If you were going to teach a course in "online journalism," you would probably start by searching for a good textbook to use. Until recently, you would have come up empty-handed. (You would have put together a collection of Web links for students to use instead.)

A variety of books are available now, and I wanted to write a roundup of all those that have caught my attention so far. If I left out a book you like, I hope you'll e-mail me and let me know.

These books are not suited to a Web production course -- they are NOT about how to build a Web site, write HTML or use software. However, some are better suited for a theory or survey course ABOUT online journalism, while others would work well in a course on DOING journalism online.

I included two textbooks on reporting as examples of how more of these are including some treatment of writing for online media. They do not include enough information to make them work well in a course devoted to online journalism, but they could be used in a course that included reporting for radio, TV, print and online.

To "Online Journalism: A Critical Primer"

Mindy McAdams is the Knight Chair for Journalism Technologies and the Democratic Process at the University of Florida.