Spurred by the requests of instructors who teach anatomy and physiology, the sixth edition of this text experienced extensive topic reorganization and a dramatic art upgrade. The sixth edition was an intensely laborious revision, but the response to the changes we implemented was resoundingly positive. The seventh edition of Anatomy and Physiology builds on the momentum of the sixth edition’s success. The major focus of the seventh edition has been polishing our newly remodeled text to insure the accuracy and clarity of the writing and artwork.

Updating the Narrative

Extensive feedback from anatomy and physiology instructors who conscientiously reviewed the sixth edition helped us identify many areas in the text discussions that could be improved. For the seventh edition we have examined the language used to describe structures and functions with the strategy of making those concepts clear and unambiguous. In addition, we have worked diligently to update coverage throughout the book to be in line with the most current information.

We have updated numerous areas of Anatomy and Physiology to make the consistency between the molecular, cellular, and systemic levels smooth and clear. For example, more recent molecular information about taste and olfactory receptors will help students more easily understand how these sensory receptors work.We have continued to alter the structural terminology so that it conforms to the most modern views. For example, recent studies show that the traditional classification of the cranial nerves must be modified to be correct. The twelfth cranial nerve receives input from only the spinal cord. Alterations in the descriptions of excitationcontraction coupling in muscle tissue and changes in the descriptions of the mechanism by which sound stimulates hair cells have made these concepts easier for students to understand.

Fine-Tuning the Art Program

In addition to refining the textual discussions, we have made extensive modifications to the artwork in the seventh edition. Based on student and reviewer input, we have increased the number of Process Figures. These figures, which combine illustrations of a physiological process with brief step-by-step explanations, visually summarize complex concepts in an easy-to-follow format.

Also at the request of multiple reviewers, we have enlarged many of the anatomical illustrations in the text to allow higher visibility and distinction of structures. Consistent directional labels have been added to anatomical drawings to help orient students to the exact view that they are studying.

Coordinating the placement of artwork in relation to the text discussion is always difficult when you are dealing with numerous large illustrations. We have been careful to consider page layout and have made every effort to present images so they work in unison with the text that describes them.

Building a Knowledge Base for Solving Problems

The problem-solving pedagogy of Anatomy and Physiology has been a defining characteristic since the first edition, and we have continued to improve this aspect of the text in the seventh edition. The infrastructure of pedagogical aids uses a two-pronged approach to learning. Knowledge and comprehension level questions are balanced with questions that require more complex reasoning in both the narrative of the text and in the end-of-chapter exercises.

• Review questions at the end of each section of text encourage students to assess their understanding of the material they have read before proceeding to the next section. For the seventh edition, we have refashioned the objectives previously found at the beginning of each section into additional review questions. The result is a greatly expanded number of section review questions that provide a thorough series of probes to test student comprehension after having read the material, rather than a passive list of items to consider before embarking on a new topic. This approach has eliminated redundancy and reduced the number of interruptions to the flow of the text, allowing the development of a more useful student tool without adding undue length to the book.
• Predict questions (many of them new to this edition) are carefully positioned throughout each chapter to prompt students to use newly learned concepts as they solve a problem. These critical thinking activities help students make the connection between basic facts and how those facts translate to broader applications.
• The same hierarchy of knowledge-based and reasoning-based questions is repeated in the end-of-chapter exercises. For more recall practice, Review and Comprehension tests provide a battery of multiple-choice questions that cover all of the key points presented in the chapter.
• The challenging Critical Thinking questions at the end of each chapter help students learn to solve problems by using the information in the text. Tackling questions of this level builds a working knowledge of anatomy and physiology and sharpens reasoning skills.

See the Guided Tour starting on page xii for more details on each of the learning features in Anatomy and Physiology.