Developing your structure and outline

Building out the textbook’s structure is a good first step. This includes determining the tree structure and the structural elements. One way to accomplish this is with some sticky notes with structural elements written on them.

Process

First, start by asking yourself what you would like to call the “tree” elements of the textbook. Write each element on a sticky note. Be sure to include “Book” as the trunk of the tree structure.

Next, starting at the “Book” level, what structural elements, or textbook parts, will be included at the book level?

In this example, “Cover Page” and “TOC” are Openers at the book level, and “Index” and “Glossary” are Closers. The main content will be in the form of Chapters, which will be the next level of content that we will help structure.

Repeat this process at the “Chapter” level and each subsequent levels.

For each chapter, an “Introduction,” “Chapter Outline,” “Objectives,” and “Key Terms” are the Openers, and “Discussion Questions” and “Case Studies” are the Closers, with “Sections” as the main content. Each section will contain “Main Content” and the a “Review Questions” closer.

When you’re finished, you will have defined what each level of the tree structure looks like, and will have taken a huge step in consistently structuring the textbook in ways that help the learner use the textbook effectively.

Keep in mind that this structure might change during the next step – defining the content structure – and this is perfectly acceptable.

Content structure

Note that the textbook structure defined above does not mention the course content. This next step involves building an outline of content topics for the textbook.

Careful consideration should be given to the scope of the content in the textbook (what is covered and what is not covered) and the sequence in which the content is covered.

Scope

By scope, we are referring to the depth and breadth of the content to be taught. To be most useful, the scope should contain the content typically covered in a course or series of courses in a field of study. If possible, it could be very helpful for the author to get input from peers about the anticipated scope of the textbook before writing begins.

Sequence

The sequence of the content is the order in which the content should be taught for the best learning. In any given subject, there are likely multiple theories about which sequence is best (e.g., the OpenStax Chemistry textbook has been revised into a version called “Chemistry: Atoms First” because some instructors believe that it makes more sense to students to teach about atoms before teaching about other chemistry concepts).

Creating your Textbook Outline

Content Outline

The author will need to create an outline that matches the number of levels in the tree structure. For instance, if the tree structure is then the outline will need to provide content for each level (below book). Here is an example of a portion of a content outline:

...
Unit 2. The Cell
   Chapter 4. Cell Structure
      Section 4.1 Studying Cells
      Section 4.2 Prokaryotic Cells
      Section 4.3 Eukaryotic Cells
      Section 4.4 The Endomembrane System and Proteins
      Section 4.5 The Cytoskeleton
      Section 4.6 Connections between Cells and Cellular Activities
   Chapter 5. Structure and Function of Plasma Membranes
      Section 5.1 Components and Structure
      Section 5.2 Passive Transport
      Section 5.3 Active Transport
      Section 5.4 Bulk Transport
...
Unit 3. Genetics
   Chapter 11. Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction
      Section 11.1 The Process of Meiosis
      Section 11.2 Sexual Reproduction
   Chapter 12. Mendel's Experiments and Heredity
      Section 12.1 Mendel’s Experiments and the Laws of Probability
      Section 12.2 Characteristics and Traits
      Section 12.3 Laws of Inheritance

It’s possible that the process of mapping out the content will make you realize that the textbook structure needs to be adjusted. This is perfectly normal, as the two structures are interrelated.

Note: When completing this outline, be aware that in 2012, open textbook publisher Boundless was sued by three publishers – partially because Boundless copied the structure of their textbooks. The actual content of the Boundless books was openly licensed, but the structure was mapped from the publishers’ commercial books. The case was settled out of court, so it is still unclear whether this violates copyright law, but you should be aware that it could be a legal risk to blatantly copy a commercial textbook’s structure.

Full Outline

Once complete, the Content Structure and Textbook Structure can be combined to create a complete outline of the textbooks. Remember to draw on the Parts of a Textbook to develop the front matter and back matter of the book. Reach out to VIVA Publishing staff if you are unsure about what sections should be included in your OER.

Drawing from the textbook structure and content outline shared previously, we get the full outline of the two chapters:

Cover Page
Table of Contents
...   
   Chapter 11. Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction
      Introduction
      Objectives
      Key Terms
      Section 11.1 The Process of Meiosis
         Main Content
         Review Questions
      Section 11.2 Sexual Reproduction
         Main Content
         Review Questions
      Discussion Questions
   Chapter 12. Mendel's Experiments and Heredity
      Introduction
      Objectives
      Key Terms
      Section 12.1 Mendel’s Experiments and the Laws of Probability
         Main Content
         Review Questions
      Section 12.2 Characteristics and Traits
         Main Content
         Review Questions
      Section 12.3 Laws of Inheritance
         Main Content
         Review Questions
...
Index
Glossary

Creating such an outline and filling in the outline structure with content will make it much more likely that you will end up with a textbook that is useful to students. It will contain consistent elements that will become familiar to students, giving them useful structure and scaffolding. The process of creating this outline encourages you to think through pedagogical tools that you might not have otherwise considered.

Activity: Developing your structure and outline

Drawing on the process outlined in the previous section, complete the following activity via Google form: