Throughout the past decade, numerous texts have been published which claim to be ideally suited for use in a basic, introductory nonverbal communication course. Many authors state that their text will comprehensively cover all aspects of the field of nonverbal communication. Unfortunately, many of the texts cover only a portion of the concepts which have been deemed as essential for inclusion in a beginning nonverbal communication course. With the plethora of material relating to this topic on the market, there is a need for a comprehensive evaluation form by which an elevator could determine the specific method of layout (manner of organization and construction) as well as the content (nonverbal material) contained in each text under scrutiny. This thesis will examine criteria for evaluating texts in addition to listing the proposed method for constructing a textbook in terms of the order in which the various parts of the work are to be organized. The purpose of the thesis is to: (1) identify the specific nonverbal communication components which are necessary for inclusion in a basic, introductory text, (2) identify the general elements of an effectively constructed nonverbal communication text in terms of (a) Content, and (b) Layout; (3) identify the specific nonverbal components which must be included in a comprehensive nonverbal communication text; (4) determine which text, if any, comes closest to meeting the ideal requirements as determined by the evaluation form. The evaluation form is divided into two parts. Part 1 includes material relating to general textbook construction, organization, and layout. Part 2 contains material relating to the nine components of nonverbal communication.