Industry News Round-Up Week of 9/30/24

Stay updated on the latest news, advancements, and changes that are shaping the textbook and academic authoring industry with our bi-weekly Industry News Round-Up. Have an item to share? Email Sierra.Pawlak@TAAonline.net.


A Battle Over Florida’s General Education Courses (October 3, 2024)

Judge Rejects Florida Lawsuit Challenging Accreditation (October 3, 2024)

Colleges See Alarming Rates of Fake Applications. So They’re Turning to AI. (October 1, 2024)

Your Textbook Deserves Recognition: Apply For a TAA Award

You’ve put so much time and passion into your textbook. Now is the time for that work to be recognized by nominating it for one of TAA’s industry-respected awards:

Most Promising New Textbook Award: this award recognizes promising textbooks and learning materials in their first edition.
Textbook Excellence Award: this award recognizes excellence in current textbooks and learning materials.
McGuffey Longevity Award: this award recognizes long-standing textbooks and learning materials that have been in print for at least 15 years.

2025 TAA Textbook Award Nominations are open until November 1. Don’t miss out on receiving the recognition your published textbook deserves.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Kiley Thornton, Director of Membership and Programs, at kiley.thornton@taaonline.net.

TAA Featured in Podcast on Legal Use of Textbook Images in Teaching Materials

Watch a new episode of The A&P Professor podcast featuring a chat with TAA Board Secretary and intellectual property attorney Brenda Ulrich from Archstone Law about the legal use of textbook images in teaching materials. One of the breaks in this episode encourages listeners to check out TAA membership.

The A&P Professor podcast, for anatomy & physiology faculty, is hosted by award-winning A&P professor & author Dr. Kevin Patton, who is also past-president of TAA.

Writing a Dissertation: Don’t Fall Down the ‘Rabbit Hole’ of Theory Shopping

Often, when someone begins seeking a theoretical framework for their dissertation, they take for granted the one they are already implicitly using, said writing coach and editor Dr. Dave Harris, with Thought Clearing.

“To be at the point where you’re writing your dissertation, you’ve already been a scholar in a graduate program for multiple years and have learned a lot,” he said. “A lot of people at this point go shopping for theories, thinking ‘oh, I need this person’s theory and that person’s theory,’ and they don’t sit down and say to themselves, ‘well, how do I think the world works and where did these ideas come from?’

Engaging Our Inner Critics

By Michelle Rivera-Clonch, PhD

We often hear about the hazards of an Unskilled Inner Critic and, like most things, there’s more to the story. Our Skilled Inner Critic, when called upon, promotes a writing flow that encourages us to be calm, cool, connected and creative. We have access to both Critics—it’s about the intensity and frequency that we rely upon each one to help us complete the writing project.

Getting the Most Out of the Editorial Experience

By Hannah de Keijzer

Having your manuscript edited is a chance to clarify your ideas, develop your writing craft, and make your book the very best it can be. Here are tips and prompts to help you take full advantage of this opportunity.

Your manuscript can go through several kinds of editing as it progresses from idea to publication:

  • developmental/substantive editing for structure and argument;
  • line editing for voice, clarity, and flow; copyediting for consistency and correctness; and
  • proofreading for that final cleanup of lingering errors.

Not all publishers offer editorial support at every stage.