Book Description

Over the two decades since the publication of the first edition of Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods, qualitative research has risen from a novel and controversial approach to the study of social issues to a widely practiced method for understanding how people view themselves and the world around them. New journals, university courses, handbooks, and encyclopedias are now devoted to the study and practice of qualitative research, but there is still only one comprehensive, practical guide to the collection and presentation of qualitative data.

Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods, Third Edition is a completely up-to-date guide to qualitative study design, data collection, analysis, and reporting. The first part of the book surveys a range of methods for collecting qualitative data, focusing on how these techniques are applied when conducting an actual study. Separate chapters are devoted to participant observation (both pre-fieldwork and in the field), in-depth interviewing, creative new approaches such as postmodern ethnography and personal document analysis, and data analysis. The second half of the book, which covers the writing and publication of qualitative studies, clearly demonstrates how qualitative methods are used in actual practice.

Comprehensive and jargon-free, Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods, Third Edition:

• Reviews current theoretical developments in feminist research and postmodernism
• Includes examples of studies conducted in educational, human services, disability services, and health care settings
• Surveys the full range of qualitative methods and reviews the research process from design through data collection, analysis, and writing
• Provides an extensive bibliography and an appendix containing participant observation field notes.

Comprehensive, practical, and brimming with new material, Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods, Third Edition is an ideal text for graduate and upper-level undergraduate courses across a broad range of social science disciplines. It is also an excellent guidebook and resource for practicing social scientists.

Praise for Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods: A Guidebook and Resource — Third Edition.

"This book has long been my favorite text in qualitative methods. With a bit of theory, a lot of practical advice, and some wonderful examples of field notes and published research, the authors educate beginners in qualitative research and provide a useful reference for experienced researchers. This Third Edition adds clear and straightforward coverage of new developments in the field, including feminism, postmodernism, and the recent emphasis on writing issues in qualitative research." —Marjorie L. DeVault, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Sociology Syracuse University.

"A valuable resource. Once again, Steven Taylor and Robert Bogdan have made an important contribution to the literature on qualitative research. The book is written with the same insight, clarity, and commitment to reaching their readers that has characterized their earlier collaborations." —J. David Smith, Ed.D. Dean of the School of Education and Human Services Longwood College.

"Taylor and Bogdan's updating of their classic text will be incredibly valuable to students. It is a great choice for qualitative methods courses in the social sciences." —David Goode, Ph.D. Professor of Sociology and Coordinator Program in Developmental Disabilities College of Staten Island/CUNY Author of A World Without Words 1995 winner of the John Horton Cooley Award.

"The broad spectrum of methodological possibilities, the discussion of the history of methods, and the many instructive examples make this exciting new edition an excellent text for the beginning qualitative methodologist." — Carol Rambo Ronai, Ph.D. Professor of Sociology University of Memphis.

"An engaging, highly readable, and instructive guide to established and emerging methodological conventions. This impressively straightforward and balanced guide is also the most comprehensive and usable resource for publishing qualitative research that I have seen." — Tom Skrtic, Ph.D. Professor of Special Education University of Kansas. ... Read more

Book Description

Power analysis is an essential tool for determining whether a statistically significant result can be expected in a scientific experiment prior to the experiment being performed. This comprehensive, accessible book provides practicing researchers with step-by-step instructions for conducting power/sample size analyses, assuming only basic prior knowledge of summary statistics and normal distribution. It contains a unified approach to statistical power analysis, with numerous easy-to-use tables that make further calculations or statistical expertise unnecessary. ... Read more

Book Description

The emergence of genomics, the study of genes, is one of the major scientific revolutions of this century. Microarrays, a method used to analyze numerous DNA samples rapidly, enables scientists to make sense of this mountain of data using statistical analysis. They are being used in such areas of biomedical research as studying patterns for gene activity that cause cancers to spread. This book presents a comprehensive methodology for analyzing DNA microarray and protein array data.
The most comprehensive treatment of this important emerging field, Exploration and Analysis of DNA Microarray and Protein Array Data includes:
A review of basic molecular biology and a chapter introducing microarrays and their preparation
Chapters on processing scanned images, preprocessing microarray data, group comparative experiments, and other designs
Discussions of clustering, protein arrays, and applications for diagnostic tools
Ample exercises assist absorbtion ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent!
This book provides an excellent overview of various methods in DNA microarray analysis. ... Read more

Book Description

This is a rigorous, systematic introduction to the basic concepts and practical tools of epidemiologic research.It is aimed at readers who will be conducting epidemiologic studies themselves or who need a firm grasp of epidemiologic principles in order to interpret and evaluate studies conducted by others. Besides offering clear descriptions of key concepts, the book is rich with examples illustrating how these concepts are applied.Some examples are drawn from classic studies in the field--the work of Snow, Semmelweis, Goldberger, Doll and Hill, and others--while many others concern modern-day epidemiologic studies of problems of current public health importance.Almost every chapter includes a set of exercises (with answers) to help students gain practice in applying new ideas and techniques. The book's chapters are organized around three main themes: general concepts and methods of epidemiology; major study designs; and evaluating policies and programs.Collectively, these topics form the core material for a graduate-level course or course sequence in epidemiologic methods.Both authors are experienced epidemiologic researchers and have won multiple awards for effective teaching. ... Read more

Book Description

A clear, consistent, and rigorous approach to statistics at an elementary level, this book's goal is to provide a sophisticated introduction of how and why the statistics processworks. Every concept is carefully and clearly explained, enriched by a mathematical/statistical justification, and then illustrated by at least one concrete, worked example. Beginning with basic concepts, the book allows readers to acquire the ability to understand rather complicated statistical issues, such as linear regression theory and application.After introducing the sample mean and a few other descriptive statistics, the book turns to elementary probability theory, then extends to characterize samples selected from populations. It then explores the accuracy and precision of the mean value calculated from samples, and then presents the chi-square analytic technique. The remainder of the book deals with summarizing and analyzing bivariate data.For beginners interested in statistical methods to understand data analysis; these readers are employed in many areas, including Public Health, Genetics, Forestry, Molecular Biology, Epidemiology, Biophysics, medical researchers, and pre-med students. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Have to Disagree with Previous review
I am also currently taking a statistics course with Selvin at Berkeley. I took another stats course before this and despite everyone RAVING about how fabulous that class was, I found it made my head spin. Everytime I felt I understood a concept was like an epiphany, unfortunately it would quickly diminish due to more complicated examples and statistical theory.

Selvin's book (as well as class) has erased the mystery for me. I find the book thorough with clearly explained concepts and multitudes of relevant examples. Probability, smobability. Linear regression, no problem.

I'm giving the book 4 stars because of the editorial mistakes, otherwise I'd have given it 5 all the way.

A horrible statistics textbook
This is the worst textbook that I have ever used for a class, hands down. I am currently taking biostatistics with Selvin at U.C. Berkeley and this book is completely unhelpful. The proofs in the book are useless and the concepts explained in the book are convoluted and confusing. There are much better statistics textbooks out there. I definitely don't recommend this text for any biostatistics course. ... Read more

Book Description

Providing a comprehensive picture of the design, conduct, analysis, and interpretation of non-experimental studies of both infectious and non-infectious diseases, the Second Edition of this widely used text has been thoroughly updated to take into account the numerous developments in epidemiology over the past decade. Since the first edition was published in 1986, additional sources of data have become available through the increasing use of computerized records for health-related purposes. Also, a better understanding of the uses and limitations of certain epidemiologic concepts has been gained. Modifications of traditional study designs, including nested case-control studies and case-cohort studies, are now more frequently employed. Biological markers of exposure, disease susceptibility, and disease itself are used in many studies and methods of statistical analysis have been further developed. All of these developments have been considered in writing the Second Edition.

The authors cover the full scope of observational studies, describing in detail cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, and epidemic investigation. The use of statistical procedures is described in easy-to-understand terms. Sample size estimation, sampling, measurement, and measurement error are fully discussed. Each chapter in the second edition has been updated and several chapters have been expanded. Chapter 3, which summarizes sources of data on disease occurrence, includes several additional sources of data. Chapter 5, which describes modifications of traditional study designs, now contains nested case-control and case-cohort studies. Chapter 15, on other types of measurement, has been expanded to include sections on measurement in epidemiologic studies of the elderly and on biological markers since these have become major areas of epidemiologic research in recent years. Much of the material in Chapters 6, 7, and 9 on the analysis of data from epidemiologic studies is also new to this edition.

Perhaps the greatest challenge for the authors in writing this Second Edition was to make some of the modern, frequently used methods of statistical analysis understandable to readers with a limited mathematical or statistical background. Although this book is intended for readers who have had introductory courses in epidemiology and biostatistics, even readers who do not fully comprehend the theory behind some of the techniques should understand the rationale for their use and be able to interpret results when they appear on a computer printout or in the literature. The Second Edition of this widely used text will serve as a practical resource for students and practitioners of epidemiology, public health and biostatistics. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good reference
I think this book,Methods in Observational Epidemiology, might be very good reference to many scientists, especially biostatistist or epidemiologists. ... Read more

Book Description

Since the first edition of this book was published, S-PLUS has evolved markedly with new methods of analysis, new graphical procedures,and a convenient graphical user interface (GUI). Today, S-PLUS is the statistical software of choice for many applied researchers in disciplines ranging from finance to medicine. Combining the command line language and GUI of S-PLUS now makes this book even more suitable for inexperienced users, students, and anyone without the time, patience, or background needed to wade through the many more advanced manuals and texts on the market.The second edition of A Handbook of Statistical Analyses Using S-Plus has been completely revised to provide an outstanding introduction to the latest version of this powerful software system. Each chapter focuses on a particular statistical technique, applies it to one or more data sets, and shows how to generate the proposed analyses and graphics using S-PLUS. The author explains S-PLUS functions from both the Windows® and command-line perspectives and clearly demonstrates how to switch between the two. This handbook provides the perfect vehicle for introducing the exciting possibilities S-PLUS, S-PLUS 2000, and S-PLUS 6 hold for data analysis. ... Read more

Book Description

Occupational epidemiology has emerged as a distinct subdiscipline of epidemiology and occupational medicine, addressing fundamental public health and scientific questions relating to the specification of exposure-response relationships, assessment of the adequacy of occupational exposure guidelines, and extrapolation of hazardous effects to other settings. This book reviews the wide range of principles and methods used in epidemiologic studies of working populations.It describes the historical development of occupational epidemiology, the approaches to characterizing workplace exposures, and the methods for designing and implementing epidemiologic studies.The relative strengths and limitations of different study designs are emphasized. Also included are more advanced discussions of statistical analysis, the estimation of doses to biological targets, and applications of the data derived from occupational epidemiology studies to disease modeling and risk assessment.The volume will serve both as a textbook in epidemiology and occupational medicine courses and as a practical handbook for the design, implementation, and interpretation of research in this field. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Disappointed
I was so exctied that a book about sleep paralysis finally came out, but now that I'm just about done reading it I'm disappointed. I'm glad that a lot of the book is based on science rather than superstition, but it includes a lot of jargon. The author writes about lucid dreams throughout the entire book, but doesn't even adequately define what a lucid dream is until halfway through the book. I was hoping the author would explain how a sleep paralysis sufferer can escape a bout of sleep paralysis, but instead in the entire book he writes about sleep paralysis being a good thing. I'm glad he brought me to see sleep paralysis in a more positive light, but a lot of the book bluntly promotes sleep paralysis because it supposedly helps launch lucid dreams. I felt like I was reading a book from the occult section.

Maybe I expected a more exciting author (I guess I read too much Oliver Sacks), but I honestly had trouble maintaining interest in some of the boring, filler sections. When I read a book by someone with a Ph.D. I don't expect him to be refer to us sleep paralysis sufferers and lucid dreamers as shamens. I also didn't care for all of the exclamation points (!) throughout the book. Wait until you have an exciting point before you drop one of those, lol. Anyway, the book did help me to see sleep paralsis in a more positive light. To each his own.

Balancing the "spooky" with science
I just finished re-reading this amazing and unusual book. A friend of mine who suffers from sleep paralysis (she is interested in any books about dreams!) recommended it to me.
Most books that I have read on the subject of dreams are either too "out there" or offer too little practical advice that I can incorporate into my dream life. Dr. Conessa Sevilla's book presents a well-balanced scientific, practical, "spooky" story, not only in regards to sleep paralysis, but about lucid dreaming as well.
His book also incorporates narratives of individuals who have experienced these dreams.
Some of the more psychological (bio-psychological or Freudian)explanations he offers, I must admit, were either new to me.
Finally, Dr. Conessa re-interprets the sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming experiences from the point of view of aesthetics.
Cordially,
J. Rodman ... Read more

Book Description

Process evaluation is an essential component of any program evaluation or intervention research effort. This important resource offers an overview of the history, purpose, strengths, and limitations of process evaluation and includes illustrative case material of the current state of the art in process evaluation. Process Evaluation for Public Health Interventions and Research fills an important gap in the literature for public health researchers, practitioners, scholars, trainers, and students. ... Read more

Book Description

Healthy People 2010 softcover contains the complete text, volumes 1 and 2, of the sentinel Healthy People report.Healthy People is a national health promotion and disease prevention initiative that brings together national, State, and local government agencies; nonprofit, voluntary, and professional organizations; businesses; communities; and individuals to improve the health of all Americans, eliminate disparities in health, and improve years and quality of healthy life. Healthy People 2010 builds on the goals and initiatives of Healthy People 2000. ... Read more

Book Description

Health & Numbers
A Problems-Based Introduction to Biostatistics
Second Edition
Chap T. Le, Ph.D.

Newly revised and updated, Health and Numbers, Second Edition serves as a concise introduction to basic statistical concepts and reasoning at a level suitable for a broad spectrum of students and professionals in medicine and allied health fields. This user-friendly resource uses real-life examples with real data to emphasize fundamental biostatistical concepts.

The book treats fundamental statistical methods with a practical, problems-based approach. It covers the nuts and bolts of elementary applied statistics for those who have no prior knowledge and experience in statistics. It provides an overview of basic ideas on standardization and rates and graphical techniques, offers more exercises than did the first edition, and features Microsoft® Excel and SAS samples, and new chapters on comparisons of means and proportions, as well as regression and correlation techniques. Health and Numbers, Second Edition strikes a balance between principles and methods of calculation that is particularly useful for students in medicine and health-related fields who are struggling with required courses in biostatistics. ... Read more

Book Description

Patricia Benner's philosophical introduction to phenomenology develops the reader's understanding of the strategies and processes involved in this approach to human science. Contributors to the volume discuss the constitutive relationships between theory and practice, consider the possibility of a science of caring from a feminist perspective, introduce interpretive phenomenology for studying natural groups such as families, and suggest a ground for developing nursing ethics that is true to the caring and healing practices of nurses. Following a thorough and engaging exposition of the field's theoretical and philosophical foundations, the work shifts focus to interpretive studies currently being undertaken within the scholarly community; the research tradition is then applied and reexamined as it relates to specific lines of inquiry. Interpretive Phenomenology presents an inclusive andwell-integrated discussion of the many correlative topics within this subject area. Its relevance and accessibility will make this book an invaluable resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as professional researchers in nursing and other health sciences. "The authors share a deep regard for the primacy of practice and caring. This is not the ethereal caring of many current theorists. . . . Interpretive Phenomenology presents an inclusive and well-integrated discussion of the author's philosophical and practical approach, looking especially at the relationship between theory and practice." --Journal of Christian Nursing ... Read more

Book Description

Designed for the first course in research methods, this text shows students how to conduct research, design research tools, and evaluate results in health, kinesiology, exercise science, recreation, dance, and all other areas of human performance areas. Provides comprehensive coverage of quantitative and qualitative research methods.New texts now come packaged with Health & Human Performance PowerWeb! ... Read more

Book Description

Like Rothman’s earlier books, The Discovery of the Asylum and Conscience and Convenience, this study of the transformation of the relationship between doctors and patients from the mid-Sixties to the mid-Seventies has acquired the status of a minor classic.The author has added a new epilogue on more recent changes in the practice of medicine and on responses to his portrayal of the earlier, epochal changes that are the subject of the book. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I don't agree with everything...but well-written book!
What do you do with a book that in spite of disagree with the vantage point of the author, you have to admit that the points he raises and the stand he takes has some validity? That an author can cause the reader to stop and think about firmly held belief systems, is indicative of a good writer in my opinion.

The author of this bioethical treatise is not a physician. He is a sociologist, and he is giving the historical background to the immense changes in how the American public views its medical establishment. In the process of becoming involved in ethics in the medical world, Rothman had to come in close contact with those he was writing about...physicians. I get the feeling that he was and to a point still in awe of the great men and the great minds he has been exposed to. Occasionally, the book seemed to be biased in favor of the physicians. A book such as this cannot be written without showing the author's own biases; author's can only admit that they harbor particular biases towards those they are writing about.

In many issues Rothman comes down solidly on behalf of the physicians, whether or not they brought about the changes in the public's attitudes towards those who work in medicine. Rothman bemoans the fact that the public has involved lawyers, bioethicists, and politicians in what used to be the private domain of physicians. Yet he writes and explains the history behind this lowering of pedestals for doctors and medical researchers...all the while trying to explain why physicians felt their patients should rely 'on those who know and understand' (read that to mean physicians think most patients and families are too stupid to understand basic concepts).

This book actually gives a good and vitally important background into the movements for individual rights and the exposure of unethical experimentation and medical treatment which led to the creation of new standards for medical care and research, as well as the installment of Internal Research Boards (IRBs) which are suppose to act as brakes on over-ambitious and unethical practices. Unfortunately, it is all too clear in recent media reports that even IRBs in universities and hospitals are not enough to protect the American public from research by those not interested in protecting the patients and alleviating pain, but rather shows more concern for keeping the grant money coming, fame, and doing science merely for the sake of doing science ('because we can!) John Hopkins obviously hasn't changed its attitudes over 30 some odd years towards the rights of the individual, since they are continuing to attract attention and controversy because of unethical research.

This book is definitely a must-read for anyone interested in bioethics. Even if the reader does not agree with the author, the book provides a different, and somewhat valid reflection of the medical establishment's views towards the infringement of their previously existing rights in determining patient care and the moral standards of research. Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

A Wonderful Book!
This book makes a real contribution to the understanding of bioethics in the US, explaining how we got from the paternalistic consciousness in health care that allowed pre-WW II human experimentation on vulnerable subjects such as the one at Tuskegee, to the present day's ethics committees with its emphasis on patient autonomy. I would recommend it to anyone interested in bioethics. ... Read more

Book Description

As of January 1, 2005, CPT 2004 and earlier versions are not compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.

Old versions of CPT should not be used for claims submission. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I passed my CPC exam with it
This is the most helpful cpt book. I am a new coder I wouldn't buy anything other than professional edition.

I passed my CPC exam with it
This is the most helpful cpt book. I am a new coder I wouldn't buy anything other than professional edition.

A must have!
As a profesional Medical biller the days and days I spend using this book are unnumbered.The proccess that american medical association goes about displaying current codes is unmatched. I've tried cd's, websight's, and even mail order code providers.Over and over I keep going back to this book and every year they update this book to keep everyone posted! The end result is as a profesional, you have to get this book before going and spending valuable time and money on so called easy code methods! ... Read more

Book Description

The basis for much of medical public health practice comes from epidemiological research.This text describes current statistical tools that are used to analyze the association between possible risk factors and the actual risk of disease.Beginning with a broad conceptual framework on the disease process, it describes commonly used techniques for analyzing proportions and disease rates.These are then extended to model fitting, and the common threads of logic that bind the two analytic startegies together are revealed. Each chapter provides a descriptive rationale for the method, a worked example using data from a published study, and an exercise that allows the reader to practice the technique.Each chapter also includes an appendix that provides furhter details on the theorheticalunderpinnings of the method. Among the topics covered are Mantel-Haenszel methods, rates, survival analysis, logistic regression, and generalized linear models.Methods for incorporating aspects of study design, such as matching, into the analysis are discussed, and guidance is given for determining the power or the sample size requirements of a study.This text will give readers a foundation in applied statistics and the concepts of model fitting to develop skills in the analysis of epidemiological data. ... Read more

Book Description

The use of mathematical modeling techniques in biomedical research is playing an increasingly important role in the understanding of the pathophysiology of disease processes. This includes not only understanding mechanisms of physiological processes, but also diagnosis and treatment. In addition, its introduction in the study of genomics and proteomics is key in understanding the functional characteristics of gene expression and protein assembly and secretion. Finally, with the increasing complexity and associated cost of drug development, modeling techniques are being used to streamline the process. This book is designed to give the reader the mathematical and statistical information necessary to design tracer kinetic studies, to use noncompartmental methodologies and/or to develop multicompartmental models to interpret the data.

The book starts with a review of fundamentals of radioactive and stable isotope tracer kinetics and then proceeds with a description of the noncompartmental and multicompartmental modeling methodologies to study systems in the steady state. The focus is on understanding the basic assumptions inherent in the methodologies and the underlying mathematics and statistics, on discussing how to assess how `good' a model is and on giving some hints on how better to design kinetic studies, in order to increase the probability of a successful study and to ensure the maximal information content in the experimental data to be extracted. The book has an extensive section on parameter estimation, i.e., fitting models to data, first in general terms and then specifically related to noncompartmental and compartmental models. This is written from a basic point of view, and is intended to remove the mystery from the `black box' of computer optimization software. Finally, a special application often found in tracer kinetic analysis, precursor--product relationships, is discussed.

Throughout the book, the goal is to provide even the novice with sufficient background so that he/she can feel comfortable. A number of case studies, based upon real experimental data, are carried through the text. Other examples illustrate specific points. All data examples are provided on a floppy disk. ... Read more