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Mistakes in Textbooks? Sound the Alert Online Now!

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Curriculum Center Consumers report possible textbook errors online, thanks to the Internet and the Association of American Publishers. AAP forwards inquiries to individual publishers. Included: URL for the online reporting form.

Educators and students can now alert publishers to potential errors in textbooks online. At the beginning of October, the Association of American Publishers (AAP), an important trade association for the book industry, launched Accuracy e-line. A reader supplies information about a book and describes the potential error and where it appears at Accuracy e-line form. The AAP school division created the online correction form. Most of the 50 members of the school division are publishers.

AAP forwards readers' submissions to publishers, who then review the information and determine whether errors have occurred, said Stephen Driesler, executive director of the school division. Publishers are developing procedures to respond to Accuracy e-line inquiries.

Although many publishers enhanced their fact-checking and proofreading systems over the past few years, errors still slip into print. Publishers wanted a way for people who use their products to report problems, Driesler told Education World. "Publishers are always looking for ways to improve the quality of their efforts," he said.

SPELLING, FACTS, AND OPINIONS

Comments about textbooks usually involve one of three categories:

  • Spelling, grammatical errors, and typographical errors
  • Factual errors, such as mislabeled maps or wrong photo captions
  • Issues that reflect differences of opinion or interpretation, which are the most common queries.

A publishing company's staff reviews submissions to determine whether corrections are required, Driesler said. Although the primary audience for the AAP Accuracy e-line consists of teachers, students, and parents, anyone can file a report, he added.

ERROR REPORTING MADE EASY

Wendy Spiegel, vice president of quality and standards for Pearson Education, said "The Association of American Publishers is doing the right thing in providing educators with a system for reporting inaccuracies."

The AAP hopes that the Accuracy e-line form will speed responses to all inquiries. "Now there is a central location so people don't have to track down individual publishers," according to Driesler.

Ellen R. Delisio
Education World®
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10/12/2000