Uncertainty about the future of A-levels has produced a log-jam of textbooks, with publishers accumulating manuscripts for release once final decisions are made. The short-term effect has been to reduce the flow to a trickle.

One new addition, though, is Business Studies: a core curriculum. Aimed primarily at the Cambridge modular syllabus, it is a conventional text in every sense - generally two column, in black-and-white with a few unexciting photographs. At more than 300 pages, it provides comprehensive cover, and is at least up-to-date.

Ian Marcouse is one of the most prolific business studies authors, and his success is largely down to his clarity of writing and attention to detail. The A-Z Business Studies Coursework Handbook is no exception. Although designed to feed off the success of Hodder amp; Stoughton’s A-Z series, this book is something of an imposter as it mostly follows a chronological, rather than an alphabetical, format. But the layout is logical and provides helpful guidance and research tips for A-level coursework.

The Business Studies Advanced Level Resource Pack is aimed at first-year students who may need help in adjusting to the range of teaching and learning styles they encounter at A-level. It consists of eight units, the first of which concentrates on study skills and examination techniques. The remainder are case studies of real-life organisations, from the well-known, and sometimes over-used, such as Virgin, to the lesser-known such as NCT amp; S, a wooden pallet manufacturer. It is comprehensive and the case study information relates to specific syllabus areas. At Pounds 85 it is not cheap, but the photocopiable format should make it good value.

David Lines David Lines is lecturer in business and economics education at the University of London Institute of Education