Covering an enormous range of technical terms from both pure and applied mathematics, this superb reference goes beyond basic definitions to provide helpful explanations and examples.

As he persuasively argues, the mathematical concepts that arose and flourished in the ancient world enabled the creation of architectural masterpieces as well as the establishment of vast trade networks.

Charles Chihara's new book develops and defends a structural view of the nature of mathematics, and uses it to explain a number of striking features of mathematics that have puzzled philosophers for centuries. The view is used to show that, in order to understand how mathematical systems areapplied in science and everyday life, it is not necessary to assume that its theorems either presuppose mathematical objects or are even true.Chihara builds upon his previous work, in which he presented a new system of mathematics, the constructibility theory, which did not make reference to, or presuppose, mathematical objects. Now he develops the project further by analysing mathematical systems currently used by scientists to show howsuch systems are compatible with this nominalistic outlook. He advances several new ways of undermining the heavily discussed indispensability argument for the existence of mathematical objects made famous by Willard Quine and Hilary Putnam. And Chihara presents a rationale for the nominalisticoutlook that is quite different from those generally put forward, which he maintains have led to serious misunderstandings.A Structural Account of Mathematics will be required reading for anyone working in this field.

- Great Study Aids! - Topics arranged thematically so that words are explained in context - Fully integrated system of cross referencing plus a comprehensive index.

Departing radically from conventional pedagogical methods, Davis (curriculum studies, U. of British Columbia) uses such diverse fields as continental and pragmatists philosophy, enactivist thought, critical discourses, cognitive theory, evolution, and ecology to challenge the assumptions that permeate much of mathematics teaching. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Written in a clear, readable style with a wide range of explanations and examples, The SAGE Dictionary of Statistics & Methodology, Fifth Edition by W. Paul Vogt and R. Burke Johnson is a must-have dictionary that reflects recent changes in the fields of statistics and methodology. Packed with 500 new definitions, terms, and graphics, the Fifth Edition is an ideal reference for researchers and professionals in the field and provides everything students need to read and understand a research report, including elementary terms, concepts, methodology, and design definitions, as well as concepts from qualitative research methods and terms from theory and philosophy.

In this newly updated Fourth Edition, new terms are defined, new synonyms are included, and both are illustrated with new graphics. Growth in the fields of statistics and methodology has mandated these inclusions. The number of definitions and illustrations has grown from about 2,400 in the third edition to about 2,800 in this one, an increase of around 16 percent. While some entries have been shortened and obsolete ones have been deleted, which helped make room for the new entries, comparatively few terms from the earlier editions have been deleted. The importance of classic terms persists even as new techniques and the terms describing them are invented. Finally, the suggestions for further reading have been updated and a new section on Useful Websites on Statistics and Methodology has been added.

Since 1995, more than 150,000 students and researchers have turned to The Craft of Research for clear and helpful guidance on how to conduct research and report it effectively . Now, master teachers Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams present a completely revised and updated version of their classic handbook. Like its predecessor, this new edition reflects the way researchers actually work: in a complex circuit of thinking, writing, revising, and rethinking. It shows how each part of this process influences the others and how a successful research report is an orchestrated conversation between a researcher and a reader. Along with many other topics, The Craft of Research explains how to build an argument that motivates readers to accept a claim; how to anticipate the reservations of thoughtful yet critical readers and to respond to them appropriately; and how to create introductions and conclusions that answer that most demanding question, "So what?" Celebrated by reviewers for its logic and clarity, this popular book retains its five-part structure. Part 1 provides an orientation to the research process and begins the discussion of what motivates researchers and their readers. Part 2 focuses on finding a topic, planning the project, and locating appropriate sources. This section is brought up to date with new information on the role of the Internet in research, including how to find and evaluate sources, avoid their misuse, and test their reliability. Part 3 explains the art of making an argument and supporting it. The authors have extensively revised this section to present the structure of an argument in clearer and more accessible terms than in the first edition. New distinctions are made among reasons, evidence, and reports of evidence. The concepts of qualifications and rebuttals are recast as acknowledgment and response. Part 4 covers drafting and revising, and offers new information on the visual representation of data. Part 5 concludes the book with an updated discussion of the ethics of research, as well as an expanded bibliography that includes many electronic sources. The new edition retains the accessibility, insights, and directness that have made The Craft of Research an indispensable guide for anyone doing research, from students in high school through advanced graduate study to businesspeople and government employees. The authors demonstrate convincingly that researching and reporting skills can be learned and used by all who undertake research projects. New to this edition: Extensive coverage of how to do research on the internet, including how to evaluate and test the reliability of sources New information on the visual representation of data Expanded bibliography with many electronic sources