Economics from a global perspective, Multiple Choice questions with answers Data response questions answers

Economics from a global perspective, Alan Glanville, revised edition 1999, (pound)25, ((pound)20 direct), ISBN 0 952 4746 11.

Multiple choice questions with answers, Alan Glanville, 2001, (pound)12, ((pound)10 direct), ISBN 0 952 4746 38.

Data response questions with answers, Alan Glanville, 2W2, (pound)l 2. ((pound)10 direct), ISBN 0 952 4746 46, all from Glanville Books, 33, Five Mile Drive, North Oxford, OX2 8HT, tel.01865 557736, e-mail

alan@glanville.demon.co.uk.

Alan Glanville has added to 'Economics from a Global Perspective' with two new volumes, one of data response questions and one of multiple-- choice questions. The main text has been revised.

These publications are aimed at International Baccalaureate teachers and students and the strength.of Glanville is that he is the only author currently addressing the IB syllabus. Teachers and students new to the IB can read the book, confident that they will meet the course requirements, and for teachers at remote schools unable to attend IB workshops, this book comes into its own. Glanville is an ex deputy-chief examiner with a long history of involvement with the IB.

The downside of addressing only IB students is that the small print runs do not make it a viable text for mainstream publishers. Many faults in the text are attributable to the lack of an editor and publisher other than Mr. Glanville, who has almost single-handedly completed an epic task.

The great advantage of this text is that it speaks to international students. The language used is stripped of English idiom, which is the bane of many teachers at international schools. (They often spend more time explaining arcane English phrases than teaching economic concepts). Examples and explanations are drawn from sources throughout the world, unlike much of the case study material in A level or American high school texts, which is far too narrow for IB students. However, the author slips in and out of the familiar first person and the third person, and this is distracting. The over-use of the dash in punctuation might be improved in subsequent editions, as it does not serve as a good model for second language students in particular.

There are some major drawbacks. The coverage of topics is uneven: students wishing to write essays on monopoly, for example, will struggle to reach top grades. There is very little on actual anti-monopoly legislation, contestable markets or Schumpeter. (Another example of this is the section on the negative aspects of development, which is very short). There is a lot of white space in the text so presumably this can be remedied without a cost disadvantage.

My experience of the earlier edition is that students find it difficult to find what they want in the index. Other niggling errors from earlier editions also remain, such as the incorrect purchasing power parities for Argentina and the UK. Because this book is self-- published the diagrams are drawn in a basic manner and compare poorly with the offerings from the mainstream publishers. There are many typographical inconsistencies, which diminish the readability of the text.

Teachers who have the luxury of separate Higher and subsidiary teaching sets might do better with a more established high school text, supplemented with a development text. (Alas Mr. Glanville's excellent development text is not available separately any more). But for the teacher new to the IB or to established teachers who have mixed Higher and Standard Level classes, this text is ideal. Higher-level extensions are clearly highlighted enabling the whole class to work from the same text easily.

The multiple-choice book, which is newly published, is a welcome addition. For teachers, like this reviewer, who spend a lot of time photocopying and binding multiple-choice papers before exams this booklet is heaven sent. A great many questions are actual IB questions but they have been extracted from the papers and put in syllabus order. If class sets are ordered, at 10 a copy they could well pay for themselves in saved photocopier bills to the school. Hopefully Mr. Glanville will ensure in the next edition that the answers are not on the inside back cover. It would be nice to have the option of removing the answer pages before handing the books out to students.

The book of data response questions is similarly useful. It also includes past paper questions and additional material. The inclusion of sources, which are truly international, and from a variety of sources, will help any department avoid the accusation of parochialism.

All three books should without doubt be on IB Economics department shelves, but I would advise purchasing advance copies before committing to class sets.

Chris Rodda, Oxford High School.

Copyright Economics and Business Education Association Summer 2002
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