Book Description

Already the number one text on health policy and rapidly becoming a classic, Understanding Health Policy: A Clinical Approach 3E covers such fundamental topics as cost containment, health insurance, managed care, and physician and hospital payment. Extensive case histories, drawn from the authors' actual practice, bring to life important policy issues by pinpointing individual encounters within the healthcare system.

New to this Edition

* More information on 2-tier model of reimbursement
* Greater emphasis on defined contribution approach to controlling costs
* Includes comparative information on health care policy in Canada, the UK, and Germany
* "Questions & Discussion Topics" provided for each chapter to stimulate classroom discussion

Please consider this important new edition for your course.Your students will gain an engaging text, that according to a review by the Journal of Health, Politics, Policy, and Law of the prior edition, "goes a long way toward helping readers understand how the health care system has worked in the past, how it is changing, and how it might work under different scenarios in the future." ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Must Know Knowledge For MD's To Be
This book was a requirment for my medical school curriculum. Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. I've never read any other books on health policy, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I thought it was an excellent books. It is very well written, very easy to understand and extremely informative. I believe anyone interested in health care, medicine, etc. should obtain the knowledge in this book and what better source than "Understanding Health Policy".

Get ahead in life
I read this book when I was transitioning from undergrad to PA school. It turned out to be a great move. From what I've seen so far, health policy is a very relevant topic with both the school of medicine and PA school. And why wouldn't it be?!
The only drawback with this book is that it has way too many vignettes. They're very real, but after awhile, I just skimmed over them.
If you're beginning your professional studies, I also recommend picking up a medical terminology, anatomy, and pathophysiology book. Good luck to ya!

Difficult to find a better overview for students
I used this book in undergraduate health policy programs and in one health care administration graduate elective. The majority of students found it to be a useful introduction to the difficult area of health policy. By incorporating pertinent examples and graphs students found the text more understandable and useful than say other required readings like Paul Starr's classic. Whatever their level of understanding coming into class, students were able to glean valuable information and insight.

My reservation is similar to many books, e.g., by the time of publication much has changed. However, there is relevant material and with supplements this will remain a valuable resource.

Good resource book!
This is a very good resource book for understanding the healthcare policy process. I think all undergraduate nursing students could benefit from having this book in their collection. ... Read more

Book Description

One of the most commonly asked questions in a mathematics classroom is, "Will I ever use this stuff in real life?" Some teachers can give a good, convincing answer; others hem and haw and stare at the floor. The real response to the question should be, "Yes, you will, because algebra gives you power" – the power to help your children with their math homework, the power to manage your finances, the power to be successful in your career (especially if you have to manage the company budget). The list goes on.

Algebra is a system of mathematical symbols and rules that are universally understood, no matter what the spoken language. Algebra provides a clear, methodical process that can be followed from beginning to end to solve complex problems. There's no doubt that algebra can be easy to some while extremely challenging to others. For those of you who are challenged by working with numbers, Algebra For Dummies can provide the help you need.

This easy-to-understand reference not only explains algebra in terms you can understand, but it also gives you the necessary tools to solve complex problems. But rest assured, this book is not about memorizing a bunch of meaningless steps; you find out the whys behind algebra to increase your understanding of how algebra works.

In Algebra For Dummies, you'll discover the following topics and more:

• All about numbers – rational and irrational, variables, and positive and negative
• Figuring out fractions and decimals
• Explaining exponents and radicals
• Solving linear and quadratic equations
• Understanding formulas and solving story problems
• Having fun with graphs
• Top Ten lists on common algebraic errors, factoring tips, and divisibility rules.

No matter if you're 16 years old or 60 years old; no matter if you're learning algebra for the first time or need a quick refresher course; no matter if you're cramming for an algebra test, helping your kid with his or her homework, or coming up with next year's company budget, Algebra For Dummies can give you the tools you need to succeed. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Look Elsewhere
This is an ok text for college students trying to remember the major concepts of high school algebra, or even for the beginner who wants easy down to earth explanations of the major concepts, but if you are trying to LEARN algebra, this text is not for you. I bought it because after reading the first few pages I noticed that the writing was concise and informative. I also noticed that the book was large and so concluded (quite falsely) that the material was covered in depth. No. The author will explain the major concepts well, but won't get into the nitty gritty (like how fractional exponents work, or even how a cube or fourth root works). She will just shove some algebraic equivalences your way almost as if she is expecting her readers not to care about what is really going on behind the algebra. She gives helpful tips and shortcuts for doing operations, but no proof style analysis of concepts. And there are no excercises to speak of. If you want a soaring overview of the math you learned in high school, this is definitely the book for you. If you want to learn algebra, look elsewhere.

"...another success for "dummies"..."
...this book makes the infinite power of algebra accessible to even the biggest "dummies"... well organized and written to you, not "down to you" like most algebra texts... I would recommend this to all algebra students as a supplement to their school text and class notes... as a pre service mathematics teacher, I found this book provided me somewhat new ways to explain the topics of first year algebra to already bewildered students, and with a dash of humor that always makes learning more fun... don't let the title fool you, though... in my opinion,this is a very legitimate coverage of first year algebra topics and deserves substantial academic recognition... buy this book!!... oh I only gave this book a 4 because I had to give Geometry for Dummies a 5, since Geometry has always been my favorite subject and Algebra has not...

Going back to college...
I had gone back to college and had not been in an algebra class in about 16 years...this book helped me tremendously! The book is very easy to follow and I found it short and to the point.

A Lot of Text for a Little Mastery
Even though there are a lot of pages in this book, the number of concepts covered is extremely small. This would be better titled "Pre-Algebra for Dummies"; in fact, you'd be hard pressed to pass an Algebra I class with the material covered in this text. While it is friendly, there are other friendly books that cover a wider breadth of material. I cannot recommend this book.

Great Overview and easy to understand!
This book does not present numerous problems for one to work through. BUT it does explain all the essential concepts of algebra so that a person will not only understand the steps taken in working out a problem, but will have a firm grasp in understanding most everything related to the entire subject. This is a great supplement to those who are learning algebra for the first time, or those who have largely forgotten it. ... Read more

Book Description

This book, modern in its writing style as well as in its applications, contains numerous exercises—both skill oriented and applications—, real data problems, and a problem solving method. The book features exercises based on data form the World Wide Web, technology options for those who wish to use a graphing calculator, review boxes, strategic checkpoints, interactive activities, section summaries and projects, and chapter openers and reviews. For anyone who wants to see and understand how mathematics are used in everyday life.

Book Description

This practical book reflects the new technological emphasis that permeates differential equations, including the wide availability of scientific computing environments like Maple, Mathematica, and MATLAB; it does not concentrate on traditional manual methods but rather on new computer-based methods that lead to a wider range of more realistic applications.The book starts and ends with discussions of mathematical modeling of real-world phenomena, evident in figures, examples, problems, and applications throughout the book.For mathematicians and those in the field of computer science. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

A Good Text, Typos Aside
I am currently using this text for an intro level differential equations course, and I feel that this book is well suited as such. It should be easily acessible to anyone with a basic intro calculus foundation and it is ideal for self-study. On the other hand, this text does contain a noticible number of typos, both in "back-of-the-book" answers and example problems. A potential reader should note that this book is fairly applied in its nature (as the title would indicate--engineers take delight, theoreticians take dismay), so one shouldn't expect more than an introduction to the theory of differential equations (ie. don't expect much proof or mathematical rigour).

Very Good Book
I don't know why everyone else attacks this book! I used it in a third semester math class at Cornell which was 1/3 vector calc (we used Thomas' Calculus, another great book), 1/3 differential equations, and 1/3 Fourier Series, partial differential equations, boundary value problems. We covered Chapters 1-3, parts of 4 and 6, and all of chapter 9.

The book is excellent. The explanations are clear. The example problems are not just "plug and play." The problems at the end of each section are not bad. I learned about oscillations and mechanical vibrations in physics and then learned about them from this book (3.4/3.6)...the difference was amazing. Their derivations made sense, and the characteristic polynomial technique they use is 1000 times simpler than the trial solution method that many introductory physics books on mechanics use.

The book's only weak point is the discussion of stability and the phase plan in 6.1. They develop it through a bunch of examples instead of talking about the general theory behind it. But this is a minor problem.

Pretty good
Not a bad book at all. Physical applications well explained, theory OK but not as good in my opinion. Unfortunately, contains a fair number of typos, and the book is physically weak (the binding of mine is splitting after only 4 months of use) for a book of this price. Still, pretty good overall.

One bad apple spoils the pair...
This book would be excellent... if it weren't for one mysterious member of the pair, Edwards or Penney who can't teach for his life and/or is lazy. I would've guessed two authors wrote this text even if they only claimed it had one author and called him edward penney... You see, every couple of sections or so there are a lot of typos and poor overly wordy "proofs" , stupid joke proofs that are almost like winking and smiling between one professor and another while the student sits there dumbfounded. One proof in particular goes: "Theorem 2 says yes!" Oh yeah? Unfortunately I am not as comfortable with math as you with your doctorate degree sir I don't just "see" the truth of a claim as you probably do -or maybe you are just bluffing. You see, I also take the types of proofs this guy does to be as though they were designed to make him look more intelligent to other professors who may be teaching out of the book. Mr. Edwards or Penney you know who this guy is! Ditch him as a fellow author for your next edition! As far as the other mysterious author, his explanations and proofs are patient and lucid and involve a good bit less words (words are nonsense! The whole point of math is to learn how to think with fewer stupid words so you can understand more fundamental and abstract ideas which cannot be expressed in words!) As a piece of advice, I would like this text to be a bit less concrete in its explanations of mathematical generalities. It weighs them down and confuses people who have an intuition for their logical consequences, it almost makes them feel constrained and stupid and it is irritating to learn about a general fact through the use of a stupid example and then have the generality taken for granted thereafter without proof!

A good differential equations textbook
I think the strength of this textbook is the amount of material it encompasses: this book is used in two separate courses in my school--introduction to DE and engineering analysis. I didn't appreciate the textbook so much until I completed my differential equations course and then looked back at the sections on mechanical vibrations to review for my physics course. I then realized that the explanations and derivations were extremely satisfying, much more than your average introductory physics text. Also, the emphasis on the qualitative aspects of DEs, such as slope fields and phase portraits, aid in the coneptual understanding of the otherwise rigorous computation aspects of the topic. My only complaint is that the proofs could've been done in a more understandable manner. ... Read more

Book Description

The product of a unique collaboration among four leading scientists in academic research and industry, Numerical Recipes is a comprehensive text and reference work on scientific computing.Thoroughly self-contained, it proceeds from mathematical and theoretical considerations to actual, practical computer routines.This new version incorporates completely new C++ versions of the more than 300 Numerical Recipes Second Edition routines widely recognized as the most accessible and practical basis for scientific computing, in addition to including the full mathematical and explanatory contents of Numerical Recipes in C.Key Features:

Book Description

Maintaining its hallmark features of carefully detailed explanations and accessible pedagogy, this edition also addresses the AMATYC and NCTM Standards. In addition to the changes incorporated into the text, a new integrated video series and multimedia tutorial program are also available. Designed for a one-semester basic math course, this successful worktext is appropriate for lecture, learning center, laboratory, or self-paced courses. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

try doing the tests on MathZone
The book and the publisher's MathZone show a nice attempt at integrating the power of the Internet with a traditional maths text. The material is for high school readers. You can of course treat the book just as a conventional text, and refrain from accessing MathZone. In this respect, the book is well polished, being in its 6th edition, and very logically internally consistent. As befits Euclidean geometry.

Now if you do want to use MathZone, what to do at the website? Perhaps the most fruitful approach, if you are disciplined enough, is to take those tests offered there. In addition to doing the exercises in the book, of course. The tests are a valuable metric of how well you comprehend the material. The authors and publisher have put a lot of time into MathZone. Go for it! ... Read more

Book Description

Throughout history, thinkers from mathematicians to theologians have pondered the mysterious relationship between numbers and the nature of reality. In this fascinating book, Mario Livio tells the tale of a number at the heart of that mystery: phi, or 1.6180339887...This curious mathematical relationship, widely known as "The Golden Ratio," was discovered by Euclid more than two thousand years ago because of its crucial role in the construction of the pentagram, to which magical properties had been attributed. Since then it has shown a propensity to appear in the most astonishing variety of places, from mollusk shells, sunflower florets, and rose petals to the shape of the galaxy. Psychological studies have investigated whether the Golden Ratio is the most aesthetically pleasing proportion extant, and it has been asserted that the creators of the Pyramids and the Parthenon employed it. It is believed to feature in works of art from Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa to Salvador Dali's The Sacrament of the Last Supper, and poets and composers have used it in their works. It has even been found to be connected to the behavior of the stock market!

The Golden Ratio is a captivating journey through art and architecture, botany and biology, physics and mathematics. It tells the human story of numerous phi-fixated individuals, including the followers of Pythagoras who believed that this proportion revealed the hand of God; astronomer Johannes Kepler, who saw phi as the greatest treasure of geometry; such Renaissance thinkers as mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci of Pisa; and such masters of the modern world as Goethe, Cezanne, Bartok, and physicist Roger Penrose.Wherever his quest for the meaning of phi takes him, Mario Livio reveals the world as a place where order, beauty, and eternal mystery will always coexist. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Pursuing the Mysteries of the Ubiquitous Number Phi
Mario Livio, a cosmologist and art aficionado at the Hubble Space Telescope Center and the author of the previous book "The Accelerating Universe," wrote a lot about the irrational (never-ending, never-repeating) number phi, or the Golden Ratio, whose value is 1.6180339877... The story starts from these questions: Who discovered the Golden Ratio? Was phi used in the design of a Babylonian stela and Egyptian pyramids? The author pursues the answers to these questions, writing a series of his thoughts like a detective story.

Then he describes the role of the Greek mathematicians Plato and Euclid, and the Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci in the history of phi, together with the geometrical and arithmetical wonders connected to this number. One example of the wonders is the relation between the Fibonacci sequence and phi. The Fibonacci sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ... is defined as a series of numbers in which each term is the sum of the two preceding terms. The ratio of successive numbers of this sequence approaches phi as we go farther and farther down the sequence.

Next come the topics of phi found in nature and used in arts. The logarithmic spiral, which goes hand in hand with the Golden Radio, appears in the sunflower, the flight of a falcon, galaxies, etc. The author's study of many historical attempts to disclose the Golden Ratio in various works of art, pieces of music and poetry comes to the conclusion that ... (I have to refrain from writing the ending of the "detective story").

In the final chapter Livio considers the question: What is the reason that mathematics and numerical constants like phi play such a central role in topics ranging from fundamental theories of the universe to the stock market? Noting that the discussion about this question can fill the entire volume, the author gives a brief (but very understandable) description of the modified Platonic view and the natural selection interpretation. He also presents his personal opinion, which adopts complementarity of the above two views. This chapter whets readers' appetite for a possible next book on this topic to be written by Livio.

I strongly recommend "The Golden Ratio" to scientists, artists and laypersons that are interested in the wonders of numbers and mathematics and in their relations to arts and nature.

Golden Indeed!
Following in the steps of his earlier, just as fascinating account linking cosmology and the arts ("The Accelerating Universe"), Mario Livio continues to prove he is one of the most original, exciting and literate writers of popular science today. "The Golden Ratio" is a witty and learned journey generally following the trail of the number Phi, but stopping along the way to take in subjects as diverse as philosophy, history, art, religion, the sciences, architecture, etc.

Writing about science in a way that is both knowledgeable and understandable for the common reader is an infamous hurdle, but Livio leaps over it with the greatest of ease, giving clear explanations of every potentially difficult matter and providing the scientific proofs in the appendices, for those more mathematically inclined. Overall, though, it is the great humanity of Livio's worldview that shines through the book and makes it, at least for me, one of the most memorable reads of the year.

A Difficult Mathematical Concept Revealed
As a non-mathematician I appreciate any help I can get in understanding the more esoteric parts of math. The Golden Ratio is just such a concept. Fortunately, Mario Livio has shown much light on this remarkable corner of geometry in his book "The Golden Ratio."

It is little wonder that such numbers as the Golden Ratio were considered magical. The never ending, never repeating number that cannot ever be expressed as a fraction has an uncanny tendency to show up in the oddest places, not only galactic structure and nautilus shells, but in plant parts and composition of paintings and music. Unfortunately magical numerology can lead to far-fetched relationships, as to the so-called number of the beast (666), and to academicism in art. Just because the Golden Ratio results in a pleasing relationship in a composition we are not tied to always measure art on how well it fits that ratio!

Livio has illuminated the history of the Golden Ratio in such a way that much of the associated themes can be understood by the reasonably educated laymen. While some of the book can be tough sledding for most of us non-mathematicians, the gist is available to all with some effort.

Read this book to learn about the history of interpretation and misinterpretation of mathematical concepts.

A great guide to an amazing number
Livio's book is really an interesting look at a number similar to pi in that's an irrational number which displays itself in various places in nature, from the arrangement of petals on a flower to the logarithmic spirals of galaxies.

Livio explains the original formulation of this number by Euclid and proceeds to address the various times in history in which it may have been employed by architects, artists and musicians.

I think this is a really good book if you're interested in reading about the most "irrational of all irrational numbers".

Mathematically Profound
Broad streams of literary, historical, aethsetic and religious thought are pooled together in a concise and well-illustrated review of this powerful proportion, which recurs in the natural world in surprising places both large and small. Clearly presented mathematical proofs give the book a solid backbone. Mathematical ideas are expressed in the book through a combination of prose, appendix proofs, and plentiful illustrations & diagrams. This allows readers of varying mathematical ability and learning styles to appreciate the beautiful ideas that Livio gracefully presents. A must for serious lovers of proportion & geometry, architects, mystics, painters, graphic designers and mathematicians. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is a comprehensive manual to allow both the novice researcher and the expert to set up and carry out quantitative PCR assays from scratch. However, this book also sets out to explain as many features of qPCR as possible, provide alternative viewpoints, methods, and aims to simulate the researchers into generating, interpreting, and publishing data that are reproducible, reliable, and biologically meaningful ... Read more

Book Description

Bernard Rosner's FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOSTATISTICS is a practical introduction to the methods, techniques, and computation of statistics with human subjects. It prepares students for their future courses and careers by introducing the statistical methods most often used in medical literature. Rosner minimizes the amount of mathematical formulation (algebra-based) while still giving complete explanations of all the important concepts. As in previous editions, a major strength of this book is that every new concept is developed systematically through completely worked out examples from current medical research problems. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Comprehensive introduction to biostatistics
This book isn't for everyone, but if you want a wide ranging textbook with a little more mathematical detail than the other intro books, this is a great choice. Rosner explains concepts well and with many examples that help the reader to understand them. The flowcharts at the back of the book were written to help readers choose the right test for the right situation, and these are extremely valuable. The only problem with the book is that it is sometimes hard to sit down and read it without any preparation (e.g., lecture or prior knowledge).

well written introductory text
Bernard Rosner is a Harvard Professor of Biostatistics. He has written an introductory text for undergraduate and graduate medical school students. It covers the basics of probability and inference including categorical data. Other topics include regression, correlation and survival analysis. It is written for students with no math beyond high school algebra but common mathematical notation is freely used. It includes a diskette with data for examples. Many examples are given to illustrate the concepts and SAS ouput is used to illustrate the results and familiarize the students so that they can interpret statistical output. Many exercises are given at the end of each chapter. Several require use of the data sets on the diskette. I think the author has been careful to try to make the subject understandable to medical students. He also has used the lectures notes that were the basis of the text in courses he taught in the Harvard Medical School. So he knows his audience. A unique feature is the catergorizing of exercises by medical specialty.

Rosner tries to fill an important need and does a good job. He avoids heavy mathematics without turning the text into a cookbook. This is now the fourth edition. So many improvements have been made. I gave it 4 stars. It probably deserves 4 and 1/2 stars.

....

Check the local library then buy it!
If you want a biostatistics text that is difficult to read, poorly laid out and impossible to understand I suggest you buy this book. I did and returned it quickly. A reference text that is better suited for the beginner and serious student would be the Dawson-Saunder, Trapp text Basic & Clinical Biostatistics, 1st or 2nd edition ... Read more

Book Description

This book bridges the gap between traditional algebra texts and reform texts, written to promote the AMATYC standards published as Crossroads in Mathematics. It provides users with a sound traditional mathematical foundation, fully integrates graphing calculator technology, and encourages computer activities.This book includes key topics in algebra such as linear equations and inequalities with one variable, systems of equations, polynomial functions and equations, quadratic functions and equations, exponential functions and equations, logarithmic functions an equations, and rational and radical expressions.For professionals who wish to brush up on their algebra skills or enhance them with the use of graphing calculators and computers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wow! I didn't know algebra could be explained so easily
Explains everything very clearly. I always found math very difficult but this made it seem easy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With the stock market breaking records almost daily, leaving longtime market analysts shaking their heads and revising their forecasts, a study of the concept of risk seems quite timely. Peter Bernstein has written a comprehensive history of man's efforts to understand risk and probability, beginning with early gamblers in ancient Greece, continuing through the 17th-century French mathematicians Pascal and Fermat and up to modern chaos theory. Along the way he demonstrates that understanding risk underlies everything from game theory to bridge-building to winemaking. ... Read more

Reviews (111)

No Risk here, The Odds areYou'll love it.
i'm very much a novice in the study of risk and probabilities; however, I've been lucky enough to come across some excellent business oriented books - but in actuality and thankfully far more philosophical than financial - (Fooled by Randomness for instance) lately that have done a masterful job of presenting this seemingly dry subject in a very fascinating way. Bernstein has probably written the quintessential historical study on Risk and Probability with this volume. It is filled with interesting details of the human qualities and quirks of the mathematicians and philosophers that investigated the problems of probablity and explains the mathematics involved with lucidity and wit. The book follows a chronological approach; however, it's also thematic to show the evolution of the subject of risk management and the influence of other sciences on it - such as evolution. Those that refuse to accept the idea that markets remain unpredictable despite the development of modern risk control mechanisms like derivatives, computer modelling, and modern financial instruments will find this book frustrating. Those who want a wquick fix investment solutions guide will be even angrier and will nort find anything useful here. This book belongs in the philosophy of science and History of Ideas sections far more than the business dept. Nonetheless, the serious and thoughtful investor is advised to read this book carefully. as someone who's lost in the stock markets himself the Bernstein's book can reduce the sting of the loss and impart some well needed wisdom. I no longer invest but I loved this book all the same.

Long on history, but short on risk management strategy
The title of my review is aimed at warning those expecting to find a risk management manual in this book that they will be disappointed. So will those who expect to find the links between the evolution modern statistics and acturial science to the rise of insurance markets and risk management instruments which have proliferated in this century. Many other books quite ably cover these interesting topics.

Instead, the author provides a broad sweeping history of how modern statistics evolved and which answers some questions of why it took so long for modern risk management institutions to emerge. Ancient Greeks, among others, who appeared to be within easy reach of developing statisical theory, nonetheless relegated their fate to the whims of gods, rather than making them amenable to analysis with probabilities and actuarial tables. Tracing modern risk management from the time of Jacob Bernoulli's attempt to develop probabilities from sample data, the author also shows how a knowledge of probabilities can ultimately generate value. QUOTE Reality is a series of conneceted events, each dependent on another, radically diffeent form games of chance in which the outcome of any single throw has zero influence on the outcome of the next throw UNQUOTE The book closes with risk management innovations that followed the emergence of financial volatlity in the 1970s.

Ultimately, this book may be of less interest to statisticians and investment professionals, other than those who have a curious interest in how today's highly developed set of instruments, institutions, and policies around risk came about from the foundations provided in statistical theory.

History Buffs: Here you go!
Against the Gods draws you through a vast time span. Peter Bernstein begins with the conception of the Arabic numbeting system, up through present time super speed computers. Although, the history found in this book is interesting, the title leads you to believe it is all about investment risks, however it is more of a history text book than a manual. This book is a story of theories and how they developed. You will learn quite a bit about ancient times and how things evolved into the way that they are now, but do not expect any great help or advice on how to deal with risks in the investment world. Once you get into this book, Bernstein's writing sytle draws you in. The book is interesting enough, Bernstein's knowledge of hisotry is astounding. History Buffs: here ya go!

Good outline of the history of risk
"Against the Gods" is a book outlining the history of risk. The book provides an outline of all the key players and their contribution to risk theory and management. Chronologically, the book begins in ancient times and stretches all the way to the present, where Bernstein delves into the works of modern day risk luminaries. The book is well written and the style is engaging, with the author always managing to find a way to keep the reader entertained as well as informed.

The book does not pretend to be a "how to" guide for risk management, nor should readers treat it as such. Although the book does discuss modern risk management tools such as derivatives, it is devoid of complex technical analysis and its treatment of such devices is limited to outlining their place in the history of risk. Those looking for technical trading analysis should seek elsewhere.

One of the key questions a potential reader of this book should be asking is "Does this book have any practical applications with regards to modern day risk management?" Whilst as mentioned above the book is not a step by step guide, I firmly believe the book is useful insofar as it enables the reader to avoid the pitfalls of the past. For example, capital markets are continually surprising those who hold an unwavering belief in "regression to the mean". The books provides an explanation of what this theory states, how it has been applied and where overzealous disciples have misused this principle in the past. Overall I would recommend this book as an informative and enjoyable read.

Neutral Recommendation - Do Not Buy - Maybe Borrow
I am going to give you a short review and to the point.

I read this book because it was recommended on "Money Talk" the national radio show on every weekend for 6 hours on investing - Bob Brinker hosting. He is an excellent market timer and gives solid advice. Follow his (diversified investment) advice and you will make lots of money and unlike mutual funds do better than the S&P 500 with low expense ratios.

He had a recommended reading list and he named this book. The book is a disappointment. It is light weight stuff. Only part is on the markets. Frankly I cannot recommend the book.

The point of the book is that the market carries risk. Most people know that and never put more than 4% in one stock. Even Bill Gates knows that and has quietly converted some of his Microsoft stock into other areas. So skip the book and just invest in government backed instruments or follow the golden rule, no more than 4% in one stock.

Jack in Toronto ... Read more

Book Description

Andy Field has written an up-to-date student-oriented textbook with the aim of making the learning of advanced statistics and using SPSS as painless as possible. While other books either concentrate on statistical theory or on the functions of the popular computer program SPSS, Andy Field integrates the two to provide the student with a thorough grounding in statistics through learning to use SPSS. He provides a detailed, but highly accessible, guide to using SPSS for more complex statistical tests. There are illustrations of dialogue boxes throughout, and each chapter concludes with a set of exercises and descriptions. The book includes a CD-ROM with SPSS datasets and the author provides a website for further help and updates. The book is suitable for use with SPSS versions 7.0, 7.5, 8.0 and above. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

"An essential book of statistics"
Discovering Statistics Using SPSS for Windows uncovers simultaneously the functional foundations of basic statistic and how to work with SPSS statistical software. In addition, Andy Field transformed complex concepts into palatable words.Therefore, if you do not have much time and need to learn statistics in a short period, this is the best book avalailable.

Discovering Statistics using SPSS for Windows
One of the things I admire about people is their ability to recognize others who share similar interests and talents and to give credit where credit is due. In the preface to his book Andy Field cites other authors who have written books about SPSS and stastical theory. I have bought those books and they are well worth the price.
This book is an excellent introduction
to both SPSS and statistics. The book is written with a light, humorous style. It has a lot of examples of statistical analysis. It is obvious that the author has an excellent grasp of SPSS and statistics. It contains a very useful bibliography on statistics and SPSS. There is also a CD ROM included. The book is very well organized and has high quality screen prints of SPSS windows and dialogue boxes. It is one of the best software manuals I have ever purchased. It is well worth the price. If you don't purchase any other book on SPSS, purchase this one

This book saved my life
I have taken statistics as an undergrad and as an MBA student. I am good at math, not the stereotypical math phobic female. But I always have had problems connecting the statistics with what to do, when to do it and what the results were telling me. Well, here I am again as a graduate student working on a Masters degree in Sociology. I am working on my thesis and this book pulled everything together. It matched up SPSS and statistics so that you know what to do, why to do it, how to make SPSS do what you want, and how to interpret the results. I cannot recommend this book enough. It is very clear, very cogent, in English as opposed to stero instructions, and charming as well. I highly recommend it!

Discovering Statistics using SPSS for Windows
The advent of statistical software for the personal computer in the 1980s can be argued to be both a great advancement as well as a critical liability for the field of research. Statistical software has certainly made difficult analytical tasks easier to accomplish, enabling more people to benefit from the use of quantitative techniques. The ever-increasing speed of the personal computer allows researchers to conduct complex analysis in minutes that would have taken days to complete manually. However, with this increased speed and usability comes pitfalls. The ease and speed of statistical software has encouraged some researchers to take a shotgun approach to analysis by running large numbers of analyses instead of strategically selecting analyses guided by theory. Statistical packages also make it possible to run complex procedures that may be misapplied or misinterpreted by researchers without a solid understanding of statistical principles.

No book can stop unscrupulous researchers from supporting their hypotheses by cherry picking favorable results from hundreds of analyses conducted. Well-intentioned students and researchers, however, can turn to Andy Field's book Discovering Statistics using SPSS for Windows for the statistical background and guidance needed to appropriately select, execute, and interpret results.

Field's book bridges the gap between introductory/intermediate statistical textbook and software manual. This engaging, easy to read book leads the reader through:
· Introduction to statistical models
· Exploring data
· Correlations
· Regression
· Logistic regression
· Comparing means
· ANOVA
· Complex ANOVA
· Repeated measures design
· MANOVA
· Exploratory factor analysis.
Each topic of the book begins with an overview of the applicable statistical theory. The theory is presented in non-technical language and references numerous sources for readers wanting a more in-depth review. When background material does become technical, these sections are specially labeled to alert non-technical readers. Field focuses particularly on the statistical assumptions of each statistical technique and how to use SPSS to test for them.

Following the review of statistical theory, each topic includes one or more exercises. Readers are guided step by step through each analysis from dummy coding data, through entering in the necessary SPSS commands, to interpreting SPSS output. An accompanying CD furnishes the data sets used in each exercise, allowing readers to work though each exercise and check results against the book. Through these exercises, Field shows how results can be misinterpreted without a thorough investigation of the data. Great pains are taken throughout the exercises to demonstrate the perils of blindly trusting SPSS output without understanding the theory and underlying statistical assumptions.

From this review, it is obvious that I greatly enjoyed reading the book. I assume that this book is intended primarily for students and practitioners without an extensive background in statistics. However, I found this book to be beneficial in reviewing concepts studied in graduate school more than ten years ago. Field accomplishes the difficult task of simplifying complex topics into everyday language without talking down to his readers. This book is perfectly suited for the non-statistical expert looking for guidance with running analyses with SPSS.

Grad Student Must
I'm a PhD student in the process of analyzing survey data. This book has been the most helpful that I have found for detailing the numerous tests and variations of each test that SPSS has to offer, especially for someone who is statistics illiterate. I would recommend getting a copy of SPSS for windows Step by Step 11.0 Update by Darren George and Paul Mallery, it makes a good companion to this book. ... Read more

Book Description

This introductory text provides students with a conceptual understanding of basic statistical procedures, as well as the computational skills needed to complete them. The clear presentation, accessible language, and step-by-step instruction make it easy for students from a variety of social science disciplines to grasp the material. The scenarios presented in chapter exercises span the curriculum, from political science to marketing, so that students make a connection between their own area of interest and the study of statistics.

Unique coverage focuses on concepts critical to understanding current statistical research such as power and sample size, multiple comparison tests, multiple regression, and analysis of covariance. Additional SPSS coverage throughout the text includes computer printouts and expanded discussion of their contents in interpreting the results of sample exercises.

Reviews (4)

great, easy to read calc book
Swokoski's book is easy to read and presents the topics with lots of explaination.There are at least 7 examples fully worked out to help you understand, usually they take 2 or 3 pages per example to show you how he gets the answer and why that method works.The exercises are pretty thorough.With this book and a good professor you can gain a solid calculus foundation.

I was self taught with this book
I just graduated high school. While still in school, I used a swokowski book. It was perfect for me.

The first year I took first semester college calculus in an AP class. I was introduced to calculus through this book. Personally, I thought it was a very good textbook, especially compared to previous ones I had used. I got an A in the class and a 5 on the AP exam. Perhaps partly because of the teacher, but the book was essential.

The next year I (effectively) had an independent study class for Calculus II (much harder class/concepts!) Once again, I used swakowski. I passed the exam again, this time with a 4 (5 subscore in Calc I).

The merits of the book lie in it's concept as calculus as an accumulating course - everything builds up. First we learn the concept of limits, then derivitive, then area, and integrals, then series... and on and on to ifinity ;) Many of the practice exercises draw upon concepts learned much earlier.

My favorite part of the book (and perhaps this is only me) was that it showed every derivation for all major theorems. I understood where the theorems and equations were coming from -I understood the concept behind it, rather than learning by rote, which is (shockingly) becoming more the norm (easier for teachers...?). For someone interested in mathematics, especially in the higher-level study, this book is ideal.

Also nice: wide margins, extensive example problems, answers to odd problems in back, numbered theorems for reference in later chapters (easier to find!)

Not so great: uses a lot of technical/"math" terms - good if serious about math, bad if just started/dabbling/unsure
also, tends to build on concepts, so if you're starting this book 1/2 way through, expect some page flipping

Also see if you can get a copy of the solutions manual. helpful to see the STEPS to solving the problem. nice.

One more note. My teacher senior year used a new textbook geared entirely toward AP students (ie it took all of the thinking out of the math). I didn't like it. I preferred swakowski. It's a college textbook, so it's not easy. But it gets you thinking the right way. :)

swokowski's calculus
the above reviewer was a bit harsh in their treatment of this fine text. I found this this to be an excellent calculus text for all three semesters of calcI, calcII, and calcIII. It does not however, alleviate the need for hard work and determination in studying, no text can do that. The level of rigor is equivalent to any other text such as stewart's claculus or anton's calculus but does not delve into theory at the level of tom apostol's calculus. An excellent resource for learning basic calculus.

Buy Some other Book
I really dont like the way author explains in this book. He makes easy things seem hard. It's like one of those teacher who dont know how to teach. Well consider this author much worse. There is no point of having this book unless you are in the calc. class that requires this book, even much much worse if you are trying to self teach. DONT with this book. Try some other Calculus Author. ... Read more

Book Description

Stewart's CALCULUS: EARLY TRANSCENDENTALS, Fifth Edition has the mathematical precision, accuracy, clarity of exposition and outstanding examples and problem sets that have characterized the first four editions. Stewart retains the focus on problem solving and the pedagogical system that has made the book a favorite of students and instructors in a wide variety of colleges and universities throughout the world. The structure of CALCULUS: EARLY TRANSCENDENTALS, Fifth Edition, remains largely unchanged, the sole exception being that the review of inverse trigonometric functions has been moved from an appendix to Section 1.6. Stewart has made hundreds of small improvements: new examples, additional steps in existing examples, updating of data in existing examples and exercises, new phrases and margin notes to clarify the exposition, references to other sources and web sites, redrawn art, and references to the TEC CD (Tools for Enriching Calculus). These refinements ensure that students and instructors using this text are using the best resource available. The number of pages in the book, however, remains unchanged from the 4th edition. This edition is complemented with and expanded array of supplementary material for both students and instructors.These best-selling texts differ from CALCULUS, Fifth Edition in that the exponential and logarithmic functions are covered earlier. In the Fifth Edition of CALCULUS, EARLY TRANSCENDENTALS these functions are introduced in the first chapter and their limits and derivatives are found in Chapters 2 and 3 at the same time as polynomials and other elementary functions. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An inferior textbook, though popular.
This is the early transcendentals version of Stewart's calculus. The title of the book is quite appropriate, in that to learn calculus well, one must transcend the Stewart approach early and often. I found my self reading another text (Simmon's Calculus and Analytic Geometry) as an antidote to this dry, disjointed, lifeless tome.

Stewart takes an inconsistent (sometimes rigorous, sometimes intuitive) approach toward teaching the calculus. It seems as if he has attempted to be all things to all people. Though he may have attempted to present the subject in both an intuitive (to motivate the typical student) and rigorous (to satisfy the professor) manner, he failed to deliver on either.

The text is replete with pretty diagrams and some historical diversions, which read as canned, trivial snippets. In spite of this eye candy, the mathematical exposition is poor. Most proofs read as shorthand notes to one who already understands the subject. Is it analysis or basic calculus? Stewart seems to have a schizophrenic writing manner. On the one hand, he presents examples in "workbook" (i.e. Schaum's outline) form, so that if one wishes to solve a particular sort of problem, one might find it here. On the other hand, he does not seem able to meld problem solving with rigor in a coherent manner. So an abbreviated proof is done, with several relevant steps (relevant, that is, to the beginner) omitted. What function does this serve for a pre-analysis student? A proof that might take 10 steps is presented in 4. What is the point of this approach? Perhaps so as to ward off accusations that a particular subject was not touched upon.

The book is expensive and bloated. Though the "official" rendering of the page numbers is 781, there are approximately 130 other pages devoted to appendices (some as advertisements for other, i.e. ancillary, materials). Note, this text is intended for a 2 semester Calculus sequence. It seems inappropriate, perhaps fraudulent, that Stewart devoted 900+ expensive pages for his task, and yet failed to present the material in an interesting and efficient manner. Given his insistence upon this secondary material, I ask Stewart - did you ever intend for this book to be relatively self-contained for the serious first year scholar, or did you expect the professor or CD-ROM to fill in the gaps in your exposition? Some alternative texts: Simmons, Anton, Stein, Thomas/Finney. ... Read more

Book Description

This traditional text offers a balanced approach that combines the theoretical instruction of calculus with the best aspects of reform, including creative teaching and learning techniques such as the integration of technology, the use of real data, real-life applications, and mathematical models. The Calculus with Analytic Geometry Alternate, 6/e, offers a late approach to trigonometry for those instructors who wish to introduce it later in their courses.

Reviews (6)

Calculus Ain't Easy
First things first: If there was a ten star rating it would apply
to this book. Secondly, I found these authors through another of
their books, "Precalculus With Limits - A Graphing Approach". That book was just as well written. Truth be told, I would buy any of their books, sight unseen. They are a students
teacher and a teachers teacher. They don't sacrifice rigor, nor do they forget the mathematical maturity of their student audience. Using their books alone, and self-study (no classes,
tutors, or the intellectual diet pill category of "Calculus Made
Simple" or "Calculus The Easy Way" silver bullets I filled a forty year gap in math studies in 1-1/2 years to the point of
acing the AP Calculus and AP Physics Exams. Knowing calculus prior to beginning physics with calculus is an absolute necessity. I am no genuis. I do not have exceptional ability. I simply had the advantage of two textbooks written by teachers who
really care and take a mentoring approach to writing. All of this
has really been a long-winded way of saying that with this book
and a healthy dose of strong motivation and perserverance you will succeed in your calculus courses.

A great book!
The best book about Calculus I ever seen. Read it and you will know all about you need to love mathematics.

Absolutely Fantastic Textbook
This is no doubt the best textbook I have ever owned in any subject.I've never been able to actually read through a math text untill this book came along.The analytic graphs are colorful (and the 3-D generated ones are simply astounding) which is totally different from the dull, dreary, and nightmarish math texts from my past.This math book is unlike any other I have seen before -- in a class of its own.There are plenty of examples, charts, and many many exercises(some especially challenging).I went through Calculus I and have taught myself Calc II within a matter of weeks.Highly recommended.

I've used this book for CalcI,II,III.It's great!
I'd say it's the best book I've used for learning calculus.The chapters are rigorous, but not too much so that you get lost in the details of the concepts.The homework problems are good, and I'd recommend getting the 2 companion solution guides, available from the publisher directly.I was fortunate enough to use the same book for my first 3 calc classes, which allowed some great continuity in learning, and cross referencing of similar concepts from other chapters.I'd recommend this book to all teachers.It's even OK for self study.I can only hope my upcoming ODE class uses a text written by these talented authors.

The New Standard in Calculus Instruction
This review is a shorter paraphrasing of a much longer and more completereview I wrote just before my computer crashed. I will be bitter for a longtime.

Calculus is difficult to learn. No textbook can ever be"Calculus by Osmosis." "Larson/Hostetler" acknowlegesthis, and acknowledges at the same time the 21st century.

The design ofthe book is spare, colorful and elegant, highlighted by computer-generatedillustrations, an average of one per page, of graceful volumetric formsrotated about their axes and simple, well constructed charts and diagrams.Students of today, used to media that demands nothing from them, willappreciate the designers' capitulations to their needs to have their eyesheld by color and shape, to be manipulated around a page by something morethan text.

The book is more than instructionally sound. Its examplesillustrating each discrete concept, each clearly delineated and set apartin its own section, are the simplest available; they are standards. Butmore than that, its problem sets, though enormous, are broken up into thedifferent instructional approaches that they take. And these approaches areexhaustive. They examine calculus concepts from every possible angle,including possibly some that didn't exist prior to the publication of thisbook.

This book is published at a time when many are debating thesurvival of the book. You are reading this review on the Internet, and areaware of the explosive ability of this medium to inform. The issue is notyet decided, and many would potentially exile the book to the status of anart form, like fencing.

Larson and Hostetler hedge their bets, and haveproduced multimedia companions to this book ( or maybe just awebsite, I'mnot sure.) This reviewer has not seen these.

Whatever the case, studentstoday still overwhelmingly use books in the classroom. This book is afitting bridge between the current state of affairs and whatever media ofinstruction are to come. It is the best available. ... Read more

Book Description

Chris Spatz's best-selling statistics text relies on examples from the social and behavioral sciences, education, nursing/allied health, and business fields--as well as examples from everyday life--to teach students statistical reasoning and problem solving. Praised for his clear explanations, Spatz shows students how to start with a data set, identify the questions it poses, determine and carry out statistical procedures, and using plain English, tell the story the data reveal. A free CD packaged with the book provides objective questions and answers, additional problems and answers, and portals to websites with additional help. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A student-friendly book to help you succeed in statistics!
Tales of Distribution is fun, well written and easy to read. Tales of Distribution is a college textbook worth reading if you need to put statistics at your command! Spats'z style is helpful to the reader and down to earth. This is a heavy-duty treatment of the topic; however, interesting examples of how to use statistics in day-to-day life makes this topic come alive. If you read this book, you will never be intimidated by statistics in your lifetime.

The author's discussion of "Rationale of ANOVA" and "Hypothesis Testing" is excellent. Frequent use of algebraic explanation is joined with graphic explanations to help the reader visualize the author's points. "Work Problems" at the end of each chapter show imagination and creativity. The author seems to have a sincere desire to help the reader at every turn along their journey of statistical discovery. The author also seems to have privilege insight into the reader's mind. He anticipates what the reader is thinking, and serves up a helping of practical advice at the exact perfect moment.

As a market-research practitioner, I found the book to be very refreshing and enjoyable to read. I read it on my summer vacation! My daughter purchased the book as the required text for her statistics class at UCLA. At the end of her class she had planned to sell the book back to the UCLA bookstore. After looking at the book for 60 seconds, I said to her "No, don't sell this book. This is great book. Keep it." To which she replied; "But Dad, I need the money. You can keep it if you pay me for it." To which I replied; "Haven't I paid for this book once already? If I pay you for it now, that would be the second time I bought the same book." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Just for thoughts
I am a Math teacher in Malaysia. I own Bittinger's "Elementary
and Intermediate Algebra" and also "Trigonometry". Judging from
the books I am using as teaching materials, I can say that the
Bittinger's team has written some of the best Algebra/Trig/
Precalculus textbooks. The explanations are straightforward,
clear and the format neat. Their exercise sets are excellent,
enough for drill-practice purposes and also challenging ones.

In my country American math books are way too expensive because
its the bad economic condition we are having in my country that
buying of American books is a luxury. I am not able to acquire
Bittinger's "College Algebra" yet, hopefully I will be able to
see a copy in the future. In their series, the Bittinger team
has produced their Intermediate Algebra text worth using and I
believe this "College Algebra" title would guarantee that the
team has produced a text that will not disappoint us.

I would strive to get a copy myself one day and I am very sure
I will not regret owning it anyway. ... Read more