Harmer also adds the criteria of a good textbook as follow:

1. How expensive is the textbook? Can the students afford it? Will they have to buy an
accompanying work book? Can they afford both? What about the teacher can he or she
pay for the teachers book and tapes.
2. If the course available? Are all components (students’ book, teachers’ book, workbook
etc.) in the shops now? What about the next level (for the next term/semester)? Has it been
published) is it available? What about tapes, videos and etc?
3. Is the book attractive? Does the teacher feel comfortable with it? Do the student like it?
How user friendly is the design? Does it yet in the way of what the book is trying to do or
does it enhance it?
4. What kind of teaching and learning does the book promote? Can teachers and students
build appropriate ESA sequences from it? Is there a good balance between study and
activation?
5. Does the book cover the four skills reading, writing, speaking, listening adequately? Is
there a decent balance between the skill? Are there opportunities for both study and
activation in the skill work? Is the language of the reading and listening text appropriate?
Are the speaking and writing tasks likely to engage the students interest?
6. Is the syllabus of the book appropriate for your students? Does is cover the language
points you would expect? Are they in the right order? Do the reading and listening texts
increase difficulty as the book progresses?
7. Does the book contain a variety of topics? Are they likely to engaged the students’
interest? Does the teacher respond to them well? Are they culturally appropriate for the
students? Are they too adult or too childish?
8. Does the book represent people and situation in a fair and equal way? Are various
categories of people treated equally? Is There streotyping of certain nationalities? Does the
book display conscious or unconscious or sexism?
9. Is there a good teachers’ guide? Is it easy to use? Does it have all the answers the teacher
might need? Does it offer alternatives to lesson procedures? Does it contain a statement of
intention which the teacher and students feel happy with?

Greene and Petty in Arba’ati propose the criteria of a good textbook, according to
them good textbook have certain qualities, they are:
1. The textbook must be interesting and attractive toward the learners. So, they will be
interested in using textbook
 2. The textbook must be able to motivate the learners
3. The content of textbook must be illustrative
4. The textbook should consider the linguistic aspect. So, it will be suitable with the
learner’ ability
5. The content of the textbook must be related to the other branch of science
6. The textbook must stimulate the personal activity of the learners
7. The contents of the textbook must be clear in written to avoid the children to be
confused in using textbook
8. The textbook must have the clear point of view because it will be the learner’s point of
view
9. The textbook must be able to give the balance and emphasis on the value of the learners
10. The textbook must be able to respect to the differences of the individual.

BSNP divided the instrument in evaluating textbook into two stages, as follow:
a. Instrumen penilaian tahap I
1. Komponen kelayakan isi
a) Standar kompetensi (SK) tercantum secara implisit
b) Kompetensi dasar (KD) tercantum secara implisit
c) Kesesuaian isi buku dengan Standar kompetensi (SK) dan Kompetensi dasar (KD).

2. Komponen penyajian
a) Daftar isi
b) Tujuan setiap bab
c) Peta konsep atau ringkasan
d) Kata kunci (key-words)
e) Pertanyaan/soal latihan pada setiap bab
f) Daftar pustaka.

3. Komponen kegrafikan
a) Kulit buku
b) Isi buku
c) Keterbacaan (kesesuaian dalam pemilihan huruf, ilustrasi dan format)
d) Kualitas cetakan (kejelasan, kerataan, dan warna cetakan)
e) Kekuatan fisik buku (kertas isi, bahan kulit, dan sistem
penjilidan).

b. Instrumen penilaian tahap II (Sub Komponen)

1. Komponen kelayakan isi

a) cakupan materi
b) akurasi materi
c) kemutakhiran
d) mengandung wawasan produktivitas
e) merangsang keingintahuan (curiosity)
f) mengembangkan kecakapan hidup (life skills)
g) mengembangkan wawasan kebinekaan (sense of diversity)
h) mengandung wawasan kontekstual.

2. Komponen kebahasaan
a) sesuai dengan tingkat perkembangan peserta didik
b) komunikatif
c) dialogis dan interaktif
d) lugas
e) koherensi dan keruntutan alur pikir
g) penggunaan istilah dan simbol/lambang.

3. Komponen penyajian
a) teknik penyajian
b) pendukung penyajian materi
c) penyajian pembelajaran.

4. Komponen kegrafikan
a) ukuran buku
b) bagian kulit buku
c) bagian isi buku

1. Readibility