Writing a textbook, the easy way

Abstract

This paper describes the steps used by the author to write a textbook (The Technology of Metallurgy, Merrill/Macmillan, 1994). Although the process seemed evolutionary, in retrospect it was a reiterative one. Feedback from students and reviewers helped define the scope and content of the text. In total it took six years from first draft to the last. The versatility and flexibility of the computer was invaluable. Initially copyright problems seemed challenging, but they proved to be manageable. The author encourages teachers of technical subjects to write text materials adapted both for their particular course(s) and for the learning style(s) of their students.