Marriages and Families: Diversity and Change (5th Edition) (Paperback)

~ Mary Ann A. Schwartz (Author), BarBara Marliene Scott (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

General Thoughts "The text is next to none in terms of the great length the authors have made to incorporate sociological concepts. A student with no background will definitely benefit from the depth and breadth of the material presented here." Dr. Dan Muhwezi, Butler County Community College "This is an excellent text. The background of the information given and the diversity of the groups covered should help the professor engage the student in areas many texts have failed or are scared to cover." Dr. Dan Muhwezi, Butler County Community College "This text covers all the topics necessary in the course for which it is designed. For this reason, I have loyally used this text since beginning teaching in 1999." Dr. Beverly L. Stiles, Midwestern State University "I couldn't be happier with the development and comprehensiveness of the chapters and topics in this text." Dr. Beverly L. Stiles, Midwestern State University "This text is written at an appropriate college level. I don't teach down to my students, so I appreciate it when authors don't write down to them either." Dr. Beverly L. Stiles, Midwestern State University "I found the book very interesting as it includes detail and research not commonly found in the texts I use." Nita Jackson, Butler Community College "The authors have gone to a tremendous amount of work with the incorporation of so many research studies. I also applaud the way race and diversity is a theme through the book." Nita Jackson, Butler Community College "Teachability" of Text "I love to challenge my students to think outside the box. When trying to do this, often students think that you're giving them too much 'opinion.' I like that this text includes those debating topics because this makes my task much easier in terms of bringing up controversial issues." Dr. Beverly L. Stiles, Midwestern State University Diversity and Gender "An aspect of the Schwartz and Scott text that I find pleasing is that they bring in issues of gender and minorities throughout their text rather than placing this material solely in a single chapter (although there is a chapter devoted to gender, which is excellent!)." Dr. Beverly L. Stiles, Midwestern State University Examples, Analogies, Pedagogy "The examples used in regard to sex and sexuality were particularly good. I am comfortable pushing introductory students beyond 'safe' levels, so the edgy examples and analogies are appropriate and may even generate some authentic interest for students." Heidi Goar, Inver Hills Community College "Hurray for finding a student study guide available. Why are they so scarce anymore? My students like and need the over-leaning that takes place in a study guide; gifted students can ignore them, so everyone wins." Dr. Barbara J. Miller, Pasadena City College "I really like the 'Myths about Violence and Abuse' section [starting on page 366]. The style here listing myths and facts really stands out in the text. I think this would appeal to students." Nita Jackson, Butler Community College Qualitative Concerns "The text is accurate and solid on the issues it covers." Dr. Dan Muhwezi, Butler County Community College --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

General Thoughts

“The text is next to none in terms of the great length the authors have made to incorporate sociological concepts.  A student with no background will definitely benefit from the depth and breadth of the material presented here.”

Dr. Dan Muhwezi, Butler County Community College

 

“This is an excellent text.  The background of the information given and the diversity of the groups covered should help the professor engage the student in areas many texts have failed or are scared to cover.”

Dr. Dan Muhwezi, Butler County Community College

“This text covers all the topics necessary in the course for which it is designed.  For this reason, I have loyally used this text since beginning teaching in 1999.”

Dr. Beverly L. Stiles, Midwestern State University

 

“I couldn’t be happier with the development and comprehensiveness of the chapters and topics in this text.”

Dr. Beverly L. Stiles, Midwestern State University

 

“This text is written at an appropriate college level.  I don’t teach down to my students, so I appreciate it when authors don’t write down to them either.”

Dr. Beverly L. Stiles, Midwestern State University

 

“I found the book very interesting as it includes detail and research not commonly found in the texts I use.”

Nita Jackson, Butler Community College

 

“The authors have gone to a tremendous amount of work with the incorporation of so many research studies.  I also applaud the way race and diversity is a theme through the book.”

Nita Jackson, Butler Community College

 

“Teachability” of Text

 

“I love to challenge my students to think outside the box.  When trying to do this, often students think that you’re giving them too much ‘opinion.’  I like that this text includes those debating topics because this makes my task much easier in terms of bringing up controversial issues.”

Dr. Beverly L. Stiles, Midwestern State University

 

Diversity and Gender

 

“An aspect of the Schwartz and Scott text that I find pleasing is that they bring in issues of gender and minorities throughout their text rather than placing this material solely in a single chapter (although there is a chapter devoted to gender, which is excellent!).”

Dr. Beverly L. Stiles, Midwestern State University

Examples, Analogies, Pedagogy

“The examples used in regard to sex and sexuality were particularly good.  I am comfortable pushing introductory students beyond ‘safe’ levels, so the edgy examples and analogies are appropriate and may even generate some authentic interest for students.”

Heidi Goar, Inver Hills Community College

 

“Hurray for finding a student study guide available.  Why are they so scarce anymore?  My students like and need the over-leaning that takes place in a study guide; gifted students can ignore them, so everyone wins.”

Dr. Barbara J. Miller, Pasadena City College

 

“I really like the ‘Myths about Violence and Abuse’ section [starting on page 366].  The style here listing myths and facts really stands out in the text.  I think this would appeal to students.”

Nita Jackson, Butler Community College

 

Qualitative Concerns

 

“The text is accurate and solid on the issues it covers.”

Dr. Dan Muhwezi, Butler County Community College

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 640 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 5 edition (November 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0132287692
• ISBN-13: 978-0132287692
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #353,363 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Very poorly done, September 25, 2009

By	elliewriter "Customer reviews are great--chec... (Lovely Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marriages and Families: Diversity and Change (6th Edition) (Paperback)

I read an excerpt from the 2000 edition of this book in which the authors set out to "debunk" myths surrounding family and marriage.

It could have been interesting to read but was so poorly put together I can't believe these women were ever hired as professors. The article seemed to be full of contradictions and personal bias, as if the authors had an axe to grind but wouldn't come out and say why. The attempt came off as quite lazy, as it was extremely lacking in any solid research to back up a slew of opinions spouted in the writing.

Not only was it poorly researched but the writing was pretty bad too. It seemed like the authors were attempting an authoritative tone but in doing so, it came off as just dull, dry and boring. It lacked any specific examples and tried so hard to sound grown-up and right that its preachy, point-a-finger-at-everyone-else style was offensive.

For instance, one of the myths the authors seek to debunk is "The Naturalness of Different Spheres for Wives and Husbands," which I think is their way of saying it's OK for male and females roles to overlap (hardly new information for a book published in 2000, since by then lots of kids had been raised by working moms or single parents).

In discussing a pre-Industrial time, they bring up what could have been an intriguing point, that men of the time were more immersed in fatherhood. But could the reader learn any specifics from the article? Nope. Their examples of how fathers were more involved included only mentioning they had "a well-defined set of domestic skills, including provisioning, hospitality and child-rearing." Huh? Hospitality could mean anything from planning a barn dance or child's birthday party to cooking meals for the weary traveler, or it could simply mean Dad raised hops to supply brew to fellow farmers while they chewed cuds over the fence.

You have to wade through far too much of this kind of muck to get at even a germ of an idea and then it's still not clear.

Any student who has been taught to think for herself or himself will likely find much of this writing sadly illogical. I pity the students required to drop a hundred bucks on this junk. If your class requires this book, I'd recommend dropping it and registering for a different class, trying to do without the book or getting it used as cheaply as you can find it. This is unfortunately ignorant.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Marriage and Families: Diversity and Change, July 7, 2008

By	Tan Leng Huat David "Regalia & Associates" (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This book provides a general educational foundation to the subject. However, it has to be noted that the contents are more descriptive than inferential in nature and readers may have to excuse the research biases and inadequacies as and when they appear.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good, October 17, 2008

By	Benny - See all my reviews

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