Research Books

I cracked this book open about a month and a half before my AP test. And I think I partly owe it to this book for getting a 5 on the test.

This book is great for assessment. Its pre-test and 3 exams are very difficult. I was consistently scoring around 50% on each test- but I find that I learn best from my mistakes. I'm glad that the practice tests were very difficult rather than very easy, for I improved because of it.

I would recommend that you buy this book simply for practicing. If it's April right now and you just started thinking about buying this book... DO IT. In my french class, we didn't practice listening or speaking very often. This book gave me an opportunity to make up for what was lacking: 32 listening questions x 4 tests and 2 speaking exam sketches x 4 tests + 19 additional sketches... That's plenty of practice right there. The book is accompanied by a CD, which has the listening portions of the practice exams and sample student responses to the speaking exams.

If you happen to bomb the practice tests (like me), it helps a lot to look at the answers: the book gives you each answer choice translated into english (so you can see just how ridiculously wrong the answer you chose was), a detailed explanation of which answer choice is the correct one, and a transcript of everything said on the CDs (because they speak so damn fast).

Of course, the book has a review section. A very extensive one: page 17 through page 306 are devoted to review. I didn't use this book for review that often, but my honest impression is that some of the review section was material we hadn't even covered in class (when to use plaire vs. manquer... the pluperfect subjunctive...) But erring on the side of too much information is better than too little information.

This review might seem laudatory, but I really wanted to express my gratitude to the authors of this book and help other students. I was expecting a 3 or a 4 on this AP test, since only native speakers get 5's. Well, at least that's what I thought.

After struggling with other French prep materials, I was delighted to see an alternative on the market. I was more delighted that the book was decidedly more useful. Bravo! Specifically let me say that:
1. The grammar is more thoroughly reviewed and the explanations are much clearer for high school students.
2. The readings are imaginative, engaging and filled with challenging vocabulary.
3. The author includes 3 full practice exams and the voice quality is wonderful on the CD's
4. This book is more affordable for my students
Bon Apetit!

In conclusion, this is without a doubt the BETTER review book.
Lynnette Lang
French Teacher
Wheaton Academy

As a high school student planning to major in French in college, I knew the importance of succeeding on the AP French Language exam. About a month before the exam was scheduled to take place, I purchased Ellen Knauer's AP French practice book, and I found that it really helped me prepare for the test. I practiced for about twenty mintues each day, by simply going over the sample exercises and listening to the various dialogues included on the book's CD's. By the time I took the test, I felt well prepared and confident in my abilities to express my knowledge of French while taking the exam. Since the formats of the practice tests are exactly the same in the practice book as the real exam in early May, each section was easy to complete and I even had time remaining before I was required to stop after each section of the test. Although I have not yet received my scores, I feel very confident that I earned a five as my total weighted grade on the AP French exam. I would not only recommend the book to anyone who plans on taking the exam in early May, but I would also recommend it to anyone who would like to practice or "brush up" on the different materials it covers before entering at the college level. The book showed me the areas I was weakest in, and it made me stronger at the subjects I already knew fairly well. I would recommend this book without reservation to anyone.

This book breaks down categories very well and the CD is beneficial also.

If you only read one book about case research, buy this one together with R. K. Yin, Case Studie Research: Design and Methods (Beverly Hills, CA: Sage, 2002).

I am working on my theses of doctoral grade and found this book very useful for my methodological work.

Everyone is telling stories through case studies but what do they mean. How can you tell a good case from a poor one? Yin does something that few people have done -- provide a strong academic explaination that is understandable to the business person. Too often strong academic concepts are explained in language that makes the less appealing and seem weak to business people.

Yin's examination of the different types of case studies and study methods helps people understand what they are reading when the read a case study.

This very accessible book is a must for researchers and those who want to understand what cases are and how to use them.

This book is a real good complement to the classic "Case Study Research" from the same author. Some of the concepts of the other book were not aboslutely clear (although the book is very good), but I was really able to understand fully after reading this one. Don't buy one without the other!!! These two books have everything you really need to know about case studies. Good luck!!

This is a great primary reference work. It has a few amusing bits of Classical Test Theory-bashing polemic, which seem both pointless and de rigeur for IRT practitioners. In almost all other aspects, however, this is a well thought-out and highly useful primer for anyone looking to get up-to-speed quickly on using IRT methods to expand and improve their measurement strategies.

I expected this book to be another barely undestandable book on Rasch-type model fitting, written by authors who's principle purpose is first to dazzle readers, then discourage them with mysterious statistical spells and mathmatical enchantments. I was wrong. This is a highly readable book which contains powerful arguments for the application and utility of the the Rasch model. The content is rational, and it's presentation lucid. After a few pages it becomes surprisingly clear these authors actually like their subject and want to share it with others!

If the statistically challenged wish to learn more about a very important new direction in measurement, and can afford only one text, this should be the book.

An excellent contribution to theory and practice. The book is a lucid introduction to the one-parameter IRT methodology that is extremely well-written.

This is a book which takes a daunting subject and treats it in such a fashion that immediately draws the most novice researcher to the topic. The authors take their subject seriously, and take themselves not seriously at all. The result is that rare combination of the "how-to" technical aspects of Rasch Analysis with an entertaining and informative discussion of the theoretical basis of the subject. An enjoyable read, and filled with helpful and useful information. A must for the professional library of any researcher!

Krepinevich has a cult following among professors and students at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. After reading his work I understand why. It is rare that ones comes across a book that radically changes the way one looks at military history. Thousands of books have been written on Vietnam and the movies "Platoon" and "Apocalypse Now" brought the war to millions of Americans. Until I read this book, I thought I understood the causes and conduct of the war. Krepinevich brilliantly analyzes how the U.S. Army planned for and conducted the war. How it tried to fight the war it wanted to fight, vice the war as it actually existed. Army leadership brought their conventional mindset to the jungles of Vietnam. The inability to adapt to change proved a greater threat to the U.S. Army than the North Vietnamese Army. The book rises above the personal narrative style that dominates most Vietnam books. Instead, the book is based on solid military analysis. Even more telling was how the U.S. Army failed to grasp the lessons of counter-insurgency following Vietnam and quickly returned to the conventional mindset it preferred. The writing is crisp and powerful. The lessons of this book remain vital today as the U.S. continues to struggle on how to best defeat America's latest enemies.

This book deserves to be far more widely read than it is--and I have no idea why it isn't. Krepinivich's thesis is a brilliant one--the US army was "conceptually" unprepared to fight the Vietnam war: it brought a cold war mentality to the jungles of Vietnam and spent the first seven or eight years of the war trying to "find" this war. The US army imagined that the Viet Cong was a variant of the Soviet army--they "must" have been controlled by a central organization and "must" have had "hidden armies" lurking in the jungle. Decively defeating them would, the Army believed, end the war.

In fact, Krepinivich convincingly argues, the VC was not in the jungle at all--but in the cities along the coast. "We should have done less 'flit'in' and more 'sit'in'", he says.

The war was actually fought more effectively after US troop reduction prevented the "jungle search" strategy from being implemented. This was something akin to what the Marines performed in I Corps: rather than participate in large scale jungle sweeps, troops were divided up and put in small villages with radios. The strategy was more hazardous as troops, because of their small numbers might be overrun. However, it was more effective because it allowed allied forces to prevent the VC from retaking a village after they had withdrawn from their major operation.

This book should eventually allow for US military operations in the first part of the war to be put in the context of greater US cold war culture. The "willing blindness" of the US military during much of the sixties came from what amounts to a cultural fixation on a way power was imagined to function. Even in '71, Nixon believed that the Vietnamese communists was controled by a "COSVN", which functioned like a sort of "tumor": nip the tumor and the body will fall. This, Krepinivich proves, was all part of the American imaginary. Our blindness went far beyond the generals: it was part of our culture.

This is an excellant book that should be read by every military professional and anybody interested in civil-miltary relationships and what happened in Vietnem. The authors premise is that the Army was unprepared for a war in Vietnam. Krepinevich states that Army training, doctrine and organization was geared toward a conventional conflict like what had happened in WWII and Korea. The Army was not prepared to fight a counterinsurgency against a foe that was only going to fight when they had to and when the circumstances and odds were in their favor. The senior leadership of the Army thought the war would be won be killing VC and NVA. According to Krepinevich this is all wrong. To defeat an insurgency you must protect and convince the people of the country you are trying to save that their fortunes lay in siding with you. If the people aren't going to back you then you will lose. It doesn't matter how many VC you kill. The Army's senior leadership did not want to deal with the pacification programs that would have won the war. Many in the military like to lay the blame for the loss in the war at the feet of the politicians in Washington. And there is justification for that. But Krepinevich makes a strong arguement that the war would have still been lost due to the poor/lack of strategy by our military leaders. Reading this book really angered me. Prior to this I had just finished reading "Street Without Joy" by Bernard Fall and I could not help but note the similarities between the failed French efforts and our own. It was like reading the same book over again except the units and the names of the leaders were different. There were almost no lessons learned by our senior leadership from the French debacle.

Although coming to this work as a result of a contemporary (2006) news story about the author I was shocked at the relevance of the book to the issues facing the US Army (and others) in Iraq.

The Army and Vietnam is a fascinating study of how not to organise and fight a counter-insurgency campaign amongst a resentful populace using the most aggressive and technologically advanced "shock and awe" methods.

It appears, not least from the paucity of reviews, that this is a book that was seen to lack relevance or lessons for America's warriors. How wrong they were.

I would strongly commend this book both to students of the history of the Vietnam War and those looking for a fresh, professional, perspective on the problems the US faces in Iraq.

Mr. Earle has produced a well-written and comprehensive book that carefully and clearly explains how to develop successful public service campaigns.

As a public information official for the City of New York, I was often frustrated by the lack of information available on this subject. While I was able to glean some information from several books or internet sources, there was no definitive resource guide that offered solid counsel on how to effectively create and disseminate important messages to the public.

Mr. Earle's invaluable book is the guide I have been looking for. I was particularly enlightened by his insistence on the proper research and testing of ads, and his insightful critiques of numerous campaigns really illuminated the reasons why some ads worked well while others were either ineffective or counter-productive. These are but two examples of the many lessons I learned by reading this book, lessons that have already influenced the way I approach and execute my work.

In addition to being very informative, this book is also very inspiring. It really imparts that notion that cause marketing is a noble and important profession, one that can truly help change the world. In a way this book changed my life, because it really lit a fire under me to pursue new opportunities in this field. I'm sure that people who have the same passion for this kind of work will be similarly inspired!

Reading this book also led to an interesting experience: Not only did Mr. Earle share his wealth of knowledge and expertise with me through his book, but he was gracious enough to share it with me in person!

Several days after buying the book I contacted Mr. Earle and expressed my appreciation for his book. Not three weeks later I had the pleasure of meeting him and his colleague Barbara Fagan during his visit to New York City. Mr. Earle and Ms. Fagan gave me excellent career advice and some valuable observations regarding a public service campaign I created a couple of years ago. It was a most enjoyable and inspiring meeting!

I am also a fan of Mr. Earle's excellent website which offers additional information on cause marketing, including "picks" of the latest new cause marketing campaigns, availability and notification of seminars and lectures by Mr. Earle and his staff, latest news about social marketing activities, and links to interesting Cause sites.

Check it out!

What a pleasure to have a whole book devoted to the most noble kind of advertising. With refreshing sincerity, Richard Earle takes us through all the facets of building a public service campaign and offers valuable advise about everything from approaching the media to judging creative.

I really appreciated Richard Earle's insistence that the strategy behind the creative message be carefully thought through and tested. He presents some eye-opening reasons why this discipline is even more important in the realm of cause-related campaigns. While most of the case studies are about large-scale campaigns, there is plenty here for people working on a smaller scale.

Of particular interest to me, were Earle's thoughts about the need to reform political advertising. After a few brave comments, he says, "but that's the subject of another book". I'll be watching for it.

As a marketing professor, this is the first time I've come across a truly enlightening book on social cause marketing. I read it non-stop, page after page, devouring Mr. Earle's tons of wisdom. It gave much practical insights and I appreciate it coming from someone with lots of experience and daring to speak his mind out. The book covered a comprehensive range of topics including research. media, and the various forms of advertising. I found "Planning the Campaign" particularly instructive.

Social cause marketers must read this book. I see so many ads go to waste because of creative licence that has nothing to do with the audience's interests. How shameful! Especially so for social cause advertising that can potentially do more harm than good. It is high time that social cause marketers learn how to be more effective in their campaigns and ad agencies more responsible in their proposals.

As a researcher, I can't help but think through the various psychological theories that can be applied to explain the effectiveness and non-effectiveness of some of the campaigns. Some I can theorize why, and some I can't. It goes to show, this is really more an art than a science, and Mr Earle has helped us master the art.

Some non-fiction books are written by skillful scriveners with only a passing, or recently acquired, knowledge of the sibject matter; others by unquestionable experts whose literary skills have all the sparkle of a rural telephone directory.

Seldom does one encounter an author who has been there, done that, and is able to convey the "how-to" of his topic with both clarity and a touch of pizazz.

Such a book/writer combination is "The Art Of Cause Marketing" by Richard Earle, which may endure as a bible of non-commercial advertising, beginning with the genesis of core objectives through every aspect of the production, delivery and feedback processes.

It has the thoroughness of a scholarly text, but is rich in anecdotes, case histories and quotations from a veritable "Who's Who" of advertising heavyweights.

Much of its readability stems, no doubt, from Earle's early roots in television and theatre, prior to an impressive career as a copywriter, creative director and consultant in big-time marketing.

Among the millions of words he probably assembled and/or massaged, perhaps the most memorable would be one of the phrases of which he is least proud. His "enquiring minds want to know" rocketed a tabloid magazine to the top of its tawdry heap.

He is more likely to point with pride to his writing and supervision of the "Trust Tylenol" ads, which spearheaded that product's recovery and return to market domination after two nearly disastrous tampering incidents.

The candor and courage exhibited by his client, Johnson & Johnson, in that crisis reflected Earle's obviously strong belief that honesty, simplicity and straight talk have a far greater impact than shallowness, however cleverly it may be presented.

Before retiring to full-time involvement in cause marketing, Earle garnered two gold "Effies"," and over 50 other industry awards, including the coveted "Gold Lion" at Cannes, so he knows whereof he writes.

The 322 pages of this book are replete with examples of actual cause marketing campaigns, both those that succeeded and some that missed their marks. In the latter category, he shows a refreshing willingness to reveal many of his own bad calls.

Of current vintage are his detailed accounts of such ongoing campaigns as the anti-smoking drives in Massachusetts, which he serves as a principal consultant, and which have contributed to a dramatic reduction in cigarette usage throughout the Bay State and beyond.

Also seasoning the book are references to and direct quotations of scores of stars in the advertising firmament, most of them stemming from a direct relationship with the author.

Besides being a "must read" for the in crowd of both advertising and cauise marketing, Earle's volume contains a wealth of useful information for anyone involved in dealing with the public.

This reviewer, for one (an escapee from sales management), gained an entirely new perspective on both marketing and causes, seeing some things for the very first time and others for the first time without the filtering effect of smoke and mirrors.

Other readers, particularly those involved in the flawed campaigns cited, might find it rough going at times, since Richard Earle pulls no punches regarding the agonies of defeat as well as the thrills of victory.

It might well have been titled "How To Influence People Without Necessarily Winning Friends."

This book is one of the most profoundly insightful and useful books I have ever found. I am just starting out as a researcher, and this book has helped me advance quickly in my skills and knowledge. I find it so useful, that I read it on a monthly basis (7 readings and counting) just to keep its wisdom fresh in my mind. It is absolutely vital for any new researcher, as it gives you a jump start into scientific investigation, and I also highly recommend it for senior researchers and scientists, as its wisdom is perfect for giving oneself a new perspective on one's research. I routinely give away copies of this book to other new researchers that I meet, and all of them give it the same high praise that I do. It is a must buy.

Starting with the first sentence ".. the most important instrument in research must always be the mind of man.", this book offers insight, not dogma, into the nature of research and the researcher. Peppered with examples from his own research, and scientists as Pastuer, Paul Ehrlich, and Darwin, Beveridge shows the importance of the mind of the researcher. Particularly powerful was the chapter (and appendix) on recognizing chance, as Pastuer states "chance favors only the prepared mind".

Beveridge offers a nice contrast to an overly mechanist hypo-deductive method, and recognizes the value of hypothesis in guiding research as well as precautions in the use of hypothesis. Unlike journals that refuse to publish mistakes, or graduate students who are afraid of failure, he offers Whiteheads "panic of error is the death of progress". Beveridge recognizes the role of chance, error, intuition, and creativity in the research process. Although, many examples are from biology, the physicist should not be viewed as aloof from the need for creativity, and he quotes Einstein "There is no logical way to the discovery of these elemental laws. There is only the way of intuition ...".

This is not a book for a beginner or someone looking for a how-to-do-it or for-dummies. Beveridge takes his time, in the same way a good novelist might be said to take his time, in discussing the motives, characteristics and values of research and good researchers. For anyone seriously interested in learning about research, it's just excellent.

Although this book was published in 1957, and does not even mention DNA or Watson and Crick, it still provides what is in my mind a very accurate picture of how scientific research is really performed. It takes some getting used to Beveridge's style and the old examples can appear to be ancient at first, I found that in the end I could not put this book down. It offers a complete overview of all the steps involved in scientific discoveries (reason, chance, intuition and strategy) that still holds true for the 21st century.
This is a great book for anyone starting in science and also for those who are going through a rough time when results are not coming along as smoothly as one might hope: it is a strong reminder that science really is an art!

A monumental reference book! The title of the book in French (I have it both in French and English) would roughly translate into Anthology of Strategy in World History. It puts the accent on the concept of Strategy rather than War. And that's how I use it. I would even call it the History of Strategic Thinking. I am a management and technology expert and this book is one of my reference books on Strategy and on my shelf it sits alongside books on Strategy.

What I like most about it, is its historic depth and scope. There is, to my knowledge, no other work on Strategy which has such a historic scope ranging from Ancient history to modern days with so much information and intelligence.

I strongly recommend it to all those interested in the History of Strategic Thinking.

I am a regular reader of Mr Chaliand and when I read his books I have the same experience as when I read Nietzsche: a feeling of freshness.

This anthology provides a wonderful history of the Art of War in a compact and readable format. Presented in the form of brief biographies and historical vignettes, there is literally something for everybody in this treatise. Whether you are a student, organizational leader, or military strategist, this book has information you can put to work today.

A wonderful edited volume that makes a great introduction to the subject of military strategy. Organized chronologically, the works of nearly all the major strategists in history appear including non-Europeans.

This book is an excellent compilation of the best military writers throughtout the ages. The book begins with authors from ancient Rome, Greece and China and progresses through history. It goes on to include the best works of about 100 military geniuses. Excerpts are from Sun Tzu, Clausewitz, Alfred Thayer Mahan, Erwin Rommel and many others. If you want a book on military history and generalship through the ages, this tome will provide it. Be forewarned though, this book is over 1000 pages and not all the early writers are easy to read. But, overall, an excellent book for anyone who loves military history.

I liked (and used) this book so much that when a person I lent it to lost it, I just had to buy it again. It changed the life of a patient of mine and can change yours too.

I could type 1000 'thankyou's. For those of us who grew up in an abusive envirionment subject to brutal aggressive behavior this book is a life saver. The easy to read and real-life style make it especially useful.

My original exposure to this book was in a class I took prior to 1984. I still refer to it when ever I need to reinforce confidence in myself and my ability to behave in an assertive manner even when challenged by highly charged emotional situations.

THE ASSERTIVE OPTION may be an "older" title (1978), but it remains one of the best resources in clearly understanding and changing your ability to effectively assert yourself! A must for the library of helping professionals (the reviewer is a psychologist), it is easily readable by lay audiences, yet contains dynamic insights and sugestions for all readers. Jakubowski educates the reader as to the "personal rights" of every individual - the basis for allowing the self to stand up and be counted - as well as step-by-step guidelines to effective assertive behavior and communication.

I've read some of the classics on assertiveness.
For me, this book was the only one that made a lasting difference.
I think that this is one of the top 3 REBT related books.

Robert is the author or co-author of a number of excellently written statistical texts from a Bayesian viewpoint. This text is no exception. It was quite popular in its first edition in 1994 (a translation and correction of an earlier text in French). The rapid advancement in Bayesian applications and theory due to the success of computer-intensive methods such as Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods justifies an update in 2001.
Chapter 7 on model choice is entirely new and Chapter 6 on Bayesian calculations is extensively revised. Chapter 10 on hierarchical models and empirical Bayes extensions has been supplemented with a number of recent examples. Bayesian hierarchical models are now being used in the development of clinical trials particularly in the medical device industry.

This is an advanced graduate text in Bayesian statistics and has a wealth of references to the literature. In that respect it is very similar to the fine text by Bernardo and Smith (1994) "Bayesian Theory" but is a little more current.

An important reference for all statistical researchers, I highly recommend it for a graduate course text in Bayesian methods as well as for a reference book.

Robert's defend the bayesian choice is one of the clearest and convincing in the last years. The book is concise and direct and the math kept at an appropriate level. I can only hope Springer republises it ASAP.

Robert is the author or co-author of a number of excellently written statistical texts from a Bayesian viewpoint. This text is no exception. It was quite popular in its first edition in 1994 (a translation and correction of an earlier text in French). The rapid advancement in Bayesian applications and theory due to the success of computer-intensive methods such as Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods justifies an update in 2001.

Chapter 7 on model choice is entirely new and Chapter 6 on Bayesian calculations is extensively revised. Chapter 10 on hierarchical models and empirical Bayes extensions has been supplemented with a number of recent examples. Bayesian hierarchical models are now being used in the development of clinical trials particularly in the medical device industry.

This is an advanced graduate text in Bayesian statistics and has a wealth of references to the literature. In that respect it is very similar to the fine text by Bernardo and Smith (1994) "Bayesian Theory" but is a little more current.

An important reference for all statistical researchers, I highly recommend it for a graduate course text in Bayesian methods as well as for a reference book.

The book is a good introduction to bayesian decision theory. The plenty examples in the book are helpful in the understanding of the subject, but one could wish a more detailed description of the bayesian paradigm. People with little experience with statistics should maybe consider another book.

Professor Peter C. Doherty was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine with Swiss colleague, Rolf Zingerngel, in 1996 for discovering `the nature of the cellular immune defence', and was also recognised as Australian of the Year in 1997.

Brief history of Noble Prize/s and autobiography of his childhood. Technical in places on immunology. A very informative read.

It is not a How-To book to get the Super Prize, it is a journey of a Nobel Prize winner from his childhood to manage to get a nobel prize.

I really like it

In 1996 author Peter Doherty found himself receiving the Nobel Price for Physiology or Medicine from the king of Sweden - an unlikely event for a boy who grew up in an Australian working neighborhood where his schoolmates ended up working in the local slaughterhouse. His journey from Australia, his evolving interest in immunology, and his eventual award-winning work are revealed in a memoir which surveys the life of a research scientist, discussing how scientific projects are selected, funded and organized. This approach makes this more than just a memoir of a prize-winner - and important to any aspiring scientist.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book is part memoir, part autobiography, part philosophy, and part several other things, and the result is a delightful read. The title needs to be taken just a bit in jest as no body can tell you how to win the big one. In science that's the Nobel, in sports its the Superbowl or World Series, in acting a Tony or Emmy.

What the book can tell you is how the big one changes your life around. When the Nobel committee called to inform him that he was a winner they said, 'I'm going to give you ten minutes to call your families and friends before I release it to the press. After that expect the phone to be continuously busy.' In the case of the Nobel, a surprising number of people can't get back to the life of research they previously did, they are too busy making speeches and the like.

Another part of the book is on the conflict between science and religion. Back in Galileo's day the Church had decreed that everything went around the Earth, the center of God's perfect universe. Looking through his home made telescope, Galileo saw that moons went around Jupiter. He was shown the instruments of torture and kept under house arrest for the remainder of his life. After this, astronomical research moved to areas not under the tight control of the church.

Now it seems to be the time for biology to be held in contempt. There exists the possibility that religion will stop biology, at least in the United States, substituting faith in the Bible to replace observable facts. This is pretty scary in view of AIDS, bird flu, and other possible pandemics.

Finally there is a section on What's Next. There are too many thoughts here that I can't even begin to do justice to them in a list. Lets just say that there are tremendous problems, tremendous opportunities.