Reviews (2)

If you have to take Statistics, at least get this book!
I've said it before, and I will say it again. I hate Statistics! It is not just that statistics originated as a means to classify and rank people according to their perceived social worth. Statistics is still used that way as evidenced by the publication and use of the book The Bell Curve. In comparision to a pure science like Neuroscience and also to mathematics, statistics is a subjective science. Everyone knows that statistics can be manipulated and used to show whatever the researcher wants to show...and it is more prone to abuse then most other hard sciences and math.

Ok, having said that...I had to take a statistics course at the last minute (read that last year) while working on my dissertation, because it was determined I did not have enough measurements classes. This book was required, but it really has not been used as much as the other textbook which is equation-based, but I quickly found that I preferred this book!

This textbook explains how and why statistics are used in all sciences, social sciences, etc. and how they are to be interpreted when seen in a journal. It is very concise...the authors for once are not writing for their peers, they are writing for their audience (which are going to be students, grad students, patient/consumers, etc). The book is written with an eye towards helping the reader understand the reasoning and logic behind using statistics. It is done with minimal decorative writing, and with a sense of humor. It makes use of good examples of both good and bad statistic use in papers and journals, it lambasts those who need lambasting, and it has a sense of humor.

If you have to understand statistics so you can read medical journals, sociology, educational journals, etc. this is the book to get. It is immensely helpful. I will rid my library of all other statistical books, but this one I will keep (since my statistics outside of class will be either on computers or I will do qualitative research!)
Karen Sadler,

Science Education,
University of PIttsburgh

the poor statistics students guide to understanding
This book not only assist the researcher in reading and understanding sometimes difficult statistical topics but it also is a excellent guide to decision making when writing your own research. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

This best-selling classic tells the story of one of the world's greatest scientific adventures. Jane Goodall was a young secretarial school graduate when the legendary Louis Leakey chose her to undertake a landmark study of chimpanzees in the wild. In the Shadow of Man is an absorbing account of her early years at Gombe Stream Reserve, telling us of the remarkable discoveries she made as she got to know the chimps and they got to know her. This paperback edition, illustrated with 80 photographs, includes an introduction by Stephen Jay Gould and a postscript by Goodall.During Goodall's forty years of studying chimpanzees, she has become one of the world's most honored scientists. She tells of the later years in THROUGH A WINDOW, also available in Mariner paperback. AFRICA IN MY BLOOD: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN LETTERS tells the story, through her letters, of childhood through the early years at Gombe. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

An extraordinary account - even decades later
IN THE SHADOW OF MAN, first published in 1971, remains one of the most extraordinary observations of chimpanzee behavior in the wild. Goodall begins with the story of how she arrived in Africa and her first days there, but wisely switches the attention from herself to the endangered chimpanzees she studies. She not only recognizes individuals but learns their distinctive personalities, describing in compelling detail the smallest of moments that illuminate who these great animals are. Unlike most scientists of the time, Goodall documents emotions and complex political behavior, the social hierarchy and parenting abilities, the aggression and the bonds formed between chimps that can only be described as friendships. In eloquent prose, Goodall tells the stories of these chimps - most notably that of Flo and her family - and will forever change the way you view chimpanzees.

The book contains several black and white photographs of the chimps, a real treat after getting to "know" these chimps in writing.

If you have any interest at all in primates or in animals generally, this is a must-have book.

A classic and entertaining, but not for everyone
Jane Goodall wrote the book on contemporary ethology (the study of animals in the native habitats), literally, but not everyone will enjoy it. It is full of anecdotes from Goodall's life in Africa during the first few decades of the ethology experiment that shocked the scientific community with its informality and enthralled the world with its endearing stories. The reader becomes entranced in the saga of Jane's pitfalls and triumphs, and later is deeply affected by the chimpanzee society and its eerie parallels to that of man. But the reader of which I speak is interested in science, in animal behavior, in the story of a young girl jeered by those who never thought she could make it, in the story of a young girl who almost believed them, in the story of a woman who never did, and whose life, and that of man's closest relative, as well as the world scientific community and the environment as a whole, were changed forever. And, fascinating as the human story is, one must be able to dig the animal story as well, and all the way through the book, which is not long to one who does. Conclusion? Excellent in every respect, but if biology class turned you cold from the start, you might not make it through all 304 pages. Otherwise, get the book -- you'll be in for a treat.

Great Reading
I read this book a long time ago and have looked into it many times since. It's an entertaining read that teaches us not just about chimpanzees but also about human nature and behavior. If you pay attention to this book, you'll be a better person for it!

A Great Book!
Reading this book has changed my life. I better know now who I am and why I am. The chimpanzee in the wild is a remarkable mirror.

An amazing woman!
Jane Goodall is such an ambassador for chimpanzees and all other life on this planet. Her hard work, insights, and drive are to be admired! This book is her beginning and a must read for everyone. She is a truly amazing woman! ... Read more

Book Description

From the bestselling author of Fermat's Last Theorem, the story of a group of scientists who set out to finish what Einstein started

Can two particles become inextricably linked, so that a change in one is instantly reflected in its counterpart, even if a universe separates them?Albert Einstein's work suggested it was possible, but it was too bizarre, and too contrary to how we then understood space and time, for him to prove.No one could.Until now.

Entanglement tells the astounding story of the scientists who set out to complete Einstein's work.With accesible language and a highly entertaining tone, Amir Aczel shows us a world where the improbable-from unbreakable codes to teleportation-becomes possible. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not quite what I was looking for.
I should begin by saying that I was expecting (or hoping for) a different book, though perhaps from the other book by Aczel that I have read (Mystery of the Aleph), my expectations were probably misplaced. The book that I was hoping for would have been much more technical, though given the fact that only a handful of equations appeared in the book at all, this would not be difficult), and one that would explain what this entanglement thing is, or at least provide arguments for some of the prevailing theories.

What this book did provide, though, was a brief account of the history of entanglement as a controversial physical concept. I first encountered entanglement while doing some studies in quantum computation, and my studies were on the computer science/mathematical side, which basically meant that entanglement was a given, and it never really occurred to me that there would have been much controversy --- in retrospect, this was quite naive of me. By going through the breakthroughs made by many physicists over the passed century, Aczel was able to bring light to the fact that while science textbooks state principles as undeniable truths, doing science and interpreting science are more akin to a somewhat political struggle. For this reason, there is much to commend this book.

However, a great shortcomming is the length. The book is divided into 20 chapters with an average length of about 12 short pages. Most chapters have a two-fold purpose --- to introduce and give a brief biographical sketch (leaning more towards intellectual development) of someone involved in the history of entanglement, and also to explain briefly what that person did. Due to the length, it is impossible to provide much detail of either the person(s) introduced or how the result fits into the overall development of our understanding of the quantum world. The only results that seemed to permeate the book were the paper by Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen which introduced the concept as an argument against quantum physics, and John Bell's theorem which provided a theoretical mechanism to determine whether Einstein or quantum physics is correct.

After reading this book, I am looking forward to going through more books listed in the References, in the hopes of finding the book I want.

I cannot rate this book .
I simply suspect it is retitled, earlier edition of "Entanglement-the Greatest Mystery in Physics" by the same author, and I have given it 3 stars. It should be stated by the publisher. Not the best book. Victor Stenger's "Timeless Reality" is my choice on these subjects.

Pretty good stuff
Excellent history showing how much of the quantum weirdness was discovered. I really enjoyed the personal stories of the scientists that made these discoveries. However, not enough detail was given when it came to EPR and how the results pointed to non-local reality. Otherwise, it was a great read and well worth the money! ... Read more

Book Description

Designed to help readers learn how to think like evolutionary biologists, this 4-color book approaches evolutionary biology as a dynamic field of inquiry and as a process. Using a theme-based approach, it illustrates the interplay between theory, observation, testing and interpretation. It offers commentary on strengths and weaknesses of data sets, gives detailed examples rather than a broad synoptic approach, includes many data graphics and boxes regarding both sides of controversies.Introduces each major organizing theme in evolution through a question--e.g., How has HIV become drug resistant? Why did the dinosaurs, after dominating the land vertebrates for 150 million years, suddenly go extinct? Are humans more closely related to gorillas or to chimpanzees? Focuses on many applied, reader-relevant topics--e.g., evolution and human health, the evolution of senescence, sexual selection, social behavior, eugenics, and biodiversity and conservation. Then develops the strategies that evolutionary biologists use for finding an answers to such questions. Then considers the observations and experiments that test the predictions made by competing hypotheses, and discusses how the data are interpreted.For anyone interested in human evolution, including those working in human and animal health care, environmental management and conservation, primary and secondary education, science journalism, and biological and medical research. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Makes evolutionary biology interesting
Evolutionary biology can be extremely tedious for undergraduate students if one insists on teaching the more arcane debates as Fisher versus Shifting Balance. That might be good for a second course for future professionals, but if one starts with such stuff, students will lose all the interest in evolution they came with.
Evolutionary Analysis is interesting, wel-informed and up to date, and is meant for general biologists. It cannot be used as a reference book for neo-darwinian debates, so the better.

horrible
Bought this one for Evolution class. It is a horrible excuse for a textbook. Do not buy this book unless it is for a middle school student. If the authors think this book has been written for an advanced audience, then I would suggest that anyone interested in learning evolution not attend University of Washington.

Please use a better text, if you are an instructor
So there is a new evolution instructor at our school and he is using this text and lecturing out of it directly - ie no supplementation with other material. Very bad combination, boring simple lectures on what is actually a complex interesting topic. It would be different if the text was comprehensive and challenging but it is not.

Positives of the text:
Easy to ready
Entertaining examples

Negatives of the text:
1.Very, very frustratingly simplistic
2.Overlooks controversial topics or only presents one side of an issue. Example, no coverage of Wright's shifting balanced theory as opposing Fisher's mass selection theory. Doesn't even indicate there IS another theory out there.
3.Simplifies primary literature. Does not detail assumptions or boundaries of experiments.
4.Inadequate index and glossary (for example, epistatis, is in neither)

The entire book reminds me of justso stories my mama read to me as a wee pup, not a scientific examination of evolution.

The authors say this is book is at undergraduate level. But given the lack of complexity and depth, I'd say it is more suited for say an 5-6th grade class level.

This book is like a lazy college student's lab report:
This book is all long winded examples and no depth. Whenever I want depth I go back to my freshman (actually high school) campbell book. Does that sound a little strange to you? A student taking a course on evolution (yes an advanced one as the lectures are QUITE difficult to follow) looking at campbell for depth when he has a text with a formidable sounding name like Evolutionary Analysis? It is true. This book reminds me of the crap I write to fool my lab graduate TA into thinking I actually know what I am doing in my lab reports. The authors start out chapters and subsections with fascinating titles, they make you think you are about to learn something fantastic from them and then let you down at the end, they never quite get to the punchline of any topic they discuss. Not to be forgotten is the ridiculous amount of time they spend defending evolution from creationism. There is no place in a course on evolution for the stupidity of religion. They don't discuss this religious crap in a course on neuroscience,why should they discuss it in a course on evolution? There is a certain university on long island whose professors use this book, I hope you two read this and realize what a mistake you've made in choosing it for your course, It is not worth the liquid the ink was dissolved in before its printing. I FEEL BAD GIVING IT ONE STAR, BUT I CANNOT CHOOSE ZERO, I'll try and make myself feel better by saying that the star is for its pretty cover and that cool hologram on the back that says "genuine authentic valid security"

Disheveled
I have to use this book for my evolution class.Ideally, I think an introductory book should include primarily theory with a minimum of examples.The few examples should be detailed enough to present all the caveats of the research.In this respect, this book fails miserably.The book is packed with plenty of examples that draw from recently published papers, each of which is oversimplified in a failed attempt to reach a wider audience.The broad scope of ecology makes it possible to argue almost any point using examples from a few papers, even if the point lacks validity.
Consecutive subsections are reasonably comprehensive, but they are never connected explicitly.IMO, the math presented requires reform - not because the techniques aren't presented accurately - but because better methods are available and this textbook does not give the readers the tools necessary to generalize the math presented. ... Read more

Book Description

Expert reporting from the editors of the Palm Beach Post capture these tragic events of nature, that happened during the worst Hurricane season tha Florida has ever seen. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Hope for Humanity
The Greeks' newest contribution to the growing debate regarding the most ethical use of limited resources for medical research will be unpopular with the animal-model community. `Unpopular' may be an understatement; they are going to hate it.

Whenever the question of using animals in research comes up you can be certain that the animal researchers and their supporters will accuse you of hating children if you criticize their cruelties or even their science. "What else do you suggest?" is their common challenge, "should we experiment or little children, or just let them die?" Indeed, it is in their financial interests to cast any critic as a callous lout. But now, the answers are much clearer.

In What Will We Do If We Don't Experiment On Animals? the Greeks explain the failures and risks of basing medicines for humans on the results of experiments on other species. Apparently, the animal researchers are content to let children die from a new drug just as long as it was first developed for and tested on animals. But this is well known already.

The new ground in the Greeks newest book is the compilation of modern research techniques that really are providing new insights into human disease and offering potential new cures. Readers are given a tour of truly modern medical research that is grounded in a thorough appreciation of the underlying genetics behind disease and our individual responses to drug therapies.

Unlike much of the traditional antivivisectionist literature, the Greeks write from the perspective that we have learned something about human biology from studying animals even if we could have learned the same things in other ways. More importantly, they point out that we no longer wonder what a heart does, and that today we are seeking to understand the roles of the proteins coded for by each organism's unique genetic code. The subtleties that account for differences between species are the same subtleties that explain why a rat, a dog, and a human will each respond differently at the molecular level to any particular drug.

But, the real value in the book is not its power to point out the failures and ugly profiteering of the animal modelers, but to give the reader hope by pointing out the growing number of research efforts underway based on modern science. The reliance on the most modern of methods accounts for the fact that an ever-growing number of researchers interested in curing and preventing human disease have turned to non-animal methods based on human biology.

For anyone with an interest in leading edge biomedical science, this book will probably become a well-worn reference. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent Lab Safety Reference
This book is an excellent reference for laboratory safety professionals, students, and science educators.

Combines and updates two informative and useful books.
Prudent Practices has combined and updated two of the most useful and informative books on chemical safety available. This is a must for chemical technicians, researchers and hazardous waste managers! The book(s) gives concise information on general chemical lab safety, proposes procedures for monitoring experiments, controlling waste and uncovering hazardous situations. ... Read more

Book Description

Although there are many books written on the principles and methods of experimentation, few are written in a succinct, comprehensive outline format. The Concise Handbook of Experimental Methods for the Behavioral and Biological Sciences is based on a popular course taught by the author for more than two decades to assist advanced undergraduate and graduate students in understanding and applying the principles and methods of experimentation. The handbook is organized into three parts. Part One covers the philosophy of science, forms of scientific research, steps of the scientific method, variables in research designs, and the initial and final phases of research. Part Two discusses research ethics and experimental control. Part Three surveys experimental design, sampling and generalization, and hypothesis testing and statistical significance. The handbook's illustrations, extensive appendices, and detailed index allow you to acquire the techniques necessary to conduct, interpret, and evaluate research and then clearly communicate those findings. The Concise Handbook of Experimental Methods for the Behavioral and Biological Sciences eliminates the need for wading through unnecessary details to find what you need, making it a handy resource for reference and review. ... Read more

Book Description

Genetic Data Analysis, first published in 1990, became the standard reference for ways to interpret discrete population genetic data. Genetic Data Analysis II retains the strengths of the original book and, based upon the suggestions of users, includes many new features, notably the revision of Chapter 10 (Phylogeny Reconstruction) to incorporate newer methods, and new chapters on Linkage and Individual Identification.

Genetic Data Analysis II features an expanded set of Exercises, with solutions, and an expanded list of references. In addition, a suite of Windows-based programs written by Paul O. Lewis and Dmitri Zaykin is available without charge from the Web site maintained by the program in Statistical Genetics at North Carolina State University. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Practical guide to a complex subject
This book provides a simple, practical, easy to understand approach to a potentially confusing subject. It quickly brings the reader to the point where they are able to design and run basic designed experiments. It provides enough statistical background to facilitate the basic understanding necessary for success without bogging the reader down with unnecessary theory.

Practical Application
As a manufacturing engineer, I have performed rather complex DOEs. The benefit for me from this book has been a deeper understanding of the theoretical side of DOEs while aquiring excellent practical advice for executing them. I was also involved in a training seminar with Mr. Del Vecchio, and very impressed with his ability to teach a complex subject with a down to earth approach.

For technologists in a hurry
Strikes a nice balance between theory and practice. Gives enough fundamentals to allow the reader to know the basics of what is going on with the analysis in designed experiments, but does not bog the reader down with complex equations that are best left to the user's computer software to crank through.

Provides practical guidance in selecting one experimental design over another, and the appendix allows one to set up multi-variable experiments with pen and paper - if the software in your program of choice is weak in this area.

Great book for the non-statistician
If you are a professional statician, this is probably not the book for you, but if you are looking for a book that explains design-of experiments (DOE) in PLAIN English, you will benefit greatly from this book. By glossing over the theory and getting down to practical applications, this author will have you doing meaningful DOE in a short time... and understanding why it works!

Excellent, Easy to Understand Introductory DOX Text
Mr. DelVecchio's text is an excellent, easy to understand introductory design of experiments text. Mr. DelVecchio has an uncanny ability to explain even the most complex subjects in a way that the novice experimenter will be able to understand and comprehend. It is an easy to read book with many worked examples and with cautions on some of the pitfalls that may entrap the beginning experimenter. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an introductory design of experiments text that's written in a language that doesn't require a resident statistician be present for interpretation. ... Read more

Book Description

Noted scientist’s exceptionally clear, pragmatic guide to principles and procedures useful in a wide range of sciences. Design of experiments and apparatus; classification, sampling and measurement; analysis of experimental data; errors of measurement; probability, randomness and logic; much more. Indispensable for any researcher. References at chapter ends. 1952 edition. 49 illustrations.
... Read more

Reviews (3)

review on An Introduction to scientific research
After reading this book I came to the conclusion that researchers and scientists should read this book once to conduct efficient research. This book can also help new researchers, who are planning to start research. This book is mainly based on Professor Wilson's experiences during his entire research carrier. It can be helpful to all researchers in all fields. It contains real illustration, which can occur during, before or after conducting research. The language of this book is really simple. Any one who has done scientific research at the Graduate or Post-Graduate level will be grateful for this eternal Introduction to Scientific Research. The book presents much sensible advice. Topics include: Choice and Statement of Research Problem, Searching the Literature, Scientific Method in detail, Design of Experiments, Design of Apparatus, Execution of Experiments, Analysis of Experimental Data and error Analysis. The part on computer use is out dated, but otherwise the book is one of the best of the few references on the subject of Scientific Research.

I am very disappointed
Before I bought this book, I think this book is about the philosophical account on the scientific research. After I bought this book, then what? I was very disappointed, this book is just about the practical application of experimental design in scientific research. Thus, the more apt title for this book is "Application of Experimental Design in Scientific Research".

Very good Handbook for conducting Scientific Research
Any one who has done scientific research at the Graduate or Post-Graduate level will appreciate this timeless Introduction to Scientific Research. The book offers much practical advice. Topics include: Choice and Statement of Research Problem; Searching the Literature; Scientific Method in detail; Design of Experiments; Design of Apparatus; Execution of Experiments; Analysis of Experimental Data & Error Analysis. The part on computer use is dated, but otherwise the book is one of the best of the few references on the subject of Scientific Research. ... Read more

Book Description

Paul Chapin's guide to writing proposals for scientific research can be used by scientists in any discipline who submit papers to funding agencies to gain support for their research projects. A longtime program officer at the National Science Foundation, Chapin treats the proposal as one part of a larger process of planning a research project, which makes it easier to write and more likely to be effective.The book differs from other guides by treating proposal writing in the larger context of project planning from an insider's perspective. Paul G. Chapin became the first director of the NSF Linguistics Program when it was established in October 1975.He continued as NSF's Program Director for Linguistics until 1999, with three interruptions: one year serving as Deputy Division Director for Behavioral and Neural Sciences, one year's detail as a staff associate to the head of the Office of Information Systems, and a year's sabbatical leave to study mathematics at George Washington University.From 1999 until his retirement in 2001, Chapin served as a senior program officer for cross-disciplinary activities at the NSF.On the occasion of his retirement, the NSF presented him with the Director's Superior Accomplishment Award, and the Linguistic Society of America awarded him the first annual Victoria A. Fromkin Award for Distinguished Service to the Profession. ... Read more

Book Description

Though biogeography may be simply defined--the study of the geographic distributions of organisms--the subject itself is extraordinarily complex, involving a range of scientific disciplines and a bewildering diversity of approaches. For convenience, biogeographers have recognized two research traditions: ecological biogeography and historical biogeography.

This book makes sense of the profound revolution that historical biogeography has undergone in the last two decades, and of the resulting confusion over its foundations, basic concepts, methods, and relationships to other disciplines of comparative biology. Using case studies, the authors explain and illustrate the fundamentals and the most frequently used methods of this discipline. They show the reader how to tell when a historical biogeographic approach is called for, how to decide what kind of data to collect, how to choose the best method for the problem at hand, how to perform the necessary calculations, how to choose and apply a computer program, and how to interpret results. ... Read more

Book Description

The applicability of immunotechniques to a wide variety of research problems in many areas of biology and chemistry has expanded dramatically over the last two decades ever since the introduction of monoclonal antibodies and sophisticated immunosorbent techniques. Exquisitely specific antibody molecules provide means of separation, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and localization useful to anyone doing biological or biochemical research.
This practical guide to immunotechniques is especially designed to be easily understood by people with little practical experience using antibodies. It clearly presents detailed, easy-to-follow, step-by-step methods for the widely used techniques that exploit the unique properties of antibodies and will help researchers use antibodies to their maximum advantage.

Key Features
* Detailed, easy-to-follow, step-by-step protocols
* Convenient, easy-to-use format
* Extensive practical information
* Essential background information
* Helpful hints ... Read more

Book Description

"A gem . . . . It is most definitely a work of major significance both historically and methodologically . . . . You’ve got a classic on your hands. As for me and some of my colleagues . . . you will have our personal and classroom orders the moment the book comes out."

--Mike Arons, West Georgia College

"The book is well-organized and the content is comprehensive. The writing is clear and well-referenced. The examples are excellent . . . . I teach a course annually on Research Methods and Theory. I would recommend the book to those students and . . . would also promote the book among evaluators. Dr. Moustakas is an eminent scholar with a unique and important perspective. I believe this book could become a classic like Polanyi's book."

--Michael Quinn Patton, University of Minnesota

"The organization and content of this book is very good. The writing is excellent. Clarity is a strong point . . . . [This] book is . . . an important contribution to the growing interest and activity in phenomenological approaches to research . . . . For advanced undergraduate . . . and graduate courses and . . . as a resource book [for] professionals."

--Willard B. Frick, Albion College

"A powerful and much-awaited contribution to human science methodology by clearly presenting the conceptual foundations and core processes of the heuristic model. Heuristic Research is an intense and comprehensive book for researchers, mental health practitioners, and those who value self-discovery in the fullness of the moment . . . . He gracefully weaves well-chosen examples from research studies and relevant literature into his discussions, allowing us easy access to his ideas."

--Association of Humanistic Psychology

"The manuscript is well-conceived and thoughtfully organized. The timely use of concrete examples is a strong feature of the book in a field that is highly philosophical and theoretical . . . . I wholeheartedly endorse this book."

--Kevin MacNeil, Family Life Institute, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada

"The contents of the book . . . are laid out with a clarity rarely seen in the humanistic psychology literature."

--Choice

"A strikingly original contribution to qualitative methodology by Clark Moustakas. It is distinguishable above all by the intensely personal character of the research."

--The Humanistic Psychologist

"This book gives a clear presentation of heuristic methodology as a systematic form of qualitative research. It includes an explanation of how heuristic inquiry works in practice and the actual process of conducting a human science investigation is described in detail."

--Bulletin de Methodologie Sociologique

"By calling attention to the meanings and uses of tacit knowing and intuition as we seek to formulate and address questions in psychology, Moustakas helps us recognize the importance of cultivating heuristic sources and the formidable challenge of doing so. His book also serves to remind us of the preconceptions of a field that largely acts as if such sources can be ignored or given very short shrift indeed."

--Contemporary Psychology

A first of its kind, Heuristic Research presents heuristic methodology as an organized and systematic form for investigating human experience. Moustakas clearly illustrates how heuristic concepts and processes form both the components of the research design and the basis for a methodology. The mechanics of how heuristic inquiry works in practice are discussed and, using a step-by-step approach, the actual process of conducting a human science investigation is thoroughly outlined. Moustakas carefully describes various applications of heuristic research, the phases of heuristic research, and how to analyze collected data. In addition, practical examples are provided to guide the reader through the research process. Clearly written and well organized, Heuristic Research is certain to interest researchers and students in evaluation, psychology, social psychology, gender studies, gerontology, family studies, and sociology.

Book Description

THROUGH A WINDOWis the dramatic saga of thirty years in the life of a community, of birth and death, sex and love, power and war.It reads like a novel, but it is one of the most important scientific works ever published. The community is Gombe, on the shores of Lake Tangganyika, where the principal residents are chimpanzees and one extraordinary woman who is their student, protector, and historian.In her classic In the Shadow of Man, Jane Goodall wrote of her first ten years at Gombe.In Through a Window she brings the story up to the present, painting a much more complete and vivid portrait of our closest relative.We see the community split in two and a brutal war break out.We watch young Figan's relentless rise to power and old Mike's crushing defeat.We learn how one mother rears her children to succeed and another dooms them to failure.We witness horrifying murders, touching moments of affection, joyous births, and wrenching deaths.In short, we see every emotion known to humans stripped to its essence.In the mirror of chimpanzee life, we see ourselves reflected. Perhaps the best book ever written about animal behavior, Through a Window is also essential reading for anyone seeking a better grasp of human behavior. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Thirty Years of Goodall Research in Gombe
Jane Goodall's contributions to our knowledge of chimpanzees has been remarkable. Because she first arrived in Africa completely untrained as an observer of animal behavior, she was able to bring a humanist's instincts to her work; her natural ability to see details and connections, as well as her affection for her subjects, culminated in published results that rocked the scientific community. THROUGH A WINDOW picks up her observations where IN THE SHADOW OF MAN left off. Here, she follows the lives mostly of the children of the original group. She has organized her chapters by theme: Mothers and Daughters, Sons and Mothers, War, Power, Love, and more. Within these chapters, she explores the specific lives of the Gombe chimps and their relationships with their relatives and group members. By tackling specific topics of behavior, she is able to fully integrate the range of her experiences, from first observations to those made thirty years later. As Goodall is quick to point out, what she assumed at first did not necessarily prove to hold fast over time.

No less fascinating than IN THE SHADOW OF MAN, this book is extraordinary for its insight into chimpanzee personalities, relationships, and culture. If you have never before read Goodall's books, you will be surprised by the strong echoes of human behavior in these wild and highly individual chimpanzees. Goodall has made enormous contributions to our understanding of non-human primates, and should be widely read.

It takes animals to teach us so much!
I have always been a fan of Jane Goodall and her wards that she cares about so much. As a former student of anthropology I had the fortune to study(albeit in textbook sense only) the lives of the chimpanzees. Jane's book should be required reading not only for students of anthropology but for any member of the human species. She succeeds in forcing us to realize our place in the world and the ignorance in which we conduct ourselves every day of our lives. This is one of those books that made me feel two ways: one was to be ashamed to be a member of a species capable of such stupidity and cruelty, but at the same time proud that we have people such as Jane Goodall there to open our eyes to that which is right before us. Her relationship with the chimps is nothing short of amazing and inspiring. This book chronicles the years that she has spent with them and presents it to the reader in a way that also allows us to be a part of that relationship. Just as it has been of immense importance to her, she allows us to realize that we too factor into the equation somehow. It is because of that that we all have a responsibility, not only to ourselves but to our children to protect these animals and ensure they have a place alongside us in the future.

"man is more capable of bad than good"- Machiavelli
Jane Goodall's study of chimpanzee behavior and the fact that human and chimpanzee DNA only differ by over 1% shows the fact that humans do have human nature, or to be precise human biological nature.

It confirms that most humans all over the world do have more tendency of doing bad than good. Even thou Machiavelli was referring only to people of his region, what he had observed is actually a "sample population",if we use statistics,of most people all over the world. Stephen Jay Gould argued in the introduction of "in the shadow of man" that we cannot say that we now know the essential and ineluctable darkness of human nature as others claim (obviously he was talking about the work of his rival Richard Dawkins, who wrote his findings in "The Selfish Gene")because what Jane Goodall saw in her first 30 years in Gombe only showed the whole panoply of chimpness, that this can only emphasize the far vaster range of capacities (for both good and evil)that humans possess.

But has Stephen Jay Gould studied the written history of the human race for the last 5,000 years? if he did, didn't he saw the patterns of human behavior for the last 5,000 years that was obviously tending more towards the bad than the good? can it be said that human behavior for the last 5,000 years is just a product of cultures all over the globe? or isn't it obvious that our human biological nature has something to do with it also? shouldn't we ask this question, that even thou there is culture all over the globe, why did humans have a pattern of tendency to do one thing instead of the reverse of that (which is mainly more towards the bad than the good), for the last 5,000 years? because we must admit if we really don't want to do something, then after a while we will rebel from doing that something, for we can't take it anymore. But the last 5,000 years clearly showed that we are more motivated by our human biological nature, than by culture.

Some people might even claim that the last 5,000 years of human history is not really that bad, but more towards the good, because historians and history books only record major events like wars, and conquest of people. That history does not record the day to day lives of humans for the last 5,000 years. But haven't we seen enough evidence that the day to day occurences in our world today, has also happened in the day to day lives of people back then? like rape, murders, thefts, bullying of powerless people, abuses of all sorts, have been happening since the dawn of man. This bad things that happen in humans day to day lives do happen, its just that we don't hear about them. For these things happen all over the world and not concentrated in one area. If its happening in our everyday lives now, its likely that its been happening since ancient times in the day to day lives of ancient people. They just don't know that it happens everyday, for they do not hear of information from distant lands, since again, events like these are not concentrated in one area, but is scattered all over the globe.

So if bad things happen in day to day lives of people all over the world since ancient times, then wouldn't that accumulate to evil? isn't it obvious that we live in an evil world, for bad things happen everyday, we just don't have a clue that it happens day to day in our lives for the information is hidden from us by people, or the information is just beyond our reach. Its like what Richard Dawkins said, "just because you don't like the idea that you live in a harsh and ruthless world, doesn't mean that the reality of it could be denied". Its not a pessimistic view of human nature, its just pinpointing reality.

Think about it, read the history of the human race for the last 5,000 years and know what happens to peoples day to day lives all over the world, thats been happening since the dawn of man, you will see where most people tend towards most, bad or good.

A Riveting Sequel
In "In the Shadow of Man", Jane Goodall introduced us to the Chimpanzees of Gombe. If anything, this sequel is even more fascinating.

The whole study reads like a sweeping saga. As "Shadow" closed, the "main characters", the Flo family, were thriving, though there was a tinge of sadness with the realization that Flo wasn't getting any younger.

As "Window" opens, the inevitable happens, and we learn how each of Flo's children coped with her death - including a foreshadowed tragedy. We then watch her sons find their place in the male hierarchy and see what her daughter has learned about successful parenting from her mother.

The "supporting cast" is as interesting as that of "Shadow" - like Jomeo, a large male who never reached the high position one would have anticipated; Goblin, the Machiavellian politician who works his way up the ranks by befriending Alphas; Evered, who never reached a particularly high position but may have had the last laugh on all the males by quietly fathering the most children of the lot of them and Passion, the psychotic, nightmarish baby cannibal who sounds like something out of a horror movie.

The book also documents the brutal, disturbing territorial war that proved that Chimpanzees are capable of violence against eachother. This is a war that would have never been recorded had the study ended when originally scheduled - showing why long term studies are needed for long lived animals like chimps and elephants.

Both books should be among the first in the collection of everyone with the slightest interest in animal behavior. I keep up with the continuing story on internet, but I still can't wait for Ms. Goodall to continue with another book about what happened next.

Seeing Ourselves Through Studying Chimpanzees
This book clearly deserves more than five stars.

Through a Window is the popular version of the first 30 years of Dr. Jane Goodall's pioneering primate research at the Gombe reserve in Africa. Arriving in Africa as a young woman who found she did not like office work, she looked for something to do. The legendary Dr. Louis Leakey became interested in the idea of doing parallel research on chimpanzees in the wild to shed light on the development of early man. He persuaded Dr. Goodall to trek into Gombe, and helped her raise money and respectability for the project. From the beginning, he knew it had to go on for at least 10 years. Overcoming great deprivations and dangers, Dr. Goodall turned this into one of the most important animal observation studies ever. In this book, you will get the highlights of what has been learned from that research.

The book emphasizes the closeness between humans and chimpanzees. The two species have 99 percent genetic similarity. Each can catch diseases that no other species can. In fact, Gombe was overwhelmed by a polio epidemic that affected the chimpanzees and the humans in the 1960s.

As you walk through the forest with Dr. Goodall, you will find behaviors that are very similar to what humans do. Is it any wonder that she supposes that chimpanzees feel many of the same emotions that humans do? The only major difference she finds is that chimpanzees never torture each other or other animals like humans do.

You will follow along with families of chimpanzees over three generations, and find out about what works well and what doesn't for them. There are even chapters about memorable individuals who had a large impact on the chimpanzee community.

Before Dr. Goodall did her work, people thought of chimpanzees as being insensate animals. She soon observed that they made and used tools, ate meat, and cooperated with one another in very sophisticated ways both for hunting and child rearing. They have very complicated social rituals designed to keep everyone in place, but feeling friendly towards one another. As Dr. Goodall says, there are some chimpanzees she has liked more than some people and vice versa, because each one is so different.

Having developed a better understanding of and sympathy for chimpanzees, Dr. Goodall then turns her attention to making the case for more preserves for wild living (and observation), eliminating the trade in chimpanzees (which lead to much death, suffering, and disaster for chimpanzees and humans), eliminating and improving the way research chimpanzees are "tortured" and "mistreated," and improving zoo conditions. Chimpanzees are very social creatures and are highly intelligent.

She likens the treatment of chimpanzes by animal researchers, trainers, and zoos to modern day concentration camps. I must admit that she more than convinced me. Clearly, much can and must be done to improve the lot of chimpanzees. If we cannot treat our nearest animal relative well, what does that say about us? Who are the brutes?

The book's title is a reference to the limited perspective we can get by only studying behavior. We do not know what goes on in a chimpanzee's mind. Perhaps someday we will because experiments are showing that chimpanzees rapidly learn to use sign language.

You will laugh a lot about the problems that Dr. Goodall has had in convincing scientists that chimpanzees are advanced and sensitive. It's as though psychologically our self-image depends a lot on making animals "dumber" than they are.

Since I will probably never get to see chimpanzees in the wild, I was delighted that this very interesting book was available to me. It will make you feel like you are on a long hike chatting with Dr. Goodall (but minus the danger and deprivation).

You will also come away vastly impressed by the dedication of Dr. Goodall and her colleagues at Gombe. They have done a marvelous piece of work here that will continue to pay important knowledge dividends in future years.

After you finish enjoying this superb book, I suggest you think about where else you assume that a person or animal is "dumb." For example, children have quite sophisticated ability to understand emotional situations at a young age, but cannot speak about them well. So adults often "talk down" to them, making the child lose respect for the adult.

Why not assume that everyone and every creature has vast reservoirs of understanding that you do not have? Then, you will start noticing what you can learn from them. The many ways that chimpanzees give solace and reassurance would improve the quality of life for almsot any human, for example.

Live more beautifully by grasping all of nature's intelligence, wherever it is! ... Read more

Book Description

The methods of disaster research are indistinguishable from those used throughout the social sciences.Yet these methods must be applied under unique circumstances.Researchers new to this field need to understand how the disaster context affects the application of the methods of research.This volume, written by some of the world¿s leading specialists in disaster research, provides for the first time a primer on disaster research methods.Among the topics covered are qualitative field studies and survey research; underutilized approaches such as cross-national studies, simulations, and historical methods; and newer tools utilizing geographic information systems, the Internet, and economic modeling. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Disaster Research
An essential source book. Brilliant! This is going to be a rapidly growing area of research throughout the Western World. The terrorists will use counter-intelligence to subvert the benefits of such practical research plans! Look out for them. ... Read more