Kamis, 29 Mei 2014

* Free PDF Fundamentals of Communication Systems, by John G. Proakis, Masoud Salehi

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Fundamentals of Communication Systems, by John G. Proakis, Masoud Salehi

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Fundamentals of Communication Systems, by John G. Proakis, Masoud Salehi

For a one/two-semester senior or first-year graduate level course in analog and digital communications. This text is also a suitable reference for electrical engineers for all basic relevant topics in digital communication system design.


With an emphasis on digital communications, Communication Systems Engineering, introduces the basic principles underlying the analysis and design of communication systems. In addition, this text gives a solid introduction to analog communications and a review of important mathematical foundation topics.

  • Sales Rank: #852247 in Books
  • Published on: 2004-12-12
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: 9.30" h x 1.70" w x 7.00" l, 2.60 pounds
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 858 pages

From the Back Cover

Communication Systems Engineering, 2nd edition, offers comprehensive coverage of the basic principles in the analysis and design of modern communication systems, and review of important mathematical foundation topics. This new edition of Communication Systems Engineering exposes the reader to relevant topics from digital communication system principles including, source coding, channel coding, baseband and carrier modulation, channel distortion, channel equalization, synchronization, and wireless communications.

New content changes for the second edition include:
  • Coverage of the JPEG standard for image compression
  • Coverage of OFDM and multicarrier modulation
  • Coverage of Turbo codes, product codes, the BCJR algorithm, and iterative codes
  • A chapter on wireless communications (including new material on GSM and the IS-95 CDMA standard, as well as multiple antenna systems and space-time codes)

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

This book is intended as a senior level undergraduate textbook on communication systems for Electrical Engineering majors. Its primary objective is to introduce the basic techniques used in modern communication systems and to provide fundamental tools and methodologies used in the analysis and design of these systems. Although the book is mainly written as an undergraduate level textbook, it can be equally be useful to the practicing engineer, or as a self study tool.

The emphasis of the book is on digital communication systems, which are treated in detail in Chapters 7 through 13. These systems are the backbone of modern communication systems, including new generations of wireless communication systems, satellite communications, and data transmission networks. Traditional analog communication systems are also covered with due detail in Chapters 3, 4, and 6. In addition, the book provides detailed coverage of the background required for the course in two chapters, one on linear system analysis with emphasis on the frequency domain approach and Fourier techniques, and one on probability, random variables, and random processes. Although these topics are now covered in separate courses in the majority of electrical engineering colloquia, it is the experience of the authors that the students frequently need to review these topics in a course on communications, and therefore it is essential to have quick access the relevant material from these courses.

It is assumed that the students taking this course have background in calculus, linear algebra, basic electronic circuits, linear system theory, and probability and random variables. These latter two topics are reviewed in two chapters of the book.

ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOK

The book starts with a brief review of communication systems in Chapter 1 followed by methods of signal representation and system analysis in both time and frequency domains in Chapter 2. Emphasis is placed on the Fourier series and the Fourier transform representation of signals and the use of transforms in linear systems analysis.

Chapters 3 and 4 cover the modulation and demodulation of analog signals. In Chapter 3 amplitude modulation (AM), and in Chapter 4 frequency modulation (FM), and phase modulation (PM) are covered. Radio and television broadcasting and analog mobile radio cellular communication systems are also treated in these chapters.

In Chapter 5, we present a review of the basic definitions and concepts in probability and random processes. Special emphasis is placed on Gaussian random processes, which provide mathematically tractable models for additive noise disturbances. Both time domain and frequency domain representations of random signals are presented.

Chapter 6 covers the effects of additive noise in the demodulation of amplitude modulated (AM) and angle modulated (FM,PM) analog signals and a comparison of these analog signal modulations in terms of their signal-to-noise ratio performance. Also discussed in this chapter is the problem of estimating the carrier phase using a phase-locked loop (PLL). Finally, we describe the characterization of thermal noise and the effect of transmission losses in analog communication systems.

Chapter 7 is devoted to analog-to-digital conversion. Sampling theorem and quantization techniques are treated first, followed by waveform encoding methods including PCM, DPCM, and DM. This chapter concludes with brief discussion of LPC speech coding and the JPEG standard for image compression.

Chapter 8 treats modulation methods for baseband AWGN channels. Various types of binary and non-binary modulation methods are described based on a geometric representation of signals and their performance is evaluated in terms of the probability of error. The final topic of this chapter is focused on signal synchronization methods for digital communication systems.

In Chapter 9, we consider the problem of digital communication through bandlimited, AWGN channels. The effect of channel distortion on the transmitted signals is characterized in terms of intersymbol interference (ISI) and the design of adaptive equalizers for suppressing ISI is described.

Digital signal transmission via carrier modulation is described in Chapter 10. The carrier modulation methods treated in this chapter are pulse amplitude modulation (PAM), phase-shift keying (PSK), quadrature-amplitude modulation (QAM), frequency-shift keying (FSK), and continuous-phase frequency-shift keying (CPFSK).

A number of selected topics in digital communications are treated in Chapter 11. Topics include digital communication in fading multipath channels, multicarrier modulation (orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing), spread spectrum signals and systems, a brief description of the GSM and IS95 digital cellular communication systems, and link budget analysis in free space (line-of-sight) channels.

Chapter 12 is focused on the basic limits on communication of information, including the information content of memoryless sources and the capacity of the additive white Gaussian noise channel. Two widely used algorithms for encoding the output of igital sources, namely, the Huffman coding algorithm and the Lempel-Ziv algorithm are also described in this chapter.

Chapter 13, the last chapter in the book, treats channel coding and decoding. Linear block codes and convolutional codes are described for enhancing the performance of a digital communication system in the presence of additive, white Gaussian node. Both hard-decision and soft-decision decoding of block and convolutional codes are also treated. Coding for bandwidth limited channels (trellis coded modulation), turbo codes, and low density parity check codes are also treated in this chapter.

Throughout the book many worked examples are provided to emphasize the use of the techniques developed in theory. Each chapter follows with a large number of problems at different levels of difficulty. The problems in each chapter are followed by a selection of computer problems which usually ask for simulation of various algorithms developed in that chapter using MATLAB. The solutions to the MATLAB problems are made available on the PH website for the book.

COURSE OPTIONS

This book can serve as a text in either a one-semester or a two-semester course in communication systems. An important consideration in the design of the course is whether or not the students have had a prior course in probability and random processes. Another important consideration is whether or not analog modulation and demodulation techniques are to be covered. Below, we outline three scenarios. Others are certainly possible.

  • A one-term course in analog and digital communication: Selected review sections from Chapters 2 and 5, all of Chapters 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8, and selections from Chapters 7-13.
  • A one-term course in digital communication: Selected review sections from Chapters 2 and 5, and Chapters 7-13.
  • 3. A two-term course sequence on analog and digital communications:
    • Chapters 2-6 for the first course.
    • Chapters 7-13 for the second course.

    Most helpful customer reviews

    1 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
    Best book for Communication
    By Giovanni Vecchio
    I strongly suggest this book for anybody willing to understand the basics of communication and beyond. Be prepared for some high level mathematics.
    Some of the proves are not worked out into the fine details. It assumes that you are smart enough to work it out the "minutia" of some proves.

    4 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
    Skips through important concepts too quickly
    By Yavi The Gun
    I am using this book in 2 courses - Signals & Random Processes, and Digital Transmission. Although the material is very in-depth, unless you already know the material and just need a refresher, you will probably find out that it's very hard to follow what the authors say. If I was relying on this book alone, I wouldn't have understood a thing.

    They jump from one major topic to another on the same page without explaining the concepts in depth. There are very few examples to help you understand the concepts.

    If you have the choice, I would recommend against this book and would recommend John Wiley's Introduction to Analog & Digital Communications, or a book with the same title by Michael Fitz.

    2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
    Sparse, laden with typos/errors
    By Benjamin Diller
    Frankly, this book is really poor. The material presented is sparse and sometimes ambiguous, and if your professor teaches straight from the book without providing any examples/information of his or her own, you will likely struggle.

    Perhaps more importantly, there are *many* typos in the problems at the end of each chapter (which the professor has to continually correct - this isn't just my own interpretation). Scale is frequently wrong (Hz vs. kHz vs. Mhz, etc.), leading to nonsensical or unobtainable solutions, variables get mislabeled, and more. These errors make the book even more difficult to learn from, as the lack of confidence in the practice problems really compounds the students' sense of uncertainty.

    I am kind of shocked that the book was published in this state. It's a first edition, so a certain lack of polish is to be expected, but c'mon guys, I shouldn't feel like I'm fighting an uphill battle to learn the material.

    By way of fairness, I will say that the book is very well organized and structured, and I think the block diagrams in particular, depicting a signal's path through the described system, are very informative.

    Regarding my credibility, I am in the very top of my class at a fairly new but well-respected School for Engineering, studying EE.

    See all 15 customer reviews...

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    • Sales Rank: #521332 in Books
    • Published on: 2005-06-19
    • Original language: English
    • Number of items: 1
    • Dimensions: 8.96" h x .55" w x 6.00" l, 1.00 pounds
    • Binding: Paperback
    • 384 pages

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    Engineering the Complex SOC

    The first unified hardware/software guide to processor-centric SOC design

    Processor-centric approaches enable SOC designers to complete far larger projects in far less time. Engineering the Complex SOCis a comprehensive, example-driven guide to creating designs with configurable, extensible processors. Drawing upon Tensilica’s Xtensa architecture and TIE language, Dr. Chris Rowen systematically illuminates the issues, opportunities, and challenges of processor-centric design.

    Rowen introduces a radically new design methodology, then covers its essential techniques: processor configuration, extension, hardware/software co-generation, multiple processor partitioning/communication, and more. Coverage includes:

    • Why extensible processors are necessary: shortcomings of current design methods

    • Comparing extensible processors to traditional processors and hardwired logic

    • Extensible processor architecture and mechanisms of processor extensibility

    • Latency, throughput, coordination of parallel functions, hardware interconnect options, management of design complexity, and other issues

    • Multiple-processor SOC architecture for embedded systems

    • Task design from the viewpoints of software andhardware developers

    • Advanced techniques: implementing complex state machines, task-to-task synchronization, power optimization, and more

    • Toward a “sea of processors”: Long-term trends in SOC design and semiconductor technology

    For all architects, hardware engineers, software designers, and SOC program managers involved with complex SOC design; and for all managers investing in SOC designs, platforms, processors, or expertise.

    PRENTICE HALL
    Professional Technical Reference
    Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
    www.phptr.com

    • Sales Rank: #3230122 in Books
    • Published on: 2004-06-14
    • Released on: 2004-06-04
    • Original language: English
    • Number of items: 1
    • Dimensions: 9.00" h x 1.20" w x 7.00" l, 1.93 pounds
    • Binding: Paperback
    • 496 pages

    From the Back Cover
    Engineering the Complex SOC The first unified hardware/software guide to processor-centric SOC design Processor-centric approaches enable SOC designers to complete far larger projects in far less time. Engineering the Complex SOCis a comprehensive, example-driven guide to creating designs with configurable, extensible processors. Drawing upon Tensilica's Xtensa architecture and TIE language, Dr. Chris Rowen systematically illuminates the issues, opportunities, and challenges of processor-centric design. Rowen introduces a radically new design methodology, then covers its essential techniques: processor configuration, extension, hardware/software co-generation, multiple processor partitioning/communication, and more. Coverage includes:

    • Why extensible processors are necessary: shortcomings of current design methods
    • Comparing extensible processors to traditional processors and hardwired logic
    • Extensible processor architecture and mechanisms of processor extensibility
    • Latency, throughput, coordination of parallel functions, hardware interconnect options, management of design complexity, and other issues
    • Multiple-processor SOC architecture for embedded systems
    • Task design from the viewpoints of software andhardware developers
    • Advanced techniques: implementing complex state machines, task-to-task synchronization, power optimization, and more
    • Toward a "sea of processors": Long-term trends in SOC design and semiconductor technology
    For all architects, hardware engineers, software designers, and SOC program managers involved with complex SOC design; and for all managers investing in SOC designs, platforms, processors, or expertise. PRENTICE HALL
    Professional Technical Reference
    Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
    www.phptr.com

    About the Author

    About the Author

    DR. CHRIS ROWEN is President, CEO, and Founder of Tensilica, a leader in the automatic generation of application-specific microprocessors for high-volume systems. He pioneered RISC architecture at Stanford, helped start MIPS Computer Systems, and served as VP/General Manager of the Design Reuse Group at Synopsys. He holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford.

    Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

    This book is aimed at the architects, designers, and programmers involved with complex SOC design. Managers of companies making significant investments in SOC designs and platforms will also find the essential changes in design process and architecture of platform hardware and software important to understand. These changes may directly or indirectly influence investment strategies, core competencies, and organization structure over time.

    The book outlines the major forces changing the SOC design process and introduces the concept of SOC design using extensible processors as a basic design fabric. It teaches the essentials of extensible processor architecture, tools for instruction-set extension, and multiple-processor SOC architecture for embedded systems. It uses examples from Tensilica’s Xtensa architecture and the Tensilica Instruction Extension (TIE) language throughout to give a precise, practical, and up-to-date picture of the real issues and opportunities associated with this new design method. You will find enough information on Xtensa and TIE to understand the methodology, though this book does not attempt to serve as comprehensive product documentation for either.

    This book does not offer equal emphasis to all methodologies. Instead, it concentrates on the proposed benefits of this new SOC design methodology, highlighting the opportunities and dealing with issues associated with conversion from a gate-centric to a processor-centric SOC design methodology.

    The first part of this book provides a high-level introduction to the many SOC design problems and their solutions. The middle sections give a more detailed look at how extensible processors compare to both traditional processors and hardwired logic. It also discusses how the essential mechanisms of processor extensibility address both the computation and communications needs of advanced SOC architectures. The later sections give a series of detailed examples to reinforce the applicability of the new SOC design method.

    This introduction exposes the basic issues in SOC design and the motivation for considering an overhaul of the hardware and software structures and methods used for SOC development.

    Chapter 2 provides a current view of SOC hardware structure, software organization, and chip-development flow. This chapter exposes the six basic shortcomings of the current SOC design method and explains why new structures and processes are necessary.

    Chapter 3 introduces the new SOC design approach based on use of extensible processors across all control and data-processing functions on the chip. It briefly discusses how this approach addresses the six big problems.

    Chapter 4 takes a top-down approach to processor-centric SOC architecture, looking at overall data flow through complex system architectures. The chapter shows how complex functions are decomposed into function blocks which may often be implemented as application-speci fic processors. Key issues include latency and throughput of blocks, programming models for coordination of parallel functions, hardware interconnect options, and management of complexity across the entire chip design.

    Chapters 5 and 6 dig down into the design of the individual tasks. Chapter 5 looks at task design through the eyes of the software developer, especially the process of taking a task originally intended to run on a general-purpose processor and running that task on an applicationspeci fic processor. The chapter shows how application-specific processors fit the use model of traditional embedded processor cores while adding simple mechanisms that dramatically improve the performance and efficiency of complex tasks. This chapter includes a simple introduction to the principles of the Xtensa architecture, including Flexible Length Instruction Extensions (FLIX) and fully automated instruction-set generation.

    Chapter 6, by contrast, looks at task design through the eyes of the hardware developer, especially at the process of taking a hardware function and translating it into an application-speci fic processor with comparable performance but thorough programmability. The chapter establishes the basic correspondence between hardware pipelines and processor pipelines and recommends techniques for efficient mapping of traditional hardware functions (including highbandwidth, low-latency functions) into application-specific processors.

    Chapter 7 deals with a series of more advanced SOC-design topics and issues, including techniques for implementing complex state machines, options for task-to-task communication and synchronization, interfaces between processors and remaining hardware blocks, power optimization, and details of the TIE language.

    Chapter 8, the final chapter, looks down the road at the long-term future of SOC design, examining basic trends in design methodology and semiconductor technology. It paints a 10 to 15 year outlook for the qualitative and quantitative changes in design, in applications, and in the structure of the electronics industry.

    The book uses a number of related terms in the discussion of SOC design. An SOC design methodology is the combination of building blocks, design generators, architectural guidelines, tools, simulation methods, and analysis techniques that together form a consistent environment for development of chip designs and corresponding software. The book generally refers to the recommended method as the advanced SOC design or processor-centric SOC design methodology. Occasionally, we use the phrase MPSOC design methodology for multiple-processor system- on-chip design methodology to emphasize the role of processors, often combined in large numbers, as the basic building blocks for flexible SOCs. The ultimate vision is a role for configurable processors so common, so automatic, and so pervasive that we can rightly call the result a ‘sea of processors.’ Within a decade, processors could become the new logic gate, with hundreds or thousands of processors per chip and application-specific configuration of processors as routine as logic synthesis is today.

    This book touches on a range of hardware, software, and system-design issues, but it cannot hope to cover each of these topics comprehensively. Rather than interrupt the flow with extensive footnotes and technical references, each chapter ends with a section for further reading. These sections highlight significant technical papers in the domain covered by each chapter and list additional books that may augment your understanding of the subject.

    This book uses Tensilica’s Xtensa processor architecture and tools to illustrate important ideas. This book does not attempt, however, to fully document Tensilica’s products. Contact Tensilica for more complete details at http://www.tensilica.com. Other approaches to automatic processor generation are mentioned in the book, especially in Chapter 3.



    0131455370P08062004

    Most helpful customer reviews

    3 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
    Chip designers, managers, programmers, investors: READ THIS
    By John R Mashey
    Chris Rowen, CEO of Tensilica, has an exceptionally broad history of successful experience in VLSI chip design, verification, software, systems design, multiprocessor applications, and EDA tools. This book draws on the integration of those experiences to build an exciting new approach to designing high-performance, low-cost, low-power chips and concurrently, well-tuned software.
    Investors and managers should read Chapters 1,2,3 which analyze the trends and issues in System-on-Chip design, and motivate the use of a new approach that combines extensible processors with powerful software to create software and hardware in parallel, faster, and with less engineering effort. They should also read Chapter 8, which makes insightful prognostications about a future in which many chips will have hundreds of CPUs, or more.
    If those Chapters describe What's Happening, and Why We Must Change, Chapters 4-7 explore How to Do It, and should be read by both hardware and software engineers who build embedded systems. The real-world examples (from Tensilica) and advice offer strong support that this approach actually works.
    Although it certainly promotes the Tensilica viewpoint, it is well-motivated, well-referenced to the last 20 years of computing research, and has good comparisons with other approaches, i.e., it is not just a commerical sales-pitch. The book is clearly written (modulo a few typos), and can be used by readers of varying depth of experience and knowledge.
    Computers have improved drastically in the last two decades, but we humans have not improved in speed or memory, and we are limited in the number of things we can really grasp at once. Real computing breakthroughs happen when people invent cost-effective ways to raise the level of abstraction, so that our brains can ignore low-level details and focus on larger issues.
    Increasing CPU performance enabled people to shift some work from assembly code, to higher-level languages like FORTRAN or C, to early scripting languages [like UNIX's shell and awk], and then to even higher-level languages like TCL, Perl, PHP, Python, etc. These have enabled large numbers of people to build their own Web-based applications. It is simply unimaginable that we'd have all those applications if people had nothing but assembler and C.
    I think this book describes a similar kind of breakthrough, which drastically raises the level of abstraction in concurrent hardware/software design, to take advantage of the huge nubmers of transistors now available at low cost. This doesn't mean that other design approaches will disappear (just as C hasn't gone away), but I do believe the approach described here will find increasingly wide usage, and it will certainly change the landscape. Chris is an old colleage from MIPS and SGI, and I always appreciated his insights, and this book integrates them into a very useful whole.

    See all 1 customer reviews...

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    ^ PDF Download The Secrets of Economic Indicators: Hidden Clues to Future Economic Trends and Investment Opportunities, by Bernard Baumohl

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    The Secrets of Economic Indicators: Hidden Clues to Future Economic Trends and Investment Opportunities, by Bernard Baumohl



    The Secrets of Economic Indicators: Hidden Clues to Future Economic Trends and Investment Opportunities, by Bernard Baumohl

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    The Secrets of Economic Indicators: Hidden Clues to Future Economic Trends and Investment Opportunities, by Bernard Baumohl

    “This is the real deal. Baumohl miraculously breathes life into economic indicators and statistics.”

    –The Wall Street Journal

     

    “This is the most up-to-date guide to economic indicators and their importance to financial markets in print. The coverage of less-reported indicators, especially those from nongovernment sources, is hard to find elsewhere. The inclusion of the actual published tables helps the newer student of the markets find the data in the public release. For anyone trying to follow the economic data, this should be next to your computer so that you can understand and find the data on the Internet.”

    –David Wyss, Chief Economist, Standard and Poor’s

     

    “I find Baumohl’s writing fascinating. In addition to the famous indicators, he includes many that I hadn’t heard of. I really appreciate that he tells you exactly where to find each indicator on the Web. Just about anyone who’s serious about understanding which way the economy is headed will want to read this book. It could be a classic.”

    –Harry Domash, Columnist for MSN Money and Publisher, Winning Investing Newsletter

     

    “Bernie Baumohl has accomplished something of real value in The Secrets of Economic Indicators. He has successfully demystified the world of financial and economic news that bombards us in our daily lives. Both professional investors and casual observers of the world of finance and economics will be grateful for what he has done. The constant stream of heretofore bewildering news from the world of business and finance can now be easily understood. Every businessperson or investor should keep a copy of Baumohl’s book close at hand as he or she catches up on the business, stock market, and economic events of the day. It is great, at long last, to have someone who has eliminated what may have been so perplexing to so many and to have done so with such remarkable clarity.”

    –Hugh Johnson, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Johnson Illington Advisors

     

    “Bernie Baumohl has written a must-read educational and reference book that every individual investor will find indispensable for watching, monitoring, and interpreting the markets. The daily flow of high frequency economic indicators is the stuff that makes financial markets move and that can signal the big trends that make or break investor portfolios. Most important, Bernie’s long experience in reporting economics for Time Magazine helps make the ‘dismal science’ lively and interesting.”

    –Allen Sinai, President and Chief Global Economist, Decision Economics, Inc.

     

    “Baumohl has a gift for taking a complicated subject and allowing it to read like a fast-moving novel. My confidence in reading and understanding economic indicators as portrayed in this book made me realize the possibilities this information holds for improving my personal net worth as well as navigating my business toward higher profits. I recommend this book if you care about your future finances.”

    –Morris E. Lasky, CEO, Lodging Unlimited, Inc.; Manager and consultant for $6 billion in hotel assets; Chairman, Lodging Conference; Chairman, International Hotel Conference

     

    “I think this is an excellent book. It’s well written, accessible to a variety of readers, deals with an interesting and important subject, and covers the topic well. It deserves to get a lot of notice and use.”

    –D. Quinn Mills, Alfred J. Weatherhead, Jr., Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School

     

    “Economic statistics, employment data, Federal Reserve surveys. Think they are boring? Think again! They can drive markets into a frenzy, causing billions of dollars to be made or lost in an instant. Bernie Baumohl brilliantly, clearly, and, yes, entertainingly describes what every investor and business manager should know about economic indicators: which ones move markets, how to interpret them, and how to use them to spot and capitalize on future economic trends. The Secrets of Economic Indicators is an extraordinary and insightful work–an enormously important contribution to the body of financial literature. Read it and then keep it on your desk. Consult it the next time you are deluged with a flurry of economic statistics. Your understanding certainly will be enhanced, and your portfolio will likely be as well.”

    –Robert Hormats, Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs (International)

     

    “If you want to make money investing, this is an essential trend-tracking tool that will help get you to the bank. This book is the real deal. Bernard Baumohl miraculously breathes life into deadly economic indicators and boring statistics . . . he knows what he’s talking about, and his expertise proves it.”

    –Gerald Celente, Director, The Trends Research Institute

     

    COMPLETELY UPDATED! THE PLAIN-ENGLISH, UP-TO-THE-MINUTE GUIDE

    TO ECONOMIC INDICATORS: WHAT THEY MEAN, AND HOW TO USE THEM!

     

    Every day, investments bounce wildly in response to new economic indicators: statistics that provide crucial clues about the future of the economy and the markets. Now, you can use these indicators to make smarter investment decisions, just like the professionals. You don’t need an economics degree, or a CPA–just The Secrets of Economic Indicators, Second Edition!

     

    Using up-to-the-minute examples and real-world stories, former TIME Magazine senior economics reporter Bernard Baumohl illuminates every U.S. and foreign indicator that matters right now. You’ll learn where to find them, what their track records are, how to interpret them, and how to use that information to make better decisions.

     

    Baumohl has thoroughly updated this best-seller with new data, new examples, new indicators, and revised analyses–including a new assessment of the value of yield curves in predicting business cycles. Thousands of investors and business planners swore by the First Edition: these updates make it even more valuable.

     

    • New! Today’s 10 most crucial leading indicators

    Better ways to predict economic turning points in time to profit

    • Get ahead of the curve with the latest U.S. indicators

    New insights into U.S. employment, monetary policy, inflation, capital flows, and more

    • Emerging foreign indicators you need to track

    From China to India, Europe to Brazil...and beyond

    • Making sense of indicators in conflict

    What to do when the numbers disagree

    • Finding the data

    Free Web resources for the latest economic data

    • Which economic indicators really matter right now?

    • What do they mean for stocks, bonds, interest rates, currencies...your portfolio?

    • How can you use them to make faster, smarter investment decisions?

    • Simple, clear, non-technical, friendly, usable...the only book of its kind!

    • By Bernard Baumohl, renowned economic analyst and former award-winning TIME Magazine financial journalist

     

    New edition, with extensive new coverage:

    • Many new U.S. and global indicators, from new employment reports to box office receipts

    • New examples and up-to-the-minute data

    • Updated analyses of yield curves and other key metrics

    • More international coverage

    • New rankings of leading economic indicators, and much more

     

    About the Author xiii

    What’s New in the Second Edition? xv

    Preface xvii

    Acknowledgments xxiii

     

    Chapter 1        The Lock-Up 1

    Chapter 2        A Beginner’s Guide: Understanding the Lingo 17

    Chapter 3        The Most Influential U.S. Economic Indicators 25

    Chapter 4        International Economic Indicators: Why Are They So Important? 325

    Chapter 5        Best Web Sites for U.S. Economic Indicators 373

    Chapter 6        Best Web Sites for International Economic Indicators 381

    Index 387

     

    • Sales Rank: #1196814 in Books
    • Published on: 2004-09-13
    • Original language: English
    • Number of items: 1
    • Dimensions: 9.62" h x 1.19" w x 7.40" l, 2.10 pounds
    • Binding: Hardcover
    • 400 pages

    Review

     From The Wall Street Journal, November 22, 2005: 

     

    "Whether you're tracking pop culture, high fashion or health care, all things are connected, and economics is the tie that binds them all. For those who need to know more about economic trends and for those who haven't the skills or background in the field, Mr. Baumohl's book is the real deal. He miraculously breathes life into economic indicators and statistics."                     

     

     

    From Library Journal:


    "Baumohl, a former economics reporter for Time magazine, has written a tremendously useful source on economic indicators.  Baumohl considers a variety of factors when describing each indicator, such as what exactly it measures, how it is computed, where to find the relevant report on the web, the day and time this report is released, the source of the information, and how often the information is revised. He also discusses the market impact of these indicators on bonds, stocks, and currency.  Bottom Line: Although this book is marketed as a tool for investors and is not organized like a typical reference book, it belongs in the reference collection because it explains so clearly what the various economic indicators are and how to locate data about them. Recommended for all libraries. " —Stacey Marien, American Univ. Lib., Washington, DC

                                                            

    About the Author

    Bernard Baumohl has been Time Magazine's senior economics reporter for nearly two decades. He is an award-winning journalist who has covered the domestic and international economy from TIMEis New York and Washington bureaus. As an economist for European American Bank, he monitored global political and economic risks and forecasted interest rates, inflation, and currency changes. He has also served as an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations. A frequent guest on TV and radio, he has lectured on economics and journalism at NYU and Duke. He earned the prestigious John Hancock Award for Excellence in Financial Journalism, and holds a Masters in International Economics from Columbia University.

    Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
    Preface Preface

    "You want to write a book about what? Economic indicators? How did you come up with this death wish?"

    That was the first response I got after telling a colleague at TIME what I was up to. She, too, was a financial journalist, so I expected some sage advice and support. We continued our conversation over lunch. "Did I hear you correctly?" she asked, still incredulous. "We are talking about your writing a book on economic statistics, right?" Yes, I nodded, and then went on to explain why this idea had been percolating in my mind for months. I knew it was a tough topic to write about, but I was ready to take it on. She listened patiently to my reasoning and then let loose a barrage of suggestions.

    "First, let's get real here. To make this work, a book on economic indicators has to be sexy. Edgy. Really funny. Get in some lurid details about consumer prices. Tell some lascivious tales about industrial production and capacity utilization. Toss in lots of jokes on durable-goods orders. Then there's the humor that just springs at you when writing about foreign trade and nonfarm productivity. And . . . hey, shouldn't you be taking notes on all this?"

    The appetite I came to the restaurant with was suddenly gone. Not because she was poking fun at the idea. Just the opposite. Beneath all that sarcasm was a genuine message that I knew had to be taken seriously. The subject of economic indicators can be lethally boring because of its impenetrable jargon and reliance on tedious statistics. I realized from that brutal lunch encounter that my biggest challenge in writing this book was not simply to identify and describe the world's most influential economic indicators, but to make the whole subject approachable and even—dare I say it—interesting. My purpose from the start was to reach out to those who had little or no experience navigating the maze of key economic statistics and to dispel the notion that you need an economics degree, an MBA, or a CPA to understand what these indicators tell us about the economy and how we can use them to make better investment and business decisions.

    The broader question, of course, is why do this book at all? Why should anyone outside the economics profession even care about economic indicators? Why is it important for the average person to know how many new homes are under construction, whether factories produced more or fewer goods in the latest month, or whether executives charged with buying raw material for their companies are increasing their orders or cutting back? Why bother with any of this stuff? Why not let the experts sort out the mishmash of economic numbers and tell us what it means?

    Indeed, most Americans have little desire to follow such esoteric measures. They are content to rely on the insights of their investment advisers or hear television pundits muse endlessly about the economy and the financial markets. Other than that, few show interest in probing any further. However, that attitude changed abruptly in 2000 with the bursting of the stock market bubble and the collapse of the dot-com sector. Investors were sickened and then angered by the resulting loss of trillions of dollars in personal wealth. It made no difference whether the money was in one's personal savings, a 401(k), or a pension. No investment escaped unscathed. The decimation was universal, and for Americans, it became a painful and sobering reminder of just how much one's financial well-being was staked to the risky business of stocks and bonds.

    Perhaps the most troubling revelation to come out of this awful experience was how utterly dependent ordinary investors had allowed themselves to become on so-called "experts" for virtually all investment advice. It turned out that these very "experts"— veteran portfolio managers and longtime professional market watchers—failed miserably in their responsibility to help protect the assets and curb the losses of their investing clients. Worse still, investors became justifiably furious when they realized they were also being lied to by some of the companies they had invested in and even by the brokerage firms with whom they had entrusted their hard-earned money.

    The result was predictable. Disillusioned by the ineffectual advice of their brokers, the seemingly endless revelations of corporate fraud, and the biased research reports put out by some well-known Wall Street firms, a growing number of Americans have since decided to venture into the investment world by themselves, trusting their own instincts rather than someone else's. These investors are emboldened by the fact that they can now access a huge assortment of information resources from home and work. They can even access them while traveling. There is, today, an unprecedented abundance of economic and financial news and analysis instantly available to anyone, anytime. This includes virtually 24/7 radio and television coverage of business news and, of course, hundreds of useful Web sites that offer valuable data as well as varied perspectives on the outlook for the financial markets and the economy.

    How do the economic indicators fit into all this? Why should investors—or business executives, entrepreneurs, and ordinary workers—pay particular attention to these reports? Because they are the vital barometers that tell us what the economy is up to and, more importantly, in what direction it is likely to go in the future. These indicators describe the economic backdrop that will ultimately affect corporate earnings, interest rates, and inflation. They can also influence the future cost of financing a car or house, the security of our jobs, and our overall standard of living. Even business leaders are under pressure to monitor economic indicators more closely. Knowledge of economic conditions in the U.S. enables CEOs to make decisions with greater confidence about whether to buy more equipment, increase inventories, hire workers, or raise fresh capital. In addition, for firms competing in the global marketplace, international economic indicators are of particular importance, because they allow executives to assess business opportunities abroad.

    But how do you begin to evaluate these economic reports? There is such a bewildering variety of economic statistics in the public domain that following them all can be harmful to your health. New sets of economic numbers come out every day, week, month, and quarter, and they often tell conflicting stories about what's going on in the U.S. In addition, stocks, bonds, and currencies react differently to economic indicators. Some economic news can cause tremors in the financial markets, while other news produces no reaction at all. Many indicators have no forecasting value whatsoever, yet others have established an impressive track record of being able to predict how the economy will behave during the next 12 months.

    Moreover, different indicators originate from different sources. The U.S. government pumps out loads of economic data through agencies such as the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Federal Reserve Board. However, numerous private groups also release market-moving indicators. One of the best known is The Conference Board for its Consumer Confidence and Leading Economic Indicators series. In addition, the National Association of Realtors reports monthly data on existing home sales, and Challenger, Gray and Christmas, the outplacement firm, tallies the number of announced corporate layoffs each month. Note that these sources just gauge U.S. economic activity. When you look at the assortment of economic indicators released by other countries, the quantity of information available becomes mind-numbing.

    Clearly there is too much economic information out there, and not all of it is useful. So what do you focus on? How does an investor, a CEO, or even an economist decide which of the many gauges of business activity are worth tracking? Which indicators pack the greatest wallop in the financial markets? Which ones are known for doing the best job of predicting where the economy is heading? These are the key questions I try to answer in this book.

    The book is organized in a way that I believe makes the most sense for you. Chapter 1, "The Lock-Up," begins with the drama that typically surrounds the release of a sensitive economic indicator. After the embargo is lifted and the economic report flashes across computer screens around the world, reaction to the latest news by global money markets can affect the financial well-being of every American.

    One cannot successfully write a book on economic indicators without at least gently introducing a few basic economic terms. In Chapter 2, "A Beginner's Guide: Understanding the Lingo," I try to define as painlessly as possible those key phrases and concepts that are essential to know when reading about economic indicators.

    The essence of the book begins with Chapter 3, "The Most Influential U.S. Economic Indicators." Here, all the major U.S. economic indicators are evaluated, and each one is discussed in a format designed to answer these vital questions:

    • Why is this indicator important to know?

    • How is it computed? (Sure, not everyone will want to get into the nitty-gritty details of how economic indicators are put together. Nevertheless, by understanding the underlying methodology of how they are calculated, one is better able to appreciate the usefulness of these indicators, as well as their shortcomings.)

    • What does the economic indicator have to say about the future? The purpose of this question is twofold. First you are shown how to interpret the official report and its accompanying tables. Particular emphasis is placed on the most interesting and useful data points in the economic release. Second, guidance is given on how to locate valuable clues in the tables that may offer you a heads-up on how the economy might perform in the months ahead. To make this task easier, copies of actual releases are included with most indicators covered in this book. Virtually all the economic releases mentioned are available on the Internet for free. You can read them on their respective Web sites or download the releases as PDF files. (Note that Internet addresses for the economic indicators are included in this book.)

    • How might bonds, stocks, and the dollar react to the latest economic reports? The financial markets often respond differently to economic data. Much depends on the specific indicator released, how timely it is, whether investors are surprised by the news, and what else is going on in the economy at the time.

    Chapter 4, "International Economic Indicators: Why Are They So Important?," examines the most influential foreign economic indicators. Because the U.S. economy and its financial markets are closely integrated with the rest of the world, one can no longer afford to ignore measures of economic activity in other countries. If the economies of other nations are growing, they'll buy more from U.S. producers. On the other hand, poor growth abroad bodes ill for many large U.S. companies and their employees. In addition, American investors interested in buying foreign stocks and bonds for their own portfolios should track foreign economic indicators to identify those countries and regions in the world that might offer the most attractive returns.

    Chapter 5, "Best Web Sites for U.S. Economic Indicators," is evidence of how much times have changed. Not too long ago, anyone interested in obtaining a set of current and historical economic statistics had to purchase them from a private number-crunching firm. The more stats you wanted, the more costly it was. Today, nearly all this data can be accessed instantly on the Internet for free! The democratization of economic statistics gives everyone, from the experienced professional to the weekend investor, the opportunity to download, read, and analyze economic information. In this chapter, I've assembled what I think are among the best and most authoritative Web sites for economic data. Again, all are free, though some may ask users to register.

    Chapter 6, "Best Web Sites for International Economic Indicators," is a compilation of Web sites that enables you to quickly locate foreign economic data that might otherwise be tough to find. However, there's one important caveat to keep in mind: No country collects and disseminates as much high-quality economic information as the U.S. Its breadth and integrity make it the gold standard in the world. Although there is a vast amount of international economic data on the Web, one has to approach such sources with caution. There are issues concerning language (many are not in English), comprehensiveness, accuracy, and timeliness. In this chapter, I've listed sites on the Internet that in my judgment are the best and most trustworthy for international economic data—and that are available in English! Once again, every site listed is free (at least at the time of this writing).

    Finally, let me close by saying that this book was fun to write, largely because I learned a great deal in the process. It is not meant to be a textbook or some intellectual treatise on the economy. My purpose throughout is to help give you a better understanding of how to look at economic indicators, why they can be so influential, what they might tell us about the future, and how people can best utilize all that information. If I have accomplished this in some way, than it was worth all the swearing and temper tantrums I went through every time my computer crashed in the course of this endeavor.


    Most helpful customer reviews

    116 of 118 people found the following review helpful.
    Promises to Become Dog-eared Quickly
    By Craig L. Howe
    On any given weekday, stocks and bonds gyrate in response to some economic announcement.

    Bernard Baumohl, a Time magazine economics writer with more than 20 years of experience, has written a guide to these indicators and their importance to the financial markets.

    The book promises to become dog-eared quickly. In concise language it explains what Baumohl indicates are the most influential U. S. and International Economic Indicators. Beginning in Chapter 2, the author defines the phrases and concepts essential to an understanding of the indicators.

    In Chapter 3 he jumps into the heart of the matter: U. S. economic indicators. Each indicator is evaluated using the following criteria:

    * Why is it important?

    * How is it computed?

    * What does it day about the future?

    * How might stocks, bonds and/or currencies react to its announcement?

    In Chapter 4, he examines the 10 most influential foreign indicators using the same criteria.

    In the final two chapters, Baumohl provides a list of web sites that compile economic data. What in the past costs thousands of dollars is available on the web at no cost.

    If any facet of your life is effected by these indicators, you owe it to yourself to keep a copy of this book nearby.

    71 of 72 people found the following review helpful.
    No secrets, but painless and useful information for independent thinkers
    By Aaron C. Brown
    This book does a competent job of summarizing key facts about 58 US and 13 foreign economic indicators. It's one level of detail more than you would get reading a business news story about the number, and at least one level of detail shy of a professional reference. I'm skeptical that it will help anyone understand the economy better or make better investment decisions, but it might help a non-professional make more sense of the economic news. The prose is clear and stylish, which is a real accomplishment considering the format and subject matter. There are no secrets in the book, despite the title, nor any serious discussion of how to use the numbers to understand or predict the economy, or to make money or set policy.

    If you're reading this review, I assume you want a book on economic indicators written at this level and are trying to choose among The WSJ Guide to the 50 Economic Indicators That Really Matter, Economic Indicators For Dummies, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Economic Indicators, The Atlas of Economic Indicators, The U.S. Economy Demystified: What the Major Economic Statistics Mean and Their Significance for Business, Market Indicators, The Trader's Guide to Key Economic Indicators,International Economic Indicators and Central Banks, Handbook of Key Economic Indicators and Using Economic Indicators to Improve Investment Analysis.

    The first three are the most fun to read, and the best ways to spice up your cocktail-party conversation about economic news. They are broader than The Secrets of Economic Indicators, with better coverage of less traditional and non-governmental statistics, and also indicators of economic health like poverty rates and health care access not directly related to production or consumption. They are organized better for understanding the relation among the statistics, but less well if you just want to look up a recently-released number.

    Atlas and Demystified are less fun to read, but have far more economic content. They present simplified models of the economy, and show where major indicators give insight. You have to read them in order, they are not useful as occasional reference works. However, neither one requires previous education in economics nor experience in business.

    The next two, Market Indicators and Trader's Guide, are aimed squarely at short-term investment decisions around the release of indicators. They're fun to read if you like watching CNBC, but not really concerned with economics. I would personally be surprised if either one made you rich, but you pays your money and you takes your chances.

    The last three are considerably more academic, and as you might expect, denser than the rest. They focus more on longer-term economic prediction and fundamental analysis than either short-term trading or general-interest news. These will be most useful to people with moderate background in economics or investing.

    The Secrets of Economic Indicators' great strength is its agnosticism about economics or policy (despite some flamboyant speculations about recent events, which are boxed off from the main text). It's giving the facts, not promoting theories. It requires little prior knowledge and is comprehensive within its relatively narrow focus of indicators that get widespread attention in the business press concerned with the business cycle, production and spending. It's more serious than the first three books, and easier to read than any of the others. It is also has the most general purpose, you have to think for yourself what to do with the information. It might be the best choice for someone skeptical of economic theories, but with a mild interest in following general economic news.

    44 of 45 people found the following review helpful.
    A Good Reference Guide to Economic Indicators and Their Sources
    By Hawkeye Richardson
    This book by Baumohl is a good book to have in one's reference library if you use government and private indicators to try to ascertain where the economy and, more specifically, the stock market might be headed. Bernard has not only listed all the most common indicators, but has given the source, quality, reliability, timing, and importance of each indicator upon the markets.

    Will this book make you a better trader or investor? By itself, probably not. But, it is always useful to understand what indicators the 'general public' is viewing and how these indicators tend to impact on an un-informed investor's actions. It is probably a book more useful to a seasoned investor who is continuing to work to improve his investment analysis methods and his understanding of how various indicators can 'psychologically' impact the markets.

    See all 119 customer reviews...

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    Sabtu, 24 Mei 2014

    !! Fee Download Study guide : environmental science, 9th edition, by Clark E. Adams

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    Study guide : environmental science, 9th edition, by Clark E. Adams

    This study guide helps students identify the important concepts from the text and then provides them with review exercises, study questions, self-check exercises and vocabulary review.

    • Sales Rank: #1077989 in Books
    • Published on: 2004-07-08
    • Original language: English
    • Number of items: 3
    • Dimensions: 10.80" h x .90" w x 8.40" l, 1.11 pounds
    • Binding: Paperback
    • 304 pages

    Most helpful customer reviews

    0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
    Five Stars
    By Amazon Customer
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    1 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
    contrary
    By Christine M. Sachau
    This book is more than enlightening in describing and explaining in detail how we have impacted and abused our environment and what we can do to counter act some of the damage. The one thing that I find ironic about preserving the "natural way" is that scientists in all of the science type books that I have read, want to stop the natural pro-creation of man, yet clone animals and man Wow! Wierd, isn't it?

    8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
    Science of Sustainability Review Parts 1,2 and 3
    By WCATY
    This review was written by students at the Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth (WCATY) Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) in the class, "The Science of Sustainability." This is SECTION 1 of a critical analysis of Environmental Science, 9th Edition, a textbook by Dr. Daniel D. Chiras. This section of the review focuses on factuality, visual aids in the text, (including diagrams, tables, graphs, and pictures), and controversial ideas.

    Overall, the text is accurate and clear. Most facts are up-to-date, including material from 2011. Dr. Chiras used many statistics and examples to clarify and expand upon concepts, creating real-world connections for the reader. Additionally, Environmental Science presents facts about the biosphere and the delicate relationship between humans and the environment.

    However, considering that this book is in its 9th edition, the number of factual errors present is surprising. For example, the following passage from the text contains a mistake in basic chemistry:
    "Natural gas, for instance, contains a huge amount of energy in a small volume; it's locked up in the simple chemical bonds that attach the carbon atom to the four hydrogen atoms of the methane molecules. When these bonds are broken, the stored chemical energy is released. Light and heat are the products."
    When chemical bonds are broken, energy is absorbed, not released. The energy released comes from the combustion of methane with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water ("Energy Changes in Chemical Reactions," Middle School Chemistry). This concept is taught in most introductory chemistry classes and should be correct in the ninth edition of a college textbook.

    Other statements are proposed as absolutes, although there are often counterexamples to disprove the absolute. For example, the quotation from the book, "Electric motors are extremely efficient, even when they use electricity generated at coal-fired power plants, they result in a substantial decrease in energy use and pollution," can be countered by noting that electric cars are less optimal than gas vehicles when operating on energy from a very distant coal plant ("How Green Are Electric Cars?" NY Times, 13 Apr. 2012).

    Although some statistics are fairly recent, others are outdated. Considering that the book's copyright date is 2013, one would hope that the figures and text would have been updated to at least 2011. However, the following quotation coincides with the population numbers from 2008: "...over half the world's people (3.3 billion people) live and work within 120 miles of the coastline." However, the current world population exceeds 7 billion, not the 6.6 billion implied. To further illustrate this point, Dr. Chiras lists the price of a single compact fluorescent light bulb at $12. However, the current price of these light bulbs ranges from about $1.00 to $3.40 for a common household bulb (Amazon.com, 2012). Likewise, Chiras mentions at one point that domestic supplies of natural gas are on the decline, when in fact, the amount of natural gas the U.S. has in storage has been relatively consistent for several years ("Short-term Energy Outlook, Natural Gas," U.S. Energy Information Administration).

    The vast majority of illustrations, tables, and graphs in this book are very well-placed and easy to understand. For example, one figure accurately displays how the concentration of pesticides, namely DDT, dramatically increases towards the top of the food chain. Other illustrations help the reader visualize the effects of climate change, such as a figure that shows the dramatic loss of arctic sea ice since 1979, or an increased number of tornadoes since the late 20th century.

    However, there were multiple graphs and data sets that were unclear, under-cited, unnecessary, or downright inaccurate. For example, one graph is meant to document the energy consumption in the United States by fuel type from 1850 to the present, but is misleading. Firstly, it shows that humans started using nuclear power as an energy source in 1900, 45 years before the first nuclear bomb was used. Secondly, the graph shows a spike in natural gas usage in 2003, which supposedly obliterated the use of nuclear, hydropower, and geothermal energy. Obviously, the use of these alternate fuel types continued through 2003, but the graph is faulty.
    Another graphic, with two maps of the United States showing acid precipitation in 1955 and 2006, poorly correspond to each other because they have completely different color keys for pH. If the scales were the same, many more inferences could be made about the decrease of the pH of acid precipitation over the last half century, but as is, it is difficult to compare data between the two maps.

    One of the most confusing diagrams in the book is a drawing of trucks on a highway. Trucks are shown going both directions; one side shown as moving toward sustainability and one side shown moving away. Along the side of the road, there is a truck stop, and the trucks in it are marked as not moving toward nor away from sustainability. The trucks represent environmental trends, such as renewable energy production, recycling, and particulate emissions. Some of the truck labels are vague, such as, "municipal solid waste consumption per capita." Typically, solid waste is not consumed, but processed and removed from the water in a municipality. Also, the diagram has "cropland erosion" moving toward sustainability, even though cropland erosion is definitely a large problem and 1.73 billion tons are lost annually as of 2007 ("Soil Erosion on Cropland 2007," USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services). In general, it is unclear why certain trucks are moving the direction they are; for example, the truck labeled, "cancer deaths" is shown moving toward sustainability. The diagram does not clarify how cancer deaths have this effect, greatly reducing the quality of the diagram as a supplement to the text.

    When discussing controversial environmental issues in the text, Dr. Chiras generally attempts to present both sides of the argument. However, sometimes he fails to represent both sides fairly and completely. Likewise, some arguments are presented as well-accepted theories, when in actuality, they may be "fringe" opinions that are supported by a single or very few other professionals.
    For example, Chiras presents the idea that the human forebrain and manual dexterity allowed the progress that instigated the environment crisis. Although the logic in this idea can be found, it is a far-reaching concept that has only been addressed by a handful of authors. One of these includes Lynn White's publication, "The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis." In this article, there is a single sentence that refers to "a functional unity of brain and hand." After an extensive search using publicly available internet sites, it was found that other than White's citation, there is little evidence that the general science population concurs with Dr. Chiras' assertion.

    To illustrate another questionable piece of evidence used in Environmental Science, Chiras displays a flowchart, also showing several of the supposed root causes of the environmental crisis. In the chart, he includes democracy and the spread of wealth. The article, "Environmental Problems in the 21st Century," by Sr. Little Flower of Assumption University, states: "Other scholars believe that the spread of democracy, which put landowner ship [sic] and wealth in the hands of many, and the industrial revolution, which made mass production of goods possible and spread wealth throughout society, are roots of the environmental crisis." Although the article has several citations, Flower cites Chiras' 1998 version of Environmental Science. Little other information is available to support Chiras' argument.

    Occasionally, Dr. Chiras includes obscure terms that are rarely used by the general science population. For example, he uses the phrase `infra-infrastructure,' which refers to biological infrastructure, or the Earth's natural systems. Another term, `biological imperialism,' describes the expansionist tendency of certain organisms. These terms are well defined within the text, but after searching other sources, we discovered that these terms are seldom used otherwise.

    It is worth noting that in 2005 the Texas Board of Education decided not to use Environmental Science due to "factual errors." Dr. Chiras adjusted his book to try and meet these standards, but the book was not accepted due to opposition from two conservative lobbying groups that claimed his text was "anti-free enterprise, anti-Christian, and anti-American." This textbook is still not used in high schools in the state of Texas ("Texas discredits textbook," Columbia Missourian, 25 Aug. 2005).

    Also noteworthy, Dr. Chiras quotes or cites his own work at least eight times in the book. It is generally considered more scientifically acceptable to cite the work of others to back up assertions made. Dr. Chiras fails to do this several times, giving the reader some uncertainty and skepticism about the information.

    Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that Dr. Chiras' writing inspires critical thinking about our world and our place in the biosphere. The text introduces different ideas from those which are commonly held and instigated engaging discussions between readers. By learning the supposed root causes of the environmental crisis and the current practices that are detrimental to the environment, readers will get a better idea about how they can influence the world in a positive way. While Environmental Science, 9th Edition could use some additional editing, it is a helpful learning tool for fundamental information about the Earth and sustainability.

    This review was written by students at the Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth (WCATY) Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) in the class, "The Science of Sustainability." This is SECTION 2 of a critical analysis of Environmental Science, Ninth Edition, a textbook written by Dr. Daniel D. Chiras. This section will cover the Point/Counterpoints, Key Terms, Key Concepts, Organization, and the Website.

    Key Concepts
    Overall, the key concepts are quite helpful for the reader. They are located after each subsection of a chapter. The key concepts are simply a summary of each subsection. They are in place to keep the process of learning the material as easy as possible so that the reader spends more time learning than fighting the text to learn. These little pieces of text are direct and to the point to prevent confusion in the reader. Some of the concepts of environmental science are very hard to understand; that is a given. But, these small pieces of text summarize and help to breakdown the information into a manageable form. They also explain the meaning of some key terms and include other pieces of information that are not included in the subsections.

    There are a few slight problems with these small captions, also. For example, when we went on the textbook's site, we learned that the key concepts were not included. There were small summaries in the chapter outline that acted as weak replacements for the key concepts. They were nowhere near as helpful as the key concept sections in the hard copy. This makes it hard for people using the online version to understand and learn the material. Additionally, the information included in the text and the key concept captions are all based off of Chiras' views, except for a small number of articles in the text that were written by others. This causes the problem of an undiversified text. However, we was impressed with the key concepts' ability to help the reader understand and learn the special concepts and terms involved with environmental science.

    Point/ Counterpoint:
    These additions to the book are very helpful in expanding the learning process from what is given in the book. They contain two opinionated articles about a topic; a point and a counterpoint written by experts in the field. The format is only a presentation of facts from both sides of the fence, rather than a debate. As you read through the text, you'll stumble upon these articles. They can really help to explain concepts presented in the book. For example, in chapter 15, beginning on page 341, there is a positive article on the idea of hydrogen being our key substance for a renewable energy future. A highly experienced research engineer wrote this article. His opinion was clear, all the facts were given, and he made a powerful point. On the other hand, the other expert's article was written just as well.

    But, like the key concepts, there are a few problems that we would like to point out. All of these articles are opinionated, so controversial facts will arise. Also, Dr. Chiras includes a counterpoint written by himself. The main problem is that he adds his opinion in a manner that directly counters the opposing point whereas all of the other point/counterpoint articles are written without knowledge of the other argument. Since Dr. Chiras wrote the counterpoint, it was clear that he was at a huge advantage in persuading the readers to take his side.
    In addition to the text, the online access provides additional information on the point/counterpoint, although there are some flaws. For example, in the text there are twelve point/counterpoints, but in the website there are only ten. Also, in one chapter, four point/counterpoint links can be found, all of which add even more additional information in favor of the point. In another spot, the website provides two additional websites, neither containing information in the support of either the point or counterpoint. On the web, other point/counterpoints sometimes contain links to websites that no longer exist. Even with all of these drawbacks to the website point/counterpoints, I still believe they are very helpful in expanding the learner's view on scientific views and concepts.

    Key terms:
    Key terms are also an important part of this text. Dr. Chiras picks very relevant terms that are essential for understanding the chapter. The only problem regarding the key terms is that not all of them can be found in the glossary. On average, fewer than 50% of the key terms in a chapter are in the glossary. When the terms are not in the glossary, you can usually find them in the chapter. But, like every rule, there are exceptions. As an example, we will use the term "Natural Capital." First seen in Chapter 10's key terms, but the term is not in the glossary. There is an example in the chapter, but it is not clearly defined. In Chapter 25, "Natural Capital" is again a key term. This time it is clearly defined in the chapter, yet it would have been more beneficial to the reader to have a definition the first time it appeared as a key term.

    There is also an interactive glossary on the website. It consists of a list of words (about 40% of the words in the chapter) that display the definition. It would be nice if all of the key terms were defined in the interactive glossary, but the content it does have is very useful and informative.

    Organization:
    Dr. Chiras does a very good job of organizing the text. He uses a spiral format, introducing a concept then coming back to it again later in the text. At the beginning of the book there is a preface, which describes themes, special features, and ancillaries. It also breaks the whole textbook into six parts. The parts are about four to five chapters long. Each individual chapter is broken down into many sections and subsections. Each section and subsection is headed by a title that is very relevant to the content of the section. All of the pictures, graphs, key concepts, etc. are very well placed. You can find relevant quotes at the beginning and end of each chapter. The key concepts are at the end of almost all of the sections and subsections. Pictures are always located next to the text that refers to them. At the front of each chapter is a chapter outline, which is very useful because it gives you an idea of upcoming concepts. Overall, Dr. Chiras does an excellent job of organizing this textbook.

    Website:
    There are many things on the website. Some are beneficial, while others are not. In addition to the interactive glossary and the point/counterpoint links, the website "extras" include crossword puzzles, interactive flashcards, chapter outlines, study quizzes, "Individual Actions Count", and "Links to your Region".

    The crossword puzzles are very useful. Each chapter has more than one crossword puzzle, each puzzle from the chapter consisting of a slightly different word list. This gives a good review on the key terms and concepts of each chapter. As I did a crossword puzzle on the website I noticed that while it was a great study tool it was also a bit frustrating. I also realized that some of the correct answers for the crossword puzzles are missing letters. For example, in the chapter 3 crossword, the answer states "crisis of sustainab." This is definitely an error in the puzzle. But, using the clues, it is not hard to figure it out that it was supposed to state, "crisis of sustainability." These errors are scattered throughout the web crosswords, but they are easy to work out.

    The interactive flashcards are very basic. The definition of an unknown key term is shown and above it there is a space to type in your answer. After you type in your answer it will let you compare your answer to the correct term. This is nice because even if you spell it wrong or make it plural when its not supposed to be it will not be "marked" wrong because all the computer does is put them next to each other so you can compare them. The one problem is that only the key terms in the interactive glossary are on the interactive flashcards.

    The chapter outlines are very helpful when reading the chapter. They have each section and subsection listed along with the main ideas, usually based off of the key concepts. It would be a great start to a study guide although extra notes will probably be needed.

    The study quizzes are also very valuable. Not only are they a good way for a student to prepare for a test individually, but they can also be used as an assignment and be sent to the course instructor for grading. Sadly, you have to complete the whole quiz before it can be graded. It would have been nice if you could just complete what you had time for then check it, but it is still an excellent study tool.

    The section "Individual Actions Count" can definitely be used to enrich the text. When you click on a link under this section, a word document opens up. The document tells you a website to go to and questions that can be answered by looking on this website. Most answers are easy to find, although some referred more to the text book than the web site. And, like all worksheets, there were some questions that were phrased a little confusingly.

    The "Links to Your Region" are interesting. When you first click on this section a map of the United States and Canada appears. You click on the region you want to learn more about and a list of websites comes up. There is one link for each state and one link for the EPA region. The state link usually consists of a health or environment group / board / agency's home page. These are full of interesting information.

    Over all, the website is beneficial and, while at times it can be frustrating, in the end it is worth the extra money.

    In conclusion, these parts of Dr. Chiras' textbook and the extras he provides are very beneficial and, mostly, well done. After review of these parts of the text, we can say that this book was written well enough to be a positive learning tool in the study of environmental science and sustainability.

    This review was written by students at the Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth (WCATY) Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) in the class, "The Science of Sustainability." This is SECTION 3 of a critical analysis of Environmental Science, 9th Edition, a textbook by Dr. Daniel D. Chiras. This section of the review focuses on spotlights on sustainable development, go green, critical thinking, and test bank questions.

    1. Spotlight on Sustainable Development:
    In the preface, the author introduces the spotlights as case studies demonstrating how some cities, towns and businesses are going green and developing sustainably. We analyzed all of the spotlights. In general, the spotlights are beneficial to the readers because they give good ideas for change and are very informative. The information is useful here because it could be hard to find otherwise.
    Another interesting thing about the spotlights is the fact that, out of thirty-four of them, a full twenty-seven have no citation. Four are actually attributed to Dan Chiras himself, and one is credited to Dr. Chiras and Dave Wann. Only two have citations to other people.

    The spotlights often do not take convenience and comfort into account. For example, the spotlights about cohousing and community cars don't mention things like how cohousing isn't very transport- friendly or how community cars would mean that the cars would have to be on a schedule.

    There was a great variety in the length of the spotlights, ranging from a paragraph to over two pages. Some of them were so long that they had their own sections. We all had different opinions about the spotlights. Some of us found them helpful and interesting, while others saw them only as a distraction.

    2. Go Green:
    The Go Green sections are fascinating because they are helpful and comprehensible. Most are general tips and can be used almost anywhere. For example, a tip in Chapter 13 is "Water lawns and gardens conservatively-- for instance, during the coolest part of the day." This tip is good because it relates to the many people in the United States and elsewhere who own household plants, lawns, or gardens. However, some Go Green tips are impractical. An example of that would be the following Go Green tip, Rather than giving gifts to friends and loved ones, consider giving a little of yourself-- for example, cooking a dinner for friends or loved ones, or taking them on a hike in a nearby park, or even volunteering to help them clean their apartment or home," is impractical. Sometimes all somebody wants is a small material present that will last them for a lifetime. So it is often impractical to try doing other things for your loved ones that could be living in a country far away.

    Several of us did not like the tips since they were pretty short and had only basic information. Some of us like the tips because of the fact that we thought that they were useful if you wanted to have a basic understanding of ways to live sustainably. For example, the Go Green tip "Never dump oil down a sewer--ever! Change oil through companies that recycle or reuse oils" is a very basic explanation of how to deal with oil, but it ties into a larger concept of sustainable oil consumption and recycling that go into sustainability. We fact checked Dr. Chiras' Go Green tips to assess whether his tips were consistent with the ideas of other major sustainable organizations. One organization, Worldwatch Institute ([...]), had their own list of Go Green tips that are very similar to Dr. Chiras' Go Green tips.

    3. Critical Thinking:
    The Critical Thinking passages include both positives and negatives. They're helpful for developing readers' thought processes, and they bring up ideas discussed in the chapter. In one critical thinking exercise , the author suggested considering this statement: "All consumption patterns can be made sustainable simply through conservation." Since this chapter was related to strategies for sustainability, contents from the chapter are helpful to foster critical thinking skills about sustainability. It is important to note that Chiras' analysis of each exercise (written to teach readers what to think about in each issue) are sometimes very opinionated, as opposed to simply giving facts and bringing up considerations about the question. For example, another critical thinking exercise is about technology and whether or not humans are superior to other living things. In his analysis of the exercise, he says that the questions are personal and he will not tell people what to think. However, he has already made his feelings clear in the chapter. He is also critical of values and how parents can lecture them into people, without considering that his entire book is a bit of a lecture. He also implies that there is only one correct answer, though he will not tell, by saying, "It may take a long time to come to the truth." Lastly, it seems like Dr.Chiras is constantly trying to change how people think, but overall, these sections are good and improve thinking skills.

    4. Test Bank Questions:
    The test bank questions are a part of the teacher's book's content and provide problems related to the textbook. The test bank questions are often too detailed to have a good answer. Even though answers are found in the text, they are not appropriate for test questions. Some test bank questions were too detailed; for example, "The World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) was created by the: United Nations," which is not an important part of the chapter.

    In addition, some test bank questions are written in a somewhat confusing way. For example, one of the test bank questions for chapter three is, "Phytoplankton in ancient seas is found in chemicals of which of the following modern products?" The answer is plastic, but the question is not written clearly, with a lot of unnecessary phrases. In another one of the test bank questions for chapter three, Dr. Chiras says that denial is one of the reasons for the environmental crisis. But this cannot really be proven.

    However, there are several good things about the test bank questions. First, they cover all the topics in the chapters and nothing is left out. Second, there are three different kinds of questions: true/false, fill-in-the-blank, and multiple choice, which gives the teachers a lot of options for their test.

    Conclusion
    In conclusion, these sections of the book are quite informative and are a great way to create a good foundation in sustainability. However, when we were thinking about analyzing the book, we found many things that we thought were flawed and made the book seem less professional. We would recommend that others start out by researching about this book before purchasing it to familiarize themselves with the writing style of Dr. Chiras.

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