5 comments about Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (2nd Edition).

1. As a grad student returning to the classroom after more than 25 years I was a bit reticent about taking up the subject of academic research. The excellence of this text informed me, gave me a comprehensive view of the subject matter and left me wanting to learn more. I highly recommend it. This is one of the text books I will keep for future reference.



2. I am in the process of completing my exit project for my Master's degree. This text has been an excellent guide for me as I am completing my degree through distance education. I purchased the text at the end of my degree, after my coursework was completed, however, I think it would have been a great help for me if I had it from the beginning. I'm sure it's on the "recommended reading" list for most graduate courses, but I feel it should be "required reading" for anyone who is engaged in formal, academic research.



3. I bought this book as a required text for one of my on-line classes. I am in my second graduate class which is about quantitative and qualitative research and I am very impressed with the quality of this text. If you are a researcher, this book is a must have. If you are a reader of research, this book is also a must have. It is very well written and provides numerous examples of how to properly organize and write effective quantitative and qualitative research papers.



4. A MUST!!! Creswell organizes the book into three parts: 1. Introduction to research, 2. Steps in Research and 3. Research Designs. Within each category are simplistic reviews and explanations for designing and writing a research project.
   
   Many research books are on the market, this is my favorite and has become my "bible" in designing a research project and writing papers due to the reader easy style Creswell laid the book out and the language he used to write and explain.
   
   Alexandra B. Kealey



5. The book has been outstanding, very easy reading almost like a novel. I was able to run through the 659 pages very quickly and now I am reading it again to reinforce the content. The organization I purchased it from however has been a terrible MAP sales is a supplier everyone should stay away from. I have never received the book from them, 7 weeks later, although they were very fast to post my account for the charges. Numerous emails later, they still haven't credited my account. Stay away from MAP sales.

2 comments about Attract Clients: A Financial Advisor's Guide to Building and Running A Practice.

1. Excellent book. Lloyd writes things that everyone involved in a professional atmosphere can comprehend. You'll find yourself agreeing with the things he says and you'll want to put his recommendations into play.



2. I've read a lot of books that claim to help you to succeed but this book by Lloyd Williams actually does.It is the best book to help Financial Adviors accomplish their goals that I have ever read.
   He makes our business seem so simple.
   Just follow his instructions!
   Buy this book!

4 comments about The Credit Default Swap Basis.

1. Choudhry lays out the relationship between cash and synthetic fixed income instruments: 1) for cash bonds, the different ways to measure the cash flows, swapping fixed to floating, using ASW, I spread, Z spread, etc., and the pro's and con's of each measurement. 2) For CDS, there is a brief primer on the CDS product structure, and discussion of CDS pricing methodology (both mathematically and in layman's terms). He then lays out techniques for hedging and basis trading and presents examples. There is discussion of market supply/demand influences.
   
   The emphasis is hands-on usability for the practitioner. He presents examples using the Bloomberg & some spreadsheets. Although several approaches to CDS pricing theory are presented (including some math that I'm not knowledgable enough to evaluate), CDS theory is not explored or debated in great detail. This level of theory is not the primary focus of the book. The book is NOT targeted to heavy duty quants or theoreticians.
   
   There are a couple areas where I would have appreciated a bit more diligence. Choudhry himself points out one example where the values in the printed Bloomberg screen differ slightly from the book's text (couldn't they have updated one or the other before going to print?). In another case, I was unsure about the consistency of treatment in different parts of the book regarding one of the spread measurements. In this case I will probably buy one of his other books where the issue is examined in greater detail.
   
   Overall, I found this book VERY useful and well worth reading.



2. The book is 195 pages total. The first 60 pages explain what CDS, z-spread, and asset swap spread are. While this is useful information, chances are, if you are buying a book about CDS basis, you will already know this stuff. And if you dont, wikipedia or any other online source can concisely explain it.
   
   The last 50 pages includes definitions and appendicies. In between, you get a lot of repetitive information. Every chapter starts out with a 2-3 page summary of what you just read.
   
   Chapter 3 is really the only useful part of the book - it outlines the 10 or so factors that drive basis. I certainly learned a lot here but it was in the course of 10 pages or so.
   
   The final chapter talks about "trading the basis." I was disappointed to read that they are simply telling you how to execute the trade...ie, buy $10MM notional, sell X, hedge with futures. It really doesnt help with idea generation which is what I was hoping to see.



3. In all honesty, I bought this book without fully realizing what I was purchasing. I had intended to buy a very basic intro to credit default swaps. With that being said, I'm glad I made the decision to purchase the book. There was more than enough material covering how a CDS works to get anyone familiar with finance up to speed.
   
   Once Choudhry gets into the basis itself, it's very easy to understand and apply. I almost felt ready to go out and trade the basis myself, but not working on a trade desk, that just wasn't an option!
   
   At the end of the day, one of the most valuable takeaways is that you really have a much better understanding of the difference between the cash and synthetic market. I've personally used what I've learned in this book to help people make sense of what CDS and asset-swap spreads mean.



4. I am usually a big fan of what Moorad Choudry writes, because of his very accessible way of writing on bonds and structured finance theory. But in this book, I had the feeling that the topic was not covered as deeply as others topics he has written about.
   
   1. This is not a book about CDS theory and pricing, so if you are looking to get a grip on CDS, this book is not for you. However, quite a number of pages are devoted on CDS, ASW, z-spreads. It is interesting, but this is not the topic of the book and people buying it are certainly all familiar with thoses concepts.
   2. The part covering CDS basis is not really deep covered. Moorad Choodry gives some explaination of the factors driving the basis (which was what I was expecting in getting this book) but it could have been done in an article rather than a book.
   3. On how to trade the basis, the author gives some trades examples, but he remains very high level on the rationale of the trades and how to identify opportunities. It seems that there is a missing part.
   
   In conclusion, I would still recommend it because of it gives some useful information on the CDS basis and its price is very accessible. Overall, I continue to enjoy what Moorad Choodry writes, but just a little disappointed on this one.

5 comments about You Got Screwed! Why Wall Street Tanked and How You Can Prosper.

1. Jim Cramer rules. Anyone who can mix schadenfreude (German for vicarious pleasure in others' misery), Pangloss from CANDIDE, sports analogies, and pop culture references with a straight shooting approach to finance and investing is cool. More importantly, he does a better, more readable job of dissecting big bad Corporate America than Michael Moore ever could (Cramer and Moore both got skewed in a bad-guy list of RADAR that stated the scariest facts about both, respectively, were "Is married and has children," and "Won an Oscar"). Jim Cramer isn't a get-rich-quick franchise.



2. James J. Cramer is responsible for much of what occurred during the tech bubble. He was a cheerleader for the tech boom and now says that others got screwed? HE WAS DOING THE SCREWING! This is hypocrisy at its best.
   
   From his near firing at Goldman to the collapse of his own company (TheStreet.com is down 90% plus from its IPO price) Cramer is a genius - at cashing in on his own failures.
   
   Do not touch this book with a 50 foot pole.



3. Don't get me wrong, I kinda like Cramer. He's entertaining. He's funny. He's run a successful Hedge Fund. He's made a lot of money. He's also often wrong.
   
   Here's my personal experience with Cramer. A few weeks before the collapse of Tyco, Cramer was hyping the stock on his Real Money radio program. If I remember the quote correctly he said, "I would be remiss if I didn't buy Tyco at these levels". So Tyco fell to $32, I bought 1,000 shares. Tyco went to $35 a week later, I sold and made a sweet profit. A week after that Tyco tanked. The rest is history.
   
   I got lucky.
   
   Even though I made money, I suddenly realized how foolish it is to buy stock on the advice of any pundit. I counted my blessings, thanked God I didn't get creamed, and learned a valuable lesson. I wonder how many others weren't so fortunate.
   
   This book fires bazooka rounds at the corporate excesses of the 90's and early years of the millennium. It lobs well deserved grenades into the boardrooms of the brokerage industry. Then it spits a pea shooter's worth of advice at how to avoid getting "screwed" again. Like I said, Cramer is entertaining.
   
   Clearly, Cramer is angry at something or somebody. Maybe he's feeling guilty about his own contributions to the largess of Wall Street and wants to make amends. If that's the case then I understand why he wrote this book. It's a laudable goal. Who knows?
   
   What I do know is there's nothing really new in this book. It provides some very interesting background information about a pivotal point in the country's financial history. It readdresses some of the deck stacking practices of the financial services industry, and it rehashes, in a minimal way, sage self-help advice that can be found in numerous other places for free.
   
   It's not a bad book. And Cramer is not a bad guy. I actually believe the Real Money Cramer is a far different man than the Hedge Fund Cramer. A man for the better in my opinion. So I give him the benefit of the doubt.
   
   If you know nothing about how corporate shenanigans work or how Wall Street works this book is a good primer. You'll just have to go elsewhere for the details.



4. In late December 1999/early January 2000 at the height of the tech bubble, Jim Cramer appeared on CNBC and screamed this mantra like a maniac at viewers, "If you don't buy ICGE now you are an idiot!! ICGE -- ICGE -- I SEE GE -- I SEE THE NEXT GE -- Get it -- Get it now!" If I remember correctly those were the words he screamed in a fury. The word "idiot" may have been "imbecile" but the point is he wanted to make you feel really stupid if you missed this golden opportunity.
   
   Shortly afterwards the stock started dropping like a rock and Internet Capital Group fell from something like $220 a share to half that in no time flat. Now check out a chart to see where the next General Electric is.
   
   How Jim Cramer got away with this is beyond me. I just found an article in my archives dated 12/20/1999 about "Why Jim Cramer is a Big Fan of Internet Capital Group" but because of copyright laws I don't believe I am allowed to post it here. In the article he stated that his hedge fund owned a large stake in the company and that he was looking to buy more on any pullbacks. What a load of bull. When he says BUY, you should say BYE as you switch to another TV channel.
   
   Good luck if you put your trust in this guy.



5. This short but very informative book gives you a history lesson on how companies have been screwing over the public for years to make a small group of people a lot of money, It teaches you how to watch for it and avoid becoming a victim of insider trading yourself.
   
   Worth every penny.

5 comments about Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth: The 8 Secrets of How 5,000 Ordinary Americans Became Successful Investors--and How You Can Too.

1. I didn't enjoy one bit of this book. I disagreed with many of his "8 secrets", but even his examples to support his theories were outlandish and based on very rigid assumptions that aren't necessarily supported by real world conditions.
   
   And his perceived arrogance was anything but flattering. The entire time he was making his insane points, I felt like he was implying anyone who doesn't follow his advice is stupid. Fortunately, I read this book (and borrowed it for free from the library) prior to reading any of his other books, that he shamelessly plugs continuously throughout this entire waste of paper garbage of a book.
   
   Don't waste your time reading it.



2. I wish this book had been available when I first began investing! I could have avoided 90% of the (very costly) mistakes I made.
   
   Yes, the advice is simple. But that's the beauty of it.
   
   Don't switch your investments around too much. Don't pay too much attention to the financial media. These are the 2 tips I found the most helpful. I reacted out of fear and made emotional decisions. Very bad idea.
   
   I especially enjoyed the sections where Ric lets his clients speak for themselves.
   
   So, I highly recomment this book. Another, somewhat similar one I like is is "Eight Steps to Seven Figures" by Charles Carlson.



3. A lot of redunduncy. You don't miss anything if you skip "in their own words" pages.
   There should have been a mention of "retirement planning" on the title of this book. The book is mainly for 401K investments. Not a help for a reader who is after inspirational stories of "ordinary people with extraordinary wealth".



4. I highly recommend this book for those who are trying to figure out what they need in financial planning, when are they going to need it, and how to get there from here. Ric let his clients do the advising, the message is very powerful.



5. Some of the "secrets" in this book are good ideas, but not all. I disagree with the idea of not paying off your mortgage. (And I felt that way before the mortgage crisis) Unfortunately, that was the first secret in the book and it started me off with a bad impression.
   
   The book was based in interviews and research on a group of wealthy people. There are sections in the book that contain pieces of advice from those folks (best thing they ever did, worst mistake they ever made, etc) which provide some good ideas. However, many end up repeating the same things.
   
   Overall, it was an okay book but I have to admit I ended up skimming lots of it towards the end. I don't know that I came across anything really new to me (but then, I do read a lot of personal finance books). I'm also not certain that I agree with all the advice provided. My opinion is that The Millionaire Next Door offers better information. I'm glad I borrowed the book from the library instead of purchasing it.

3 comments about All About Stock Market Strategies : The Easy Way To Get Started.

1. This dual authored 249-page book McGraw-Hill paperback covers different investment styles. It is divided into 10 chapters and includes a 15-page appendix of on-line investing resources, and 100 useful Websites, as well as a 9-page glossary. One unique feature is the inclusion of Psychological Quotient (PQ) Charts that can help readers ascertain their investment style and, thereby increase their odds on selecting the most appropriate investments.

   The authors put forth the theory that if an investing strategy does not fit a person's personality that he/she will not stick with it for very long. Therefore, they provide a selection of currently used investing strategies together with the personality traits needed to execute the strategy successfully.

   According to the authors, the investing process encompasses stock selection, timing of entry and exit points and portfolio management (asset allocation, number of holdings). However, they point out that the strategies for picking investment vehicles depends upon the investor's style of investing.

   The authors point out that if an investor can use a systematic investing approach while maintaining discipline that he can more than double the annual return compared to random investing.

   The authors created PQ charts. They rate each investment style on a scale of 1 to 10 for each of ten personality traits. These traits are: discipline; patience; risk tolerance; reward expectation; volatility tolerance; time horizon; time commitment; quantitative skill; charting skill; and investing confidence.

   Nine specific investment styles are reviewed. The four major styles are growth (high risk/high reward); value (hunting for bargains); momentum (where the action is); and technical investing (using charts). There is one chapter on each style and together they cover 100 pages and are the heart of the book.

   Each chapter follows the same format by providing the PQ chart personality rankings, anatomy of the types of stocks that fit that category, chart patterns of these stocks, how to screen for stocks, checklist of questions on evaluating stocks, exit and entry strategies, portfolio strategy, a case study, stock chart evaluation checklist, on-line resources, and helpful hints.

   Five minor investing styles are portrayed in a separate chapter. They include: fundamental investing (balance sheet review), income investing (dividend payers), hybrid investing (combining styles), active trading (day traders, swing traders, position traders), and style surfing (style now in vogue).

   Also provided are market capitalization strategies. Those covered include: large-, mid-, small-, and micro-cap strategies. A few advanced strategies are briefly discussed. They include short-selling, market-neutral investing, index trading, option hedging, and global investing.

   Each style is explained and a PQ chart is included. A table showing the names of specific index funds and ETFs is also included for each investing style or market cap. This table provides readers with the specific funds to consider based upon their investment profile.

   Overall, this book provides readers with a crisply written introduction to understanding the different investing styles, determining their style, help in locating funds that track these styles. This book contains sufficient resources to help investors strengthen their knowledge about investing and the markets. I highly recommend this book to new investors, as well as those who don't have a clue as to what they should be focusing on.




2. the book that i will be reading will help me get started. I will understand the market alot more.but this book will be great. It will get me on my feet.Other that that this book will great for people that wanting to get started with the stock market.I all ready love this book and i havent even read it yet.

   thanks for your help.
   chris green




3. I have read this book cover to cover. I have also read 2.5 other starter books. This is by far the best one. You will not be ready to make millions after this read, but you wouldnt be after only one book anyways. Some other books I have read are Bill o'reillys how to make mony in stocks. This book is much better for a non biased oppinion, O'riellys book seems more concerned with trying to sell you his strategy and in turn investors businness daily. My only criticm is that it doesnt go to in depth about any one strategy, it is more of in intro to all of them. This is exactly what is needed for a first book however and thats why it gets five stars. Be prepared to buy another book after this one sparks your interests. Be cautious about other books that try to get you all hyped up and ready to lose alot of money proclaiming themselves as the holy grail.

1 comments about Master Data Management (The MK/OMG Press).

1. I am very proud to have put this book together - it is essentially a compendium of best practices and guidance from our corporate experience working with clients on master data management, data quality, data governance, and metadata management projects. My objective for writing the book was to fill a gap in establishing a core set of processesfor successfully planning, implementing, and managing an MDM program, and I hope that you'll find the material engaging and interesting. I have also put together a companion web site ([...]) where I will oversee a community of practice in providing update and new insights associated with Master Data Management, Customer Data Integration, Data Governance, and Data Quality. I look forward to your participation!

5 comments about The Zurich Axioms.

1. Completely worth it! You can read this in one weekend; worth so much more than that!!! Fantastic book, so true it does indeed make you think about the "accepted" investment approach of nowadays... this book was written in 1985 and it still applies so truly to today's environment... way ahead of its' time... that's the beauty of this book... I truly do not think it will become obsolete anytime soon... READ IT... ENJOY!



2. This is one of the few books that retain pride-of-place on my trading and investing bookshelf now that I have pruned out all the useless ones.
   
   I really like the chapters ON PATTERNS, ON MOBILITY, ON RELIGION AND THE OCCULT, and ON CONSENSUS.
   
   I'm not wholly convinced by chapters such as ON GREED, which suggests that you should take profits early. Most great traders would disagree with that, I think.
   
   Tony Loton -- author, DON'T LOSE MONEY! (in the Stock Markets)



3. Pretty good book so far. Nothing Earth-shattering, but good supplement to a financial library.



4. I've read hundreds of investment and speculations books. The Zürich Axioms is the best, bar none.
   
   I have a web site, Speculation Rules, you will find these axioms woven through it's pages. I've given away dozens of copies of this book; but for you I will let you appreciate it more by buying your own copy.
   
   enjoy



5. Everyone's got to start somewhere and Max Gunther helped me get my start in the world of speculative investing. Of course, when I began trading in the stock market (pre-1987), I thought I was going to set the world on fire and make tons of money in the market in short order.
   
   I didn't exactly set the world on fire, but, over time, I grew as an investor, and more importantly as a business person, via contemplation of the rules set forth in The Zurich Axioms.
   
   Today I'm more an investor than speculator and a re-read of The Zurich Axioms showed me just how much I've changed over the years. I still agree with much of what Gunther conveys, but disagree with more than I thought I'd ever disagree with when I first read it years ago.
   
   For me, The Zurich Axioms is a great resource to grapple with risk, market forecasts, and the emotional roller coaster of Wall Street.
   
   Bottom Line: While The Zurich Axioms is more than a worthwhile read, the best rules for anyone will be those that they develop themselves.

5 comments about 101 Movie Clips that Teach and Train.

1. For anyone who needs to design, develop and facilitate presentations, workshops or meetings in a hurry, this book is a GREAT resource. Easy to use. Intuitively organized. I highly recommend it as a reference book for any teacher or trainer's bookshelf.



2. The book was a good book to get you thinking about movies that could be used in training and questions that could be asked. However, I was unable to use most of the suggested movies in the book. Many of the clips were inappropriate for the classroom but it did not reference in the book. Some of the movies were dated and you could no longer get them or rent them.



3. It's a good book set up for quick references and teaching points. The only negative that I had was it would have been nice if the chapters were included for the clips, since we are now completely in the digital era. Otherwise an excellent guide to help.



4. I am an educator in a hospital and this book helped me develop a presentation for managers where I work. They're a tough bunch, but they loved it. Using movies is a great stool to teach leadership.



5. This book is very helpful in identifying movie clips that will engage an audience, get them talking about a topic and set the stage for further learning. The discussion questions in the book are very helpful and encourage audience participation. Movies are categorized for specific topics which help with determining what movie to use. Saved me lots of time!

No comments about From Analyst to Leader: Elevating the Role of the Business Analyst.