Customer Rating:  
Summary: Surprisingly disappointing
Comment: I saw a number of positive reviews of this book and thought the book should be good. I was very disappointed after borrowing it from the library. The book rarely offered anything new or challenging. Many of the topics that the author highlighted are just common sense. Thus, a reader will walk away from the book and would not feel as if he/she had learned anything. To be fair, I did not finish the book, I finished 3/4 of it. But completing 3/4 of the book is quite a difficult task; it was quite difficult to stay awake and concentrated on the material. I felt obligated to write this review because I thought that the ratings of this book are very inaccurate and I should help potential readers from wasting their time/money. One star is the lowest rating that can be given here, but given a choice a 0 star rating would be more appropriate.
Customer Rating:
Summary: An invaluable book for anyone who enjoys thinking!
Comment: In Turning Numbers into Knowledge, author Jonathan Koomey takes the reader on a fascinating tour of the processes we humans use to solve problems, demystifying the often hidden aspects of these processes, and offering a wide range of best practices for critical thinking and problem solving.
The book is so accessible both because Koomey writes so clearly and for his frequent use of interesting case studies and examples. It would be a wonderful addition to high school or college courses on policy, statistics, the scientific process, or the media, and includes exercises at the end of each mini-chapter. However, it is also a valuable read and reference for anyone who reads the newspaper (I date myself), accesses news from any source, or performs analysis of any type.
The first part of the book explores the growing role of quantitative information in our lives. Next, Koomey provides practical suggestions for finding publicly available sources of data and tools for analysis, and strategies for keeping one's work organized. Part three provides a look at how to assess the validity and accuracy of a given analysis. It includes one of my favorite sections, "How guesses become facts," as well as guidance on utilizing someone else's survey data. In part four, Koomey walks the reader through several strategies useful in creating one's own analysis, including how to develop a scenario or a model, even if one does not have all of the information that seems necessary. Finally, there is an excellent section on how to present one's work clearly for the intended audience. This section covers topics such as how to create compelling graphs, how to use numbers effectively in oral presentations, and the importance of documenting sources. The book concludes with a short section on the value of analysis as a powerful lever in creating change.
In summary, Koomey does a great job of exposing the role that the assumptions behind the numbers play and provides a practical, useful guide on how to be a better thinker, analyst, and problem solver. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys thinking!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Huh? What am I missing? This is all so basic!
Comment: I bought this book due to the overwhelmingly positive reviews - thought it would really get into the meat of the issue and provide some creative insight. What a disappointment! It is very user-friendly...to the point of being almost insulting at times...very rudimentary. Provides little insight into anything new and is really just a primer. It may be good for college freshment or HS students that need an intro into problem solving via "numbers" or those seeking a quick refresher but for anyone who has ever worked with even basic research (of any type...business, science, economics) skip - it will bore you to tears. In places it is downright silly and I honestly can't understand how it obtained the reviews it did.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book on Problem Solving
Comment: This is an excellent book. Focused more on the overall art of problem solving as opposed to specific problem-solving techniques/algorithms, this is one of those rare books that can change the way you approach a general discipline...that of problem solving in this case.
The organization of the book, the level of detail into which each section delves and the overall pace of the writing are all well-suited for a general reading audience. For those readers interested in specific algorithms related to problem solving, Numerical Recipes 3rd Edition: The Art of Scientific Computing may represent a better choice.
I highly recommend this book to all readers interested in problem solving in general.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Second Book on Research for Every Researcher
Comment: Every researcher's first reference book is a comprehensive treatment of the methods, designs and analysis strategies needed for their discipline. This book is a complement rather than a substitute for such a basic research reference. It covers the tactics, organizational strategies--even attitudes--that are needed on a practical level to get research done.
I suggest using this book to do a quick "needs analysis" of your research style. Turn to the Preface and read through the annotated table of contents to identify the research tactic you most need to improve. (Mine was "Establish a Filing System.") You can assimilate the corresponding chapter in a few minutes and begin improving your skills.
With 38 different chapters covering topics that range from overcoming "Beginner's Mind" to "Use the Internet" there is something for every researcher. I can envision an undergraduate research methods professor leading beginning researchers through a needs assessment discussion and assigning them to both remediate their top weakness and sharpen their top strength--knowing all the time that many will be enticed into reading most of the other chapters, too. (I can also imagine a surly senior professor hurling it at his new research assistant with "Don't bother me until you have read this!" I suppose that teaching strategy would work, too. But I won't recommend it.)
The chapters are well organized and easy to learn from. Resources include both recommended books for in-depth exploration of each topic and a large number of relevant web sites for fast-click discovery. The book's own web site is a great place to start.
A great resource to sharpen your research abilities and an enjoyable read, this book is worth its place on your bookshelf.
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