The analysis of science textbooks: science-chemistry teachers’ book and students’ book of junior high school

Abstract

This study aims to analyse the science textbooks for teachers and students of junior high school students. The method used in this research is a qualitative method that used text analysis as a content analysis. The issue of school science textbooks has been a major research topic within the science education research tradition. The analysis of textbooks is divided into three formality values, namely: terminology and notation, nominalisations, and the use of passive voice. The categories of terminology and notation for teachers’ book and students’ book showed the result of high (H) value, the nominalisations for teachers’ book and students’ book also showed the result of high (H) value. Meanwhile, the use of passive voice for teachers’ book and students’ book showed the result of a low (L) value. By nominalising verbs in writing, more information can be packed into each clause so that the noun phrases can extend and carry more content. On the other hand, the analysis showed the result of low value in the use of passive voice while the verbs in passive voice appeared less than the verbs in the active voice. The result also showed weak power relationship and weak involvement in both textbooks. The weak power (hierarchical) relationship was shown by more occurrences of interrogatives and declarative rather than imperatives in both textbooks. Meanwhile, the weak involvement was shown by the frequency of the use of personal pronouns (more use of plural personal pronouns than singular ones). In conclusion, the analysis in both Chemistry textbooks (teachers’ book and students’ book) in the content of acid and base was high value in the formality markers of both terminologies, notation, and the nominalisations.