JOURNAL OF CRITICAL LITERATURE AND HUMANITIES
Year:2021 | Volume:20 | Issue:10|Papers Count:22

Textbooks are one of the most important teaching tools. Therefore, it is necessary to be very careful about how they are designed and edited. Works on textbook design and authoring have been published, one of which is textbook research and writing that can be used by scholars, authors, and textbook contributors. In this article, this book has been criticized, using a critical philosophical research. The importance of this book in reflecting the wide range of textbook research in the world, its being research-oriented, and addressing fundamental issues are among the advantages. The benefits of this book include the use of various tools to understand more about the contents, such as charts and tables, and the type of letters and their size. Its disadvantages include failure to rationalize the content and misinterpretation of some concepts, lack of proper design and contrast of colors, and inappropriate margins and unattractiveness.

Educational administration is generally meant planning, organizing, guiding, coordinating, supervising, and evaluating the educational process, but specifically it means guidance, assistance, and creating the right environment for the educational activity. In other words, educational administration is the process of harmonizing human talents and taking advantage of environmental conditions for educational purposes. The aim of this article is to criticize the book entitled “ English in Educational Administration". This book could help students to become familiar with the specialized vocabulary of Educational Administration in order to study research done in this area. It is found out that this book is not only an academic text, but it includes the characteristics of teaching and learning, as well. Findings show that along with several positive points in this book, a few shortcomings also point out, and some suggestions are provided to improve the textbook, such as to use up-to-date materials that contain less complex and long sentences and also to provide a section called “ Further Reading” at the end of each lesson or at the end of the book to help students who need more information about the discussed points.

The purpose of this study is to criticize the book entitled “ Curriculum in Secondary School” . Therefore, a combination of a critical book review, critical philosophical inquiry, and critical educational criticism methods was used. The case of this study was the book written by Farajollahi and Talebi and published in 2014 by the Payam Noor University Press. The tool of criticism of the mentioned book is a checklist (form) of The Iranian Council for Reviewing Books and Texts the Humanities. Qualitative content analysis was also used for data analysis. According to the findings, the strengths of the book include apparent comprehensiveness, typography, the quality of printing and binding, the content congruence with the principles and Foundations of religion and Islam, the use of scientific tools, and equivalence and application of specialized terms. Shortcomings of this book include: Inappropriate cover design, need for scientific and literary editing, inappropriate overall and intra-section coherence, resource ambiguity, lack of scientific analysis, no innovation and no new content, the inconsistency of book’ s content with the foundations and presuppositions of the curriculum area and non-Coverage of the approved syllabus of Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.

The purpose of this study was to criticize the book “ Instructional Models for Physical Education” . The research method of critical philosophical exploration and society was the study of the content and structure of the book. National Criticism Questionnaire was used as a tool and framework for the critique. The book has 693 pages, two parts, and 15 chapters. The findings of the review were presented in two dimensions: description and interpretation of the form and content of the work. The points regarding the form analysis include layout, literary editing, full ID, and good quality prints. Some content scores include content in sections and chapters, content matching with the headlines of some academic lessons, expanding the idea of designing and implementing physical education lessons’ shapes such as low charm, large numbers book pages. Content failures encompass duplication of content, relative neglect to refer to existing scientific theories, lack of mentioning the integration patterns, the problem of teaching a book during a semester for a two-unit lesson, moderate and weak equation of specialized terminology, and uncertainty to translate book. According to the teacher’ s guide books, this book is not recommended to Iranian Physical education teachers.

The present study was conducted with the aim of a phenomenological investigation of the barriers to entrepreneurship in the Human Sciences at university. The research method was qualitative with a phenomenological approach. The study population included experts in the field of human sciences and humanities. The purposeful research sampling method was done, which was saturated theoretically with 12 people. The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview. The research reliability of the data was confirmed by the criteria of Lincoln and Guba (1985) and also the method of Denzin (1978) and Patton (1999). The data analysis was an inductive method using a seven-step put forth by Colaizzi (1978). The results showed that in the dimension of employment, two distinct, opposite, and consistent views of the business of the humanities were appreciable. In the category of social acceptance, reduced social status, applied reductions, cultural, spatial planning, discretion in the discourse of the humanities, unknowing social knowledge, and knowledge in the university. In the category of the developmental infrastructure of these sciences, we can refer to objective growth, gender reversal, functional capability, digitization, conflicts of power. In the category of humanities development, lack of the issue, the ability of humanities research, the entrepreneurship of the humanities, the possibilities for the internationalization of these sciences, and the emergence of interdisciplinary science can be enumerated.

Libraries and information centers always try to provide the best and most appropriate answers to their clients’ questions and needs. Due to the increasing and diverse variety of information resources, many libraries do not the capacity to provide these resources and make them accessible. Narges Neshat considers cooperation between libraries and information centers as a solution to expand the library’ s access to a variety of information resources to meet the needs of their clients. Moreover, by publishing the book “ Collaborative Systems in Libraries and Information Centers” , the author has addressed this issue. This resource, which can be considered as an educational resource for students of information and knowledge science and an applied source for specialists and professionals in this science, was critically examined in a descriptive-analytical manner. In this article, after introducing the book, its author and publisher, the structure of the book is mentioned, and then the book is reviewed in both form and content terms. This work is a specialized book in the subject of cooperation between libraries and information centers and has an appropriate scientific level. The most important weakness of this work is the lack of applied aspects; a few parts of this book are not specialized, and the resources used for this work are old.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are one of the newest phenomena in the area of integrating technology in education. The book “ MOOCs Design, Use and Business Models” , which has been translated into Persian, is a university resource for scholars interested in research in this field. This 156-page book is about introducing MOOCs, design models, usage, and business models. In line with critical reviewing, in addition to using the framework introduced in the “ Human Sciences Book Review Questionnaire” , evaluation criteria for academic books have also been used. In the first step, using a descriptive-analytical method, the history of MOOCs and research in this field was evaluated to achieve a book’ s comparison and evaluation scale. Then, using the evaluation research method, the book was evaluated and criticized. Using content-related criteria, methodology, lingual, structural, appearance, and front and back matter indicators, the book was evaluated at a moderate level. From the instructional perspective, the work was introduced as a supplementary source. The strength of the book is its applicability and relevance, and its weakness was the lack of consistency of content and the mismatch of content with the title and poverty of theoretical foundations. Fluent translation and the correspondence with the main content was one of the most important strengths of the translation, and the need for explanations of the translator in the footnotes and the complete presentation of the abbreviations were the weaknesses of the translation. These findings were discussed, and suggestions were presented.

The purpose of this study was to review and criticize the “ Multimedia Projects in Education: Design, Producing, and Assessing” book. Therefore, analytical-documentary methods were used. The book was written by Karen S. Ivers and Ann E. Barron in 2010 and translated by Khadijeh Aliabadi and Esmail Aslani in 2016 and published by Booka Publisher. This paper has been compiled by applying the method of document analysis and reviewing the scope of the book’ s merits and shortcomings and reveals that the text has shortcomings in spite of the acceptable consistency with the original text, refinement and fluency, and the availability of specially qualified vocabulary including the lack of designing a teaching-learning strategy and analyzing multiple intelligences during the process of the idea to evaluation, lack of operational and precise strategies for implementing the cooperative learning strategy (collaborative learning), the lack of attention to the details of the steps and activities of each proposed model, lack of attention to the conceptual separation of the flowchart with the content structure and the inability to select some appropriate titles according to the content. The book’ s usefulness as a teaching guide for a collaborative multimedia project learning strategy is high as a source of training in electronic content production courses at the undergraduate and even master’ s degree courses. Therefore, it is suggested that writers improve their formal, structural, and content defects by resolving them.

The purpose of this research is to evaluate, criticize, and analyze the book in the field of teaching. The analytical method is used in book evaluation. The first example of the book Teaching and Learning Skills (Teaching Methods and Techniques) is the first volume by Hassan Shaabani. The textbook has been studied based on the content and format of academic textbook critique, textbook review, and humanities textbook review. Based on the research findings, this book has some advantages and disadvantages such as the introduction of goals and objectives at the beginning of each chapter, the use of tables and diagrams, the presentation of conceptual models at the beginning of each chapter, students’ professional needs, as well as shortcomings and weaknesses such as lacking a persuasive educational model, lack of new scientific findings, inadequate presentation, lack of motivational and critical thinking questions, and repeated disruption of some book topics with other related lessons. The other shortcomings include how to cite, overlooking new sources, adjust abstract, volume, and book cover design which are inappropriate to reduce book productivity and efficiency for the audience.

This article aims to contribute in a critical review of the textbook “ Professional Ethics in Library and Information Science” . This book was authored in 2011 by Gharamaleki, Derakhshani, and Rezaei Sharif-Abadi and published by SAMT (The Organization on Researching and Composing University Text Books in Humanities) publications. Using the conceptual analysis method, I tried to go over from extensions to conceptions and took a theoretical perspective on professional ethics. At first, I offered an analytical bibliography about references close to this work and drew its position among them, and undertook a critique about its form, format, and formal condition. Then, the main parts of the critique include an unclear shift from consequentialism language and term toward right-based term, imbalance conceptualizations, lack of concern to rights of all players of library domain, the need to take more attention toward marginal groups, the need to take policymaking approach about ethical problems, the problem of the chaotic state of the definition of librarianship in some sections, the need to study more ethical models and references.

The book “ Educational Management: Theory, Research, and Practice” , authored by Ali Shirazi, has been an attempt to address the lack of educational management resources. The purpose of this review is to analyze and illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of the book. It is a good work, but it also suffers from shortcomings that can add to the richness of the book’ s discussions. The author of the book has appropriately used the terms and the equivalence of foreign words, with few exceptions, which are acceptable in accordance with the approved headings. The content is consistent with Islamic and Iranian values. The book does not deal with the history of the field and theories in educational management; it does not examine the major published works of educational management and thus does not provide a comprehensive picture of educational management in Iran and the world. Also, epistemological advances in educational management and knowledge production have not been made in previous centuries. Unfortunately, unlike the good title of the book, it is unlikely that students will be able to read a comprehensive understanding of the unique features of educational management and a systematic understanding of applied and theoretical knowledge in the field. It is hoped that the next edition will promote the development of new topics in the field of educational management in order to assist in the preparation of the curriculum for school leaders.

One of the basic functions of the education system is to pay attention to the principles of education, and in this regard, teaching is an art, so teachers need to how to teach with quality. The compilation of the book Teaching Methods and Techniques is one of the scientific endeavors that this research aims to criticize. This study was carried out by the method of critical philosophical exploration in the critique of the mentioned book, compiled by Manouchehr Vakilian, 16th edition, in 2016. The study tool was a review of academic textbooks and reviews of the Humanities Textbook Council. Based on the findings, the benefits of book’ s format analysis include cover design, typography, good print, and book quality. The strengths of the content analysis include content fit for the course objectives, good coverage of approved subject headings, and book-level fit. Academic students of Payam-e Noor are partly responsive to scientific and applied needs, paying attention to theoretical foundations and subjective assumptions, observing scientific and ethical principles, and adapting to religious and Islamic principles and principles. Formal and substantive deficiencies in the work include inadequate referral status, weak criticism and analysis, outdated sources, and data.

The book “ Graphics for Learning” is the result of the valuable efforts of Ruth Colvin Clark and Chopeta Lyones in explaining graphics to facilitate learning. The main premise of the book is that the use of graphics (visual elements) alongside words facilitates learning compared to words alone. The authors’ efforts in presenting the material are accompanied by features such as the use of research evidence and action-based cognitive theory in reallife learning situations, clear and integrated expression, and up-to-datedness, to distinguish this book from other books in graphic design. Another special feature of the book is the use of graphic guides or instructions on how to use visual elements to enhance the processes of learning psychology and to learn different types of course content. The existence of a general map of the book and an explanation of the position of each section and each chapter in relation to the collection of contents have led to the integration and formation of a mental map. However, in selecting the general topics and concepts, the authors’ reasons have not been properly identified, and there are also criticisms about ignoring learning styles, learning environment, and not explaining teaching and learning. This book is one of the resources in the field of educational technology, and it is worthwhile to examine the dimensions of its effectiveness in teaching and learning.

The purpose of this article is to criticize and analyze the content and structure of “ the Handbook for College Teaching” . The research method was a critical exploration. The book has been criticized and analyzed in terms of its form (advantages and shortcomings) as well as its content (intra-structure). The main positive points of the book are simple and fluent prose, expressing the objectives of the book, using simple and technical terms, presenting conceptual prerequisites, expressing the disadvantages and benefits of teaching methods. However, the negative points are its emphasis on traditional methods and its ignorance of the new teaching methods. The authors did not make a distinction between the concepts of teaching methods, techniques, and skills. There is no appropriate cohesion among the titles within the chapters. Instructional objectives are not mentioned at the beginning of each chapter. Only a few pictures and images were used to help the learners understand the text. Critical thinking methods and techniques, as an integral component of higher education, were, to a great extent, neglected. The theoretical background and the literature of the related studies do not meet academic book expectations. At the end of the article, suggestions are made to improve the content of the book.

The purpose of this study is to criticize the book “ Can Education Change Society? ” written by Michael Apple in 2013. It was translated by Nazanin Mirzabaki (1395). This study reviews a critical tradition in the field of curriculum and educational studies. The research method and type of study are applied. In the first and second editions of the book, one of the strengths of the book was the attempt to link political movements around the world to create changes, although the writer, translator, and editor did a great job. Some of the textual and translation mistakes have led to criticism of the author and translator’ s scientific approach. Perhaps the most important criticism of the author is the lack of use of scientific instruments, such as practice, charts, and pictures.

The book entitled “ Scientometrics Epistemology” has been published in Medium octavo format with 6 chapters and 240 pages. It includes the list of contents, figures, and references, with no index. In this article, the above-mentioned book is criticized, and the critic, while explaining the position of scientometrics, states that scientometrics is originally related to counting, measuring, and representation, and the discussion of creating or relating epistemology to it is not sufficiently justified. The book has been written based on the library method. Scientometrics is actually a technique and method that serve evaluation, which is, in turn, related to management. Naturally, every human being and then research and educational organizations have tried to expand scientometrics and created indicators to compare scientific products based on quantity in order to determine their degree of importance, which is not unrelated to economic and managerial issues.

The purpose of this study was to criticize the translation of book “ Fundamentals of Sports Marketing” by Berenda G. Pitss and David Kent Stotler. This book was translated into Persian by Morteza Azimzadeh, Fateme Heidari and Abolghasem Bazmara and published by Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2017. A critical philosophical exploration was used to review this book. The criticism tool was a worksheet for reviewing textbooks in the Humanities Textbooks. Qualitative content analysis showed some findings. The book’ s positive points included a form of cover design, typography, print quality, and proper bookbinding. These positive points of content dimension included the appropriateness of the content of the book with the objectives of the lesson in question and covering many of the chapters approved, matching the book with the scientific level of students, proper use of different scientific tools, and meeting the scientific and practical needs of the community. The weak points included inconsistency in the text of some words, inconsistency in the translation, and inconsistency in the title with the cover image. Also, some concepts are not well explained, and detailed interpretations are not provided by the translator. Overall, the work under review is one of the best-translated books in the basics of sports marketing.

The book entitled “ Natural Language Processing and Information Retrieval” is a compiled and translated book, without any specific author, that has been translated by Jaafar Mehrad and Maryam Naseri. If we assume that information retrieval is the heart of the field of knowledge and information science, then we can claim that if it is done in user’ s natural language, the language by which she/he lives and seeks information, the result will be much more useful for her/him. Therefore, a book on Natural Language Processing and Information Retrieval will be of great value for the information field and profession. Furthermore, the introduction of a course entitled “ Natural Language Processing” in PhD curriculum with a minor of “ Information Retrieval” necessitates the existence of such a book due to the shortage (and perhaps lack of) such a source for this course. However, there are some problems with the book that will be discussed in some detail in the section on the critique and evaluation of book’ s content. Some other discussions will also be presented on the citation and referencing problems in the same section. Using some tables, the relationship among the terms translated in the book, vocabulary, and index will also be discussed.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the performance of the Council for Reviewing Books and Text in the Developing the Culture of critique of texts and books of the humanities, based on upstream documents of the council. Therefore, the combination method was used. The statistical population included all experts and reviewed books in council as well as other institutions and publications in the 1390s. The samples of the study were: I) Almost all articles and critiques, II) 24 experts and practitioners, and III) 10 interviews published in the book of the Re-Reading Council that were selected by purposeful sampling method. A checklist and a questionnaire were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed by chi-square and binomial tests, and qualitative content analysis. The research findings indicated that the council had received an acceptable grade in five criteria of six criteria and had a positive performance. Of course, there were some shortcomings in each of these criteria. Thus, some suggestions were made to improve and enhance the status of the council. It is recommended to redefine the scope of its members and take advantage of the advancements in information and communication technologies to disseminate and inform about the activities of the council.