Standards Books

I should begin by admitting that I had the opportunity to review this little masterpiece in manuscript. Good then, it's even better now.

It's good because it informs the reader, in sober prose, how to determine what works and what doesn't in medical practice, and what's safe and what isn't. It's good because it reveals what can go wrong when anecdotes ("it worked for me!") substitute for sound research as the basis for clinical practice. And it's good because it shows how serious are the consequences of even subtle failures to observe protocols in designing and carrying out clinical trials.

It is reassuring to read of the care and precautions advocated for government-sponsored research; it is accordingly unsettling to contemplate the pressure that commercial interests (drug companies, for-profit hospitals, equipment manufacturers) might bring on researchers to cut a few corners.

After reading "Clinical Trials" I came to appreciate that case studies, longitudinal studies, and retrospective questionnaires, so frequently hyped in the press and on television, are no substitute for actual well-designed and well-executed experiments. Because you and I are different, certainly genetically and probably in other essential ways, what helps you may well harm me. Only the proper application of statistics in designing clinical trials and in analyzing data from them can distinguish what's generally valuable from what's useless (however plausible and authoritatively touted it may be). Although the authors had the good taste to reject the aphorism, usually attributed to a nameless statistician, that "if experimentation be the queen of science, then statistics stands as the guardian of the royal virtue", its pithiness may give the reader the crucial insight into why alternative modes of research are untrustworthy.

Some readers may feel disheartened to learn the truth that many, probably most, promising therapies prove, when adequately tested, worthless, and some may feel in some fuzzy way that to accept this reality is cruelly to deny hope to those who need it badly. On the contrary, this book makes it clear that to offer false hope is the ultimate cruelty, for without experimentation there can be no knowledge, and without knowledge there can be no real hope.

Notwithstanding the slightly technical nature of this book (yes, there IS a chapter with mathematics), I recommend it highly for the general reader who is interested in such topics as personal health care, alternative medicine, managed care cost containment, and the like. Buy a copy for yourself, and, if you feel philanthropic, you might consider donating a copy to your health care provider. The world would be better if doctors' waiting rooms (like hotel rooms with their Gideon Bibles) all had a copy of "Clinical Trials in Oncology" available for patients' perusal.

If you are a clinician and want to write articles for journals but don't have a clue as to how to start, your quest for guidance stops here! Reading this book is like someone sitting beside you and gently telling you what to do next. It contains chapters on writing all different kinds of articles: reporting original research, systematic reviews, clinical reviews, case reports, etc. Also, it goes into writing style and mistakes to avoid. Definitely a must read for the newcomer to medical writing!

I am not a big fan of Romance Novels; however, Ms. Bechko may have changed my way of thinking. This Historical romance was so entertaining and enlightening that I read it practically in one sitting. The facts pertaining to the Spanish overrunning the Indian lands and the cruelty of that particular period of time were wonderfully balanced by the spirit and light of the heroine. Because I am a resident of that part of the world, I was especially appreciative of Ms. Bechko portraying her characters with great accuracy. They are not super-human. They are all just trying to survive the best way they know how.
I am looking forward to reading more of the author's works. Her dedication to facts, as well as her creative imagination, make for enjoyable reading.

Diane L. Ronis' CLUSTERING STANDARDS IN INTEGRATED UNITS, 2ND EDITION utilizes a student-oriented approach to designing interdisciplinary units which combine content areas and address standards alike. From sample rubrics and reproducibles for planning to understanding how to meet individual student learning needs - and how to empower them to choose the right paths - CLUSTERING STANDARDS is an excellent choice for either experienced or new teaches who want to encourage collaborative student learning styles.

Wonderful reflection of the history and lineage of our beloved cocker spaniels.

Two interrelated interior codes handbooks are invaluable picks for any technical library catering to interior designers or architects. The fourth updated edition of Sharon Koomen Harmon, IIDA and AIA Katherine E. Kennon's THE CODES GUIDEBOOK FOR INTERIORS is a 'must' for any in-depth architecture or design reference library. It's the only guide devoted exclusively to codes relating to interiors alone, and explains all standards, federal regulations, maintenance of commercial and residential interiors alike, and more. This edition has been revised, updated and expanded to include many changes and more detailed coverage. Its companion STUDY GUIDE is a supportive student-oriented guide and companion suitable for classroom supplementary reading, with workbook forms for fill-in tests and exams, and sample problems to test knowledge. Both are outstanding references.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Coding with Modifiers: A Guide to Correct CPT and HCPCS Modifier Usage Great resource tool for coders! Well written with much needed examples! Would certainly recommend; a must for the coders library!!

As a teacher of three children at home and a former middle school teacher I bought this book. It has been a great addition to our learning. It is a series of hands on activities that are simple, cheap and use a coffee can.

For example, it might tell you how to simulate the rock cycle or how weather erodes rocks using a rock, water, and a coffee can.

The one problem with this book was that it does not have enough ideas. It is very thin. The other problem and directly related to the first is that there might only be one experiment for the rock cycle, one experiment for human body etc. It would be nice to see more lessons.

Well worth the money.
Enjoy.

This book gives excellent coverage of the general background knowledge of British and UK coinage in just the right amount of detail. There is so much that I have learned in addition to the basic mintage information. Other books don't really compare. The organization is excellent, the illustrations plentiful and the historical information significant and interesting. In addition there are "collecting hints" boxes by each issue that offer advice to collectors about what to look for in obtaining a specimen. The vintage photos of coins being minted are an added bonus, although the book could be printed on better quality paper considering that it is a hardback. The price seems quite high, but that may be because it is now out of print. That's my last complaint....why did it go out of print???? A new edition with more up-to-date prices would be great. But still, the information inside this is worth the five stars...it is a book that you can sit down and read, not just a "price list." Any collector of UK coins should have this ref in their library.

An essential seminal resource in the field of library and information science. Every library media specialist should have this book and put its tenets into practice.