Writing textbooks has got to be pretty tedious work. So you can hardly blame the writers when they slip in something that seems a little bit… off. My theory is that one of three things happens:
#1. The writer slips something in to see if anybody notices.
Best optometry chart ever.
The heading asks a very good question that the problem doesn’t really address.
Just don’t tell Spongebob he’s not a member. He’ll be crushed.
“This chapter might have been called ‘Introduction,’ but nobody reads the introduction and we wanted you to read this. We feel safe admitting this here, in the footnote, because nobody reads footnotes either.” Whoever wrote this is my hero.
This explains every other entry on this post.
#2. The writer is so focused on the topic at hand that he/she forgets common sense.
Hey, it’s a grammar textbook, okay? Cut them some slack.
Apparently chemists believe that rhinos were created by dragons and unicorns mating.
That’s for when you’re way, way past the point you should stop.
So… uh… what exactly are the people who’re using it unsafely doing?
#3. The writer blacks out and temporarily loses his/her mind.
As if there’s any other kind.
This is how you know it’s time to hire a graphic designer.
This exercise in synonyms is making me really uncomfortable.
I guess that’s one way of interpreting that picture…
I can’t help but feel like we’re getting a pretty dark look into this statistics professor’s personal life.
Ok, this one is just hilarious.
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These images were found on the following sites:
http://thankstextbooks.tumblr.com/
http://theberry.com/2013/01/15/goofy-things-found-in-school-textbooks-14-photos/
http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/12-funny-yet-real-things-spotted-in-textbooks
Comments on: "15 Examples of Insane Textbook Writing" (4)
Hilarious! I have sat on the board of many textbook writing committees and have seen some pretty funny nonsensical things put to paper, but your article had me in stitches.
That was an excellent post today. Great writing style.
Thanks so much for sharing it. I really enjoyed reading it very much. You have a wonderful day!
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This was great to read. One of the textbooks I use in my high school English classes has an example metaphor which I couldn’t get through when teaching metaphors last year. It compared apples to golden juicy balls. I will avoid that example from now on.
Loved it, made my day!