Research Paper on:
Stephen Jay Gould's Bully for Brontosaurus

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
serious discussion of evolution, to the marketplace and the decision to include cherry coke, Gould brings to the forefront and exposes the underbelly of many widely accepted theories. One of  these theories, in chapter Ten, is the legitimacy and authority of textbooks. It can be said that a good deal of todays teaching still is derived from formal textbooks. Most  school systems do not have the funding to adopt new textbooks each year, so the textbooks must not only provide current information for the present, but also be made to  service at least two or three more classes of students. However, the problem with this, especially in relation to science and mathematics, is that these disciplines are at this point  and time, very fluid and dynamic, ever changing. What was true of a computer system this year, may very well be completely obsolete next year. Therefore, it is of critical  importance that textbooks be in line with the goals of both the teachers and the school system, as well as the future of the students. What Gould states is  that "Most publishing houses are now owned by conglomerates-CBS, Raytheon, and Coca-Cola among them-with managers who never raise their eyes from the financial bottom line, know little or nothing about  books, and view the publishing arm of their diversified empire as but one more item for the ultimate balance"(Gould 157). Apparently, only five of the analyzed textbooks were on target  as far a giving students the basic ideas that were essential for further education, and the rest of the math and science texts were found to be unsatisfactory with little  potential for helping students learn important ideas and skills. Each year the media reports the dismal results of Americas students versus those in other countries. Interestingly enough, in a comparison