Human Biology

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Even though many topics generally considered to be encompassed in Human Biology are included here, the treatment of them is generally unintegrated into the larger contexts of evolutionary biology, ecology, human life cycle adaptation, and normal physiological adaptations. Areas that are left out of this text include: Most content covered is up-to-date. One exception was the use of the old term "solar plexus" in Chapter 18 in relation to the sympathetic nervous system, but the conceptual context is appropriate and the term can be readily corrected. The text does not deal as thoroughly with Genomics as one would like even though there are lengthy discussions of the traditional genetic topics of mitosis and meiosis and DNA replication. These sections could be revised to include more recent research findings, for example, on oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and homeobox genes. I found the book accurate in most of the topics I looked at. Topics that most of us as teachers would likely cover are accurate in what they present and at the level this book targets. My reason for only giving it a three is partly because I didn't read every topic in depth, so I can't guarantee how accurate certain topics may be. Also, accuracy depends somewhat on the level of detail and discussion, and because that varies by chapter, it's hard to pinpoint how accurate a paragraph would be if the topic was elaborated on a bit more. Here's an example from the urinary system chapter: "GFR is regulated by multiple mechanisms and is an important indicator of kidney function." Is that accurate at face value? Yes. However, you could argue it's not a complete answer-- e.g., why is it important? Why mechanisms are there? -- and so it's a bit hard to qualify the overall accuracy if the statements are sometimes a big vague.

Principles of Evolution chapter in which one would have desired to have a discussion of the important topic of individual variation in anatomy and physiology within populations, effects of natural selection, especially as related to health and disease, biogeography, and the origins of life and the human lineage; There is a logic to the organization of organic levels in the text, particularly the initial chapters on molecules and cells which are clearly the simplest levels. The rationale of why the digestive system is the first system to be discussed (Chapter 5) is less obvious but each system is largely treated by itself so the sequence of systems was probably considered not of great concern. I was surprised somewhat to come upon a chapter on Mitosis and Meiosis (Chapter 13), at the the cellular level, in between chapters on the Urinary and Reproductive organ systems, until I realized there was a reproductive connection. Would like to see even a short section on human evolution. As well, I don't see coverage of integumentary system or development. Lymphatic system is with immune system, which is fine but perhaps change title for Ch 20 to "Immune System and Lymphatic System."For this level of class, I don't think being "up-to-date" is necessarily the most critical of discussions. The basic physiology and anatomy of the human body presented here should be fine for most teachers in the foreseeable future. Any areas that might need adjustment over time, such as the genetics topics, can easily be changed out due to the modular nature of the book. The topics (chapters) are broken down into discrete modules so a teacher could alter or substitute a module to match current updates or to stress an aspect of that topic that isn't part of the current text. For my classes, I could see myself adding a module in the immunity section over allergies and tolerance and in the genetics section on epigenetics. Content is least accurate in the realm of Anatomy. There are a number of minor errors that are perhaps just more distracting than of major impact. However, these are most noticeable in: This textbook has been created with several goals in mind: accessibility, customization, and student engagement—all while encouraging students toward high levels of academic scholarship. Students will find that this textbook offers a strong introduction to human biology in an accessible format. About the Contributors Authors Combined with Dr. Mader’s hallmark writing style, exceptional art program, and pedagogical framework, difficult concepts become easier to understand and visualize, allowing students to focus on understanding how the concepts are related.

All of the topics had same formatting and they were aligned. I did not see any issues with consistency.

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Would like to see a short section on human evolution and humans' interconnections with other species. As well, I don't see coverage of integumentary system or development. Lymphatic system is with immune system, which is fine, but perhaps change title of Ch 20 to "Immune System and Lymphatic System." Ch 11 is titled "Hormones." Perhaps change that to "Endocrine System (Hormones)."

Chapter 16 on the Skeletal System figures the "metaphysis" of long bones but leaves this important structure out of the text. Updated Boxed Readings Throughout --Human Biology features three different types of boxed readings. Theses readings have been thoroughly updated by Dr. Mader, as well as experts in the field, throughout the book to remain current. A complete set of chapter learning aids includes a listing of chapter concepts, brief concept summaries within the chapter, boldface key terms, summary, and objective questions. Students value tools within the text that help them grasp the concepts. Principles of Ecology are not touched upon here, including structure of human populations, effects of population growth, effects of air and water quality on human health, human land use and biology, and human effects of the loss of global biodiversity.

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Instructors consistently ask for a human biology textbook that helps students develop an understanding of the main themes of biology while placing the material in the context of the human body. Mader Human Biology was developed to fill this void. I like how that the author highlights the careers from the specific organ system. The information seemed pretty up-to-date. Dr. Michael Windelspecht represents the new generation of digital authors. Through the integration of an array of multimedia resources, Michael has committed to delivering the tried-and-true content of the Mader series to the new generation of digital learners. A veteran of the online, hybrid, and traditional teaching environments, Michael is well-versed in the challenges facing the modern student and educator.