Book Description

Massive data sets pose a great challenge to many cross-disciplinary fields, including statistics. The high dimensionality and different data types and structures have now outstripped the capabilities of traditional statistical, graphical, and data visualization tools. Extracting useful information from such large data sets calls for novel approaches that meld concepts, tools, and techniques from diverse areas, such as computer science, statistics, artificial intelligence, and financial engineering.Statistical Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery brings together a stellar panel of experts to discuss and disseminate recent developments in data analysis techniques for data mining and knowledge extraction. This carefully edited collection provides a practical, multidisciplinary perspective on using statistical techniques in areas such as market segmentation, customer profiling, image and speech analysis, and fraud detection. The chapter authors, who include such luminaries as Arnold Zellner, S. James Press, Stephen Fienberg, and Edward J. Wegman, present novel approaches and innovative models and relate their experiences in using data mining techniques in a wide range of applications. ... Read more

Book Description

This anthology of 80 articles is a compilation of the mostwidely read and frequently cited articles on the subject of theory fornursing. Six units present articles in chronological order as theyfirst appeared in the literature. Classic and contemporary articlesfrom many of the great leaders in nursing over the past forty yearsserve to clarify and amplify the historic and current debates in thefield. Bibliographical information provides insight into the authors'thoughts, experiences, and purposes for writing the article; commentaryinformation introduces another perspective and represents currentthinking about the subjects addressed in each unit. Time lines on theinside front and back covers present the big picture of the categoriesof debate that have marked the evolution of nursing theory. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Nutrition in Clinical Practice
A very thorough and thoughtful discussion of nutrition that is ideally suited to the needs of the primary care provider. The CLINICAL HIGHLIGHTS feature at the end of each chapter is especially useful, but the final section, PRINCIPLES OF DIETARY COUNSELING, is worth getting the book for all by itself. Knowing about healthful nutrition is the easy part - getting our patients to adopt healthful eating habits is what's difficult. This approach to the problem of behavioral change is the best I have seen.

Review by a nutritionally-oriented physician
Dr. Katz has done both the medical community and patients a great service by writing Nutrition in Clinical Practice. This book offers the layperson a surprisingly readable, painstakingly detailed overview of the role nutrition plays in health and disease. Anyone interested in knowing why good diet is so important should read this book.

For the physician or nutritionist, this book is an essential tool for incorporating the latest research into your nutritional interventions. For students, Dr. Katz's work will be a highlight of their curriculum.

Review by Author
Based on 15 years of clinical practice in Internal and Preventive Medicine, this text is specifically designed for the practicing clinician, yet is accessible to the educated lay reader. It is comprehensive, with topics ranging from obesity and cardiovascular disease, to aging, cognition, early development, and the menstrual cycle. Comprehensive, extensively referenced and carefully evidence-based, the book is concise and practical. This book should be of interest to any clinician wishing to address diet and health effectively in the course of clinical practice, as well as to any patient wanting authoritative information on nutritional health. ... Read more

Book Description

A hands-on approach to managing a debilitating condition.

This valuable resource cuts through the medical jargon in other books and focuses on themost important things readers need to know to understand and manage fibromyalgia.Readers learn how to assemble a team of healthcare providers, communicate withdoctors, identify the triggers that lead to symptoms, set and track sleep and diet regimens,and much more.

• According to the Mayo Clinic, six to eight million Americans havefibromyalgia

• Dr. Bradley is one of the country’s leading fibromyalgia researchers

• Lynne Matallana’s personal story was highlighted in a feature article in the May2003 issue of Newsweek ... Read more

Book Description

An important role of diagnostic medicine research is to estimate and compare the accuracies of diagnostic tests. This book provides a comprehensive account of statistical methods for design and analysis of diagnostic studies, including sample size calculations, estimation of the accuracy of a diagnostic test, comparison of accuracies of competing diagnostic tests, and regression analysis of diagnostic accuracy data. Discussing recently developed methods for correction of verification bias and imperfect reference bias, methods for analysis of clustered diagnostic accuracy data, and meta-analysis methods, Statistical Methods in Diagnostic Medicine explains:
* Common measures of diagnostic accuracy and designs for diagnostic accuracy studies
* Methods of estimation and hypothesis testing of the accuracy of diagnostic tests
* Meta-analysis
* Advanced analytic techniques-including methods for comparing correlated ROC curves in multi-reader studies, correcting verification bias, and correcting when an imperfect gold standard is used
Thoroughly detailed with numerous applications and end-of-chapter problems as well as a related FTP site providing FORTRAN program listings, data sets, and instructional hints, Statistical Methods in Diagnostic Medicine is a valuable addition to the literature of the field, serving as a much-needed guide for both clinicians and advanced students. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent For USMLE
I took my USMLE in 1997, I found this review extremel helpfull, I did not have any problemes answering questions in USMLE, which I owe to the great presentation of Info, easy to remember the well organized materials, tables, figures. Now I am a resident, I easily remember the pages, tabletes. I frequently used before journal clubs. I recomended for every USMLE taker. It worth it, it deserve SIX Stars if possible. ... Read more

Book Description

Randomization, Bootstrap and Monte Carlo Methods in Biology, Second Edition features new material on on bootstrap confidence intervals and significance testing, and incorporates new developments on the treatments of randomization methods for regression and analysis variation, including descriptions of applications of these methods in spreadsheet programs such as Lotus and other commercial packages. This second edition illustrates the value of modern computer intensive methods in the solution of a wide range of problems, with particular emphasis on biological applications. Examples given in the text include the controversial topic of whether there is periodicity between co-occurrences of species on islands. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Data referenced in book are suspect
I found this book rather interesting, with a nice mix of methods and applications. I intended to use some of the examples in a course that I am teaching. There are many examples given which use data sets to illustrate important concepts. However, I was unable to access several of these data sets. I contacted the author and mentioned that I was particularly interested in accessing two of the data sets that were referenced in the book --- his reply was that data sets for the book were available at a specific URL. Indeed there were several data sets at this location; but, not the data sets that I had mentioned in my inquiry.

I did a lot of searching on my own for these data sets. One of these supposedly came from Sweden; but, after extensive searching through several Swedish databases I found nothing on this particular data set. I contacted the author again and requested at least a reference or link to these data sets --- no reply to my request has been received (after 11 days).

I feel strongly that all data sets referenced in a book of this type should be available to the readers. If not, then they should not be used in examples.

excellent coverage of randomization and resampling
Manly is an excellent writer who has written several excellent texts and is an editor of a biostatistics journal. This is a revision of a very popular text on randomization or permutation methods. Because of the immense popularity of bootstrap methods (a similar resampling procedure), he elected to add some coverage of the bootstrap. All topics are covered in a clear and scholarly style and examples from biology are given. The interested reader might also look at Good (2000), Permutation Methods, 2nd Edition, published by Springer-Verlag and Edgington, Randomization Tests published by Marcel Dekker for other accounts on permutation tests. There are now several good books dedicated to bootstrap methods including Davison and Hinkley (1997), Cambridge University Press, Efron and Tibshirani (1993), CRC-Chapman and Hall and Chernick (1999), John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

A must for EVERY biologist
Statistical analysis based on resampling methods are clearly the way the bulk of statistics should be done, and the trend is towards this. Manly gives an excellent and clear treatment introducing these methods in various settings in population biology. This book is clearly a must for any biologist that has to deal with data, and it should be read by all such biologist. I shamelessly copy from this book when I present resampling methods to my graduate biostatistics class. ... Read more

Book Description

Allegations of fraud, conflict of interest, and other ethical dilemmas have troubled the scientific community lately. With increasing frequency, graduate programs in the biomedical sciences are offering formalized training in the principles of responsible scientific conduct. Until now, there has been no single true textbook that can be used to teach this important subject. This text was developed to cover broad areas of scientific integrity and to meet the needs of today's graduate students and scientists working in the biomedical sciences.Case studies that parallel the material presented in the chapters are included to illustrate the diversity of issues that have been identified under the umbrella of scientific integrity. TABLE OF CONTENTS: Scientific Integrity MentoringScientific Record-KeepingAuthorship and Peer Review Use of Animals in Biomedical Experimentation Use of Humans in Biomedical ExperimentationConflict of InterestOwnership of Data and Intellectual PropertyGenetic Technology and Scientific Integrity ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Should be read by everyone involved in biological research
It is a very important book. Should be read by everyone involved with biological research;it would be useful to have a spanish version. ... Read more

Book Description

"Overall, I find this volume quite impressive. Its organization is clear, logical, and easy to follow. Good discussion of rigorous sampling methods."

--Chris Hafner-Eaton, Department of Public Health,

Oregon State University

Through the use of numerous examples, The Survey Handbook explains four different types of survey instruments and the activities that constitute a "typical" survey and demonstrates how to organize surveys and estimate their costs. In addition, the volume discusses such useful techniques as what types of questions to ask in pilot tests, how to relate survey costs to needs for personnel and time, and how to execute a management plan and a budget for a survey. Written in a friendly and straightforward manner, this book provides readers with an introduction to the necessary skills and resources for conducting a survey.

Book Description

Ideallt, public health practitioners always incorporate scientific evidence in making management decisions, developing policies, and implementing programs.In reality, however, these decisions are often based on short-term demands rather than long-term study, and policies and programs are sometimes developed from anecdotal evidence.To enhance evidence-based practice, this book provides practical guidance on how to choose, carry out, and evaluate evidence-based programs and policies in public health settings.It deals not only with finding and using scientific evidence, but also with implementing and evaluating interventions that generate new evidence on effectiveness.Because all these topics are broad and require multi-disciplinary skills and perspectives, each chapter covers the basic issues and provides multiple examples to illustrate important concepts.The book presents a sequential framework for addressing public health issues that includes developing an initial statement of the issue, quantifying the issue, searching the scientific literature and organizing information, developing and prioritizing program options, developing an action plan and implementing interventions, and evaluating the program or policy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good framework, but ...
This book offers a helpful framework for approaching difficult public health issues. Unfortunately, it's unbearably boring. Useful as a reference, but don't try to read the whole thing. ... Read more

Book Description

The first edition of Design and Analysis of Cross-Over Trials quickly became the standard reference on the subject and has remained so for more than 12 years. In that time, however, the use of cross-over trials has grown rapidly, particularly in the pharmaceutical arena, and researchers have made a number of advances in both the theory and methods applicable to these trials.Completely revised and updated, the long-awaited second edition of this classic text retains its predecessor's careful balance of theory and practice while incorporating new approaches, more data sets, and a broader scope. Enhancements in the second edition include:·A new chapter on bioequivalence·Recently developed methods for analyzing longitudinal continuous and categorical data·Real-world examples using the SAS system·A comprehensive catalog of designs, datasets, and SAS programs available on a companion Web site.The authors' exposition gives a clear, unified account of the design and analysis of cross-over trials from a statistical perspective along with their methodological underpinnings. With SAS programs and a thorough treatment of design issues, Design and Analysis of Cross-Over Trials, Second Edition sets a new standard for texts in this area and undoubtedly will be of direct practical value for years to come. ... Read more

Book Description

Written by experienced professionals in the fields of nursing and communication, this unique text helps nurses and other health care professionals improve their personal communication style for more effective provider-patient communication. This third edition delivers up-to-date, fact-based research and theoretical information in easy-to-understand terms.New models of communication have been added as well as a new chapter on multi-cultural issues.New material on communicating across the lifespan has been integrated throughout the book. All nursing and allied health students. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Core Collection for Nursing Libraries.
Selected by Brandon and Hill (Nursing Outlook, March-April, 1996) as one of best books for small nursing and medical libraries. ... Read more

Book Description

McMaster Univ., Hamilton, Canada. Pocket guide on understanding statistics, for anyone who must occasionally interpret the results section of a research article in scientific journals. Not intended as a textbook; light, often humorous writing style. Includes CD-ROM containing complete text and illustrations in fully searchable PDF files. Softcover. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

In a class of its own!
This book is the only statistics book of its type. For each section covering a specific statistical method (from simple methods to those you may not even cover in your PhD training), a concise 2-5 page summary is presented. The goal is not to enable the reader to calculate any of these statistics, but to understand conceptually what each statistic means. This is where it can fill in information other statistics texts never get to. A student (or researcher!) who can churn out factorial ANOVA results, but doesn't truly understand what they mean can turn to this book for clarity. It's simple (for statistics), it's short, it's clear, and you have to love a book that is dedicated "To the many people who have made this book both possible and necessary -- authors of other statistics books"!

The best
I've spent years looking for a book on statistics that is lucid for professionals who need to use statistical methods but who don't want to get a Ph.D. in math to be able to undertand them.

This book is the best. No incomprehensible Greek formulas. No tortured prose. And yet it's not just a mere introduction of what a mode is. It includes some advanced statistical methods and gives you all you need to know to understand what they do and how and when you would use them. It is long enough to describe each method sufficiently, including pitfalls and things to watch out for. Yet the book is short enough that reading it and undertanding the whole thing is possible in a modest length of time.

You can stop searching now. This is the book.

Don't fear the p-value!
This really is a fun book - yes FUN - I'd even say it's a bathroom book about statistics. It's very conceptual, not at all driven by formulas - and makes many statistical concepts crystal clear. A great book to pick up for the PHD or the stats phobic - -

Excellent resource for the statistically challenged!
If you are an analytically impaired and statistically challenged math phobe who needs to understand and use statistical methods, this is an excellent resource. The authors explanations are relevant and easy to understand. Highly recommended for those who need to get a grip on the numbers in research! ... Read more

Book Description

From the First Edition:

"Continues the high quality of previously published volumes in the Sage series on qualitative research methods. . . . Useful and instructive. . . . David L. Morgan deals with a number of practical issues concerning the conduct of focus groups, such as the degree of moderator involvement and group size. . . . Provides ample illustrations . . . and thought-provoking advice for researchers and students."

--Contemporary Sociology

"David L. Morgan’s book is unique among current offerings on focus groups because it is directed at academic users of focus groups rather than practitioners. His account is also unique in its critical attitude toward contemporary market research applications of focus groups. . . . The book succeeds best at providing fuel for scholarly debates about what group interviews can and cannot contribute to research."

--Journal of Marketing Research

"Provides the reader with a very clear and practical overview of the focus group as a method for field research. . . . Well-written and informative. . . . Providing the history and methodological rationale for the method. . . . Attests to the benefits or strengths of focus group research on the basis of personal opinion and testimonial evidence."

--Personnel Psychology

Only a decade ago, focus groups were virtually unknown to social scientists. Now their use in academic as well as outside settings is vast and ever growing. David L. Morgan has extensively revised and updated his best-selling Focus Groups as Qualitative Research, providing an excellent guide for researchers in every discipline. He begins his comprehensive revision with an updated introduction that offers a discussion of current social science approaches to focus groups. Expanded coverage on the comparison of focus groups to individual interviews follows, as well as more on the strengths and weaknesses of focus groups (Chapter 2). Chapter 3’s section on self-contained focus groups has also been expanded to reflect the increased range of research being done in this area. The next chapter has been thoroughly reorganized both to provide an overview of what a typical set of groups looks like as well as new insights on research design. Similarly, Chapters 5 and 6 have been reorganized and broadened to include examples from social scientists who have established their own practices and methodological research on focus groups. This best-selling research guide concludes with future directions and references that take into account the explosive growth in focus groups as a research tool for all social scientists.

Reflecting the many changes that have occurred in the study of focus groups over the years, Focus Groups as Qualitative Research, Second Edition is for qualitative researchers in every academic discipline as well as those in nonacademic settings.

Reviews (3)

Instructive and Helpful
Data collected from focus groups provide information that would otherwise be unknown. The author defines focus group sessions as "basically group interviews" (p. 9). He adds "The fundamental data that focus groups produce are transcripts of the group discussion" (p. 10). What a researcher finds in focus groups is interaction among the members that is not found in other forms of research. The first chapter covers the history of its use.
Four aspects of group discussion are discussed:
1. The observer is advised to pay close attention to the difference between what participants find interesting and what they find important.
2. Note differences in perspectives as revealed through how questions are asked and answered.
3. Observe areas of agreement and disagreement.
4. Be aware that attempts to build consensus are found in group dynamics within focus groups.
In general this book provides the basics of introducing researchers to the expectations of using focus group for data collection and interpretation.

Great
This is in reference to the Second Edition because I had read some bad reviews about the Third Edition. It's clear and to the point. Information in other Focus Group books are covered, but without all the fluff.

Solid Start in Understanding the Use of Focus Groups
Essential to the study of marketing research, "Focus Groups As Qualitative Research" by David Morgan succinctly presents a classroom quality look at a much misunderstood aspect of needs and wants analyses.

Each chapter is segmented topically, making this academic essay organized in such a way to be appreciated by the marketing or communications student.

Intended for the collegiate level and above, Morgan presumes a basic knowledge of market research principles and goals. Here, he justifies the credibility of focus groups, and steers the reader away from seeing them as superficial, unscientific examinations and guesswork.

While it has an academic journal tone to it, it is readable. It has a hefty bibliography at the end, with 50-60 works cited.

I fully recommend "Focus Groups As Qualitative Research " by David L. Morgan.

Anthony Trendl ... Read more

Book Description

An exciting, well-produced, practical volume giving pragmatic conduct and process of clinical trials bridging the gap between the theory of clinical trial design and statistical and clinical interpretations of data ... Read more

Book Description

Evidence-Based Rehabilitation: A Guide to Practice is designed as an entry-level book on evidence-based practice in rehabilitation. Specifically written for rehabilitation practitioners, this exceptional text is not designed to teach students how to do research, but rather how to become critical consumers of research, therefore developing skills to ensure that their rehabilitation practice is based on the best evidence that is available. Much of the text focuses on how knowledge is developed, making it an essential tool for both students and practitioners.While providing the most up-to-date information about evidence-based practice, this comprehensive and well-organized text focuses on building skills for understanding and using evidence, rather than simply doing research. By viewing evidence-based practice from a holistic perspective, this text also recognizes the need to include client preferences and therapists clinical reasoning in the process.Evidence- Based Rehabilitation: A Guide to Practice is a necessary addition to the bookshelf of anyone desiring to incorporate the most current and complete evidence-based research into his or her rehabilitation practice. ... Read more

Book Description

Consumer health websites have garnered considerable media attention, but only begin to scratch the surface of the more pervasive transformations the Internet could bring to health and health care. Networking Health examines ways in which the Internet may become a routine part of health care delivery and payment, public health, health education, and biomedical research. Building upon a series of site visits, this book: weighs the role of the Internet versus private networks in uses ranging from the transfer ofmedical images to providing video-based medical consultations at a distance; reviews technical challenges in the areas of quality of service, security, reliability, and access, and looks at the potential utility of thenext generation of online technologies; discusses ways health care organizations can use the Internet to support their strategic interests and explores barriers to a broader deployment of the Internet; recommends steps that private and public sector entities can take to enhance the capabilities of the Internet for health purposes and to prepare health care organizations to adopt new Internet-based applications. ... Read more