KEY CONCEPTS IN GEOMORPHOLOGY – A FUTURE-LOOKING COMMUNITY-BASED TEXTBOOK THAT BUILDS ON OUR PAST

We have created an all new Geomorphology textbook, Key Concepts in Geomorphology, that builds upon the excellent books that have defined our field for decades. Development of the new book was supported by the National Science Foundation to serve as a model for extensive community involvement and vetting at all stages from initial outlining through chapter development and revision to final review. Key Concepts is designed to serve undergraduate students in first year courses about Earth Surface Processes, Physical Geography, and Quaternary Geology. It is also designed to be useful for students in related fields such as forestry, agriculture, and civil engineering.

The new textbook differs from existing books in several important ways. 1. Each chapter was reviewed at least twice by two experts in the chapter’s content area. Every chapter was also vetted by 8 to 10 generalist reviewers before extensive copyediting. The entire textbook was edited by two senior geomorphologists and a technical editor with expertise in geomorphology. 2. The book focuses on the key concepts of Geomorphology rather than on specific derivations or place-based examples. 3. As part of this project, community members developed a series of >200 electronic resources (http://serc.carleton.edu/vignettes), specific case-studies that faculty and students need for place-or content-based teaching and learning.

The textbook has 14 chapters organized into four sections. Each chapter includes between 10 and 14 newly drafted, full-color figures designed specifically for novice learners. Between 20 and 30 annotated color photographs illustrate each of the chapters. At the end of each chapter, the Digging Deeper section presents an in depth look at the development of scientific thought on a problem relevant to the chapter along with a worked problem and a series of questions that allow students to test their mastery of the material.