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Browse by Subject Area
Our shared collection with BCcampus breaks down resources by subject area. You can also filter by ancillaries, accessibility criteria, review or adoption status, as you search for the best fit in your courses. We’re always here to help if you’re not sure where to start.
You can also browse a growing collection of Made-in-Manitoba resources by visiting our PressbooksEDU catalogue.
Anatomy and Physiology (OpenStax) by J. Gordon Betts, Tyler Junior College, Eddie Johnson, Central Oregon Community College, James A. Wise, Hampton University, Kelly A. Young, California State University, Long Beach, et al. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
Anatomy and Physiology (OpenStax)
Description: Anatomy and Physiology is a dynamic textbook for the two-semester human anatomy and physiology course for life science and allied health majors. The book is organized by body system and covers standard scope and sequence requirements. Its lucid text, strategically constructed art, career features, and links to external learning tools address the critical teaching and learning challenges in the course. The web-based version of Anatomy and Physiology also features links to surgical videos, histology, and interactive diagrams.
Posted: August 20, 2013 | Updated: February 10, 2022
Author: J. Gordon Betts, Tyler Junior College, Eddie Johnson, Central Oregon Community College, James A. Wise, Hampton University, Kelly A. Young, California State University, Long Beach, et al.
Subject Areas
Biological/Physical Sciences, Biology
Original source
openstax.org
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Ancillary resource: Health Case Studies
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Ancillary resource: Clinical Anatomy
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Ancillary resource: Neuroanatomy
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Ancillary resource: Anatomy videos
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Ancillary resource: Lab manual
Reviews (5)
Avg:
Institution:Northwest Community CollegeTitle/Position: Dr. Professor
Q: The text covers all areas and ideas of the subject appropriately and provides an effective index and/or glossary
Yes it does.
Comprehensiveness Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: Content is accurate, error-free and unbiased
I did find the odd small error within my subject area, but as with most books that I have worked with, they are rarely error-free.
Content Accuracy Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: Content is up-to-date, but not in a way that will quickly make the text obsolete within a short period of time. The text is written and/or arranged in such a way that necessary updates will be relatively easy and straightforward to implement
Up to date certainly.
Relevance Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is written in lucid, accessible prose, and provides adequate context for any jargon/technical terminology used
It is a little bit too toned down for my liking - but not to the point of inaccurate.
Clarity Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework
Yes it is.
Consistency Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course (i.e., enormous blocks of text without subheadings should be avoided). The text should not be overly self-referential, and should be easily reorganized and realigned with various subunits of a course without presenting much disruption to the reader.
This text follows the format of most texts used in the field of Human Anatomy and Physiology - very useful.
Modularity Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion
Standard in the discipline.
Organization Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is free of significant interface issues, including navigation problems, distortion of images/charts, and any other display features that may distract or confuse the reader
Yes the layout and navigation looks fine and works well (I used the PDF format)
Interface Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text contains no grammatical errors
Not that I have seen
Grammar Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It should make use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds
I did not see any such passages.
Cultural Relevance Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: Are there any other comments you would like to make about this book, for example, its appropriateness in a Canadian context or specific updates you think need to be made?
No, I am inclined to adopt such a text, given the outrageous prices of the current books on the market.
Institution:Justice Institute of B.C.Title/Position: Insrtuctor
Q: The text covers all areas and ideas of the subject appropriately and provides an effective index and/or glossary
Yes, this is a very comprehensive text with good indexing, the online glossary of terms makes an excellent accomplement
Comprehensiveness Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: Content is accurate, error-free and unbiased
I saw no obvious bias
Content Accuracy Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: Content is up-to-date, but not in a way that will quickly make the text obsolete within a short period of time. The text is written and/or arranged in such a way that necessary updates will be relatively easy and straightforward to implement
As an entry level text most of the content is well established and unlikely to change
Relevance Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is written in lucid, accessible prose, and provides adequate context for any jargon/technical terminology used
The text had an easy to read style although the online pdf format often split text and related diagrams. While this would work in a 2 page view it was sometimes confusng on screen
Clarity Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework
Follows a predictable path
Consistency Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: The text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course (i.e., enormous blocks of text without subheadings should be avoided). The text should not be overly self-referential, and should be easily reorganized and realigned with various subunits of a course without presenting much disruption to the reader.
Some larger chunks of text but generally well thought out
Modularity Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion
follows the standard layout of similar texts
Organization Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: The text is free of significant interface issues, including navigation problems, distortion of images/charts, and any other display features that may distract or confuse the reader
as a pdf no distortion was noted
Interface Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: The text contains no grammatical errors
No grammatical errors found
Grammar Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It should make use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds
No noticeable biases or references
Not really an issue with cultural relevance
Cultural Relevance Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: Are there any other comments you would like to make about this book, for example, its appropriateness in a Canadian context or specific updates you think need to be made?
as an open text, this book will make a great addition to the entry level A&P studies of many students including paramedics
Institution:Assiniboine Community CollegeTitle/Position: Instructor, Medical Sciences
Q: The text covers all areas and ideas of the subject appropriately and provides an effective index and/or glossary
The content coverage is thorough and well-organized. Key terms are presented at the end of each chapter, along with practice questions. A full index and answer key for each chapter's practice questions are provided at the end of the book.
Comprehensiveness Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: Content is accurate, error-free and unbiased
Most of the content is accurate and unbiased. There are some errors, which will hopefully be corrected for the second edition of this text.
Content Accuracy Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: Content is up-to-date, but not in a way that will quickly make the text obsolete within a short period of time. The text is written and/or arranged in such a way that necessary updates will be relatively easy and straightforward to implement
The content is up to date, and I believe it will be straightforward to implement updates as needed.
Relevance Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is written in lucid, accessible prose, and provides adequate context for any jargon/technical terminology used
The text is very clearly written for the most part. There is not an excessive use of jargon or abbreviations. New/important terms are presented in bold, are described in the text and also re-defined in the glossary at the end of the chapter.
Clarity Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework
Yes, the organization and language are consistent from chapter to chapter.
Consistency Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course (i.e., enormous blocks of text without subheadings should be avoided). The text should not be overly self-referential, and should be easily reorganized and realigned with various subunits of a course without presenting much disruption to the reader.
The content is well-organized and divided into numerous sections with subheadings, which would enable them to be assigned individually.
Modularity Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion
Yes, the organization is similar to other Anatomy and Physiology textbooks.
Organization Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is free of significant interface issues, including navigation problems, distortion of images/charts, and any other display features that may distract or confuse the reader
Navigation is fine. The text within some of the diagrams seems to have a lower resolution/quality, with a somewhat fuzzy background, compared to the main text (at least in the free PDF version). Thus is not quite as easy to read the diagram labels as it is to read the main text. Nevertheless, it is still quite usable.
Interface Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: The text contains no grammatical errors
I did not notice any grammatical errors.
Grammar Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It should make use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds
Examples did include a variety of races/ethnicities/backgrounds. I did not come across any content that was culturally insensitive.
Cultural Relevance Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: Are there any other comments you would like to make about this book, for example, its appropriateness in a Canadian context or specific updates you think need to be made?
I believe that students studying Anatomy and Physiology will find this textbook to be a comprehensive resource!
Institution:Assiniboine Community CollegeTitle/Position: Instructor
Q: The text covers all areas and ideas of the subject appropriately and provides an effective index and/or glossary
For the most part the text covers what one would expect in a first or second year Anatomy and Physiology text.Chapter 13 on the Nervous System tries to cover too many topics in one chapter. Split it up such as Brain and Cranial nerves, and Spinal Cord and nerves.
Comprehensiveness Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: Content is accurate, error-free and unbiased
Generally yes. There are a few rather minor details points that are unclear.
Page 430 Figure 11.9 on the actions of the eye muscles is incorrect for the two obliques.
Content Accuracy Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: Content is up-to-date, but not in a way that will quickly make the text obsolete within a short period of time. The text is written and/or arranged in such a way that necessary updates will be relatively easy and straightforward to implement
The only consistent concern I have is with the use of personal names for structures. More modern terminology would be more relevant and accurate.
Relevance Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: The text is written in lucid, accessible prose, and provides adequate context for any jargon/technical terminology used
Generally, yes. One exception as an example would be page 16 mentioning the first law of thermodynamics. Why get into this at this point with no supporting discussion.
Clarity Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework
I saw no inconsistencies.
Consistency Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course (i.e., enormous blocks of text without subheadings should be avoided). The text should not be overly self-referential, and should be easily reorganized and realigned with various subunits of a course without presenting much disruption to the reader.
The text is well adapted to modifying its organization for being tailored for an individual instructor's outline.
Modularity Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion
Yes.
Organization Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is free of significant interface issues, including navigation problems, distortion of images/charts, and any other display features that may distract or confuse the reader
The images are blurred, as if they are scanned and re-imaged for the text. Small details cannot be read, even when magnified. Photos and line drawings selected do not always show the details the reader should be able to see and study. Labeling could be improved by categorizing. For example point to a bone and then underneath that major label, point out other features of the bone. All of these are problems that run through the text.
Interface Rating: 2 out of 5
Q: The text contains no grammatical errors
None.
Grammar Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It should make use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds
Excellent.
Cultural Relevance Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: Are there any other comments you would like to make about this book, for example, its appropriateness in a Canadian context or specific updates you think need to be made?
There are many interesting facts and some fine links for supplementary interests.
The links should be embedded without the surrounding peripheral videos to watch next. Students could be pulled on a tangent instead of staying with the text content.
Institution:University of WinnipegTitle/Position: Instructor
Q: The text covers all areas and ideas of the subject appropriately and provides an effective index and/or glossary
The text covers all of the content that I would expect to find in a first year Anatomy & Physiology course. The inclusion of a glossary of key terms at the end of each chapter, instead of just at the end of the book, makes the resource easier for students to access.
Comprehensiveness Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: Content is accurate, error-free and unbiased
Overall, the text is accurate and error-free. In some cases, physiological mechanics appear in figures, but the underlying explanation of why these mechanisms function as they do isn’t provided. This context is important and helps with retention of the information; however, it’s reasonably simple to incorporate the bigger picture into lecture material as long as students can use the text to review the minutiae. When describing the leading and lagging strands of DNA replication, for example, the text does not explain the significance of 5’ and 3’ ends of the double helix, which would help to explain an otherwise unnecessarily complex replication pathway. In another section, the text defines essential amino acids and says that there are nine but does not mention which nine; while I would not expect students to retain that information, a comprehensive textbook should also function as an effective reference.
Content Accuracy Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: Content is up-to-date, but not in a way that will quickly make the text obsolete within a short period of time. The text is written and/or arranged in such a way that necessary updates will be relatively easy and straightforward to implement
Since the text was first published in 2013, there have been two revisions to address various errata. However, the text does not have edition numbers, which makes it slightly more difficult for an instructor to keep track of which version of the text a student may be using. Because the direct download version of this text is always free, versioning is only an issue for people who buy print editions of the text or if instructors do not revise page references if the pagination changes between revisions.
Relevance Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: The text is written in lucid, accessible prose, and provides adequate context for any jargon/technical terminology used
The writing is clear and accessible. In cases where there are multiple common terms for a structure, such as the loop of Henle or nephron loop, both terms are provided.
Clarity Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework
The text and terminology are consistent throughout. The illustrations are sometimes inconsistent in style but the choices are effective in creating images that emphasise exactly what each figure is trying to demonstrate.
Consistency Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: The text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course (i.e., enormous blocks of text without subheadings should be avoided). The text should not be overly self-referential, and should be easily reorganized and realigned with various subunits of a course without presenting much disruption to the reader.
The text largely covers each section so that they can be taught in any order as long as students have sufficient background knowledge. For example, the chapter on cardiac muscle assumes that the reader has the knowledge of muscle tissues provided in an earlier chapter. With the escalating levels of complexity that are usually used as the overarching structure of anatomy and physiology courses, the text must strike a balance between modularity and redundancy.
Modularity Rating: 4 out of 5
Q: The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion
The text follows a standard approach in anatomy and physiology, which is to start at the molecular level and to increase in complexity to cells, tissues, organs and organ systems. The content layout is very similar to the structure and flow used by other popular texts in this field, which I don’t see as a negative.
Organization Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is free of significant interface issues, including navigation problems, distortion of images/charts, and any other display features that may distract or confuse the reader
The text has unutilized space, such as white spaces above or below figures and large yellow link-boxes. While this works in an electronic document where “pages” are not significant, it makes the physical copy of the book appear somewhat odd and inefficient. The white spaces make the book feel incomplete rather than spacious.
Interface Rating: 3 out of 5
Q: The text contains no grammatical errors
I was not able to find any grammatical errors in the text.
Grammar Rating: 5 out of 5
Q: The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It should make use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds
While I did not find the text to be culturally offensive, the photos and illustrations primarily feature people of European descent, as much as things like skin tone and facial features are shown. There is diversity in some photos and a small number of illustrations, but it may not be representative of all students.
Cultural Relevance Rating: 2 out of 5
Q: Are there any other comments you would like to make about this book, for example, its appropriateness in a Canadian context or specific updates you think need to be made?
The text uses American English rather than Canadian English spelling.
