors have added > to the book; about 20 percent was written by Virginia Tech > professors. But, Ms. Roy concedes, some in the department are > uncomfortable with the idea of profiting from the books that > it requires students to buy. And she worries that departments > across the country will soon encounter "major ethical issues" > as custom publishing -- already a $122-million-a-year business > -- continues to grow. > > "You can get publishers to offer you quite a bit more, but > then you have to ask, 'What's ethical?'" she says. "What > happens when there are hidden student fees in the book?" > > A $30,000 Check > > Pearson Longman struck a similar deal with Pennsylvania State > University at University Park. This time it was economics > instead of English. And rather than a royalty, it was a > lump-sum payment. > > In 2001, representatives of several publishers went to Penn > State's campus to pitch their introductory economics > textbooks. A committee of professors chose Longman's book > solely on the basis of its merits, according to Robert > Marshall, chairman of the economics department. > > The Longman sales representatives were ushered into the office > of Ronald Filippelli, associate dean for administration and > undergraduate studies in the liberal-arts college. When the > closed-door meeting was over, Longman had agreed to write Penn > State a large check, reportedly around $30,000. > > What that money was for depends on whom you ask. Ms. Spiegel, > the Pearson spokeswoman, says it was for "in-kind services," > including content that had been added to the book by Penn > State professors, and for time spent "evaluating our > course-management system." But both Mr. Filippelli and Mr. > Marshall say the money had nothing to do with a > course-management system. And while Penn State professors did > contribute material to the book, Mr. Marshall estimates it at > only about 15 percent of the content. > > "We believe that, in cases where it's doable, it's not > improper for the university that provides the infrastructure > for the educational process to get some return on the > business, so that money can be put into services," says Mr. > Filippelli. When asked whether this might be called a > kickback, the dean said he preferred to call it "good will." > > Sometimes the payments from customized textbooks go directly > to professors rather than departments. Last year, Ms. Staples, > the Middle Tennessee State historian who adopted a North West > textbook, made an agreement with Kendall/Hunt to publish a > "reader" for one of her classes. (A reader is a collection of > excerpts from various works, usually selected by the > professor.) The agreement, under which she would receive $2 > for every copy of the reader that was sold, required her to > continue to assign it until 400 copies had been purchased by > her students. The deal fell through when it turned out that > Ms. Staples would be teaching fewer sections than she had > anticipated. > > Whether professors should receive royalties on books they > didn't write is an issue on which Kendall/Hunt executives > remain silent. "That's a policy I would prefer not to comment > on," says Mark C. Falb, the company's owner and chief > executive officer. > > But others in the industry are willing to comment. "We're > seeing a great deal of custom publishing where the department > will include a syllabus or study-guide material, and then the > department will receive a royalty for every copy sold," says a > textbook executive who asked not to be named. > > Patrick Kasenenko, a sales representative for Houghton > Mifflin, says such payments are increasingly a part of the > business. "When they're putting in something small and they > want money, I don't think that's legitimate," he says. "If a > professor says, 'McGraw-Hill will give me $4 per copy. Can you > give me another $2?,' that's when it gets low-bally," he says. > "That's when students get toasted." > > Leigh Harlem, a sophomore majoring in aerospace at Middle > Tennessee State, took Ms. Staples's class and says he > considers her a "good teacher." But he was surprised to learn > that she had received several thousand dollars from the > company that published the textbook he bought. "That's a > bribe," he says. "If it were a good textbook, the publisher > wouldn't have to pay professors to take it." > > Talk like that worries Mr. Bartell, the Norton vice president. > "A number of our reps are calling me and saying this company > is offering this kickback or that incentive and we need to > match it," he says. He has heard, for example, of sales > representatives from other companies offering professors > $1,000 to customize a book. "It's turning toward professors > saying, 'What can we get?' There are some real borderline > questions out there.... We want to do the right thing, but you > wonder how much of the wrong thing is going on." > > Most of the professors who accepted money from North West, > including Ms. Staples, say they now wish they had not. The > lone exception is Mr. Hahnel, the American University > economics professor, who says he has no misgivings about > cashing his check. Even so, he hopes that money will cease to > influence which books students are required to buy. > > "Someone really needs to write an article that says, 'This > kind of stuff was already sleazy, but look how it's gotten out > of hand.'" > _________________________________________________________________ > > You may visit The Chronicle as follows: > > http://chronicle.com > _________________________________________________________________ > Copyright 2003 by The Chronicle of Higher Education > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Annette Kujawski Taylor, Ph. D. Department of Psychology University of San Diego 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
