The study investigated the readability and content coverage indices of three approved mathematics textbooks for senior secondary school three in Akwa-Ibom State. Two research questions and two corresponding hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted utilitarian evaluation research design. Three (3) out of the twelve (12) approved mathematics textbooks were drawn using simple random sampling technique. Purposive and non-proportionate stratified random sampling techniques were used to draw sixty (60) senior secondary school three students from population of 340 SSS3 students from three schools in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of Ikwa-Ibom State. The instruments used for data collection were the three approved mathematic textbooks, syllabus or scheme of work for SSS3 students and Mathematics Textbook Reading Level Evaluation Questionnaire (MTRLEQ). MTRLEQ was validated by three experts in measurement and evaluation for face and content validities. Gunning Fog Index and Topical Coverage index were used to answer the research questions. One-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) and Linear Chi-square were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 levels of significance. Based on the findings, it was observed that among the three mathematics textbooks, New General mathematics was read successfully by the students. Recommendations were made among others that mathematics textbooks should be written using simple English at the secondary school level.
Citation: Opara I. M. and Enang T.E. (2023) Readability and Content Coverage Indices of Three Approved Mathematics Textbooks for Senior Secondary School Three in Akwa-Ibom State, International Journal of Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods, Vol.11, No.1, pp.12-23
Keywords: Content coverage, Mathematics, readability, textbooks
