Book Description

The Sixth Edition of BIOLOGY by Neil Campbell and Jane Reece builds upon the earlier versions' dual goals to both help readers develop a conceptual appreciation of life within the context of integrating themes, and to inspire readers to develop more positive and realistic impressions of science as a human activity. <P>The authors have thoroughly updated each of the book's eight units to reflect the existing progress in our understanding of life at its many levels, from molecules to ecosystems. Examples of updated content include the Human Genome Project, the revolution in systematics, HIV as a research model in evolutionary biology, the role of cell-signaling pathways in plant responses, new frontiers in neurobiology, and experimental approaches that are advancing ecology. To assure accurate representation of each field of biology, a team of stellar specialists has worked with the authors in updating every unit. <P>An innovative design breakthrough ensures that the art is as current as the content. Guided Tour diagrams explicitly guide readers through the more challenging figures, succinctly explaining key structures, functions, and steps of processes within the figure, reducing the need to look back and forth between legend and art. It's as if an instructor were looking over the reader's shoulder and clarifying each part of a figure! Guided Tour commentary is set in blue, making it easy to differentiate these explanations from ordinary labels and keeping the figure itself clear and uncluttered. For college instructors and students. ... Read more

Reviews (72)

a well laid out, informative book
I used this book this past summer in order to place out of College Bio I and II through a CLEP exam. Through independent study from this book and its companion CD I was able to place out in the 97th Percentile.

There is a reason why this book is still continued to be used today in classrooms as it is on its sixth edition. The authors use of layout in the book is well thought out and organized. His vast use of pictures, graphs, and tables streamline with the text of the book. In addition, the companion CD and web site provide the reader with an even greater study guide-- using interactive flash programs and video to further explain biological processes.

Further, in addition to the basic Biology taught in classrooms, this book goes one step further and explains some advancing fields in the Biology Profession. For example, chapter 20 covers the use of computers in analyzing biological data and gives prime examples from the current Human Genome Project. Further, every section of this book covers an interview with a specific individual in that profession. Such, if one is not aware of what exact field one wish's to pursue, interviews that cover some of the daily activities of these individuals are provided.

I would recommend this book for anyone who is seriously interested in Biology.

If possible I'd give it a 4.5
This is a nice book, though a bit tough for the unknowledgable person. This is supposed to be a general biology book, used by people without any prior knowledge of biology too, but I somehow don't know if they'll find it too easy. But other than that one drawback, i think that the rest of us will appreciate this book for what it's worth. It's nicely written, with a lot of illustrations and explainations. There are also many references to websites and stuff, so it's additionally useful. Depending on the book bought, there are some nice extras too. My version had a nice and very useful CD-ROM, with a lot of pictures and animations, and practice tests and etc. It also came with a free one year subsciption to an online biology website that was one of the best I've ever seen. Otherwise the subscription costs a lot. The text book by itself was good too, and I really had no need to read any outside material, I found it perfectly good. Everything considered, I really liked this book.

Not bad...could be better
Biology, by Campbell and Reece is very informative. However the book (6th Ed.) does not grab the interest of the student. As a college student, I have used Campbell's Biology publication in both Advanced Placement Biology in High School as well as Biology 1 in College. The text is very boring and does not use language which may interest the reader. Understandably, it uses strong science vocabulary, however, it tends to be a sure cure for Insomnia.

Now this, is a textbook
I loved this textbook. Imagine that, the words "love" and "textbook" in the same sentence. This is my first college Biology text so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I feel I did very well in my class not only because I love biology, but because this textbook explained everything in such an interesting and lucid way. The pictures and diagrams are wonderful and incredibly helpful. To give a random example, the chapters on cell mitosis and meiosis. This can be a potentially difficult subject if you're expected to memorize the various stages, and what the chromosomes are doing and when, but this book gives very helpful and colorful diagrams and light micrographs of each stage. The authors really understand the importance of visual learning in conjunction with reading.

Speaking of the authors, I was pleasantly surprised that the writing had a hint of personality, and didn't have the dreaded "textbook dry" monotone. It didn't feel as if robots wrote the book, as in some textbooks. I noticed they reinforced important core concepts throughout to drum it into the students head, like the the connection between "form and function", or how the size and shape of, for example an enzyme, is really it's most important characteristic.

I bought this book new and it came with a cd-rom, that for me, put my grades over the top. I'm not sure I would have done as well without this cd. In it are all sorts of quizzes and tests, a complete on-line version of the book, various links to helpful internet sites, and which I used the most, animations and voice commentary of each chapter. Many people are visual learners, and sometimes they get a much deeper understand of something when they see it in action.

I will not be selling this textbook back to the college after I'm done with it, this is a keeper. I have no complaints about it.

Very good Bio. Book
I am an unusually harsh critic of most textbooks. However, I must say that I am pleased to give this book 5 stars. As an introductory book, it is simply superb. It even covers some subjects far past the introductory level. Some may say that this "completeness" is something of a hindrance; however, I disagree. If the student carefully and actively reads, he should find no problem cutting the fat out, while retaining important intro material. Then, once the student has the basic information cold, the book makes a superb reference for a segway into intermediate or advanced topics. The books organization is very carefully planned and the integration of old material into new material is particularly deft for such a long text book. The section on plant physiology and form is particularly good and molecular biology is stressed throughout most chapters after an early introduction. My only complaint is that the problem sets at the end of each chapter are somewhat short, but this is not a serious problem. The binding and paper quality is pretty good as far as modern text books are concerned. All in all, a very good book. ... Read more

Book Description

iGenetics is the first integrated text written from the ground up and designed to provide a balanced introduction to genetics. Building on the proven strength of Russell's step-by-step problem-solving approach, iGenetics takes a modern, molecular approach. iGenetics covers basic genetics principles, with balanced coverage of Mendel, historical experiments, and cutting edge chapters on Genomics and Molecular Evolution. Over 500 class testers preferred the integrated iGenetics text and CD-ROM over their current book. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Pretty good, even if it is a bit wordy at times
I used this textbook when I took General Genetics this past semester. The book contains a wealth of information. In the course I took we focused on the basic principle of DNA and RNA, Mendelian principles, mono and dihybrid crosses, pedigrees and inheritance, multiple alleles located on different loci and multiple alleles located on the same loci, genetic mapping, damage and DNA repair mechanisms, prokaryotes gene regulation, and population genetics. This text did much to help my understanding of these topics and also contained other topics that we only touched upon in class or did not have time to cover, including the genetics of cancer, quantative genetics, and recombinate DNA technology.

At the end of each chapter in the text there are a number of conceptual questions and genetics "problems" that serve as a tool of teaching genetics by the problem based approach. These problems are helpful because my class focused on the problem based side of genetics, as most general genetics classes probably do. The book includes a CD-rom that includes the answers to ALL of the problems in the book for FREE! The CD-rom also contains movies that illustrate important mechanisms like transcribtion, translation, and DNA replication, as well as additional exercises. For me, I found it particulary helpful to be able to "see" genetic processes instead of just hearing about them in class.

Even though all of the anwsers to the book problems are included on the CD-rom, I would recommend picking on the Student Solution Guide as well because it is GREAT. It works out every single problem in the book. This is somewhat of a rarity for science books (especially biology ones). I can say that this solutions manuels is very helpful.

The only problem that I had with the textbook was that it was a bit wordy in some sections. While reading this book, I would recommend highlighting only those topics that your professor discusses in class and not getting hung up on terms that he or she has not talked about and sound like gobble-gook (Shrine-Delgado sequence, TATA box). Most likely, your class will focus on general concepts and you will not have the time to discuss the specifics in detail. I can't say that it is a bad thing that the book included detailed information from other areas of biology (biochemistry, cell biology), since these fields will be important if you are a biology major, but they probably do not need to be disscused in great detail in genetics if not prompted by the instructor.

Overall, I would say that this is a good genetics text. It contains usefull explanations and illustrations about topics that may not have been clearly explained in class, especially if your professor tends to mummble or doesn't have the best artistic style when it comes to drawing chromosomes.

Okay
I haven't been using this textbook very long, but there is one issue I think people might want to be aware of. If you buy this book used, you can't get access to the website. Mine didn't come with the CD-ROM either, but that's more to do with the person who sold it back than anything else (although if the CD-ROM were packaged so that you could just slip it into a pocket on the back cover more people might return the CD with the book). You can buy access to the website for $22/yr.

Could be better; could be worse
I haven't surveyed the entire landscape of genetics textbooks, but in general this one still left me lacking. My largest complaint: even though this is a first edition, the editing was atrocious.

Pretty colorful photos and good CD rom for extra effect
Overall, the book was well-written. I really enjoyed the color photos and the review questions at the end of the chapters was pretty good.

Also included was a CD-rom with the answers to the problems, iActivities to help us digest the chapters we read, and chapter quizzes.

I really enjoyed the chapter quizzes because they helped me focus on areas I was fuzzy about. However, I did not like the quizzes very much either, because there were wrong answers. Most of the time, I figured the answer it said was "correct" was wrong and vice versa, so if the problems with the CD can be cleared, this can be a great book. ... Read more

Book Description

Elaine Marieb's engaging writing style and meticulous attention to the learning needs of readers continue to be hallmarks of this market-leading book. The author not only reports the latest research and advancements in the field, she does so with a sense of fascination and encouragement. Every chapter has been scrutinized with the goal of helping readers understand core concepts and apply their knowledge to new situations. In addition, the book and supplements package offers a convenient, integrated learning system. For example, new end-of-chapter "Learning with Technology" sections make using CD-ROM and Internet resources easier than ever.For college instructors and students. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

The Mercedes of Undergraduate A&P Books
I used this book as a student, and refer to it frequently as a reference. This 1000 + page text explains the structure and function of the complicated, detailed human body in a logical, easy to understand manner. Everything about this book is user friendly including the presentation order, the writing, and the graphics. In each chapter, Marieb presents the big picture before zeroing in on the details. For the body's systems, (digestive, endocrine, respiratory, etc.) Marieb overviews the system, and then explains the gross and fine anatomy and associated physiology.

Here are a few of the many features I find impressive: * Graphics: Very impressive photographs and illustrations. The electron micrographs are spectacular. * Tables and charts - These greatly simplify the learning of complex concepts. For example, in the immune system chapter, there's a good table explaining the first and second lines of defense. * Medical applications - Common diseases are overviewed in the appropriate chapter, for example epilepsy is discussed in the neural integration chapter. There are occasional basic pharmacology and sports applications, such as diuretics and blood doping, respectively. * Making connections feature - Marieb shows how the system being studied relates to the other systems in the body.

This is an absolutely state of the art A&P book, and each edition is better than the last. It's expensive, but you get a lot for your money. It may be too detailed for some, who would be better served by her "Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology" text. If you're an A&P student, I recommended you use her workbook as well. I've found that working through the exercises really helps this information stick.

Great A&P book, written in friendly style
Elain Marieb presents a really wonderful anatomy and physiology text. It provides a colorful feast of pictures and charts for the visual learner without skimping on the important details in the text. Marieb's writing style is friendly, informal and descriptive. Her writing can get quite theoretical at times but she always comes back to earth with a common example.

This book is best suited for health sciences students (medicine, nursing, physical therapy, pharmacy etc.) as the book is littered with clinical applications. However students taking A&P at high school and undergrad level are well catered for. The book works systematically, from basic biochemistry to the organ systems and system interactions. Genetics and inheritance is also covered briefly.

What else is on offer? A large glossary (invaluable to an A&P text!)and a prefix/suffix table. There are chapter summaries and test quizzes. Some may enjoy the CD ROM computer interaction aspects, there's also access to Elain's internet site for A&P students.

Some of the material gets quite tough as the book progresses, but with re-reading and reference to other texts, students should quickly get a handle on the material. I previously owned a copy of the condensed "Essentials of human A&P" and traded it in for the full edition. I don't recommend students get the condensed version unless they are confining their A&P study to high school or 100 level college study.

In conclusion, this is good first textbook and greatly aids in one's course of study. Marieb takes the unimaginable complexity of the human body and presents it in a fun, relatively easy-to-read, lively text.

Great for A and P students, must buy
I used this book for both my Anatomy and Physiology class in undergrad. I found this book to be pretty easy to understand. Of course, at first it is overwhelming to know how much you have to remember for the test. At least, writing style of this book made A and P easier to learn. The material is presented in organized fashion. However, if you really want to know the type of questions asked on college Anatomy and Physiology Exams get the following which is on amazon: Anatomy and Physiology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations Volume 1(ISBN: 0971999619) and Volume 2 (ISBN: 0971999627). These two helped me to get A's on my exams. The textbook and the two study guides are well worth the money since they helped me to pass with high grades the first time. I was recommened the study guides from my cousin who used them for his A and P class and found them to be great for test preparation. I give each book 5 stars.

Yes, but...
This book is an outstanding achievement for a single author, and I have learned a great deal from it. I like the graphics, the layout, and the wealth of information. However, I do find many paragraphs and passages in this book difficult to follow, usually because crucial details are missing. See, for example the explanations of ossification (pages 181-183) and the countercurrent mechanism in the kidneys (pages 1022-1026). It took me less time to digest a whole book on the immune system than the corresponding chapter in this book (chapter 22).

There is a web site associated with the book, which gives the student an opportunity to ask questions. I submitted a couple of simple questions several weeks ago, but have yet to receive a reply.

Unfortunately, I don't know of any A & P book at this level that would be better.

Excellent textbook and a must buy
The author of this book is an excellent writer. She makes learning anatomy and physiology easier. This book is divided into so many topics like skeletal system, nervous system, circulatory system. This book helped me as a undergraduate A and P student. It helped me form the foundation of my knowledge. However, if you want a really good study guide that focuses on key topics seen on college A and P exams, I highly recommend the following: Key Facts for Anatomy and Physiology by Patrick Leonardi
This last study guide was on the mark for helping me prepare for the type of facts asked on my exams. I was recommended this book from another pre-med student taking a A and P course. Both books are must buys. ... Read more

Book Description

Written in uncommonly engaging, lucid, and elegant prose, this book is an “understand-it-yourself, do-it-yourself”manual designed to help readers understand the fundamental structure of quality research and the methodical process that leads to genuinely significant results. It guides the reader, step-by-step, from the selection of a problem to study, through the process of conducting authentic research, to the preparation of a completed report, with practical suggestions based on a solid theoretical framework and sound pedagogy. This book will show readers two things: 1) that quality research demands planning and design; and, 2) how their own research projects can be executed effectively and professionally. For researchers and research analysts in any discipline. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great book for senior projects and thesis
I have been trying to organize my thoughts for my thesis for quite sometime. One of my advisors suggested this book to help jump start things. The book outlines the literature review, abstract, etc and gives great examples as it goes. This book helped save my sanity during such a hectic time. The discussions about email and the internet are very outdated, however for those new to computers and internet research, it is a great intro.

Easy To Read and Understand
Research, it is safe to say, is probably not the average person's favorite course to take in school. The subject itself, for most, is bland and boring and probably not very accessible from a learning standpoint.

Enter Leedy and Omrod. "Practical Research" is just an outstanding book to learn research from or to teach a research course with. First off, the book is small and it is written in simple language with "practical" examples. This makes the subject a lot more accessible to the average reader. Second, it contains lots of helpful hints and checklists to help make the learning process easier. The companion website for this book contains practice tests that the students can use to gauge their learning (as well as e-mail results to get feedback from the instructor).

Though the book is short, it is still very thorough and to the point. There is no tradeoff in quality of information for brevity which is a great point in favor of this book. Overall, this book is a superior learning tool because it communicates the research process very clearly. A student at any level, be it, middle school, secondary school, undergraduate or graduate, can easily learn the research process from this text.

We used this as one of the texts for a graduate level research methods course I took and it was a big hit with all enrolled in the class.

Here's a quick rundown of the books topics:

1. What is Research?

2. Research Tools

3. Identifying the research problem

4. Literature Review

5. Research design planning

6. Research proposal writing

7. Qualitative research

8. Historical research

9. Descriptive research

10. Experimental and Causal-Comparative designs

11. Statistical techniques for quantitative data analysis

12. Writing and publishing the research report

Overall, "Practical Research" is a great learning solution whether you are independently trying to learn research methods or if you are an instructor looking for a great textbook for your class.

Highly Recommended

Less than expected
I got less than I expected when I paid almost full price for this book. Yes, it is very usable, but not excellent condition. The book arrived with little or no packing material and was not in a sealed envelope. The next time I need to buy a textbook, I will be wary about getting a used one from this seller.

Pretty good
I wish the author realizes not everything must be put in the form of an analogy! Apart from that the book is a good review of how to go about a research paper, giving valuable advice on how to avoid pitfalls. As somebody mentioned, the Computer Prompts really are very basic.

A valuable book with some useful advice.
This would be a very useful book for anyone who is interested in the philosophy of research, or who is writing a research proposal, or simply trying to work out what to do for their research project. Chapter 1 includes "What research is" and "What research is not" - a good start! Other chapters look at the tools of research, how to choose a problem, reviewing related literature, statistical techniques for looking at data and so on. A particularly useful section looks at common reasons for project bids to be rejected (Ch 6). There's plenty of good advice throughout the book.

I found the computer prompts less useful. They covered things like email, newsgroups and the internet which I already use extensively. However, for a student just starting out they would be useful pointers.

Since the book is not specific to any level or subject of research there are bound to be parts that are not relevant to the individual reader. But I feel there is something for everyone.

Overall, I think this would be a useful book for a research group leader to have on their bookshelf. ... Read more

Book Description

A highly infectious, deadly virus from the central African rain forest suddenly appears in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. There is no cure. In a few days 90 percent of its victims are dead. A secret military SWAT team of soldiers and scientists is mobilized to stop the outbreak of this exotic "hot" virus. The Hot Zone tells this dramatic story, giving a hair-raising account of the
appearance of rare and lethal viruses and their "crashes" into the human race. Shocking, frightening, and impossible to ignore, The Hot Zone proves that truth really is scarier than fiction. ... Read more

Reviews (372)

A great account of close calls and tense trials with viruses
I think that Richard Preston deserves all five stars for this thrilling book on real life experiences with deadly Ebola Viruses. He took an accumulation of true stories and turned it into an interesting and spellbinding book that hardly seems true. This book is easy to follow, even though the whole is scientific. Preston balanced the scientific language and factuality with an interesting plot and rounded characters as in a fictional book. Preston went into painstaking details to turn the Reston operation and other experiments into lament terms that all readers might comprehend. His magnificent writing style also came through in his account of nurse Mayinga's journey through the city and how catastrophic the event actually might have been. I really enjoyed the amount of effort Preston put forth in describing what Ebola and Marburg actually do to the body, prior to and during death. Although the book was very good, I do think that Richard Preston might have left out the entire fourth part. It had no real influence on the situation at Kitum Cave or what the reader thought of Africa. With all things considered, I strongly advise this book be read by everyone and I will certainly recommend this book to everybody I know.

Entering the "Hot Zone"
It starts with a simple headache. Then maybe you get a nosebleed. After a few days, you know you are extremely sick. The lining of your stomach and the top layer of your tongue literally fall off. Your organs turn into mush. Excessive bleeding from every natural opening in your body occurs. And since your blood can't clot, the bleeding won't stop. Black vomit mixed with blood gushes from your mouth. Then, you die painfully with a mask-like expression on your face.

This doesn't even sound like it could exist, does it? Well it does. It is death by a virus known as Ebola. It is especially contagious in monkeys and can jump species over to humans.

The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston, describes outbreaks of this and other "hot" viruses in locations around the world, including a city near Washington, D.C. Virus experts in the Army need to unravel the Ebola mystery and try to protect the public from this vicious disease.

Preston has taken a true story and unveiled its horror. I couldn't believe how descriptive his writing is. If you want to read a true modern day thriller, then this is an awesome pick. I highly recommend it and am looking forward to reading more from Richard Preston.

Great Read!
After months of stuffy old British classics we read THE HOT ZONE by Richard Preston in my sophomore English class. What a breath of fresh air! The book reads like a novel, but is full of fascinating information about ebola. Whether you're a biology buff or just want a good beach read, this is a great book. I highly recommend this(...)

Good
This book happened to be my Physics book to read and i thought it would just be some people trying to track down this deadly virus. I thought it would all be fiction and i'd wright a report and get a good grade. Turns out, this book is fiction, one of the scariest books i've read, and one of the few books that at parts i couldn't put down!

Some parts didn't appeal to me as much as others (Thats why i give it a 4). I really liked the book and will encourage people to read it.

Cant put this down; master thriller story
This is one of the most exciting books you will ever read. And the scary thing is that the story is true. This page-turner will grip you from the onset and leave you will a chill down yor spine when you realize the nature of the world of virology.

Preston makes the story flow well from beginning to end. He makes feel like you are right in the middle of the story .. almost like you have a role to play. It wont take you long to read this book, and it is written in a comfortable style.

Anyone with an interest in viruses, microbiology, public health, or who just want a good reality thriller should read this book. You will not be disappointed! ... Read more

Book Description

Calculating dosages has never been so easy!Dimensional Analysis for Meds is a completely self-instructional learning tool created to simplify clinical calculations.Utilizing the method of dimensional analysis, the material is presented in a helpful format that encourages step-by-step learning. ... Read more

Book Description

Not since it first published in 1858 has Gray's Anatomy introduced so much innovation to the world of anatomical references. A team of renowned clinicians, anatomists, and basic scientists have radically transformed this classic resource to incorporate all of the newest anatomical knowledge...reorganized it by body region to parallel clinical practice...and added many new surface anatomy, radiologic anatomy, and microanatomy images to complement the exquisite artwork that the book is known for. In addition, a new, multimedia package enables users to consult the printed book... access a dynamic, continuously updated web site...or explore a CD-ROM containing all of the book's images plus 9 fully rotatable, strippable anatomical models. Although there are now many books called "Gray's Anatomy," only this 39th Edition carries on the true lineage of the original text. And, only this 39th Edition delivers so much pragmatic, clinically indispensable information. ... Read more

Book Description

Ideal for review courses and for individual study, this book is a must-have tool for anyone preparing to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination. Concise reviews of the critical topics outlined by the Pharmacy Certification Training Board, along with review tests at the end of each chapter, assess your current knowledge and identify areas that need further study. In addition to end-of-chapter practice questions, two cumulative tests at the end of the book provide practice for taking the full-length exam. If additional math practice is what you need, youll find 14 chapters that focus specifically on math and include additional math questions. This new edition includes greatly expanded information on pharmacology, pharmaceutical agents, the effect of drugs on specific body systems and conditions, and drug interactions. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Must for Certification Review
This book has everything that you need to pass the certification exam. Prescriptions, filling, labelling, record keeping, OSHA, computers and law are all covered thoroughly. There are also chapters on pharmacology and ten chapters on math [the book covers almost every type of dosage calculation very thorougly]. Everything is explained exceptionally well, and is easy to understand. Review questions at the end of each chapter are asked, answered, and explained in detail, so that you understand how to answer questions and do the calculations for the exam. It explains "why", and helps you to understand and apply the information. Each chapter has a "quick study" guide for easy reviewing. There is a "pre-test" to help prioritize study and pinpoint weak points, and a mock certification exam, which follows the format of the exam, and includes questions very similar to the questions appearing on the exam. Helpful hints for taking the exam and answering questions are also included. This book is a must, especially for retail techs [a lot of hospital pharmacy is included], and particularly for understanding the math.

A MUST for pharmacy certification exam review
This text is an excellent review text. It is written for persons all levels of experience - quick study guides allow the student to skip what he or she is already familiar with, and detailed chapters are included for those who are not familiar with subjects. Questions or problems at the end of each chapter are answered in detail, to allow the student to see what the examiner is looking for and hopefully duplicate it for the exam, rather than simply designating the correct answer and leaving the student to guess why their answer was incorrect. This is really key, as a large part of the success on the exam is understanding what the question is asking and what the examiner wants to know.

Other salient features include a pre-test, to allow the student to pinpoint weaknesses and prioritize study, a sample certification exam, which is written to duplicate the exam in both style and content, and a very large and detailed section on pharmacy math, which includes every type of calculation which might appear on the exam, and as a practice math test. Since the lack of ability to solve math problems is a primary reason why students fail the exam, this is an excellent preparation aid. The text also teaches the student to think and understand, which is necessary for the exam, as it is not all regurgitation of material - you have to know how to USE and apply the material.

All relevant subjects are covered and discussed in detail. An excellent buy for the money, for students of pharmacy technology - and expecially for technicians trained in a retail pharmacy who may be lacking in hospital pharmacy.

This text could even be used as for a pharmacy technology quick study course, or self study course as it is quite complete.

Typos don't help
This book is a must for all future technicians. It has a few noticable typos that don't help but can be overloooked for the quantity of information and excellent outline of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone that's looking to get in a career as a pharmacy technician, just pay attention to the questions and their answers since this publisher could not afford to proof-read.

too many errors in math
I bought this book (2004 edition) on the advice found in other reviews in this section. Like others, I have never worked in a pharmacy, have a tech-industry background that is going nowhere in this economy, and decided to pursue the medical industry which I've always been interested in. My first step was to go for the Pharm Tech Certification, so I bought this book to prepare for the exam. I do believe it helped with the general pharmacy practice and with the pharmacology and law sections, but I had to go out and purchase a second book on pharmacy math because of all the errors and inconsistencies in the math section of this book. There are errors in several of the examples, in many of the practice questions at the end of each chapter, and even in the sample tests, many of them quite blatantly wrong while others can only be determined wrong if you are strong in math, and it was too confusing. It appears nobody proofed the math section of this book before publishing. It cost me another $40 for a secondary book to review the math and learn the formulas. Since the sections on pharmacology and law are completely new to me, I was not able to determine if there were errors in those sections, but the math section DID leave me wondering if other things were wrong, too. I basically lost my confidence in this book. As a result, I decided to also purchase another study guide by another author as a backup. These errors cost me nearly $100 in further purchases!!

Just took the Pharm. Tech. Cert. Exam
(2nd edition). This book was good but had the potential to be an exceptional one-source study guide for the PTCExam if it wasn't for the mathematical errors, typos, etc. On one math question, the variables were different between the question and the answer/explanation (The question wanted you to fill an order for 0.5g of a drug from a supply of 200mg /5ml solution. The answer was based on 0.75mg of drug from a 250mg /5ml supply). This was frustrating at times, especially since I purchased this book primarily for the math review.

The book is laid out very well, and covers quite a lot of information. It is pretty up to date on state and fed. regulations such as the April 2003 HIPAA revisions.

It's too bad it wasn't proof read very well. Overall, this book is still a usefull study guide for the exam as long as you look out for the mathematical errors. With this book's help, I do believe (and hope!) I passed the exam. ... Read more

Book Description

The most up-to-date information on application procedures and deadlines, tuition and student fees, and statistics on acceptance rates from every accredited medical school in the United States and Canada. For people who are just thinking about medicine as a career, we've also provided an overview of the entire application and medical school process, with a timeline to help you get started. ... Read more

Book Description

This user-friendly book logically presents the entire range of research methodologies in psychology, in addition to the often discussed andtraditional use of experimental research.. Comprehensive and readable, it will interest those in the varied fields of cognitive, developmental, clinical, and social psychology.Topics include inductive and deductive reasoning, empirical observation, concepts of validity, the phases in research., and the concept. of levels of constraint..For anyone looking for the needed background to become a sophisticated consumer of research, able to evaluate the many claims for products, ideas, and programs that bombard our society and critical thinking in everyday life. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A dissenting opinion
First, I want to say that I have NOT read this book; I have some comments based on its table of contents. I teach research methods in education, and have served on over a hundred dissertation committees in education and other fields (including several dissertations in psychology), and I would not use or recommend this book primarily because of its extremely limited treatment of qualitative research. Despite the book cover's claim that the book deals with "the entire range of research methodologies in psychology", the coverage of qualitative methods appears to be limited to one chapter on naturalistic and case-study methods. (A second chapter which deals with field research in fact seems to focus on quasi-experimental and single-subject designs, which are not qualitative.) The rest of the book is heavily quantitative/experimental in its approach (there are three chapters on experimental design alone). It seems revealing that although there are sections on the limitations of naturalistic and case study research and correlational and differential research, there is no explicit section on the limitations of experimental research. There is also no discussion of one of the most common qualitative approaches used in psychology--the qualitative interview study, which is different from a "case study". (For more on this approach, I recommend "Learning from Strangers: The Art and Method of Qualitative Interview Studies", by the psychologist Robert Weiss.)

If you are a student in a very quantitatively-oriented psychology department, this may be a useful book for you. However, at a time when many research methods books are devoting much more space to qualitative methods, Graziano and Raulin's book seems a bit anachronistic. Several highly regarded research methods textbooks that are more even-handed in their coverage are David Krathwohl, Methods of Educational and Social Science Research: An Integrated Approach (second edition, 1998), and Colin Robson, Real World Research: A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitioner-Researchers (1993; second edition forthcoming). There is also an enormous literature on qualitative methods specifically; simply search this site under "qualitative research".

an excellent text with great web + cd support
I decided to adopt this text for my course as it is comprehensive, up-to-date, and includes a wealth of supplementary materials that are web-based, as well as available on the accompanying CD. Recommended highly for undergrad AND graduate students.

Good baseline book for those preparing for a dissertation
As a Ph.D. student that is about to start my dissertation I found this book extremely helpful in wading through the various research and analysis methods. Filled with examples (although principally focused on Psychology), the book has helped me plan my dissertation. A great reference book and in my opinion a must have for those who are about to start their dissertation. ... Read more

Book Description

An Easy To Read Introduction To The Theory Of Change Management That Focuses On What Works.--This text refers to the paperback edition of this title ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I was disappointed
There are some useful nuggets, perhaps, but on the whole I was happier with material I found on the web.

A Gourmet Appetizer for the Appreciative Inquiry Feast
"Wonderful, thick, rich writing on Appreciative Inquiry is currently available..." says Sue Hammond in her introduction to this nifty little book. It certainly is, but the Thin Book of AI is just enough to whet your appetite for the main course. If you've never heard of Appreciative Inquiry (or as I call it 'Looking for the Good Stuff') this is the place to start.

Sue takes the essence of the Appreciative Inquiry process and makes it easy to digest. Her purpose was to create a book to help others find out enough to decide if they want to take on more about this facinating process for change. She has done it well.

If you have heard of AI and are using it in your business or consulting practice, you probably already know about this book. I find it an excellent inclusion in a proposal or a follow-up gift to a prospective client. It is straight forward and succinct, yet has enough flavor to make you want more. A perfect appetizer.

Buy several, as you will want to keep one in your briefcase, but you will inevitably give it away.

Get Started With Appreciative Inquiry!
The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry does all it promises to do...and more. In a very short time (a round-trip commute for most of us in Tokyo), Ms. Hammond introduces all the core elements of this exciting and effective approach to positive change in any organization.

Her mini-tome led me to delve deeper into the "mysteries of organizations" and other AI authors. The Thin Book was the first step toward placing AI at the forefront of our teambuilding efforts, both within AMT Group and for our clients. HIGHLY recommended.

A breath of fresh air
Since Aristotle, Descartes, Newton, and Freud, we have analyzed and reduced everything to the micro level so that we can repair, replace it, or control it. This is not that kind of book. It is a new way to get perspective on issues by redirecting attention to consider the good things that are going on around us. The sheer mention of the question: What is working well around here changed my tone for the whole day. I began to listen and look for the positive and beauty and affirm it when I saw it. This is not just a positive thinking Peale book, or positive mental tape book The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry is an introduction to the idea that change can be managed by focusing on what works. This little book is worth it the price as it gives you a good definition of AI and is like an appetizer for the meal. Hammond has done a nice of capturing the essence of this transforming approach and provides many sample questions that let's you intuitively grasp this is good soup for the soul. I wish they would have added more to the book but that is why the called it thin- it does create a desire to know more about AI.

Great Alternative to Always Finding Problems
Too often, analysts try to find problems with organizations so they have something to solve. It's what they live for! Customers come to analysts when they feel there is a problem, so the two seem like a match -- the customer thinks there is a problem, the analyst proves there is. However, usually a customer's business isn't in complete shambles; they usually do something right. Sue's book provides analysts an alternative to always finding problems. Analysts can use appreciateve inquiry to first discover what the customer is doing right. Often applying the same principles, processes, procedures, to what they are doing correctly can solve what the customer perceives as a current problem. This is still a match between the customer and the analyst with one added advantage: it leaves the customer feeling better about him/herself. In 60 pages Sue gives analysts a completely new skill for in their toolkit. ... Read more

Book Description

"On dissertation proposals on which I have served, Patton is by far the most cited qualitative research text."

The book that has been a resource and training tool for countless applied researchers, evaluators, and graduate students has been completely revised with hundreds of new examples and stories illuminating all aspects of qualitative inquiry. Patton has created the most comprehensive, systematic, and up-to-date review of qualitative methods available.

  

"I am dazzled by the extent of the material that this book describes and clarifies. Patton has shifted the focus of the text to qualitative inquiry in general, which includes qualitative evaluation. New examples from his own work and that of others serve to clarify and deepen understanding of qualitative research topics and processes. New discussion of many current issues and debates in qualitative scholarship (autoethnography, ethical issues of informed consent and confidentiality, focus group/group interviews, computer-assisted analysis, the complexity of creating criteria for judging the quality of qualitative research, etc.) will bring readers up-to-date with the variety in perspectives about (and the variety within) qualitative inquiry. Most of the chapters in the book have been substantially reorganized in ways that augment the reader’s understanding. When anyone asks me about conducting qualitative inquiry, I will say: ‘Get Patton’s book’."

The Third Edition has retained and expanded upon the exhibits, which highlight and summarize major issues, guidelines, the summative sections, tables, and figures as well as the sage advice of the Sufi-Zen master, Halcolm. This revision will help readers integrate and make sense of the great volume of qualitative works published in the past decade.

  

"Clearly, this is a vastly improved, much more comprehensive, cogently systematic, and timely review-a tour de force, one might say-of the field of qualitative research, in terms of the theoretical, conceptual, methodological, and normative dimensions/foundations of qualitative research. This is one of the strengths of the volume. It seeks to bring together theory and practice/methods without overburdening one or the other--this is as rare as it is commendable, not to mention extremely useful, not only for the professional researcher, but for the "non-professional" as well."

Lester Edwin J. Ruiz, New York Theological Seminar

  

New to this Edition

  

• Integrates and makes sense of the great volume of qualitative works published in the past decade

• Offers strategies for enhancing quality and credibility of qualitative findings by presenting a new framework for differentiating five contrasting and competing sets of standards for judging the quality and utility of findings

• Unravels the complexities of mixed methods and triangulation

• Explains the new issues and approaches to fieldwork as well as providing detailed analytical guidelines, including software and computer-assisted options

• Explores, compares and contrasts 16 different theoretical and philosophical approaches to qualitative inquiry

• Examines alternative interviewing strategies and approaches, including focus group interviews, group interviews, and cross-cultural interviews

• Identifies the latest Internet resources

  

Pedagogical Features to Enhance the Reader’s Understanding of the Material:

• Exhibit Boxes: Summarize and illuminate major points within chapters
• Chapter Opening Stories by Halcolm: Use wit and humor to engage the reader in reflecting upon the puzzles and lessons of qualitative research
• Foundational Questions: Orient the reader to the "meat" of the material being presented
• End of Chapter Appendices: Provide excerpts of detailed examples of particular techniques, such as open-ended interviews, case studies, etc.
• Comparison Tables: Organize, compare and contrast different approaches, strategies, and paradigms
• Original Cartoons: Created from the book’s material, illuminate and poke fun at chapter concepts

Reviews (5)

Good starting point for novice interviewers
As a senior in college who is conducting interviews with high school and college students, I would recommend this book. It provides an excellent jumping off point for both novice student interviewers as well as seasoned teachers. Patton, himself an experienced interviewer, and also an award-winning teacher and storyteller, outlines all the necessary steps involved in the interview process in a very entertaining way. The book reads much like a textbook, complete with original cartoons, historical examples, and vast personal experience. Moreover, inspirational and often amusing quotes kickoff each section. Appearing throughout the book is the fictional sage-like character Halcolm, a philosophical alter ego of Patton, who, "like his name (pronounced slowly)," forces the reader to ask "how come?" (p. A2).
Patton has divided Qualitative Research and Evaluation into three main parts: Conceptual Issues in Qualitative Inquiry, Qualitative Designs and Data Collection, and finally Analysis, Interpretation, and Reporting. Under each section are many subsections, all clearly laid out in a very detailed table of contents. For example, Conceptual Issues is divided into four subcategories: The Nature of Qualitative Inquiry, Strategic Themes in Qualitative Inquiry, Variety in Qualitative Inquiry: Theoretical Orientations, and finally Particularly Appropriate Qualitative Applications. Furthermore, these four subcategories are then broken down in additional detail in the table of contents. The titles of these sections (and chapters) are somewhat typical for the text as a whole in that they rely on sociological terminology that may be unfamiliar to beginners. At first glance, the table of contents appears to be little more than a patchwork of intellectual vocabulary, but the book reads in much simpler terms.
The index to the book is also very useful for finding numerous narrowed down focuses. I found this the most helpful. For example, when I wanted to find out about transcribing interviews, I was able to find all of the relevant chapters and information at once.
Unfortunately, however, Patton's broad scope is also his main weakness. It is very easy to become bogged down by the mass amount of details and by his many examples. Also, for scholars primarily interested in the interview process, only the final section is useful, especially in the field of analysis.
Patton attempts to cover all of the basics of interviewing, and provides an excellent outline, but nothing can compare to actual experience. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended that first-time interviewers consult Patton's book for an introductory guide, and even veteran interviewers can learn something from Patton's vast experience.
Researchers will also find Patton's 36 pages of single-spaced references very helpful, and graduate students will find it invaluable for dissertations.

Why To Avoid This Book
No, I'm not a disgruntled grad student who had to take a qualitative eval course with this book as the bible. I'm a very happy grad student who enthusiastically pursues qualitative methods (and in fact teaches them to his undergrad students), but who learned at great expense to avoid this book at all costs.

A large number of professors teaching research have latched onto Patton as the qualitative guru for valid reasons. He has done seminal work in the field, championed the process for decades, and is deservedly well respected for these efforts. The problem is using his book as a classroom textbook.

This book is OK as a reference source, but the man is not a textbook author. The book is extremely difficult to comprehend, has not been revised significantly since the first edition in 1980, wanders off on tangents seldom related to the content (try the start of Chapter 5 if you need an example), fails to provide groundedness with adequate theoretical applications, and so on. ....I do use this book and quote from it when appropriate, but cannot recommend it as a textbook.

From ignorant to informed
If you've been asked to gather qualitative research but you've never gathered qualitative research before, then this is the book for you. Unlike other qualitative research books that often focus more on a particular phase of research, this book covers all phases in depth, from conceptual issues and qualitative reseach design to analysis, interpretation, and reporting. If you were to read this book from cover to cover you would enjoy it, but you may yawn once or twice. To ease the boredom factor, the author was kind enough to include jokes and cartoons and sage anecdotes from research guru Halcolm. If you just want to use this book to answer particular research questions, then this is also the right book for you. I've looked at several other qualitative research books and this one seems to address all the major questions a researcher could possibly have. I highly recommend this book for any and all qualitative research neophytes.

Outstanding on interviews
This book is outstanding in its presentation of the ins and outs of interviewing. It provides many caveats and tips about how to formulate questions that do not lead but do stimulate rich answers.

very understanble book
This book is a very well-understandble to everyone. There is no need to know more things about this isue, this book covers almost everything. I believe that it is one good book for the start. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (21)

A Must Read For Everyone At Any Level
If you are a student writing your first paper for collage or if you are a seasoned researcher, this book is the best book on the subject you will find.
The authors take great care in taking you step by step through the complex task for writing scientific and technical research papers. Starting with explaining why we write research papers, over the subject of how to construct a solid argument, to who we write for, it is all covered. Unlike other manuals, this one centers on the most important thing about research papers, the target audience. Quick Tips at the end of most chapters give you a solid starting point in case you run into problems with your own work making this book an indispensable reference on your desk.
I also enjoy the fluid writing style that makes the book actually fun to read. You will be surprised how quickly you will be able to write a solid paper and identify flaws in other peoples work.

Mandatory for all researchers
This is a great book on writing a research report, useful for both beginners and seasoned researchers. It walks you through all the phases of your research project, starting from picking up your topic, through the actual research, note-taking, to writing up your findings, down to sentence level structure and style. For me a most useful part of the book was the beginning: finding a topic, defining your research problem, qualifying it, and determining your warrants; especially revealing was the relationship between your research problem and a wider body of theory, and how you must be explicit about your "warrants" to make a real contribution to "knowledge" or to "solving a practical problem." Even though I had read many other books on writing such as "The Clockwork Muse" or "Writing Your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day" none was as explicit as this one on how to combine both Research and Writing (the other books assume that writing a research project entails a progressive, smooth process: you pick a topic, you research it, and you write up your conclusions/findings), nothing farther from the truth; as I learned from painful experience and as was made explicit by this book, to my relief, a research project is a dynamic process in which research and writing go together; they complement and reinforce each other. This book teaches you just how to do this and it was the greatest lesson I learned.

Simplistic
Great for the high school or intro for a prepatory course frosh year in college. Otherwise, past the intro and the elevator story, worthless.

Very good book for the right audience...
I picked up the book The Craft Of Research by Wayne Booth, Gregory Colomb, and Joseph Williams at the library awhile back, and I finished it over the course of this week. Not quite what I was expecting, but useful if you buy it for the right reason. I was looking for something more geared towards doing research for articles and such. This is geared towards the college student or professional researcher who has to produce research papers on a regular basis. It teaches you how to formulate your argument and properly research your material to make and prove your points. Probably very helpful if you have an actual project to do at the time you're reading it. Definitely a reference book you'd want to have on your shelf.

That's not to say that you couldn't gain some insight on article writing from this book. It's just, in my opinion, a bit too advanced for the type of writing I would do. But because it covers the target audience well, I can't complain.

Art Takes Many Forms
This is certainly so when it comes to "The Craft of Research" as this is a fundamental point to remember when one is learning how to prepare research which is above and beyond the mundane and forgettable.

"The Craft of Research" is told from the insiders perspective and ought to be carried on one's person to reflect and review in those quiet moments that are more and more widely spaced these days.

Of course the business of finding the raw answers in short order is sometime key and I've found The Practical Pundit to be a quick solution to gathering my material prior to sitting down to order and write.

http://www.practicalpundit.com ... Read more

Book Description

Follow the leader.Math for Meds has helped nearly one million nurses and other health care professionals become safe practitioners of dosage calculations.This classic resource continues to blaze the trail into a ninth edition, with its ratio and proportion method and building-block organization.Hundreds of full-color images of drug labels, syringes, and equipment complement the range of calculation competenciesfrom reading medication labels to calculating flow rates for heparin infusion.The straightforward language has also been retained, as the ninth edition preserves the tradition of making the complex understandable. ... Read more

Book Description

Since it was first published more than a decade ago, Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice has become the leading resource in the field of health promotion and education. This thoroughly revised third edition provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of health behavior theories relevant to health education and includes the most current information on developments in theory, research, and practice.

... Read more

Reviews (2)

Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and
As I waded through this textbook I at first felt that I had selected the wrong book for my teaching needs. The book is generally a review of current literature in the field of Health that would be an excellent resource for a graduate student who is about to tackle their thesis or dissertation. Contained within the chapters of this book is an extensive overview of what already exists in the field and certainly would be useful in helping a graduate student begin his or her research. This book would also be useful in helping a student who may be searching for a topic to study and research that may have been previously studied but then was found to be needing further work or follow-up. Upon completing the book I realized that although not necessarily perfect for my current needs of working with middle and high school students, it did provide support for things I am doing with them in my classes and broadened my scope as a health educator by making me think in terms of my role in school health education as compared to the roles of other health researchers and practitioners.

Theory based research
This text is a comprehensive review of health related theories. It provides the reader with anlayses of several health behavior theories and extensive bibliographies. To the student who is interested in health behavior research, this text is an important first step because it gives many examples of how specific theories, concepts and constructs are used in research studies. ... Read more

Book Description

A paperback guide to the basic techniques of the organic chemistry lab. Zubrick includes practical lab advice presented with clarity and humor. The book describes the instruments and techniques used in organic chemistry lab. Diagrams show the reader how to make measurements, set up labs and perform meaningful experiments. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Serendipitous...
As well as being extremely detailed, intelligent and helpful, this book is hysterically funny, which makes it a joy to read and easy to understand. A nice change from the usual ...yawn... science-reference manuals. I would strongly encourage other students to take advantage of this terrific piece of work.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY
This book promise so much by the wide coverage of topics in Organic lab. but it delivers nothing. Aside from listing the topics in the Table of content. The seemingly knowledable Prof. Zubric presents an unorganize, incomprehensible 294 pages of something that read like a page from a low budget Comic Strip. Am shock that a well respected publishing house like John Wiley and Son would lend their reputation to a low quality like this. The author talked about every thing that are irrelevant. what is needed is a good intro. to the subject like -EXTRACTION and then the stepwise layout of professional quality discussion of headings like - Materials involved; procedure; observation; conclusion etc. he fail to approach the subject prof. The book would pass for a Book of Short Jokes. Do not waste your money. D BOOK DID NOT HELP ME IN MY CLASS ANYWAY...

Must Have for O-Chem Lab
Used it so much in lab, it almost became my right. VERY helpful! Easy to read with a nice twist of humor.

Right On!! The Best Lab Manual Ever!!!
This book was chock full of concise, yet extremely valuable, information, and the wit with which it was presented made prelabs bearable, if not exactly fun. Thank your lab professor if this is a required book, and definitely pick it up if it's on the reccomended list (or even if it's not!).

Humor in a Science Text Book: Miracles Do Happen
In this exceptional reference for first time students of organic chemistry lab, the author conveys what could be dry, boring information in a humorous, yet professional, manner. I actually found myself laughing out loud as I read a mock conversation between a lab instructor and a student about using boiling stones. Boiling stones! I never thought I'd find them humorous. Although brilliantly entertaining, Zubrick never fails to convey accurate, concise, intelligent thoughts on procedure, equipment, safety, and safety, and, oh yeah, did I mention safety? I think this actually deserves 6 or 7 stars; I know it's going to help me immensely in my lab work. ... Read more

Book Description

Written by students for students, this high-yield guide helps them make the transition from the classroom to the hospital wards. Thoroughly revised and updated, this comprehensive book explains what to expect in each required rotation and provides sample notes & reports, medical facts, formulas, and protocols. Features the latest student ratings of available review resources. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One clerkship director's thoughts
Bhushan and Le have created a guide that is most useful as an introduction to the ward experience for medical students. They discuss particulars about each rotation and this information is certainly important for students to read before each rotation. Although I do recommend this book to my students, I also encourage them to use another book entitled the 101 Biggest Mistakes 3rd Year Medical Students Make and How to Avoid Them. This latter book is the only book I know of that helps students recognize the major mistakes that are made during clinical clerkships. By using First Aid for the Wards and 101 Biggest Mistakes 3rd Year Medical Students Make and How to Avoid Them together, students will place themselves in a position to do their best work during their clinical clerkships.

EXCELLENT BOOK ALSO FOR THE CSA.
I bought this book to use as a review for the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA)(the pratical texy that all the FMG have to do in Philadelphia). It was great because it helped me to practice writting clear medical hystories, in the same manner I had to write in the real (CSA) test in english. It was also very good because it list the major symptoms, signs and differential diagnosis of the more common clinnical problems. By the way, again useful for the CSA, because they request us to give the dif diagnosis in these test.

I highly recomment this book as an adjunt for the preparation for the CSA. Of couse, should be useful also for the wards.

Don't forget also to use: Mastering the OSCE/CSA: Objective Structured Clinical Examination/Clinical Skills Assessment...

It helped me...
I found this book to be quite helpful in alleviating those third year jitters. So much of the third year is spent trying to figure out your role on the team, and how to look like a star. This book gives some useful pointers.

If you have liked other books from the First Aid series, this book will also be well liked and used. Well written and to the point.

Each chapter gives pointers for a particular clinical rotation - explaining the role of a student as well as who the typical other team members will be. Also, gives a general breakdown of what to expect for a typical day.

Each chapter then has some vital clinical information that you need to know for each rotation. The chapters end with a review of which text books are most helpful for you to read.

Good book!

Firs aid for the wards
Poor presentation & known facts only.Nothing new ... Read more

Book Description

Bioinformatics – the process of searching biological databases, comparing sequences, examining protein structures, and researching biological questions with a computer – is one of the marvels of modern technology that can save you months of lab work. And the most amazing part is that, if you know how, you can use highly sophisticated programs over the Internet without paying a dime and sometimes, without installing anything new on your own computer. All you need to know is how to use these technological miracles.

That's where Bioinformatics For Dummies comes in. If you want to know what bioinformatics is all about and how to use it without wading through pages of computer gibberish or taking a course full of theory, this book has the answers in plain English. You'll find out how to

• Use Internet resources
• Understand bioinformatics jargon
• Research biological databases
• Locate the sequences you need
• Perform specific tasks, step by step

Written by two experts who helped develop the science, Bioinformatics For Dummies is all about getting things done. If you're just getting your feet wet, start at the beginning with a quick review of those necessary parts of microbiology and an overview of the tools available. If you already know what you want to do, you can go directly to a chapter that shows you how. Get the lowdown on

• Researching and analyzing DNA and protein sequences
• Gathering information from all published sources
• Searching databases for similar sequences and acquiring information about gene functions through sequence comparisons
• Producing and editing multiple sequence comparisons for presentation
• Predicting protein structures and RNA structures
• Doing phylogenetic analysis

With an Internet connection and Bioinformatics For Dummies, you'll discover how to peruse databases that contain virtually everything known about human biology. It's like having access to the world's largest lab, right from your desk. This book is your lab assistant – one that never takes a day off, never argues when you ask it for help, and won't demand a benefits package. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Bioinformatics for Dummies by J.M. Claverie & C. Notredame
"Bioinformatics for Dummies" is an excellent resource. It is clear, easy to read, well organized and illustrated. I was particularly pleased by the colloquial tone of the writing: in addition to being informative, it was fun to read!

As a scientist who spends at least half of my time BLASTing, I also read it for accuracy and found it to almost error-free (any errors were in the figures). Additionally, most of the web pages were up-to-date, although as time passes the links will decay and web pages will change their look. In addition, the book contained enough in-depth content to teach me several new tricks of the trade.

Further, I believe the book had sufficient background material to educate the novice. To test this, I gave the manual to a material science chemist and he was able to understand the material, at least until he decided it was more than he wanted to know and quit reading.

This is a useful text for those who want to know more than an operational definition of bioinformatics and a must for the library of all bioinformatics users.

Walking amongst Dummys
I'm glad I bought this book and I will continue to refer to it. The remit of the Dummies series is to provide a guide to its subject matter without any great fuss. The text focuses on practical techniques without unnecessary diversion into the detail of molecular biology or computer science. In this respect it would have been a difficult book to author, readers having come from one discipline or the other. I agree with previous reviewers that this is well worth reading before doing a bioinformatics course or degree. Bioinformatics is a new field, and this book has delivered a useful introduction to it without recourse to expensive textbooks full of unreadable filler.

A great resource for teachers too!
I have used databases before (mostly NCBI, TIGR and SWISS PROT) and yet, this book (presumably for dummies) has shown me so much more(which say a lot about me)! It is accurate and gives good step by step guide to how to perform many tasks - from how to find a gene to using the analysis tools and to exploring some of the newer features of these databases - and the areas like you have never looked into before.
It is a well-researched book and the authors are clearly knowledgeable in this area.

Even though I have been for a 4-day bioinformatics course (6 months ago), which I thought was pretty good, this book still had so much to offer. Using this book, I was easily able to substitute the proteins of my interest into their examples and generated meaningful hits.

The book also covers deeper and more advanced features of BLAST, discusses sequence alignments using several types of algorithm and even has a section on 3D structures. Towards the end of book - it features a section on working with mRNA and building phylogenetics trees - which again are excellent resources for teachers involved in teaching beginners molecular biology.

I am a teacher teaching at a Pre-unversity level. The way the book is structured also lends its material to be modified into lesson materials for training students.

It is really a great book! Worth every dollar I spent on it!

Get this book first, before enrolling in an expensive course
This book will get you up and running on Bioinformatics in no time. I wish I got this book before I enrolled in a $$$$$ Bioinformatics course. I got more knowledge and information from this book $$$$$ than the course! And I am just in chapter 5 of the book and I'm more than half way through that $$$$$ course.

Great book-- Technical without the Computer-ese
I got this book a week ago because one of my profs offered to buy it for a volunteer who was willing to check it out and then make a recommendation on it to the rest of the class. I'm glad I volunteered, and I'm encouraging my classmates to get their hands on a copy. This book wasn't boring. It was completely hands on, and it addressed the topic from the perspective of a biologist, not a technophile-- which was exactly what I needed. It helped me reconcile my love for pure science with my increasing anxiety about needing to be so darn computer proficient to have any kind of job I can apply my degree to these days. I'm glad I got a hold of it early in the semester. I think it's going to really impact my grade in the class-- Oh, and my understanding of bioinformatics! ... Read more

Book Description

THE CRAFT OF SCIENTIFIC PRESENTATIONS provides a score of examples from contemporary and historical scientific presentations to show clearly what makes an oral presentation effective. It considers presentations made to persuade an audience to adopt some course of action (such as funding a proposal) as well as presentations made to communicate information, and it considers these from four perspectives: speech, structure, visual aids, and delivery. In keeping with technological innovations, it discusses computer-based projections and slide shows as well as overhead projections. In particular, it discusses ways of organizing graphics and text in projected images and of using layout and design to present the information efficiently and effectively.

Unlike other books that discuss technical presentations, this book anchors its advice in the experiences of scientists and engineers, including such successful presenters as Robert Oppenheimer, Richard Feynman, Niels Bohr, and Rita Levi-Montalcini, as well as currently active laboratory directors, scientists, and engineers.

In addition to examining successful presentations, Alley also discusses the errors that cause many scientific presentations to flounder, providing a list of ten critical errors to avoid. The insights and tools in this book will guide readers to deliver outstanding presentations.

Praise for Michael Alley's THE CRAFT OF SCIENTIFIC PRESENTATIONS:

"Alley has revamped the way our research center makes presentations-particularly the way we design our presentation slides." DANIEL J. INMAN, DIRECTOR CENTER FOR INTELLIGENT MATERIAL SYSTEMS

"This book fills a void by illustrating key issues and difficulties in oral presentations with the experiences of others." CHRISTENE MOORE, COMMUNICATION INSTRUCTOR UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A must have for anybody in the science or engineering field
It's well worth every penny!

Textbook that is actually interesting
I give about a dozen technical presentations a year at trade shows, and I learned a lot from this book. I am changing my Powerpoint slides using many of the tips in this book, including complete sentence in the headline. I had designed my slides to help me remember my points. I should have been designing them so the audience could understand them. Besides giving me a better understanding of what I am trying to accomplish, the book was a fun read with numerous stories from the famous and not so famous. There were times it was actually hard to put the book down.

a great book that kept my interest
This is the first of Michael Alley's books that I have read and I'm ordering his other two "The Craft Of..." books tonight. He is terrific at getting technical information across in an engaging and entertaining way. The book is full of short stories about scientists (some famous, like Einstein, Feynman and McClintock) and incidents, which he uses as examples to get his points across. A critical resource for anyone who gives technical presentations. I'm buying copies for each of my graduate students. ... Read more