24 Aug 10 Information Technology Project Management [Paperback] chapter summaries and review
Information Technology Project Management [Paperback] chapter Summaries:
Review
Ray Guidone, “I feel the author has done a good job of keeping the text simple and well directed.”
This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
Each and every recent innovation in Information Technology can be traced back to a project: the behind-the-scenes work that, when correctly managed, results in a new system, a new technology, or a new product in the marketplace. Information Technology Project Management by Kathy Schwalbe builds an unparalleled foundation for tomorrow’s creators and managers by providing meaningful examples of real projects—both successful and failed—and applying the lessons they teach to a sound framework in IT project management.
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Information Technology Project Management [Paperback] Book Reviews:
As one can guess from the price, this book is geared to be used as a text book in a University setting. But almost anyone will find this book extremely useful because the book occupies a unique niche in the market on Project Management books. There are several project management books out in the market that mostly fall into the following categories – General Project Management, Advanced Project Management, PMP Exam Preparation, and PM Software books. The problem I have had with these books is that there are very few that address IT Project Management and even fewer that use Case Studies throughout. I am in IT Project Management and absolutely require Case Studies to learn any subject thoroughly. Especially a practical subject like Project Management.This book is perfect for an IT Project Manager because it – covers basic project principles, incorporates the IT view on every topic, has plenty of exercises to prepare for a PM exam (like the PMP or CompTIA’s ITProject+), has a very decent section on using Microsoft Project 2000, a 120 day trial version of MS Project 2000 software in case you don’t have it, plenty of mini case studies, a real-world running case study of the Northwest Airlines’ ResNet project, and an excellent reference list at the end of each chapter. It is clear that the book was aimed at being the perfect reference for any IT Project Manager. The only downside of this book is that it is very light on all the topics and does not address any advanced topics. But that would have doubled the number of pages in the book and potential been a turn-off to anyone new to the subject. It might not have appealed to an Intermediate level Project Manager either. So I don’t feel that this is such a big downside and is actually a positive.After obtaining my PMP, I came across this book when I was given the opportunity to teach Project Management Part-Time on a need basis at the Austin Community College. They use this book as the required text book for their comprehensive IT Project Management class aimed at those new to the field or those looking to gain a deeper knowledge of IT Project Management. I am glad I received a free copy of this book as I would have normally passed it up as too basic a book (since I already have my PMP). But I now realize that I will benefit tremendously by doing all the exercises in the book and strengthen/deepen my understanding of several Project Management concepts. So my immediate future is going to involve devouring this book.I hope you too benefit from this book and enjoy using it for any one of the many purposes!
This book is a truly valuable resource if you meet all of the following criteria: (1) you are either a Project Management Professional (PMP), which is a certification bestowed by the Project Management Institute to individuals who meet rigorous screening qualifications for education and experience and successfully pass a comprehensive examination based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), or are seeking the PMP certification, and (2) you or your organization primarily uses Microsoft Project.For those PMPs and PMP candidates who use other tools this book will still be valuable, but not to the degree it is for the first group.The book’s key strengths are: it completely adheres to the PMBOK, takes a teaching approach, and starts with a case study that is used and expanded as each of the nine PMBOK process areas are introduced and explained. This is a powerful approach to teaching because the PMBOK process areas are introduced in sequence and the exercises at the end of each chapter reinforces the material presented in that chapter. For Microsoft Project users this book also teaches some advanced techniques with that package, and does so in a manner that is wholly consistent with the PMBOK. Moreover, it takes into account the unique challenges imposed by IS projects. As an added bonus the accompanying CD ROM comes with a copy of Microsoft Project 2000 that is fully functional for a 120-day trial period (Appendix A also is a quick guide to this software).Weaknesses: Many IS shops have development methodologies, such as the Rational Unified Process, in place. Although most methodologies, including the Rational Unified Process, can be aligned to the PMBOK this book does not address how to do this in any detail. Another issue is IS in most of the larger enterprises, especially those with mature project management practices in place, use ABT Project Workbench, which is an enterprise-strength project management tool. This diminishes the value of this book to readers who are used to the more sophisticated features of tools designed for the enterprise. This book is an exceptionally well written and designed tool for teaching the PMBOK within the context of IS projects. If you fall into the primary audience I described above this is a "must-have" book.
I agree with most of the reviews in general. I have been using this book as a textbook for a class on Project Management. I enjoy reading the chapters and it gives you a good overview of Project Management and the terms used in it but, that is my issue, it’s an overview. I like reading the case studies but frankly I think the assignments at the end of each chapter have many that ask for more detail then the overview content of the book gives. I find this to be an issue with many textbooks. They write the book concisely to cover a whole topic in one textbook hitting the highlights, but write the assignments to be done as if you had been studying the subject in depth.
Case in point: Chapter 11 Exercise 5 on page 357. Draft an RFP (Request for Proposal) for purchasing laptops for all students, faculty and staff at your college or university. use the outline provided in Figure 11-4. List all the assumptions you made in preparing the RFP.
Sounds like a great assignment, with the exception that an RFP is a very detailed document. In the outline it is also suppose to include a Statement of Work ( a document that should be prepared before an RFP) and schedule information. To do this assignment you basically have to dream up an entire project and do previous prep work in order to write an RFP. Also, this outline is the only example of an RFP in the whole book. There is no example of a completed RFP, after all, this is an "overview" book. I have been researching on the net for sample RFP documents. I have yet to find one that even remotely looks like this outline or follows the criteria in this book.
I spend hours and hours every week just doing the prep work to get my head around this random assignments.
This book would have been better had it just made the assignments a case study that built from Chapter 1 on, instead of bits and pieces of this kind of project or that. I think I read in the main review that the book uses NWA as a case study to teach, that doesnt even happen till like Chapter 12 or 13. Did this person really read this book??
I don’t mind being taught principles of Project Management but don’t just hand me terms and principles and sketchy outline examples and expect me to give you the full blown details of a project that I have to make up mostly out of my own head and hope it’s right. Projects are team efforts and some of these things asked for would be the product of a whole team’s input not just one person yet in assignments it is just the student doing it all as if they were the whole freaking team. This kind of thing annoys me to no end in textbooks.
I could give more examples but I am already a partially dissenting voice among reviewers. I guess I could sum it up as a good book to have and read but it is a LOUSY TEXTBOOK.
Tags: Business & Finance
24 Aug 10 Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher [Paperback] chapter summaries and review
Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher [Paperback] chapter Summaries:
Product Description
Born of the author's own experience working with teachers and principals, Action Research, Fourth Edition, provides a research-based step-by-step outline of how to do action research. The author guides teachers and administrators through the action research process via numerous concrete illustrations; positioning it as a fundamental component of teaching. Action Research helps to develop teachers and administrators with professional attitudes, who embrace action, progress, and reform. Features Balanced coverage of quantitative data collection and analysis techniques
- Chapter 4, Data Collection Techniques, covers collection techniques for the most frequently used qualitative and quantitative data, including observations, interviews, teacher-made tests, and standardized test data.
- Chapter 6, Data Analysis and Interpretation, guides students through data analysis and provides techniques, coding guidelines, and examples for analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data.
- Additional coverage of mixed methods research has been added throughout the book.
- A new chapter, Evaluating Action Research (Chapter 9), helps students become critical consumers of research.
- Included in Chapter 9 is an article from an action research journal that is analyzed using the new criteria for evaluating action research.
- Appendix A, Action Research in Action, contains an extended example and evaluation of an action research case study.
- Chapter 2, Ethics, provides an expanded discussion of ethical guidelines and provides guidance for seeking and obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.
- The fourth edition of Action Research includes margin note integration with MyEducationLab for Action Research, a dynamic online learning environment that provides students with the opportunity to build a better understanding of action research through engagement with real products from the research process.
- Chapter objectives give students targets to shoot for as they read and study
- Key Concept boxes provide students with an efficient review of important vocabulary and theory
- Research in Action checklists provide students with guidelines to use in each stage of the action research process
From the Back Cover
Prepare with the Power of Classroom Practice.
• Complete Assignments and Activities to apply text content to real classroom situations.
• Authentic classroom video shows real teachers and students interacting, and helps prepare you for the classroom.
• Explore the Building Teaching Skills and Dispositions exercises to practice and strengthen the skills that are essential to teaching.
• Case studies offer real-life perspectives on common issues and challenges faced in the classroom.
• Authentic student and teacher classroom artifacts provide you with the actual types of materials encountered every day by teachers. To order this book WITH MyEducationLab, use either ISBN:
ISBN-13: 9780138020217
ISBN-10: 0138020213
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Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher [Paperback] Book Reviews:
In preparing my action research project for my Masters degree, I found this book to be very helpful and a good resource.It is not an in-depth book, but it is insightful and helps to narrow your focus and keep you on track in the planning stages of the action research process. It gives good examples of projects that have been done and the insights gained from those projects.This book is by far the best of it’s kind, although I wish it had just a little more advice for the beginner of the entire process. It is great for planning, but I was left thinking, "now what?" I figured it out, but it took a little doing on my part. The book does have good outside resource lists to help you answer questions you might have.
I teach graduate level research courses and reviewed this book for the publisher. There are so many errors in this book that I cannot even begin to list them. I could not in all practicality use this book with my students because of the multiple theoretical and conceptual errors. Another reviewer suggested graduate students get the book because it is helpful. As a professor I would not agree. There are many other texts that do a much better job discussing Action Research that are more practical, precise, make relevant connections to practice, and offer theoretical and conceptual accuracies.
There are too many errors in this book. I used it in my class for a couple of weeks and found many errors. Too many errors to continue using it to educate teachers. I would not recommend this book to anyone, especially if they are trying to learn from it.
Tags: Business & Finance
24 Aug 10 Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System, Second Edition [Paperback] chapter summaries and review
Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System, Second Edition [Paperback] chapter Summaries:
Product Description
Covering the basic structures and operations of the U.S. health system, Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System is a clear and concise distillation of the important topics covered in Delivering Health Care in America by the same authors. Ideal for courses in health policy, allied health, health administration and more, this comprehensive revision clarifies the complexities of health care organization and finance and presents a solid overview of how the various components fit together. The Second Edition has been thoroughly updated with all new data, charts, and tables throughout. New content includes: Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP. Ongoing evolution in U.S. health care as a result of corporatization and globalization; The role of hospitalists; Updated content on Parts C and D of Medicare. including information on high-deductible health plans/health savings accounts as an insurance option; Updated content on primary care and community oriented health care development; Current development on hospital extensions to the community; Current development on nano technology; Current health policy issues; Current discussion on healthcare reforms, including future challenges posed by the increased need for long-term care.
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Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System, Second Edition [Paperback] Book Reviews:
Department of Health Policy Management Professor Leiyu Shi and School of Public and Environmental Affairs Associate Professor Douglas Singh present Essentials of the US Health Care System, a concise and accessible introduction to available US health care. Written as a textbook especially for students considering a profession in the field, yet also accessible to lay readers, Essentials of the US Health Care System includes basic information concerning the effects of modern medical technology, the roles of different providers and professionals in US health care, managed care and health networks, long-term care services, and much more. Graphs, charts, and black-and- white photographs round out this excellent primer of basic terms and concepts; each section features a neatly summarized conclusion and a list of references for more information. Also very highly recommended is the author’s previous textbook, Delivering Health Care In America: A Systems Approach.
() This is a great book and also includes a student companion, which is like a workbook or note taker. The student companion has helped me to understand the chapters.
() This was a good intro to the US ‘heath care’ system. It’s written for the general public, so reading was easy. This book seemed a little biased, but made some great points especially when highlighting the flaws in the US health care system.
Tags: Business & Finance
24 Aug 10 Zero Limits: The Secret Hawaiian System for Wealth, Health, Peace, and More [Hardcover] chapter summaries and review
Zero Limits: The Secret Hawaiian System for Wealth, Health, Peace, and More [Hardcover] chapter Summaries:
Product Description
Praise For Zero Limits
“This riveting book can awaken humanity. It reveals the simple power of four phrases to transform your life. It’s all based in love by an author spreading love. You should get ten copies of it—-one for you and nine to give away. It’s that good.”
—- Debbie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Dark Side of the Light Chasers
“I love this book! I feel it will be the definitive personal-change/self-help book for at least a generation and viewed as a watershed event by historians. There is real potential for this book to start a movement that will end war, poverty, and the environmental devastation of our beloved planet.”
—- Marc Gitterle, MD, www.CardioSecret.com
“This book is like a stick of dynamite, and the moment you start reading, the fuse is lit.
It blows away all the complex and confusing success paradigms of the past and reveals a refreshing and clear path to transform your life with just one simple step. As you explore Zero Limits with Vitale, be prepared for a journey that is both challenging and inspiring beyond anything you’ve imagined.”
—- Craig Perrine, www.MaverickMarketer.com
“There are more than 6 billion different manifestations of human existence on the planet?and only one of us here. In Zero Limits, Vitale has captured the truth that all great spiritual, scientific, and psychological principles teach at the most fundamental level. Boil it all down to the basics and the keys are quite simple—- the answer to all life’s challenges is profound love and gratitude. Read this book; it’s a reminder of the truth and ability you already possess.”
—- James Arthur Ray, philosopher and bestselling author of Practical Spirituality and The Science of Success
“Wow! This is the best and most important book Vitale has ever written!”
—- Cindy Cashman, www.FirstSpaceWedding.com
“I couldn’t put it down. This book elegantly sketches what I’ve learned and learned about in twenty-one years of personal study, and then it takes it to the next level. If you’re looking for true peace along with ‘the good stuff,’ then this book is for you.”
—- David Garfinkel, author of Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich
“Zero Limits is Vitale’s adventure into the most mind-altering reading experience of your life.”
—- Joseph Sugarman, President, BluBlocker Sunglasses, Inc.
From the Inside Flap
Are you overworked and overstressed? Are you doing your best but finding professional success and personal fulfillment frustratingly difficult to attain? If it seems like you work hard but never get anywhere, maybe the problem is something within you. Maybe the limitations holding you back come from inside you, not from the outside world. Zero Limits presents a proven way to break through those self-imposed limitations to achieve more in life than you ever dreamed. Take it from Joe Vitale. He was once homeless. Now, he’s the millionaire author of numerous bestselling books, an Internet celebrity, and an in-demand online marketing guru. What happened to create all of that success? How did he make it happen? Was it hard work, divine providence, or both? The answer may surprise you. It wasn’t until he discovered the ancient Hawaiian Ho’oponopono system that he finally found truly unlimited success. Updated for modern times, Ho’oponopono is a self-help methodology that removes the mental obstacles that block your path, freeing your mind to find new and unexpected ways to get what you want out of life. It not only works, but it works wonders——both professionally and personally. It works so well in fact, that Vitale had to share it with the world, so that others could experience the fulfillment and happiness he feels every day. Teaming up with Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len, master teacher of modern Ho’oponopono, Vitale shows you how to attain wealth, health, peace, and happiness. Vitale and Len walk you through the system, helping you clear your mind of subconscious blocks so that destiny and desire can take over and help you get what you truly want from life. It clears out unconsciously accepted beliefs, thoughts, and memories that you don’t even know are holding you back. Imagine wiping your mind’s slate clean and starting over without preconceived notions, so you can live in a world of daily wonder. Imagine if anything and everything were possible. In fact, everything is possible when you look at the world free of mental constraints. This book is a key that opens your life to a new universe of possibility and accomplishment——a universe with Zero Limits.
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Zero Limits: The Secret Hawaiian System for Wealth, Health, Peace, and More [Hardcover] Book Reviews:
Aloha,
For about 22 years I am a practitioner of the updated Ho’oponopono-process from Morrnah Simeona, who brings balance and joy in my daily life. So I feel free, to comment this book called Zero Limits.
I do not care that it is a promotion book for activities of the authors. But I care for the legacy of Morrnah. In that view the book does not reflect her genuine teachings, it is mixed up with other ideas, therefore creating a different system – but is referring to Morrnah.
Doing her Ho’oponopono is primarily not what is promised on the cover. Wealth can be a comfortable side-effect. The process is for releasing negative energies out of your mind and the mind of others involved at a given problem. The result is a blessing from the Divine Creator for all involved parties – but which kind is His choice. And Yes, the Way of Morrnah leads step by step to Peace and FREEDOM for you and your family and relatives, for your neighbors and your circle of acquaintances. May be even the landscape around you will have less traffic, more flowers and so on. You and those you are associated with will be on the track of evolution again. But one thing will not happen: It will not lead to Zero. The Divine is not Zero, the Divine is LIFE itself.
To say e.g. to the Unihipili “I love you, I am sorry, please forgive me, thank you” are not key phrases of the Ho’oponopono – even they are written on many pages of the book. They work, as you profit from the huge thought forms of LOVE, FORGIVENESS or THANKS. Unihipili – your subconsciousness – is then in a well-feeling vibration, pretending your problems are erased. But not so. Your mind is simply manipulated. These words are a kind of murmuring a mantra, of singing a catchy record. With temporarily effect. Morrnah never taught this sequence. Her way was writing down the problems … and doing the Ho’oponopono-process. There the words of Love, Forgiveness and so on are used in the context of the whole process – the deciding difference, beside the final erasing.
The proposal that the Divine is a Zero state (page 31) is neither the ancient way of Ho’oponopono nor the modern way of Morrnah. It seems to be the new way of Dr. Stanley Hew Len since a couple of years, based on a misunderstanding of the Void. Void exists as an emptiness of any matter, as space for an Ultraconsciousness beyond all consciousness as Man can be aware of – but it is anything else than Zero. It is – as Morrnah would say – the undefinable Pure. When doing her Ho’oponopono, Divinity will simply cleanse your Unihipili from all (emotional) rubbish what is not you, but it will let untouched this part of your Self-Identity, your ability of having feelings.
It is no surprise for me that the two authors attracted each other: One calls himself “Mr.Fire”, the other one is otherwise known as “Haleakala” (House of the Sun). Since some years he changed to “Ihaleakala” (Divine House of the Sun). He is not a master teacher. A master teacher is not working with material labels, magic business cards and the like (page119). They will bring results, but not cleansing. They will become binding fetishes, created out of fear. If s.o. feels free of doing a Mahiki, these labels will be worthless within the twinkle of an eye – all of them.
“I’ve been told to kill the Divine to be home” (page 172). Did I hear the falling down of a mask from Stan? Will all come out as a Judas-story? In an interview in April 1985 (The Movement Newspaper, L.A., CA), Morrnah said: “By loving ourselves, we are loving the Divine”. Consequently if killing the Divine, we kill ourselves. This message helps nobody. Morrnah opened the door for a new partnership between Divinity and Man, Stan seems intending to close this door.
Stan claimed having healed criminals in the Hawaii State Hospital only by looking through the files while murmuring the above sequence “I love you, etc.” (page 41). THAT WAS NOT SO. He did the Way of Morrnah: Ho’oponopono-processes, the long form. And yes, for more than three years it was him who humbly did the process of expressing repentance to the criminals and their doctors, asking them for forgiveness, forgiving them and asking Divinity for healing all who are involved. Divinity accepted this altruistic plea and transformed step by step all negative memories and karmic bondages inside him AND inside the others into Light – as it was no accident, that Stan worked in this special hospital from 1983-1987. He was not responsable for these folks, he was the cause.
It might be attractive to get an honorable name from a kind of Guru (page 57/58), but it will not only lead to a longlasting bondage, it will also split your personality. Everybody’s choice.
Every moment there are new problems under the sky as you are creating karma, which means: What you do to others (by living up your free will), you will experience on yourself. If you create problems, you will experience problems. You are the cause. Surely from that moment on you KNOW that you are the creator of your life, you are responsable for your future thoughts, words and deeds. You are responsable for the welfare of your Unihipili. But Morrnah never said as written in the book, that you are “100% responsable” of what you did in the past (page 41), because this is both binding and not true. Often others, unknown to you, are also involved. Furthermore it is giving you a feeling of guilt in the neighborhood of the original sin.
If a dog is barking to you, let it bark. It is its way to talk with you. It is its way of feeling LIFE. If it disturbs you, do not stop it by having magic ideas in your mind as proposed in the book (page 153). Again Morrnah would say just cleanse, that and why you are not comfortable with its barking.
You should not try to cleanse the 50 millions, who voted in your mind for the “wrong” president, as proposed in the book (page 168). May be you take over their Karma. Ask for cleansing why you are angry about their vote; Divinity will decide – that is it, what Morrnah would tell you. You are the cause if you are angry.
O ka Maluhia no me oe – Peace be with you, the Peace of I. AND IT IS DONE.
Wow..I was really looking forward to this book. I enjoyed the Ho’oponopono class in Sept ’06 and having been eagerly awaiting this book. Like most others said, there is nothing in it that can’t be found on the Ho’ website. It would be a decent read for someone totally new to the subject but a far better choice would be “The Easiest Way” by Mabel Katz. This could have been an amazing book but Vitale chose to use it more as an opportunity to promote more of his products..and it shows
This Book Could Have Been A Third In Its Size!
The only reason I give it one star, & not “ZERO” is it does contain some very useful information on a few pages. However, it is FULL of SHAMEFUL advertisements for Dr. Joe Vatale’s other products complete with web addresses. Minus the advertisements complete with testimonials this book could have easily been a three or four star, even though it doesn’t contain any Ho’oponopono exercises in great depth i.e. there is very little in this book that can’t be found on the Internet for free.
He does mention a video of Ho’oponopono, and makes NO MENTION of were it could be found. I’m guessing it is because he had no part in the creation of the Ho’oponopono video.
This was my first introduction to Ho’oponopono. If I were already acquainted with this loving process, this book would offer “ZERO” except for advertisements for Dr. Vitale & some of his friends and business partners.
I paid for a 200 page commercial. “Dr. Vitale you got me once, but most likely, NEVER will again.”
P.S. I LOVE YOU!!!
P.P.S. “Living Beyond Miracles” by Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. Wayne Dyer provides an AMAZING System for Wealth, Health, Peace, and More…& They actually TELL YOU how it can be accomplished without having to invest more money in their other products, but it will require your commitment.
Tags: Business & Finance
24 Aug 10 Discovering Statistics Using SPSS [Hardcover] chapter summaries and review
Discovering Statistics Using SPSS [Hardcover] chapter Summaries:
Review
‘The mathematics behind the tests is always given in considerable detail. This is admirable and helps students to see the logics behind the tests…I like the exploration of the various options for the tests he discusses, and the discussions of the pros and cons of specific variants of tests’ – Nurse Researcher (David C. Howell )
“It is definitely the best written stats book I’ve seen. I found myself reading through it like a novel, just because I found it interesting. In addition, I like that it is well-integrated with the SPSS information, and I think the students will really appreciate it, too.”
(Kimberly Dasch )
‘The mathematics behind the tests is always given in considerable detail. This is admirable and helps students to see the logics behind the tests…I like the exploration of the various options for the tests he discusses, and the discussions of the pros and cons of specific variants of tests’ – Nurse Researcher
Product Description
Andy Field’s self-deprecating, vivacious but yet easy to understand writing style has won him many plaudits, and now an award from the British Psychological Society (2007), for his irreplaceable Discovering Statistics Using SPSS. The Third Edition is now even more accessible to the introductory student at the very beginning of their statistical journey. The textbook now uniquely walks students from very basic to advanced level concepts, all the while grounding knowledge though the use of SPSS. Accompanied by an improved Companion Web site at www.sagepub.co.uk/field3e including animated “SPSS walk-throughs” of tests discussed in the textbook; assessment materials and datasets pertinent to lecturers/instructors in Business & Management and Health Sciences; and a suite of other materials for lecturers/instructors and students as per the 2nd Edition. The original CD-Rom materials are now found on this Web site as well.
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Discovering Statistics Using SPSS [Hardcover] Book Reviews:
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.
Field’s book is simply the best volume written yet for beginning users of SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Unlike most stats or software books, Field uses humor, wit and quirky real world examples to provide an easy and enjoyable read. The version I purchased came with a CD including all the data used in the book’s examples. Chapters 1-4 are great primers for stats and Field does eventually take the reader into some more sophisticated analyses including Logistic Regression and Factor Analysis. Step by step instructions are supplemented by screen captures and graphs. This is an invaluable book for anyone faced with the challenge of learning SPSS for a class or for business. I would recommend it over any of the 15 or so books I’ve read regarding SPSS — including the official manuals!
I use statistics for a living (I’m an empirical researcher). I’ve had my Ph.D. for several years now and own all of the usual stuff like the Hair book, the array of SPSS manuals, and the Tabachnik and Fidell book. Of all the books and books I’ve used,read, and owned this is the singly most user friendly book on the topic. If you use SPSS in your work, I promise that this will be the best forty dollars you can spend. I wish more stats books were written in this tone. The book is actually fun to read, which is the highest compliment that a stats book can get. It is also very accurate. The single downside of this book is that it lacks references to research on which its recommendations are based. This book might be too weak for statisticians but it is just perfect for those who use statistical methods, especially SPSS. Very highly recommended.
Tags: Business & Finance
23 Aug 10 Corporate Finance Plus MyFinanceLab Student Access Card Package [Hardcover] chapter summaries and review
Corporate Finance Plus MyFinanceLab Student Access Card Package [Hardcover] chapter Summaries:
Product Description
Using the unifying valuation framework based on the Law of One Price, top researchers Jonathan Berk and Peter DeMarzo set the new standard for corporate finance textbooks. Corporate Finance blends coverage of time-tested principles and the latest advancements with the practical perspective of the financial manager. With this ideal melding of the core with modern topics, innovation with proven pedagogy, Berk and DeMarzo establish the new canon in finance.
The second edition reflects the constantly changing world of finance, including information on the financial crisis of 2007, new behavioral finance research, and updated practitioner interviews. For programs and professors who would like a streamlined book that is specifically tailored to the topics covered in the first one-semester course, Corporate Finance: The Core 2nd edition is also available by Jonathan Berk and Peter DeMarzo.
About the Author
Take a closer look at Berk/DeMarzo's 2nd edition here: http://www.pearsonhighered.com/showtell/berk_0138018758/web Jonathan Berk is the Professor of Finance in the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley and is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. He currently teaches the introductory Corporate Finance course for first-year MBA students at Berkeley. Before getting his Ph.D., he worked as an Associate at Goldman Sachs, where his education in finance really began. Professor Berk is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Finance. His research interests in finance include corporate valuation, capital structure, mutual funds, asset pricing, experimental economics, and labor economics. His work has won a number of research awards including the TIAA-CREF Paul A. Samuelson Award, the Smith Breeden Prize, Best Paper of the Year in The Review of Financial Studies, and the FAME Research Prize. His paper, “A Critique of Size Related Anomalies,” was recently selected as one of the two best papers ever published in The Review of Financial Studies. In recognition of his influence on the practice of finance he has received the Bernstein-Fabozzi/Jacobs Levy Award, the Graham and Dodd Award of Excellence, and the Roger F. Murray Prize. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Professor Berk is married, with two daughters aged 10 and 14, and is an avid skier and biker. Peter DeMarzo is the Mizuho Financial Group Professor of Finance at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. He currently teaches the “turbo” core finance course for Stanford’s first-year MBA students. In addition to his experience at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Professor DeMarzo has taught at the Haas School of Business and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, and he was a National Fellow at the Hoover Institution. Professor DeMarzo received the Sloan Teaching Excellence Award at Stanford in 2004 and 2006, and the Earl F. Cheit Outstanding Teaching Award at U.C. Berkeley in 1998. Professor DeMarzo has served as an Associate Editor for The Review of Financial Studies, Financial Management, and the B.E. Journals in Economic Analysis and Policy, as well as a Director of the Western Finance Association. Professor DeMarzo’s research is in the area of corporate finance, asset securitization, and contracting, as well as market structure and regulation. His recent work has examined issues of the optimal design of securities, the regulation of insider trading and broker-dealers, and the influence of information asymmetries on corporate investment. He has received numerous awards including the Western Finance Association Corporate Finance Award and the Barclays Global Investors/Michael Brennan best-paper award from The Review of Financial Studies. Professor DeMarzo was born in Whitestone, New York and is married with three boys. He and his family enjoy hiking, biking, and skiing.
Buy ‘Corporate Finance Plus MyFinanceLab Student Access Card Package [Hardcover]‘ online
Corporate Finance Plus MyFinanceLab Student Access Card Package [Hardcover] Book Reviews:
Tags: Business & Finance
23 Aug 10 Discovering Statistics Using SPSS [Hardcover] chapter summaries and review
Discovering Statistics Using SPSS [Hardcover] chapter Summaries:
Review
‘The mathematics behind the tests is always given in considerable detail. This is admirable and helps students to see the logics behind the tests…I like the exploration of the various options for the tests he discusses, and the discussions of the pros and cons of specific variants of tests’ – Nurse Researcher (David C. Howell )
“It is definitely the best written stats book I’ve seen. I found myself reading through it like a novel, just because I found it interesting. In addition, I like that it is well-integrated with the SPSS information, and I think the students will really appreciate it, too.”
(Kimberly Dasch )
‘The mathematics behind the tests is always given in considerable detail. This is admirable and helps students to see the logics behind the tests…I like the exploration of the various options for the tests he discusses, and the discussions of the pros and cons of specific variants of tests’ – Nurse Researcher
Product Description
Andy Field’s self-deprecating, vivacious but yet easy to understand writing style has won him many plaudits, and now an award from the British Psychological Society (2007), for his irreplaceable Discovering Statistics Using SPSS. The Third Edition is now even more accessible to the introductory student at the very beginning of their statistical journey. The textbook now uniquely walks students from very basic to advanced level concepts, all the while grounding knowledge though the use of SPSS. Accompanied by an improved Companion Web site at www.sagepub.co.uk/field3e including animated “SPSS walk-throughs” of tests discussed in the textbook; assessment materials and datasets pertinent to lecturers/instructors in Business & Management and Health Sciences; and a suite of other materials for lecturers/instructors and students as per the 2nd Edition. The original CD-Rom materials are now found on this Web site as well.
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Discovering Statistics Using SPSS [Hardcover] Book Reviews:
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.
Field’s book is simply the best volume written yet for beginning users of SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Unlike most stats or software books, Field uses humor, wit and quirky real world examples to provide an easy and enjoyable read. The version I purchased came with a CD including all the data used in the book’s examples. Chapters 1-4 are great primers for stats and Field does eventually take the reader into some more sophisticated analyses including Logistic Regression and Factor Analysis. Step by step instructions are supplemented by screen captures and graphs. This is an invaluable book for anyone faced with the challenge of learning SPSS for a class or for business. I would recommend it over any of the 15 or so books I’ve read regarding SPSS — including the official manuals!
I use statistics for a living (I’m an empirical researcher). I’ve had my Ph.D. for several years now and own all of the usual stuff like the Hair book, the array of SPSS manuals, and the Tabachnik and Fidell book. Of all the books and books I’ve used,read, and owned this is the singly most user friendly book on the topic. If you use SPSS in your work, I promise that this will be the best forty dollars you can spend. I wish more stats books were written in this tone. The book is actually fun to read, which is the highest compliment that a stats book can get. It is also very accurate. The single downside of this book is that it lacks references to research on which its recommendations are based. This book might be too weak for statisticians but it is just perfect for those who use statistical methods, especially SPSS. Very highly recommended.
Tags: Business & Finance
23 Aug 10 Working Papers print Vol. 1 for Fundamental Accounting Principles [Paperback] chapter summaries and review
Working Papers print Vol. 1 for Fundamental Accounting Principles [Paperback] chapter Summaries:
Product Description
Larson’s Fundamental Accounting Principles has been setting the standard in financial accounting for over a decade and continues to keep pace with the changing needs of today’s classroom. The Twelfth Canadian Edition benefits from a superior research and development process, and sets the standard in using technology to enhance teaching and learning – in and beyond the classroom. The Twelfth Canadian Edition continues to build on the core strengths that have made it a market leader – presenting accounting principles in a clear, comprehensive, and technically accurate text that has been developed in accordance with evolving market needs. New to the Twelfth Canadian Edition is the introduction of the Student Success Cycle to reinforce the learning process. Learning involves a cycle, and financial accounting is no exception. Following the steps in the Student Success Cycle will help students learn, rather than simply memorize, the basics of financial accounting. Critical Thinking Exercises have also been introduced to encourage the application of this knowledge. This text also continues to boast a superior supplements and technology package, which supports the widest range of teaching and learning, whether in a traditional or technology-enhanced classroom. Like the text, the supporting resources and technology solutions have been developed in accordance with market needs and set a new standard in Financial Accounting.
This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Kermit D. Larson is the Arthur Andersen & Co. Alumni Professor of Accounting Emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin.
Tilly Jensen, Athabasca University. Tilly Jensen graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce and later attained the designation of Certified Management Accountant. She worked in private industry for a number of years before making teaching her fulltime career. Tilly is an academic coordinator with Athabasca University, Canada’s open, online university. She obtained her M.Ed. at the University of Sheffield in Britain while travelling abroad and is currently engaged in doctoral studies at the University of Calgary (via distance) focusing on how educational technologies can be used to enhance critical thinking. Tilly spent four years in the Middle East teaching at Dubai Men’s College of the Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates. While overseas, she also taught financial accounting to students enrolled in the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) program, a British professional accounting designation. During her recent sabbatical, Tilly taught accounting in China to ESL students at Shenyang Ligong University. She authored LIFA—Lyryx Interactive Financial Accounting—a dynamic, leading-edge, Web-based teaching and learning tool produced by Lyryx. Tilly has also authored material for CGA-Canada. In addition to her professional interests, Tilly places a priority on time spent with her family and friends.
This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Buy ‘Working Papers print Vol. 1 for Fundamental Accounting Principles [Paperback]‘ online
Working Papers print Vol. 1 for Fundamental Accounting Principles [Paperback] Book Reviews:
I had to purchase this book for use in two of my accounting principles courses and it ended up being the most dry and yawn-inducing book I’ve ever had the DISpleasure of reading. If you’re a teacher and looking for a book for your ACCT I or II course, skip over this one.
Nor can you use Homework Manager code for 18e with for the 19e.
The older code will not allow you to change to a new edition.
The books do not have the same company name, numbers, and as soon as Obama gets voted out, there will be a 20e. So make sure you take Accounting I and II in the same year using the same edition.
Great book for introduction to accounting. Very descriptive, and lots of problems to work through to help your understanding.
Tags: Business & Finance
