Measurement Books

What I most appreciate about the book are the following: (1) It truly is a textbook on instrumentation and measurement. (I had a difficult time finding a textbook on this subject, and many of those which purport as such are of poor pedagogical quality.) (2) The textbook is not only pedagogically strong but conveys an understanding of practical issues important to this subject. (3) The textbook is timeless; in that, it is written to teach the fundamentals, as opposed to focusing on the latest technology in this field. (4) The overall quality of the textbook is invaluable to someone who is new to the subject. (5) The textbook provides a plentiful number of high-quality problems at the end of each chapter. (6) Chapter 10 of the textbook describes numerous well-written and practical experiments on measurement and instrumentation.

This book is one of very few books that addresses the history of S&T statistics. It is a fascinating story, told well.

Knowing the author's credentials in this field, I expected this book to be good, but not this great.

For those who have used scales and measures over the years, this really has some eye-opening insights.

What I really liked are the figures, tables, and flowcharts. About 75% of the meaning of the book you can get through these modalities.

I plan on using this in a graduate methods class next fall. Even if a grad student just skims the graphics, they'll have learned an incredible amount.

This can't help but be a classic in this field.

If you've ever wanted to know about measurement but not had the time to wade (!) through the minefield of tests available then this is the book for you.

Each test is reviewed on the merits of it's original research with clearly identified references. In the ever expanding world of measurement in neurological conditions, this book allows the reader to find a starting point.

Whether you are a clinician or researcher this book provides a valuable resourse for any medical library, personal or professional.

Dr Wade obviously knows his subject, and the reader will feel confident in the knowledge he is a leading authority on the subject.

This book is great for the 'dip-in and read' approach without being to sturdy or stodgy on information it allows it's reader to explore further if they require.

Although retired from his role at the University of Sydney, I hope that Joel Michell's words continue to change lives as they did when he was actively teaching.

This book takes you through a journey of logic. It is a series of lessons in thinking, and critiques the lack of logic and sensible thought that all too many "scientists" abide by.

If you are reading this review, you already have an inquisitive mind. The lessons from this book changed the way I think, and I don't doubt that it can do so for you.

I am a sonography student and found this book really helpful in the lab and while doing homework. I am sure I will use it at clinical.

when i am developing fine fan and blower, i have found that i need to know the way to measure pressure, speed of the inlet and exit, and this book, my professor from german told me, is what i need.

This book introduces the reader to the world of cognitive science. The scientific discipline of accurately measuring communication processes, more commonly known as attitudes and opinions. A highly mathmatical theory of measuring and changing peoples attitudes is shown and compared to more traditional methods of doing so. One will find that Professor Woelfel has a theory which works in the real world and is many times more effective than any current attitide measurement practices

"Cultural Evolution" is more than the scholastic academic tome it appears. In it, David Hays has truly accomplished what his title says, being indeed an homage to Raoul Naroll, who produced some of the most important sociological work of this century.

Naroll, circa 1950-85, was the first to use allometry .. a General Systems Theory approach .. to evaluating and comparing the 'personalities' and developmental strengths of many of the world's diverse cultures. Naroll wrote "The Moral Order" in the early 1980's but did not live to complete publication of the balance of his work and findings. Hays has accomplished that to a great degree, and brings a cognitive clarity to the evaluation of our social choices and legacies rarely found elsewhere, even in the popular literature which touts itself as insightful.

I think the thing I liked most about this book is it's soft spoken style. As the charts and comparisons build throughout, the careful reader suddenly comes to the realization that every culture is like a unique lifeform or species, contributing special qualities and abilities to the human landscape.

In an age of 'globalization' and pan-economic integrations, we seem to be moving headstrong into some sort of homogenized world. That's all well and good since it will probably result in higher quality of life and health and opportunities worldwide, but Hays' "Cultural Evolution" carries a balancing message: the alternative cultures of the world harbor unique insights, worldviews, special competencies, and skills that other cultures have in lesser or greater degree. And no culture has the inside track on 'superiority' ... each is valuable and necessary in support of the 'whole'.

Not only are there evolutionary-like maturing processes present for cultures as a growthspace .. which all societies seem to go through, there is also branching and uniquenesses that different societies accomplish.

If we homogenize these, if we wash them away in the rush to economic efficiency, then we'll lose a storehouse and wealth of human potential, as surely as what happens when any 'species' goes extinct. And there isn't a healthy ecology/economy anywhere that operates on 'absolute uniformity'. That course leads to atrophy and stagnation.

"Cultural Evolution" quietly makes the case that cultural diversity is a survival mechanism of the human organism. We tend to see our differences as threatening or competetive to our own particular ways of life, when in fact, by being different humanity creatively explores what it means 'to be human'.. totally and fully.

This is a hard conceptual jump to make when 'different' has been historically interpreted as 'strange' or 'incompatible'. As people and cultures are more exposed to one another, it's important to retain cultural identities and specialness, and to extend respect and appreciation of dignity to those who are not identical to 'us' ... whichever 'us' you see yourself as.

We're going into the next hundreds and thousands of years needing all the skills and insights we can muster to bring with us. Cultures and languages and alternative views are the tool kit of survival for human beings. It would be arrogant to think that any one culture has it all or knows it all. It would be foolish to disregard what we've struggled millenia to obtain."Cultural Evolution" makes that clear.

We'd better protect all that we have, even if we're unsure of the individual importances or what they may mean in the future. Protecting human diversity is just as important as protecting botanical or biological diversity. For us, for our future, maybe more so

This is the best book you can purchase on the subject. The only aspect you'll need to complement is about exercises, which the book lacks.