What is a WORDBOOK?
WORDBOOK is a unique vocabulary-building program created by the Johnson O’Connor Research Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit organization that has been engaged in aptitude and vocabulary research since 1922.
Why use WORDBOOKs?
WORDBOOK is unique in two ways. First, words are arranged in a statistically determined order of difficulty. More than 15,000 public and private school students were tested to determine the exact level of the 1,440 words in the program. Second, an eighty-item placement test tells you which Wordbook is right for your level of word knowledge. As a result, you will be presented with words you are ready to learn, words that are at the borderline of your knowledge.
How are the WORDBOOKs arranged?
WORDBOOK is a series of eight workbooks, each 96 pages long. Each chapter begins with a pretest consisting of fifteen multiple choice items covering the fifteen words in the chapter. You take the pretest to discover which words you do not know. The pretest is followed by a discussion of each word, giving its pronunciation and meaning and using it in several sentences. An important additional feature of the discussion is the frequent explanation of common misunderstandings of the word based on analyses of the statistical data used in calculating the word’s level of difficulty.
After the discussions, three exercises give you opportunities to test your understanding of the words in the chapter. There is a review test after every three chapters to check on how well you have retained what you have studied. An appendix of common prefixes and suffixes is included in each book.
Which book should I start using?
First, take the Placement Test. Then, go to the Answer page to score your test. You should begin with the WORDBOOK corresponding to the group in which you first make two or more mistakes. If you have made fewer than two mistakes, begin with WORDBOOK Level 8. Begin at the appropriate level, then work through the rest of the program. The result will be a larger vocabulary and better communication skills in school or on the job.
How can I order WORDBOOKs?
Our WORDBOOKs series is now available as a web app that can be accessed for free here. While we’ve stopped printing the book series, you may be able to purchase some hard copies from our remaining stock for $5.00 each. Residents of CA, CO, GA, and NY, please include applicable sales tax. For postage and handling to the U.S. only, please also include $4.00 for the first book, and $1.00 for each additional book. We can only ship to U.S. addresses. For inquiries or more information, please email accounting@jocrf.org or call 617-536-1584 between 8:30 A.M. and 4:30 PM EST.