Please fill out both sections of the form below. Click on each gray box to enter your information.
When finished, print and sign the document, then fax or mail it to:
McGraw-Hill Higher Education
Attn: Beth Parkin
2460 Kerper Boulevard ▪ Dubuque, IA 52001
fax: 563-589-1364 or email beth_parkin@mcgraw-hill.com
McGraw-Hill
PERMISSION FORM
Yes X No
I give McGraw-Hill permission to list my name in the front matter of Brooker: Biology, 2/e
Yes X No
I give McGraw-Hill permission to list my name and quote my remarks in advertising and marketing information for
Brooker: Biology, 2/e
Your Name (as you wish it to appear in the text): Dr. Monika Havelka
Signature: __________________________________________________________________________________
School Affiliation (as it should appear in the text): University of Toronto at Mississauga
McGraw-Hill
REVIEWER BACKGROUND SHEET
Name:
Monika Havelka
School:
Dept:
Street:
University of Toronto at Mississauga
Date:
Home #:
Mississauga ON L5L 6A2
Hamilton ON L9C 6A2
905-574-9445
Email:
905-828-5366
Degrees:
PhD
mhavelka@utm.utoronto.ca
Number of Years Teaching:
905-828-3791
October 26 2006
30 Fonthill Rd
City/State/ZIP Code:
3359 Mississauga Rd N
Office Ph #:
481969814
Home Address:
Biology
City/State/ZIP:
Fax #:
SS#*:
Areas of Specialty:
5
ecology, mammalogy, population biology
Courses taught in the last three years:
Course Title & Level (Fr., Soph., Jr., Sr., Grad.)
Annual Course Enrollment (dept. wide)
Text/Lab Manual/Multimedia Product
BIO153 Diversity of Organisms (Fr)
~ 550
Freeman (Biology)
BIO205 Ecology (Soph)
~300
Molles (Ecology)
JBG312 Landscape Ecology (Jr/Sr)
24
none
BIO360 Biometrics (Jr)
~250
Zar (Biostatistical Analysis)
BIO312 Arctic Ecology (Jr)
20 (field course)
none
List the course area(s) you would be willing to review for: ecology, mammalogy, population biology
Would you be interested in developing ancillaries (test banks, instructor's manuals, lab manuals, web content, etc.) to accompany a McGraw-Hill
textbook? x Yes
No
Please indicate your interests: possibly web content
Do you use multimedia (CD-ROM, online instruction, PowerPoint) products in your class?
you use, and specific products, if any: PowerPoint
Would you be interested in authoring a computerized or digital ancillary product?
Would you be interested in writing a text for McGraw-Hill? x Yes
population biology, evolutionary biology
*Required for tax purposes.
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
If Yes, please list what media
Please explain:
Please indicate your writing interests: ecology, mammalogy,
Dear Professor,
Thank you for agreeing to review Brooker: Biology, 1e. Below are the questions we would like you to consider as
you are reviewing the material, though you should also feel free to include any additional comments you have.
We value all of your feedback, however due to the late stage of production some suggestions may need to be
considered for a future edition. Please remember that for your review to be helpful we need you to be as specific
as possible and give explanations for “yes” and “no” answers.
A. Questions about your course and textbook
A-1
Please describe your course in terms of its title, length, and annual enrollment. Are there particular
problems that you and your colleagues encounter in teaching this course?
BIO153 (Diversity of Organisms) is a 1 semester course at the introductory level that is required by all students in
Life Sciences programs. The enrollment last year was approximately 550 students, but this year the
enrollment is >700. The course begins by examining processes driving macroevolutionary change; an
introduction to “evo-devo”; and a survey of the major groups of organisms to demonstrate the products
of macroevolution. Finally, we look at some of the spatial and temporal patterns in the diversity of life.
I try to emphasize the common challenges faced by all organisms and the various ways in which
different groups have met these challenges. I find the greatest challenges in teaching this course comes
from the fact that a) these students are still adjusting to learning in the university environment; b) they
come from disparate academic backgrounds and levels of preparedness; c) the information is very broad
in scope and they have difficulty synthesizing, drawing connections and “separating the wheat from the
chaff”.
A-2
Is the textbook for this course chosen by a committee, and if so, are you a member of that committee?
If possible, please list the other members of the committee.
We choose the same textbook for BIO152 (Evolution), BIO153 and (historically) for BIO204 (Physiology). The
choice has been made by the instructors for these courses. Personnel change a bit from year to year, but
BIO152 is currently taught by Anne Cordon and I teach BIO153. BIO204 is currently being taught by a
stipend instructor.
A-3
What are the top three criteria you or your committee uses in selecting a text? What supplements do
you consider when making your decision?
1. emphasis on evolution as the unifying concept in all biology;
2. emphasis on knowledge obtained through hypothesis testing and experimental results (so students can
appreciate that the body of knowledge in biology is dynamic);
3. clear writing and inviting presentation.
I tend not to use supplemental material very much in teaching my courses; thus these play only a minor role in
deciding to implement a text.
A-4
What textbook was most recently used in this course? Why was that particular text chosen? How well
has it worked for you and your students?
The text we are currently using is Scott Freeman’s BIOLOGY. We selected this text because it 1) had a
strong emphasis on evolutionary processes in explaining biological phenomena; 2) it explained concepts
through the presentation of experimental results; 3) we felt it was clearly written, nicely presented and
contained up-to-date information. I find that in general it is an easy text to adapt to the “slant” I put on the
course material. However, I sense that some of the students are finding it difficult to extract the necessary
information from this text. The chapters build as a type of “narrative” rather than being broken up into predigested pieces; perhaps this is too demanding for some students at a 1st year level. However, I believe that
the stronger students will gain a better appreciation of biology and will have their interest sparked more by
this type of book than by a “cookbook” approach (e.g. “the 10 essential facts you need to know about
cephalopods are....”).
B. Questions to be answered for each chapter in your review
Chapter 55 (Population ecology)
B-1
Is the subject matter in this chapter discussed at the appropriate level for the students who take your
course? Is the level of discussion consistent throughout the chapter? How does the level compare to that
of your current text?
B-2
Is the chapter organized logically? Does the chapter itself occur in a logical place in the textbook?
Would you suggest any reorganization?
B-3
Do we need to add or delete any material? If so, please identify what material should be added or
deleted.
B-4
Have you found any information in this chapter that is out of date or inaccurate? Please explain and give
corrections and/or references where possible.
B-5
Are the photos clear and compelling? Are there any photos you would suggest replacing? If you have
seen a photo that would make a good replacement, please provide a citation.
B-6
How clearly are the illustrations tied to the text? Are there any illustrations that need improvement?
How would you edit those illustrations to make them more helpful for students? Are there any ideas not
currently supported by an illustration that would benefit from one? How does the art in this chapter
compare to the art program of your current text?
B-7
Feature Investigations. Did you find the Feature Investigation helpful and relevant?
B-8
Genomes and Proteomes. How would you rate the Genomes and Proteomes section?
B-9
Are the chapter review questions at an appropriate level of difficulty for the students taking your course?
How do they compare to those found in your current text?
B-10
Please tell us the single biggest strength and weakness of this chapter. If you are using a competing text,
please indicate the biggest strength your text has over Brooker: Biology, 1/e, and indicate any strengths
that Brooker: Biology, 1/e has over your current text.
C. General Questions
C-1
Compare the writing style of Brooker: Biology, 1/e to your current text. Is the writing style appropriate to
the course you are teaching? How would the authors’ writing affect your students’ ability to learn the
material?
C-2
Should the answers to review questions be provided to the student? If so, is it acceptable to provide
them on the companion website or should they be in the text? Would you suggest the addition of any
other end of chapter review materials?
C-3
In one or two sentences, how would you describe Brooker: Biology, 1/e?
C-4
What is the single most important thing we can do to improve this text in the next edition?
D. Evaluation for adoption
D-1
On a scale of A-F, please rate Brooker: Biology, 1/e for each of the top three criteria you or your committee
uses to evaluate textbooks.
D-2
Based on the material you reviewed; do you think there would be any barriers to the committee adoption
of this textbook? If so, please identify them specifically.
D-3
How likely are you to adopt this textbook for your course, or recommend its adoption to your colleagues?
When you finish your review, please e-mail it along with the reviewer background sheet to Beth Parkin at
beth_parkin@mcgraw-hill.com or fax to 563-589-1364. Ensure that your social security number is on the
reviewer background sheet, because this information is necessary to process your honorarium, which will be
sent following receipt of your review. If you have any questions during the review process please contact me
at the phone number or e-mail address listed below.
Thank you again for taking part in this project. I look forward to reading your comments.
Best regards,
Chad Grall
Executive Marketing Manager
McGraw-Hill Higher Education
800-553-4920 ext. 2805
chad_grall@mcgraw-hill.com