Promotions - Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles 2018 -

This book aims to present the fundamentals of data analysis and interpretation for the sciences and engineering. Overall, the topics are very informative, and the book is dense in useful knowledge. This material is appropriate for undergraduate or graduate level students; it will be of great use to practitioners across a range of technical fields and for professionals who wish to gain a stronger understanding of experimental design and statistics. There is an emphasis on practical working knowledge, with many examples that are detailed enough to seem realistic. The book starts with basic definitions and concepts related to experimental design and does not presuppose a background in this area. Abundant supporting black-and-white figures and tables allow readers to consider the implementation of statistical concepts. A nice benefit is the exposure to a variety of graphical ways to present data--from dot plots and dot diagrams to histograms, boxplots, three-dimensional surface plots, etc. The work mentions open source programs as an alternative to commonly used proprietary software, such as Excel and Minitab. The volume is strongly recommended for all readers in the sciences and engineering fields.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above; faculty and professionals.

In The First Railroads, Hayes--an independent historian and geographer--presents more than just an atlas; this is an engrossing history. Richly illustrated with contemporary and vintage images and maps that bring the text to life, this work also discusses the evolution of railway technology (locomotion, track design, and engineering) as well as the industry's various innovators and promoters through history. With the exception of two specific railways given lengthy coverage in dedicated chapters (the Stockton and Darlington and the Liverpool and Manchester railways), dozens of railways are described throughout, including the earliest iterations of railway technology. Guideways, rutways, wagonways, plateways, and tracks that ran along stone, wooden, or iron rails are all explored in this fascinating volume. Although a few European Continental and American railways are included, the bulk of the text focuses on railway development in England, Wales, and Scotland. This book would serve as a wonderful companion to Simon Bradley's The Railways: Nation, Network and People (2015).Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.