Educational Books

This is quite easy to follow for beginners but you def. need a good stats background to do so!

No one expects statistics to be easy reading, especially when it concerns complicated models such as structural equation modeling (SEM). Nevertheless, this book manages to do just that.

Schumacker and Lomax have successfully put together a guide that explains to beginners (like myself) in simple terms how the whole thing works. As with most books that treat complex models, some basic knowledge of statistics is preferable before you begin to read it. But if your statistics is rusty and you have only vague impressions of probability sketches in your memory, fear not! Schumacker and Lomax are kind to us poor souls, and begin by introducing some basics in chapter 1 to prod your memory: terminology, variable scales, how to treat missing data, outliers and normality. And in chapter 2, they discuss correlation and covariance.

Before talking about structural equation models, Schumacker and Lomax dedicate chapter 3 to a number of statistical methods on which SEM is built. This chapter gives a basic overview of regression, path analysis and factor analysis. The review of these methods helps you to understand SEM better later on. They also provide an excellent understanding of the methods, in case you have not used them before or it's been a while ...

The rest of the guide covers SEM: how to develop and measure a model (chapters 4 and 5), how the model parameters are estimated and how you can check for reliability and validity (chapter 6), and checking for goodness of fit of your model (chapter 7).

In chapter 8, you are shown some examples of computer outputs by two software packages that can conduct SEM, EQS5 and LISREL8-SIMPLIS.

Chapter 9 goes into more detail on models and diagrams (regression, analysis of covariance, path, measurement and structural models). For those that feel by this point that they've gained enough experience, advanced topics such as cross validation, simulation, bootstrap and jacknife methods as well as multiple same and interaction models are covered in chapter 10. And for the super-keen, the technical bits are covered in chapter 11 (health warning: you better be up to speed on matrix algebra).

The great thing about this book is that you most likely will be able to run models and interpret results by chapter 7, and you don't need to go into the nitty-gritty if you don't want to. On the other hand, the details are there if you need them. In essence, the authors start at the beginning, building up slowly until you are able to handle a basic model, before going into more complex issues.

One drawback, I have found, is that this book was published in 1996. That's nearly a decade ago, and (fortunately) computer power and statistical modeling has come a long way since then. The authors, for example, are convinced that WordPerfect is the software of choice for word processing and that at some point in the future it would be possible to copy and paste diagrams into a word processing program. We've come a long way since then. Today, many SEM packages exist that are much more user friendly than some of the older stodgy packages that require you to enter data in a very specific way and interpret results by going through reams of data output. As such, the authors (or publishers) probably ought to update it with a second edition.

Nevertheless, the strength of the book lies in its guidance and explanatory power. And even if you use a different package, you can skim through the data outputs they use, and focus on your model, how to construct it, and of what pitfalls to beware.

I highly recommend this for anyone starting on SEM - your modeling days will be much happier with this guide.

This book lays out the basics of SEM in an understandable way. Doesn't address EVERY issue, but then again it's very accessible and application-oriented, with language not too highly techinical (in relation to other SEM texts).

This is a very good book about SEM for the beginners and advanced. The book gives a clear and concise principles and examples about SEM. This book definitely enables the readers clearly understand the subject.

Schumacker and Lomax make for a good first course in SEM. Although they are somewhat less technical than Bollen (1989), they are a little more up-to-date, and very good reading for a beginning student of SEM. I found the sections on confirmatory factor analysis and identification very useful.

This is a great book if you are studying for your CNA. It explains all the clinical work in the detail you will need to pass your test.

I really like this text book it is really useful and answers lot of my questions

This book was fantastic! Very detailed and easy to follow.No question was left unanswered. I highly recommend it to anyone studying to be a nurses aid.

This book is a wonderful guide to get you on your way to becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant. This is a wonderful career to have in the medical field. Helping people as a CNA is extremely rewarding.

Even if you're not looking to become a CNA, this book has excellent information for anyone who is in a caregiving situation. It has information ranging from infant care to elderly care.

I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to pursue a career in the healthcare field or anyone who has someone they take care of.

I am currently studying to become a CNA in the state of Maine. This is the textbook and workbook we are using. I have found this text to be very thorough and I enjoy it very much. I would recommend it to any CNA or CNA student.

If you value the power of the mind, then this book is many many times more valuable than a DVD player or iPod or game console. Either indoors or even for keeping the kids occupied in a car on trips.

This book is a good tool for kids to practice or learn critical thinking skills.

My whole family loved this book. I had as much fun as my 5-year-old. It was easy enough for my youngest while still challenging my oldest(8). I love these books and will be purchasing the whole set.

This is an excellent series of books that are great for children and adults. My newly 4 year old daughter is able to do many of the problems and enjoys the focus and accomplishment of doing them.

Sylvan Learning Center uses it, that should be enough of a testimony right there!

Good for someone who is just starting to use CATIA V5

It is an excellent book for beginner. It lets you get into Catia easily. It is important to make things simple for beginners. This book does a good job of making things simple.

This book offers the principles needed for any Catia user, both experienced and new, to be able to obtain a firm understanding of Catia V5. It teaches through easy-to-follow examples and illustrations. It was well worth the money.

A good book is the one that doesn't require an engineer to understand. This book is excellent! It slowly guides a beginner step by step away from frustration and closer to satisfaction. However, the minus side is that it doesn't cover any electrical application. I would pay triple the price if this book had electrical coverage.

This book is a good introduction to Catia. The steps taken and the end result of the book is good and successfully takes you through the basic workbanches. However much of the book is waisted with repetition and over worded explinations for the simplest tasks. The illustrations, typography and loayout are typical home-word processor stuff (clearly an accademic project) after the first chapter the lengthy explinations take far to long to get through and you find yourself skipping them and just getting on with the task. At the end of the day there dont seem to be any other books out there so this is probably your best bet, but I was still left with a few basic problems that were not covered. This book could probably have been edited down to half its size if the wordy introductions were cut out and you would be able to get though it much quicker - after this work book you are left with both a need to learn all the workbenches covered in more depth and many many more workbenches to learn.

Not being a student of the future studies specifically, I nonetheless found Dr. Thomas Lombardo's book of great interest and a learning experience. The book has caused me to take a greater interest in the many books references by other futurists. Too few books cause me to really dig into the references as this book does. I highly commend this work as one of the more thought provoking books I have read in the past year. Thank you Dr. Lombardo.

One of the things that intrigues me about this book and its companion volume THE EVOLUTION OF FUTURE CONSCIOUSNESS is their implicit conviction that thinking seriously about the future is a central element in human cognition, past and present, and that as it evolves it necessarily goes well beyond making predictions. I also like its well-informed treatment of science fiction (which I have sometimes thought could as appropriately be called evolutionary fiction) as a complement (and equal) to academic and technological future studies.

"From the genesis of science fiction to its Golden Age and from the history, goals and methods of futures studies to its major theories and visions of the future, Thomas Lombardo in CONTEMPORARY FUTURIST THOUGHT tells the story of the wondrous drama of the future. He has written a masterpiece that inspires, entertains, informs, mesmerizes, and at times even terrifies with its powerful images of humanity's possible futures. This book is essential reading for every futurist. And it is essential, too, for any reader who wants to know what the future holds."--Wendell Bell, Yale University.

I can't imagine a more comprehensive look at humanity's interest in, study of, and planning for our future than Thomas Lombardo has presented us with in his two recently published books, THE EVOLUTION OF FUTURE CONSCIOUSNESS, which focuses on the nature and development of "future consciousness" from ancient times through the 19th century, and CONTEMPORARY FUTURIST THOUGHT which focuses on expressions of future consciousness in the 20th and 21st centuries.

In CONTEMPORARY FUTURIST THOUGHT, Lombardo reviews in detail several 20th and 21st-century movements, or centers of interest and activity, that focus on the future. They include the science fiction phenomenon from Jules Verne and H.G. Wells to recent movies and TV shows, "future studies" in its academic and professional forms, and a concluding section on "Theories and Paradigms of the Future."

I found this last section particularly interesting. Here, Lombardo presents a wide range of contemporary views. Some of these are deterministic; they argue for a predetermined future of one kind or another. Others argue for a future determined by human values and conscious decisions. Lombardo notes that, "A common position held by many members of The World Future Society is that the future is a set of possibilities rather than one definite trajectory. Because the future is possibilities, humans have a choice in what future will be realized. Most futurists in fact talk as if they believe that the decisions made today will influence what our future will be like. We are not passive victims of supernatural destiny or natural laws."

I resonated deeply with Lombardo's closing statement: "I think that the cultivation of wisdom is an essential ingredient to creating a positive future. Wisdom integrates intellect, emotion, and action. Wisdom is grounded in an expansive awareness of the whole that acknowledges and values other people and their points of view, and involves the recognition of human fallibility and the need for courage, faith, and tempered optimism in the face of the uncertainty of the future. Wisdom is the highest expression of human development and future consciousness. If our minds are evolving and we are moving toward a New Enlightenment, then I would suggest that the essence of the New Enlightenment will be the individual and collective development of wisdom."

This volume is much more eclectic than the usual review of the field, enfolding the `zeitgeist' of the study of the future as well as the methodology. The author does this by including some of the less traditional expressions of futures thinking, including an extensive review of science fiction as it is relevant to futurist thinking. Lombardo looks at science fiction not as just an entertainment medium, but as it captures spiritual and mythic themes and he quotes some of the deeper practitioners of that field, including the incomparable Olaf Stapleton and the thoughtful HG Wells. This sensitivity to the underlying cultural currents (which of course shape all foresight work) is evident in a quote taken from Neil Postman. "What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one." And unfortunately, both of these dystopian visions have now come to pass in some way.

Lombardo points out that beginning with the work of HG Wells, future studies evolved beyond mere methodology for `prediction' to assessments of human society and normative proposals for improvement. And he quotes Ed Cornish concerning the movement away from the `scientific' belief in progress after World War II toward a more value-oriented recognition of the role of uncertainty in future-studies...restated by Mike Marien as the categorization of futures into `possible, probable, and preferable.'

However, this `Western scientific view' of futures was soon expanded by scholars like Richard Slaughter in a call to look beyond technology and rationalism to the humanistic and intuitive elements of a more integral (objective/subjective, individual/social) vision of how the future unfolds. What is refreshing about this book is Lombardo's willingness to look at these often opposed viewpoints in their own context and accept each of them as part of the large future studies universe. Although he has his biases, he states them clearly and gives all sides a fair hearing.

And as foresight continued to evolve, he notes that the growth of new disciplines such as complexity and chaos theory, creativity dynamics, open systems, quantum mechanics and the study of unintended consequences brought a fresh and energizing influence to the futures field. Indeed it sometimes seems to this reviewer that the ongoing debates between various `schools' of futuring concerning their perceived strengths and weaknesses may serve as a sort of Social Darwinism, that challenges and improves the tools and techniques of these various schools of futurist thought.

In a wider context, Dr. Lombardo relates the themes of change, growth, fundamentalism, cultural evolution and even temporal physics to the larger world and how these futures concepts play out in conflicts over sustainability, religion, freedom, organizational behavior, cultural pluralism and science policy. While it is not within the range of this review to do justice to the richness and depth of this compendium, the author has worked heroically to do justice to the complexity of futures thinking and capture the thought of nearly all of its leading thinkers.

Last year I had an online AP World History course during first semester, and by the time May arrived, I had forgotten the small amount of history that I learned in the class. My friend and I skipped school about 5 days during the two weeks before the exam to study from the book, and I looked through it every night to review. We just received our scores from the 2008 exam today and she made a 4 while I made a 5! I simply learned the history in the book and emulated their advised test-taking strategy. This book is a must-have, and is far more interesting than your enormous World History textbook!

This book really helped me do well on the AP Test.I got a 4! It's concise and really amusing. It is a great alternative to reading from long and tedious college level textbooks with like 10 font. (Ugh...cornell notess...).I noticed that a lot of the information my teacher used when he lectured came directly from this book. I can not recommend this product more to any student who is or is going to be enrolled in an APWH course!!!

This is the best review and APWH test preparation that exists!! You will enjoy the style and the voice of the author, and this review will not be dry or boring like your textbook may be ;-)... The sample tests are very similar to the real APWH exam, which is NOT true of any of the other review books. This is not to say that you should substitute this review book for studying your notes and reading your text, because that will not work well for you, but it is a great memory jogger and maybe a great way to help you understand the most important trends and relationships that your textbook covers in more depth. Buy it if you plan to take the AP Exam!!!

I took the 2008 AP World History exam. To study for it, I read Kaplan's, Barron's, and Princeton Review's AP World History review. Of the three, I'd say Princeton Review offers the best history review. Kaplan's was skimpy, and Barron's was more of a textbook than a review. Not only is the Princeton Review book really organized, it also contains numerous compare and contrast essays (e.g. fall of Han empire compared to fall of Roman empire). The review is still lengthy, so this book may not be your best night-before-test cram. The practice tests more accurately reflect the actual test questions than most other prep books. The only downsides to this book are that it doesn't give you review questions at the end of each period and doesn't give you sample essay responses to the essay questions in the practice tests. I felt that the AP World History exam wasn't easy or hard. I just got my grade, a 5.

I goofed, I really wanted cracking the US history exam - we had to get it locally, but will save the World history book for next year.

This series just gets better with each book. If you want an in-your-face protagonist, with a sharp wit and a keen sense of justice, Thea Kozak is a great read. In this book, she's out of her native New England, but murder follows her to Hawaii. "Death in Paradise" has a well-constructed plot, interesting characters, including a young "buddy" who helps her solve the case, and a slam-bang finish.

Thea mops up the crime scene in Hawaii in her usual style. Kate Flora has built a strong series with likable characters. She is witty and informative. I look forward to her next book.

Paradise is Hawaii, but private school consultant Thea Kozak doesn't have much time to enjoy it as she's at the mercy of the whims and bad temper of Martina, the director of an organization of girls' schools. When Martina is murdered, Thea tries to stay out of the way especially since she is not fond of cops except for her love, Andre back in the States. Even trying to avoid "detecting", Thea is more than once in great physical danger. Great characters, behind-the-scenes wrangling and a lovable little girl make this more than "just a mystery."

I read Death in a Funhouse Mirror after reading reviews on Amazon's site. It was excellent - so I then had to find each and every book written by Kate Flora. I haven't been disappointed. They get better and better. Death in Paradise is interesting, earthy and full of suspense. Kate is right up there with Jan Burke and Michael Connelly.

Thea Kozak returns, this time attending an education convention on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Thea hadn't planned on attending, but when her partner comes down with pneumonia, Thea has to take her place. But instead of spending part of her time in convention activities and the rest of her time on the beach relaxing and working on her tan, Thea finds herself in the "Ms. Fixit" role as problem after problem arises at the convention. When the universally disliked convention organizer is strangled, Thea finds herself investigating the case in spite of her desire not to become involved. She is aided by a charming 11-year-old girl who sees herself as a secret agent and spies on hotel guests constantly.

Poor Thea is much abused in DEATH IN PARADISE. Every time she turns around, she is attacked verbally and/or physically. On top of that, she is feeling ill from the very first chapter, to the point she knows she must see a doctor when she returns to Boston. What amazed me is how Thea remained oblivious to the nature of her illness throughout the book. While admitting the symptoms (extreme tiredness, nausea and excessive thirst), she didn't put 2 and 2 together to come up with the correct diagnosis. I spent the entire book waiting for her to figure things out!

As far as the mystery goes, I was clueless as to the killer's identity. Suspects abounded, and the author kept the suspence level high throughout the book. You won't want to miss this series, which combines a strong, likeable heroine with great secondary characters and realistic situations.

I use this in a training class about bank documentation. It is very helpful and comprehensive. It defines terms in concise and easy to understand words. Even a seasoned banker can learn something from this dictionary.

This can almost be considered an inexpensive textbook. It not only defines, but explains the terms in a simple, easy to understand format. Although in dictionary form, it consistently relates the terms to one another so the reader will understand how the concepts interwind. Includes financial and banking terms.

book should contain all banking terms because most of them are not understood by layman

Whether you are a novice seeking to learn the fundamentals of banking, or an active professional who has just encountered an unusual term, you will want this book. Each definition is short (only a paragraph or so), but most contain links to other terms, so the reader can gain a progressively deeper understanding of how terms interrelate. I also like the frequent inclusion of dates (e.g., the year a particular law was passed). The definitions are authoritative--based on a number of leading accounting, banking, and financial entities identified in the introduction. It's worth far more than its bargain price. I look forward to the next edition (Year 2000?). Keep up the good work!

Working in an IT company catering to bankers I bought this book to help understand their lingo. I have to say it hasn't disappointed yet. It is also very up to date the latest IT/banking terms. If you were to read all the definitions in this book you would probably know more than you banker. A great reference. Buy it!

I am in school now for Medical Administration and this book is very thorough with both definition and terms that aids with my studies.Highly recommended.

My wife uses this book on a daily basis and it help clear up medical terminology for us.

This book was sent in a timely manner. the book was in very good condition. This book is very helpful for students in any medical studies.

The best thing about this dictionary, apart from its clear definitions, is the wealth of drawings - not only of anatomical parts but also of many physiological and biochemical processes. I love browsing through the dictionary and looking at the drawings - more terms stay in mind when you see their pictorial representations.

Have been buying this book for friends & relatives for years. After 25 yrs in the medical field, I can recommend it as a quick & useful reference "Get out the little red book" is a rallying cry in my circle.

I've worked with my 6 yr old using flash cards. Hey, it's the way I learned as a kid. But still, I found that instead of memorizing them, she would continue to use her fingers. For her, they were just a bunch of numbers, but without any meaning. With the tricks in this book, she isn't memorizing math facts but developing an understanding how the math fact works in order to get the correct result. With every cumulative practice worksheet, she names the trick and then tells me how the trick is done to arrive at the answer. For the first time, there is meaning to what she is learning instead of simply counting on her fingers. We are still in the beginning part of the book, however, I do believe that when we get to the big subtraction/addition numbers in the book that her face will not glaze over with that "I can't do that" look. She'll be equipped to handle and will continue to be excited to see her own progress. Thank you so very much for this book. It's been just what we need!

"Two Plus Two Is Not Five, by Susan Greenwald, has been instrumental in helping my children visualize math concepts. It turns a bunch of numbers on paper into something real and tangible for my children to work with. As I was teaching them some of the math tricks in this book, I realized Susan (the author) had found a simple way to explain exactly how I actually see math problems in my mind. I never could have explained it this well. This curriculum is easy enough for my 5-year-old - he loves it and asks for more - and yet is still interesting enough to help my 9-year-old fill in some gaps in her math knowledge without being bored. I highly recommend this curriculum. (Reviewed by Kimberly Duell for OklahomaHomeschool.com)

Susan Greenwald has created a no-nonsense book that will not only encourage your kids to stretch their math skills, but they will do it with ease and fun. This book belongs in every school.


Judith Briles, author
The Confidence Factor
Money Smarts
Smart Money Moves for Kids

As an 17+ year teacher of students with learning disabilities and a college instructor to pre-service and in-service teachers, I recommend Two Plus Two is Not Five as the resource for teaching addition and subtraction facts to students with and without disabilities. This isn't a book of drill sheets - this is a workbook with a purpose! Two Plus Two is Not Five presents an instructionally sound and effective "twist" on the mundane task of rote learning math facts that will keep students engaged while becoming proficient and confident. If I could only have one math resource in my elementary classroom - this would be it.

This book was so helpful to me at at time when my child was failing timed math tests at age 7- big F's on his papers- he started calling himself stupid and saying he was "bad in math." I was told to do more games and flash cards- but the systematic program and tricks in this book were really helpful. I thought this author amazing- she personally corresponded to me during a difficult time. I really recommend this book for any family struggling with what comes easy to some children- there is more than one way to learn math facts- and this was very helpful. I highly recommend.