From Inquiry to Academic Writing A Practical Guide, 3rd edition

46 CHAPTER 2 | FRom REAding As A WRiTER To WRiTing As A REAdER

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Quentin Collie Collie 1

A Rhetorical Analysis of

“Whither History Textbooks?”

In my analysis, I will focus on “Whither History Textbooks?”

which serves as a conclusion to David Tyack’s chapter on American

history textbooks in his book Seeking Common Ground. In this section,

Tyack explains the state of history textbooks in American schools

today, the causes and influences that result in what he sees as a

problem with trying to cover too many topics without much depth,

and possible ways in which history textbooks can be changed and

improved. In advocating for a pluralistic account of history, Tyack use

specific words and phrases that convey his impatience with American

history textbooks and presents a number of options to make his

discussion appear fair.

Tyack points out that in this section that today’s textbooks

are, for the most part, bulky and disjointed. Many storylines and

historic figures are pieced together without any all-encompassing

narrative flow or style. Textbooks have come to take this form

because of two significant influences. On one hand, nearly every

interest group argues for certain events, figures, or issues to be

included in the history curriculum. On the other hand, in a more

economical sense, textbooks that present the traditional and generic

American narrative have been the most successful. As a result,

textbook authors and producers attempt to intersperse the variety

of new pieces into the original American narrative. This results in

the heavy and boring textbooks that students use in the classroom

today. Tyack offers three possibilities for how to navigate through

the demands and difficulties involved in history textbook production:

continuing the use of current textbooks with moderate additions and

improvements, delegating the writing of textbooks to experts, and

embracing a new style of textbook which emphasizes the multiple

perspectives of Americans.

In this particular section of the book, Tyack’s purpose seems

to be a call for change. In describing the current types of textbooks,

he implies his personal stance through his word choice. Tyack’s use

of vivid imagery throughout this part of his book allows him to

The student pro-

vides an overview

of the author’s

argument.

The student

summarizes the

author’s argument

in more detail and,

specifically, the

source of what

the author sees

as a problem in

teaching history.

This is the situa-

tion that calls for

some response

in writing: that

textbooks have

become “heavy”

and “boring.”

The student

then describes

three possible

approaches that

the author takes

to address the

problem he identi-

fies in teaching

history in school.

02_GRE_5344_Ch2_029_054.indd 46 11/19/14 4:03 PM