Belle Jamison is finally starting to feel like a normal girl again. Her job as a paranormal investigator is going well, she's learned to control her supernatural abilities (mostly) and she's just gotten engaged to Rome Masters, the ultra-sexy operative who once tried to neutralize her! But planning a wedding is never easy, especially when the bride keeps accidentally torching her dress, the groom returns from a dangerous mission with selective memory loss and the man responsible now wants Belle for himself. With Rome's ex determined to win him back and a new band of supervillains on the horizon, it will take all Belle's powers—plus a little help from her trusty empath sidekick—to save the day, salvage the wedding and prove that true love really does conquer all.
Belle Jamison is finally starting to feel like a normal girl again. Her job as a paranormal investigator is going well, she's learned to control her supernatural abilities (mostly) and she's just gotten engaged to Rome Masters, the ultra–sexy operative who once tried to neutralize her! But planning a wedding is never easy, especially when the bride keeps accidentally torching her dress, the groom returns from a dangerous mission with selective memory loss and the man responsible now wants Belle for himself. With Rome's ex determined to win him back and a new band of supervillains on the horizon, it will take all Belle's powers–plus a little help from her trusty empath sidekick–to save the day, salvage the wedding and prove that true love really does conquer all.
Guides readers through the quantitative data analysis process including contextualizing data within a research situation, connecting data to the appropriate statistical tests, and drawing valid conclusions Introduction to Quantitative Data Analysis in the Behavioral and Social Sciences presents a clear and accessible introduction to the basics of quantitative data analysis and focuses on how to use statistical tests as a key tool for analyzing research data. The book presents the entire data analysis process as a cyclical, multiphase process and addresses the processes of exploratory analysis, decision-making for performing parametric or nonparametric analysis, and practical significance determination. In addition, the author details how data analysis is used to reveal the underlying patterns and relationships between the variables and connects those trends to the data’s contextual situation. Filling the gap in quantitative data analysis literature, this book teaches the methods and thought processes behind data analysis, rather than how to perform the study itself or how to perform individual statistical tests. With a clear and conversational style, readers are provided with a better understanding of the overall structure and methodology behind performing a data analysis as well as the needed techniques to make informed, meaningful decisions during data analysis. The book features numerous data analysis examples in order to emphasize the decision and thought processes that are best followed, and self-contained sections throughout separate the statistical data analysis from the detailed discussion of the concepts allowing readers to reference a specific section of the book for immediate solutions to problems and/or applications. Introduction to Quantitative Data Analysis in the Behavioral and Social Sciences also features coverage of the following: • The overall methodology and research mind-set for how to approach quantitative data analysis and how to use statistics tests as part of research data analysis • A comprehensive understanding of the data, its connection to a research situation, and the most appropriate statistical tests for the data • Numerous data analysis problems and worked-out examples to illustrate the decision and thought processes that reveal underlying patterns and trends • Detailed examples of the main concepts to aid readers in gaining the needed skills to perform a full analysis of research problems • A conversational tone to effectively introduce readers to the basics of how to perform data analysis as well as make meaningful decisions during data analysis Introduction to Quantitative Data Analysis in the Behavioral and Social Sciences is an ideal textbook for upper-undergraduate and graduate-level research method courses in the behavioral and social sciences, statistics, and engineering. This book is also an appropriate reference for practitioners who require a review of quantitative research methods. Michael J. Albers, Ph.D., is Professor in the Department of English at East Carolina University. His research interests include information design with a focus on answering real-world questions, the presentation of complex information, and human–information interaction. Dr. Albers received his Ph.D. in Technical Communication and Rhetoric from Texas Tech University.
Combining the latest work of leading sentencing and punishment scholars from twelve different countries, this major new international volume answers key questions in the study of sentencing and society. It presents not only a rigorous examination of the latest legal and empirical research from around the world, but also reveals the workings of sentencing within society and as a social practice. Traditionally, work in the field of sentencing has been dominated by legal and philosophical approaches. Distinctively, this volume provides a more sociological approach to sentencing: so allowing previously unanswered questions to be addressed and new questions to be opened. This extensive collection is drawn from around one third of the papers presented at the First International Conference on Sentencing and Society. Almost without exception, the chapters have been revised, cross-referenced and updated. The overall themes and findings of the international volume are set out by the opening "Introduction" and the closing "Reflections" chapters. Research findings on particular penal policy questions are balanced with an analysis of fundamental conceptual issues, making this international volume essential reading for: sentencing and punishment scholars, criminal justice policy-makers, and graduate students.
Interest in predictive analytics of big data has grown exponentially in the four years since the publication of Statistical and Machine-Learning Data Mining: Techniques for Better Predictive Modeling and Analysis of Big Data, Second Edition. In the third edition of this bestseller, the author has completely revised, reorganized, and repositioned the original chapters and produced 13 new chapters of creative and useful machine-learning data mining techniques. In sum, the 43 chapters of simple yet insightful quantitative techniques make this book unique in the field of data mining literature. What is new in the Third Edition: The current chapters have been completely rewritten. The core content has been extended with strategies and methods for problems drawn from the top predictive analytics conference and statistical modeling workshops. Adds thirteen new chapters including coverage of data science and its rise, market share estimation, share of wallet modeling without survey data, latent market segmentation, statistical regression modeling that deals with incomplete data, decile analysis assessment in terms of the predictive power of the data, and a user-friendly version of text mining, not requiring an advanced background in natural language processing (NLP). Includes SAS subroutines which can be easily converted to other languages. As in the previous edition, this book offers detailed background, discussion, and illustration of specific methods for solving the most commonly experienced problems in predictive modeling and analysis of big data. The author addresses each methodology and assigns its application to a specific type of problem. To better ground readers, the book provides an in-depth discussion of the basic methodologies of predictive modeling and analysis. While this type of overview has been attempted before, this approach offers a truly nitty-gritty, step-by-step method that both tyros and experts in the field can enjoy playing with.
This book covers the physics of flight (basic), jet engine propulsion, principles and regulations of aircraft performance and other related topics, always with an innovative and simple approach to piloting and flight planning. This way, a traditionally complex study was made into something fun and easy. The book is focused on class A aircraft performance and is suitable for those who are unfamiliar with airplane performance, as well as for those with some previous background or experience who want to gain a more in-depth understanding of the subject matter. To sum up: pilots (professionals and students), flight dispatchers, aeronautical engineers and aviation enthusiasts. Happy reading!
Understanding Research in Clinical and Counseling Psychology is a unique text because it is designed and written for the graduate students aspiring to careers in practice rather than in psychological science who are the vast majority in clinical and counseling programs. To motivate readers to see the value of knowledge produced by research, the book opens with an actual case report that shows how research-generated strategies incorporated into treatment allowed a woman who formerly would have been considered so hopelessly incapacitated by obsessive-compulsive disorder as to require lifetime institutionalization if not neurosurgery to return to normal family and work life. The first set of chapters introduces fundamental concepts of measurement, sampling, and validity. The next set systematically presents the kinds of investigations most relevant to budding practitioners--group comparisons, correlations, single-subject designs, program evaluations, and meta-analyses. Each of these chapters concludes with a detailed example of a study in which students can see how the techniques described are actually employed. The third set addresses enduring concerns--how to define and maintain ethical standards, how to do effective literature reviews and assess the quality of existing data, and how to collect and analyze data. It also addresses concerns that have emerged recently--how to distinguish and judge effective and efficacious treatments and how to contribute to research efforts as a private practitioner. The issues involved in the often confusing effectiveness versus efficacy debate are illuminated with a clinically relevant case example. Descriptions of alternatives to conventional significance testing, such as "clinical significance" and "reliable change analyses" help students consider new ways in which they can impose rigor on their own research and practice activities. Two final chapters examine the challenges of studying two special groups: children and older adults. Throughout, the authors, all capable researchers who are also experienced practitioners, demonstrate the ways in which research is an essential foundation for effective and ethical practice. Students and instructors alike will welcome this reader-friendly book.
