Elementary Abstract Algebra: Examples and Applications

Elementary Abstract Algebra: Examples and Applications is a new open-source abstract algebra text by a number of contributors: Justin Hill, Chris Thron (eds), Thomas Judson, Dave Witte Morris, Joy Morris, A. J. Hildebrand, Holly Webb, Johnny Watts and David Weathers. 

According to editor Chris Thron:

"The treatment is far more elementary than any other book on abstract algebra that we've seen. The text is designed for students who are planning to become secondary-school teachers. We particularly emphasize material that has relevance to high-school math, as well as practical applications."

The link above will lead to both on-line (html) and pdf versions of the text.  Print-on-demand copies are available through Lulu.  There is also a series of supporting YouTube videos.

If you have used the text in its current form, please consider writing a review for the MAA Reviews website.  The previous blog posting describes best practices for doing so.

As a follow up to this blog posting, I hope to get some insight into how this large number of collaborators managed to work together.

MAA Reviews of Open Source Texts

The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) maintains a book review site called MAA Reviews where volunteers review math-related texts.  The site hosts reviews of traditionally published texts, but also accepts reviews of open-source texts.  For example, Vic Reiner and I wrote a review of Guichard's Calculus text a while back.

The editor of MAA Reviews, Fernando Gouvêa, is quite supportive of including reviews of open-source texts on the site.  Though he lightly lamented in an email exchange with me:

We are definitely willing and interested. The difficulty is that
usually the only reward I can offer my reviewers is a free copy of the
book they are to review; as a result, it is always harder to find
reviewers for open-source texts.

For a while, I went on a one-man mission to recruit reviews of open-source texts for the site.  My self-imposed best practice was that the reviewer not be an author of the text and had to have taught at least one class using the text.  Here's a list of some of the MAA Reviews I "recruited" during this period:

• Abstract Algebra: Theory and Applications by Thomas W. Judson, reviewed by Chris Thron.
• A First Course in Linear Algebra by Robert Beezer reviewed by Mike Daven and Tanya Leise.
• Calculus for Life Sciences: a Modeling Approach by J. L. Cornette and R. A. Ackerman reviewed by Steven Deckelman and George Jennings.
• Book of Proof by Richard Hammack reviewed by David Offner.
• Linear Algebra by Jim Hefferon reviewed by Robert W. Hayden.
• Precalculus: An Investigation of Functions by David Lippman and Melonie Rasmussen reviewed by Mike Kenyon.

I had a process where I'd identify a candidate text, usually through word of mouth.  Then I'd reach out to the author(s) and see if they knew of someone using the text that I could solicit a review from.  Then I'd reach out to the recommended reviewer and solicit the review for MAA Reviews.

After a while, other things made claims on my time, leaving me less active in this pursuit.  However, this is a good way to get open-source texts some exposure.  Further, a favorable review in MAA Reviews might help the author(s) get some credit for their work at their home institutions.