The Horrors of Reading a Textbook

"Why is it that some textbooks have to be so hard to read?"

This thought crossed my mind this week as I read three different types of textbooks: one for a class titled "Families in Poverty", one for this class, and one for an accounting class. I understand that the content in each textbook widely differs, and that, on principle, a textbook on accounting information systems would be a lot harder to read than one on families in poverty. However, there are ways to make information engaging and interesting, so why don't more textbook writers do it?

The textbook written for my poverty class contains information and definitions, but also has lots of personal stories and examples. After reading one chapter, I was interested, engaged, and felt like I learned something valuable.

The textbook for this technical writing class was also an easy read. The wording was very clear and direct. There were also multiple pictures and graphics which broke up the text and created visual interest. I was able to read all three chapters in one sitting and felt able to use what I read to write for an audience.

The textbook for the accounting class was awful. We were supposed to read three chapters. I got through one of them, then gave up in the second chapter. The textbook is mostly text with few graphics, and full of complicated wording and descriptions of information systems.

Since we have to spend so much money on these textbooks, can't the writers put some effort in making them actually useful to the students who will buy them? If they are poorly written, we won't read them. But if they are engaging, we will.

Now to tackle my next accounting textbook...