Book Description

There are new methods of learning, new concepts to be tried, but the basic core of physics remains a constant in an ever-changing world. Mathematical Methods for Physics is the bridge that brings these two worlds together. With supplemental material such as graphs and equations, Mathematical Methods for Physics comes together to create a strong, solid anchor for first year students. Dr. H. W. Wyld has lectured on this subject for years and has put together his first-year graduate physics course in this accessible book so students, eager to venture down this road, may be well equipped to learn the basics of physics. ... Read more

Book Description

Professor Salda-a briefly discusses the basic elements of longitudinal qualitative data, examines time and change in longitudinal qualitative studies, and then offers sixteen specific questions through which researchers may approach the analysis of longitudinal qualitative data. ... Read more

Book Description

Identifying scales of measurement, analysis, and inference is fundamental to the ability to assess and predict patterns and processes in ecology. This book synthesizes a diverse, previously scattered literature on scale in ecology. Peterson and Parker have gathered contributions from scholars representing a wide range of disciplines, including soil science, plant ecology, animal ecology, and aquatic ecology.

Reviews (2)

highly recommended
The editors of this volume attempt to instill an awareness of the dire need to include "scale" as a concept in ecological studies. Scale, in the discipline of ecology, is a difficult concept to codify and although there are many books that include scale, it is not often addressed directly. The most direct definition of scale for this purpose is that it "refers to physical dimensions of observed entities or phenomena . . . (or) . . . to the scale of observation, the temporal and spatial dimensions at which and over which phenomena are observed."

Often, ecological studies focus on only one variable such as area or habitat. Data is then extrapolated from that study to a larger scale. According to Peterson and Parker it is not uncommon to study a hectare of land and draw conclusions at a global level. They suggest that because extrapolation of this kind may or may not be valid, incorporating scale into the original study question is essential. To date, there is no one recognized source to which a researcher can turn for advice about dealing with scale in a particular area of study. This volume is divided into four topical sections: "Integrating Pattern, Process, and Scale;" "Interpreting Multiple Scales in Ecological Systems;" "Moving Across Scales: Ecological Inference and Applications;" and "Incorporating Scale Concepts in Ecological Applications." The essays, well written and clearly edited, are useful as an overall collection or as individual pieces.

The mechanics of this book are very well done. There is uniform referencing within each chapter and one overall reference list for the book. An "Alphabetic List of Contributors" includes addresses. The index is detailed and includes many Latin binomials, "see" references, and "see also" references. The layout of this volume makes routine photocopying and enlarging easy. The photographs, charts, and microscopic scans are exceptionally clearly presented with no color, but in good grey scale.

EXCELLENT coverage of scale in ecological systems
This book provides an in-depth look at the many issues of scale and other complexities in ecological systems.The editors did a great job choosing chapter authors and editing for clarity.The opening and closing chaptersprovide a good framework, and provide an extensive outline of literature onscale up to the mid-90's. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Multicultural and global feminism
Sandra Harding is a very intresting writer with a lot to say about feminism and culture.Especially the neutral sciences discussion gives a new dimension to a very important issue and adds culture as a new factor.

All woman interested in research should read her book to get the historical background and the new directions for thinking about science.

Her statement that social progress for humanity is not progress for woman can not be overseen even if it shows the darkness of todays development for woman.

For the Politicisation and Pluralisation Of Knowledge
Sandra Harding's work is a sharp reply to the elitism of the neo-positivists. In refuting realism, she seeks to put together the best of postcolonial, feminist and postmodern critiques of modern science. In a sharply dialectical manner(so rare these days) Harding maps the contributions and limitations of modern Science. She dismantles scientific myths, highlighting the fact that since its inception modern European Science has been multicultural. She does not throw the baby with the bathwater and argues for the possibility of a reconstructed notion of objectivity. For reconstructing objectivity, she goes back to what has been in her earlier works, her forte- 'standpoint epistemology'. She demonstrates how political disadvantage translates into an analytical advantage; experiences and knowledges of the oppressed are critical resources for a theory of society and nature. Thus Harding rejects realism but unlike many others who do so, does not get trapped into relativism.Overall, Hardings book is an excellent resource on how feminist and postcolonial scholarship is an engagement with the politics of Science. This work shows how not all postmodern epistemologies are necessarily anti-modern. A must for all feminist and postcolonial scholars. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Future online journals?
Over the centuries, scientific articles have acquired a distinctive style of writing, which you may see in the examples shown here. Gradually, authors have striven to write as objectively as possible, or at least give that impression. To this end, the first person has been deprecated in favour of the third person. So that instead of writing "I painted the wall", you would write "The wall was painted". Third person and passive form.

The book also describes the evolution of the scientific journals. An international apparatus that is very specialised and lucrative for a few publishers like Reed-Elsevier.

To some of you, the most salient points will be the discussion of the future of scientific publishing. The sheer cost of some journals is prohibitive, even in developed countries. Out of sight for developing countries. There is speculation that the rise of the Web can lead to new online journals that have much fewer subscription fees, and possibly faster publication times. ... Read more

Book Description

A uniquely detailed and engrossing look at the individuals, scientific innovation, and bureaucratic warfare behind the scenes at the CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology.

In this, the first full-length study of the Directorate of Science and Technology, Jeffrey T. Richelson walks us down the corridors of CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, and through the four decades of science, scientists, and managers that produced the CIA we have today. He tells a story of amazing technological innovation in service of intelligence gathering, of bitter bureaucratic infighting, and sometimes, as in the case of its mind-control adventure, of stunning moral failure. Based on original interviews and extensive archival research, The Wizards of Langley turns a piercing lamp on many of the agency's activities, many never before made public. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Interpretation at its best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dr. Richelson, who is a senior fellow at the National Security Archives, gives a highly recommendable interpretation of the Directorate of Science and Technology, at the CIA. His book is based mostly on declassified documents, making its stories highly believable and interesting.

Well Researched but Poorly Written
I must agree with previous reviewer comments. This book attempts to describe the Directorate of Science and Technology, yet it focuses on the bureaucracy of upper management and has little discussion regarding the programs and technologies created by the DS&T. This organization has played a cricial role in shaping modern history, yet the book is dull and uninteresting to read.

Well-researched but tedious
This book might be a useful resource to scholars researching the history of the CIA's Science and Technology Directorate. For the general reader, however, it is a tedious story of bureaucratic infighting that quickly becomes a chore to read.

The Fascintating Turned Dull
I agree with the other reviewer that this is an incredibly boring book. It should be a crime to take so many fascinating projects, problems, and people and turn them into endless, dry, droning lists. There IS no narrative to the book. It reads like a Google search on technology...without any of the interest added by being able to check out the links. I bought the book because I heard the author in an interview, and he was very interesting. Too bad none of that comes through in the book.

good book with limitations
This book was written with the cooperation of the CIA which greatly influenced it. It contains correct information on a limited number of projects mostly very old in time and technology. Even then portions of these projects are not discussed. It also details the shortcomings of people in the military and White House without describing the shortcomings of many CIA project leaders and managers. I personally know of one person praised in numerous chapters who later went into industry. He was the head of a high technology company. By the time that higher authority in the company became aware of his poor performance and booted him out, enough damage had been done that the company never recovered. It declined in technology level and size until it got absorbed by another company. ... Read more

Book Description

Nonlinear regression is an essential tool for analyzing biological data, and is the most frequently used tool for data analysis in many labs. This book is written for biologists, not mathematical statisticians, and presents a practical approach to fitting curves with nonlinear regression. It explains how to choose a model, how to make sensible choices when using a nonlinear regression program, and how to interpret the results. It also helps you troubleshoot "bad" fits and explains how to compare models and data sets. In addition to general information about curve fitting, it also contains specific details about fitting radioligand binding, dose-response, and enzyme kinetic data, emphasizing the use of global regression. The last portion of the book explains how to fit curves with the program GraphPad Prism, but the book will be useful no matter what program you use. ... Read more

Book Description

From the latest breakthroughs in medical research and information technologies to new discoveries about the diversity of life on earth, science is becoming both more specialized and more relevant. Consequently, the need for writers who can clarify these breakthroughs and discoveries for the general public has become acute.

In Ideas into Words, Elise Hancock, a professional writer and editor with thirty years of experience, provides both novice and seasoned science writers with the practical advice and canny insights they need to take their craft to the next level. Rich with real-life examples and anecdotes, this book covers the essentials of science writing: finding story ideas, learning the science, opening and shaping a piece, polishing drafts, overcoming blocks, and conducting interviews with scientists and other experts who may not be accustomed to making their ideas understandable to lay readers.

Hancock's wisdom will prove useful to anyone pursuing nonfiction writing as a career. She devotes an entire chapter to habits and attitudes that writers should cultivate, another to structure, and a third to the art of revision. Some of her advice is surprising (she cautions against slavish use of transitions, for example); all of it is hard-earned, astute, and wittily conveyed. This concise guide is essential reading for every writer attempting to explain the world of science to the rest of us. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

important for science writers; easy and fun to read
The author provides many examples of great scientific writing. Such writing involves translating difficult-to-understand abstractions into concepts easy to understand and related to our current knowledge.

Her writing was a delight to read.

"As the article proceeds, it is as if the selected facts are coated in honey, so that they slide down easy, one pill at a time. No reader will go away thinking, Boy was that turgid, I had to learn a new word just about every paragraph - even though she did."

The book is organized into the following chapters:

1 A Matter of Attitude
2 Finding Stories
3 Finding Out: Research and the Interview
4 Writing: Getting Started adn theSTructure
5 Writing: The Nitty Gritty
6 Refining Your Draft
7 When You're Feeling Stuck

What I particularly liked:

+ her ability to use extended similes, metaphors
+ things that make scientific writing different
+ watch out for scientific mavericks
+ how to find scientific story ideas (excellent)
+ don't confuse a topic with a story idea
+ all of her material on interviewing (excellent, particularly the questions to ask)
+ focusing on the most likely reader, but also the other ones
+ her method of writing was unique (lack of exploratory free-writing, don't spill the beans on your story before you write)
+ her recommended use of organic shapes for your writing (excellent)
+ "build the picture before you supply the name" (how to define technical terms)
+ some great tips on putting on a fresh set of eyes before you start to revise and then edit.
+ re-organizing the paragraphs using their "gists"
+ "... in a term paper you tell. In a professional writing, you show."

I highly recommend this book for anyone who writes, but particularly for anyone who wants to write for the scientific or technical markets.

John Dunbar

Useful for aspiring science writers and scientists alike
I read "Ideas into Words" primarily for an insight into how science writers go about their business and secondarily to see if aspects of good popular science writing can be useful in communicating science between disciplines - and in writing grant applications.

Hancock does indeed provide a nice glimpse into scientific journalism. The second and third chapters focused on reporting science and interacting with scientists from a journalist's perspective. A lot of the suggestions also apply to what makes for a good science student. The final four chapters dealt with writing and some of the suggestions do cross over from journalism to other forms of writing. The first chapter was the most enjoyable; the discussions of what science is and how scientists think were gems. My favorites sections were on the mentoring process in science and the difference between scientific and legal forms of rational inquiry - truth vs. verdict.

I recommend this book mainly to people interested in becoming science writers. I believe the suggestions would help anyone reporting on my own work, for example. The suggestions and discussions in the book are also of value to scientists who wish to communicate their work. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

"The first magnetic recording device was demonstrated and patented by the Danish inventor Valdemar Poulsen in 1898. Poulsen made a magnetic recording of his voice on a length of piano wire. MAGNETIC RECORDING traces the development of the watershed products and the technical breakthroughs in magnetic recording that took place during the century from Paulsen's experiment to today's ubiquitous audio, video, and data recording technologies including tape recorders, video cassette recorders, and computer hard drives.

An international author team brings a unique perspective, drawn from professional experience, to the history of magnetic recording applications. Their key insights shed light on how magnetic recording triumphed over all competing technologies and revolutionized the music, radio, television and computer industries. They also show how these developments offer opportunities for applications in the future.

MAGNETIC RECORDING features 116 illustrations, including 92 photographs of historic magnetic recording machines and their inventors."

Sponsored by:
IEEE Magnetics Society ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Worth the cost
While surely not inexpensive for a paperback book, this is an important study---perhaps the best single volume relating the history of magnetic sound, video, and data recording methods over a century. Written by a number of Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) authorities, the 20 chapters provide clearly-written and well-illustrated (nearly 100 photos and a host of diagrams) accounts of the rise of various modes of recording. One need not be an engineer (I'm not!) to understand the discussions here.

Of special value is the pulling together of material on all of these methods in one place, allowing ready comparison of who did what and when. We learn about inventors, marketing, hardware, and the means of recording, allowing a clearer understanding of how later developments built upon earlier ones. Some of the principles of modern videocams, for example, have been known for decades.

Each chapter includes references to contemporary studies and more recent research, allowing the reader to pursue topics at greater length. In all, this is a valuable anthology of original research that sheds considerable light on a fascinating story. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

This book should be required reading at schools!
This is an excellent book. It really does a number on superstition! I can't imagine anyone reading this book would still be superstitious. And since far too many people waste time and money on superstition (I couldn't believe one of our PRESIDENTS would change his schedule based on superstition), putting the axe in this kind of thinking at a young age, would benefit everybody (as the book so well explains).

My 8 year old was very curious about this book. I could let her read some of it, but since she has not yet learned division and multiplication, the section on probability would be completely lost on her, which is a shame, since the probability theory so well explains unusual events. This is important, since so many superstitious people would attribute the unusual events to something superstitious; using probability to explain these events defuses their so-called "proofs".

My daughter will have to wait for a while, but she will definitely read it when she is older (and so will my other - younger - daughters). This is a must for every schoolkid 10 or older (actually, it's a must for just about anybody with any superstitious tendencies, including those who believe in horoscopes).

Mike in TN
This is a wonderful book about scientific thinking for kids older than 10. Warning to parents: this book does a number on Santa! My son (younger and not yet de-mythed) enjoyed the book immensely. I read it to him and skipped the offending paragraphs. Had the author skipped the Santa stuff this book would be great for gifted/talented kids who are much younger -- the writing is that clear and engaging!

Explains to Young Adults Why Critical Thinking Works!
Excellent introductory book on the acquisition of knowledge, with special emphasis on the reliability and utility of the scientific method. A must read for children. I would also recommend it to older adults who are lacking in knowledge concerning the scientific method and how sound logic and reasoning is applied.

Immunizing yourself vs. superstition and uncritical thinking
HOW DO WE KNOW IT'S TRUE by Hy Ruchlis. Far and away the best of the best of new releases for teaching critical thinking to young people. Actually, this is for anybody, young or old, who still has a tendency to flirt with any form of superstition or fairy-tale thinking or is curious why other people do so. Ruchlis patiently leads the reader through an appreciation of science as a way of thinking about the world we live in. A short history of superstitions and the occasional horrors attributed to magical thinking (e.g., fear and persecution of "witches)" are provided, along with a delightful and entertaining commentary on astrology as an example of worseness tendencies in contemporary mental processes. Highlights include an explanation of science as a way of thinking critically, with examples of how facts are discovered. Vital to an understanding of why there is so much superstition and other forms of magical thinking is to know the history of religious repression of free thought, with stories about the struggles of such heroes of science as Nicolas Copernicus, Giordano Bruno, Galileo Galilei and the framers of our own Bill of Rights in 1789. By the way, the photos and illustrations are also terrific. But, it's words like the following that lead me to urge that you check this one out if you want to incorporate CT into wellness: "All of us stand on the shoulders of giants. Every bit of food we eat, the clothes we wear, the houses we live in and anything else we know how to make or do today would not be possible without the knowledge given to us by people who lived in the past. We must be ever grateful to the many thousands of people, past and present, who made it all possible. What part of these great accomplishments has been contributed by the superstitious way of thinking? Absolutely nothing. The belief in fairy-tale magichas blocked attempts to explain how and why things happen. Today it is a lazy person's excuse to avoid thinking about why things happen." ... Read more

Book Description

The thale cress Arabidopsis thaliana is increasingly popular among plant scientists: it is small, easy to grow, and makes flowers, and the sequence of its small and simple genome was recently completed. This is the most complete and authoritative laboratory manual to be published on this model organism and the first to deal with genomic and proteomic approaches to its biology. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Everything you wanted to know about Venus
A technical and very thorough book for those interested in the origins of Venus, its composition and why we call it our sister planet. Detailed descriptions of the Venera, Vega, Magellan and Mariner missions allow us to glimpse at the surface features, but alas, it is a very in-hospitable environment. A must have book for those interested in the second planet from the sun!

Very Good
This book has the reputation for being too technical for the layman... and it is... but in many ways that is what made this a cool book. It is certainly a much harder book to read than David Grinspoon's "Venus Revealed" (A very good book for the layman). However I found some of the technical parts of this book very facinating and it made me look up where some of the equations came from (the part on the study of the clouds, Nephelometry, was very interesting). There were other parts though were I did not even bother with the math and 'took their word for it'.

I would recommend if you have not read "Venus Revealed" try that first. If Grinspoon captures your imagination then buy this one and give it a try.

Too Technical
A very detailed book on the Planet Venus, however, it reads like an algebra text book. You can read a chapter and still not know what you read. I was dissapointed that all the photographs were in black and white. If you work for NASA, this is the book for you, otherwise I would recomend somthing a little less technical ... Read more

Reviews (2)

dead reckoning:calculating without instruments
I bought this book so I could continue with a higher than arithmetic math. What I discovered was that although it does show algebra and other math, there are NO exercises in this book. It has fantastic math examples and processes. I wish it was designed to bring us along with it.

The magnum opus of mental arithmetic!
Imagine transforming your mind into a slide-rule with the added bonus of extra precision! "Dead Reckoning" is the ONLY book of its kind, running the gamut from ordinary operations like multiplication and division to roots (square, higher-order, and reciprocal), logarithms and their inverses, and finally trigonometric functions and their inverses. The book also contains other gems such as factorization techniques, continued fractions (for creating rational approximations), and also an algorithm which permits mental square root extractions to arbitrary precision. Those who feel daunted by symbolic formulas needn't worry, the book is replete with examples which provide both clarity and realism to the presentation. The author has an engaging style and has obviously taken great pains; the clarity of the exposition is excellent throughout. Moreover, the text is profusely referenced for those wishing to further pursue a topic that piques their interest. The techniques and strategies contained therein are as practical as they are efficient and are equally amenable to quick pen-and-paper calculations for those not interested in pursuing mental computations. Heartily recommended! - Grant Nixon ... Read more

Book Description

The book discusses planning research, writing a research proposal (whether for a formal proposal for thesis research, or for a research proposal for a funding agency such as the National Science Foundation), writing a research report (such as a graduate thesis, or a manuscript for publication in a research journal), and presenting research at research seminars and scientific meetings. The final chapter covers writing an effective CV. An appendix provides tips on how to write clearly. Throughout, the book is illuminated with personal examples from the authors' own experiences and there is a strong emphasis on problems associated with field studies. This concise guide is intended for students at all levels. The guidelines apply equally to independent projects for introductory biology, directed-study projects, undergraduate senior theses, master's theses, doctoral dissertations, and research aimed at publication. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A great guide for Biology research
This thoughtful book is a great read for all biologists, from the budding greenhorn to the seasoned old-goat.Although directed at the behavioral sciences, many biologists will find the enlightening but terse chapters a helpful framework when designinga future study (or refining one alreadyunderway).The first chapter is a concise explanation of scientificepistemology (a sorely neglected topic in academia) and how to design astudy which will actually provide scientific knowledge; this chapter willbe invaluable to young graduate students as it outlines how to find aproblem and how to both formulate and test a model.Subsequent chaptersoutline (in a more tutorial fashion) how to: write research proposals,write research reports, present research and write a curriculum vitae. These discussions and instructions, coming from authors who have served onnumerous reviewing agencies (both funding and scientific reporting) willcertainly contain nuggets valuable to researchers at all levels.This bookhas served to re-focus my energies in more productive directions, and Isincerely think it will do similarly for other biologists. ... Read more

Book Description

This essential textbook is designed for students or researchers in biology who need to design experiments, sampling programs, or analyze resulting data. The text begins with a revision of estimation and hypothesis testing methods, before advancing to the analysis of linear and generalized linear models. The chapters include such topics as linear and logistic regression, simple and complex ANOVA models, log-linear models, and multivariate techniques. The main analyses are illustrated with many examples from published papers and an extensive reference list to both the statistical and biological literature is also included. The book is supported by a web-site that provides all data sets, questions for each chapter and links to software. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

good if you can get it
This is a good book. I've seen the new edition, which is really just a reprint, with no updating that I could notice -- the computer analysis applications could have used an update, as technology has advanced in the years since its original publication. If you liked the original, you'll like this one.

It's an excellent manual that should be read by anyone planning to go in the field.

I intended to use this book for a class starting in Feb 2004, and since the release date was supposedly late 03 or Jan 04, I felt confident in ordering it. No such luck. It never did arrive, and the distributor was quite unapologetic about not even being able to track where the books were or when they might get to the US (it's a British publishing house). They even told me that I should have known better than to plan on it being out when they said that it would!!

But that's not Gary Martin's fault, and I suppose it's a testament to how popular the book is. Too bad we did not get to use it.

An excellent text for an ethnobotany field methods course.
This book is one of the very few that is perfect for teaching a college level ethnobotany field methods class. It covers the how-tos of data collection, hypothesis testing, plant identification and collection for both general purposes and for phytochemical analysis. The book also includes sections on anthropological, ecological, economic, linguistic, conservation, and community development skills and knowledge necessary to going into the field to do ethnobotanical research.

Class curriculum can be easily organized around the information provided in Martin's book. The only drawback to this book is the fact that it sold out very quickly in its first edition and the first reprint, both in 1995, so at the moment its back ordered waiting on the next reprinting. ... Read more

Book Description

Science students are expected to produce lab reports, but are rarely adequately instructed on how to write them.Aimed at undergraduate students, Successful Lab Reports bridges the gap between the many books about writing term papers and the advanced books about writing papers for publication in scientific journals, neither of which gives much information on writing science lab reports. The first part guides students through the structure as they write a first draft.The second part shows how to revise the report and polish science writing skills as the student continues to write science lab reports. ... Read more

Book Description

A comprehensive introductory research methods guide, this textbook provides students with an understanding of the concepts and techniques of qualitative and quantitative research. It uses simple examples and practice exercises to demystify complex theories and methodologies. Features include: * STQ's - Self Testing Questions (and answers)* Summaries, suggestions for further reading, examples and case studies for each chapter* Consideration of the ethics of research* Comprehensive coverage of quantitative methods, qualitative methods and survey methods* Hints on how to use of the leading software packages for quantitative and qualitative research, SPSS and NUD·IST* Advice on how to write up a research report The book's accessibility and lively presentation will be valued by academics and students across the social sciences. ... Read more