5 comments about Organic Chemistry II as a Second Language: Second Semester Topics.

1. This book should be used by ALL students struggling in organic chemistry. The subect is not easy. But this author's insight into the subject knows how to guide a student into actually learning the material. I wish I had bought the book earlier.
   Excellent book recommended for those who need to master organic.



2. I ordered the book a week ago. I was desperate about orgo at that time. Read the first page and you'll find that it teaches you the skills to deal with orgo mechanism, synthesis, and predicting product. They all started to make sense now. I am still in the third chapter but I really feel the differences it makes. If I have read this book earlier, I won't have such a hard time in orgo.



3. I struggle typically because I'm not spending enough time with the textbook assigned.
   All in all, my only complaint is I don't have enough time to take full advantage of this wonderful supplement.



4. I have both the Organic Chemistry as a Second Language, and the Second Semester topics addition. I find both very useful tools for understanding OCHEM. The first semester book has useful nomenclature section, which is not covered at all in the second addition. I think a nomenclature section for the benzene section, and to show how Carboxylic Acid and other carbonyls are named and numbered would be helpful practice, although some of it may be review. However, the explanations for benzene ring mechanisms and modificaton is indispensable. This series of books are only supplements, and cannot replace the text, or lecture because there are topics not covered in the "language" books, and some reactions that are included in the Second Semester book may not be required in a specific course. You can not go wrong by investing in these books and working the practice problems.



5. I have read only the first 3 chapters or so but so far the material has been very helpful. The author does a great job of describing concepts clearly and in a manner which does not confuse the reader further. I would recommend it to anyone struggling in OChem 2. It would be helpful, I think, if you began reading it before the semester starts as the book does not go along the same schedule as the material taught in class usually. Besides it really helps to solidify the majors points in your head beforehand.

5 comments about Advanced Excel for Scientific Data Analysis.

1. If I had written this book I think I would have called it Scientific Excel rather than Advanced Excel. To be sure, the book is certainly for advanced Excel users, but it won't help you do an advanced business application.
   
   You'd best have some knowledge about Excel before starting this one. There's a brief survey of Excel at the beginning that starts off comparing a spreadsheet to an accountant's ledger. That's pretty basic. Anyone with any Excel experience at all can follow the first three pages. On page four he is talking about making a thousand point plot with random numbers, normal distribution -- no longer something from Excel for Dummies. By page 5 he's calculating averages and standard deviations. By the end of this Survey chapter he's talking about the accuracy of the calculations performed by Excel.
   
   Subsequent chapters discuss various types of mathematical manipulation that are often needed in the analysis of scientific data.
   
   There are three chapters on Least Squares. This is the fitting of a curve to collected data so that the trends might be more easily visualized.
   
   There is a chapter on Fourier Transformations, which is the probably the most frequently used analysis tool when working in signal processing. Geophysical seismic data, radar receivers, cell phone systems are all processed primarily using Fourier Transforms. This kind of data is of course too voluminous for Excel, but the techniques used here would be ideal for quite a number of laboratory applications.
   
   A couple of chapters cover convolution, deconvolution, and time-frequency analysis as well as Numerical integration of ordinary differential equations.
   
   All of these processing tasks are done using macros. These are described in the book, or can be downloaded from the author's website -- www.bowdoin.edu/~rdelevie/excellaneous/. This web site also includes some additional macros that enhance Excel's computationability when handling numbers of higher precision.
   
   The final four chapters of the book are on writing your own or modifying existing macros, with an orientation to scientific analysis.
   
   I consider this to be almost a mandatory book for anyone interested in using Excel to analysis scientific data.



2. Every modern scientist and engineer relies upon some type of software for the analysis of data. Many software programs are available in the market today and each seems to have its own unique code and learning curve. In the PC world, perhaps no other software for data analysis is more common and easier to learn than Microsoft Excel. Many high school students are already using Excel for their homework assignments. All of these features make Excel an attractive analytical tool for scientists and engineers at university and afterwards. All such tools need reliable tutorials in order to train users to harness their full capabilities. Most available literature on Excel is introductory in nature, and therefore not appropriate for advanced applications. Robert de Levie's "Advanced Excel for scientific data analysis" helps fill in this void.
   
   Prospective readers should be aware that this text is not appropriate for beginners. The author clearly alerts readers to this point in the preface. This is also readily apparent from browsing the Table of Contents. I was skeptical at first with some of the more advanced applications such as solving differential equations in Excel. Many scientists use higher-level programming languages such as Mathematica and Matlab to solve differential equations. While such software packages are quite powerful, they also have steep learning curves. I previously thought that Excel is not capable of solving differential equations, but Chapter 7 turned me into a believer.
   
   The major emphasis of the examples is on least-squares and Fourier transformation. Chapter 2 does a nice job of contrasting Excel's three available routines for linear regression. The author does a very thorough job showing how Excel can be effectively used for Fourier transformation, and gives many examples. However, some other useful mathematical topics are either covered minimally or omitted entirely. For example, I was disappointed by the lack of a routine to calculate eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Excel's array structure makes it well-suited to linear algebra and the author should consider adding more on this topic in a future edition.
   
   One of the greatest strengths of the book is its detailed coverage of Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Advanced data analysis require the use of special user-defined functions, and VBA allows one to extend Excel capabilities to satisfy this need. Unfortunately, VBA code sometimes conflicts with Excel code. For example, the square root operation in Excel is SQRT, but in VBA is SQR. While the author certainly has no control over this, he does an excellent job alerting the reader to these pitfalls.
   
   Chemists definitely need a reliable tool for the analysis of experimental data. de Levie's book covers most of the techniques we use in our lab. The book clearly demonstrates how Excel is not just a convenient tool for plotting data from the stock market or keeping track of students' grades, but a powerful tool for scientific data analysis. This book is highly rercommended for all students and research workers in the areas of analytical and physical chemistry.



3. This book does not give much info on Excel itself. I think the book is outstanding in that it opens one's eyes to using Excel for tasks like non-linear least squares fitting of data to models, signal deconvolution, etc. In retrospect, that one could use Excel for this should not be too surprising, but I have found myself resorting to MathCAD for many of these things when a solution implemented in Excel would have been easier to share with colleagues since Excel is more available. There is a bias towards biological/chemical examples, but nothing too egregious.



4. Do you need a spreadsheet tool to analyze experimental data? If you do, then this book is for you! Author Robert De Levie, has written an outstanding book on advanced Excel that shows you how to conduct the numerical analysis of experimental data, such as are usually encountered in the physical sciences.
   
   De Levie, begins by describing some of the standard mathematical methods, such as numerical integration and differentiation, and how to perform these most accurately on the spreadsheet. Then, the author examines precision--with random fluctuations and their reduction or removal. Next, he shows you how to apply the least squares methods to polynomials in the independent variable x, and to multivariable functions. The author continues by describing the nonlinear least squares method, where one compares a given data set with a model expression that depends on one or more numerical parameters.
   In addition, he also deals with the application of Fourier transformation in numerical data analysis, rather than instrumentation, where it is often built in. Then, the author discusses the use of time-dependent signals. He also describes particular types of errors: The algorithmic deviations caused by replacing a differential equation by an approximation thereof. Next, the author will show you how to copy spreadsheet data into a macro, manipulate them, and return the result to the spreadsheet. He continues by looking at some common mathematical operations, often encountered in scientific data analysis, and their numerical implementations on the spreadsheet. In addition, the author shows you how to extend the set of tools available for matrix operations in Excel. Finally, he focuses on three types of spreadsheet-related errors: those that are rather easy to make on a spreadsheet, those that result from Excel's adherence to the IEEE-754 protocol, and those that are in hidden in Excel.
   
   The author of this most excellent book has made a great effort to make it as broadly useful as possible to the reader, and to incorporate examples from different areas. More importantly, the author believes that this book offers instead, an attempt at the synthesis of different areas, thus illustrating how many numerical problems can be fitted comfortably in the convenient, user-friendly format of the spreasheet.



5. 'Advanced Excel for Scientific Data Analysis' is one of those niche books that is absolutely the standard in the field. Warning/fact #1 is that this books is NOT NOT NOT for the every day regular Excel user. Repeat, this book is NOT for you. Jam-packed full of mathematical equations without a high amount of screen shots, this book is for mathematicians, physicists, econometrics people, statisticians or anyone that needs to go way way past the normal 'AVG' and 'SUM' functions found in Microsoft Excel. This is not light reading and its about as pinpointed to a specific audience as can be.
   
   If you are a power Excel user go buy this book immediately and you will learn how to release its power better than ever before!!
   
   ***** HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION

1 comments about Kaplan SAT Subject Test: Chemistry, 2008-2009 Edition (Kaplan Sat Subject Test. Chemistry).

1. I am a high school student, and I purchased this book in the hopes of learning about Chemistry for my subject test, I take as of now Regents Chemistry, which is the standard curriculum in New York State. I figured I had learned enough general regents Chemistry that anything inside this book would prove no great struggle. I was wrong, the language was sort of difficult and slightly abstract to understand, by no means was it incomprehensible, but for someone learning the language and voice as it moved from point to point and lesson to lesson was not strong enough. Now I enjoy Chemistry, otherwise I doubt I would be taking the test, it took me nearly one and a half hours to grasp the first atomic structure in regards to quantum numbers and etc. Now I learn quickly, and I take other advanced placement courses, it was not the wording that was difficult. I looked back and found that there were not enough diagrams, not even one for Bohr's model of the Hydrogen atom, which is difficult enough to learn spin quantum numbers and etc, without a diagram it becomes extremely so. The directions are also not that clear, which I struggled with, I would have to reread sentences to comprehend it. I switched to SparkNotes Chemistry review and I learned remarkably fast, I understood everything clearly, the worst thing about the book are the teaching directions and also the diagrams which should be explained. I am now learning Chemistry from Sparknotes, by all means a very good review book if you can understand concepts and need review. But if you need help with concepts look to Sparknotes.
   
   Pros:
   -Great review book
   -Detailed explanation
   -lesson plans are easily organized and cover everything
   -Review and practice tests for each chapter
   
   Cons:
   -Writing is difficult if you're learning
   -Not a learning book, a review book
   -Don't buy this book if you want to learn Chemistry, buy it if you want to review stuff you already know
   -Chances are, if you get this book you're an AP Chem student for example, because regular high school curriculums do not cover sigma and pi bonds, spin quantum numbers, electron affinity and much more
   
   Bottom Line: Great review book, if the concepts are familiar to you and your high school Chemistry Course goes above and beyond what is required for a high school final/exam. Don't expect this is a self-teaching book, use it as a reference or a review book if you already know the material. Chances are again the only people who would know beyond the average high school course of Chemistry are AP Chem students, if you're trying to learn new Chemistry, go to sparknotes.

5 comments about Examkrackers 1001 Questions in MCAT Chemistry (Examkrackers).

1. First of all, if you consider yourself a 'pre-med' and serious about the MCAT, then as such you probably would've done some research about your products you are using... judging from the other reviews, they have not.
   
   These texts are for reviewing the SUBJECTS specifically... NOT for the MCAT!!! There designed to fill in the gaps you may have missed that some teachers 'leave out' during your education.
   
   If you want reviews specifically for the MCAT, and you are already a master of all the subjects covered, then get the Examkrackers Complete Study Package here on Amazon.
   
   The 1001 and 101 question series by Examkrackers is a great SUBJECT review for any student, premed or not. They explain difficult concepts in simple terms. Thanks EK!



2. To get into Med school after 15yrs in business I took my Organic Chem series over again, studied Exam Kracker's 101 series until I knew the books cold, listened to EK's Audio Osmosis about 10 times while communiting then took several full length practice tests.
   
   Going in I thought I'd be taking it a 2nd time so I wasn't too stressed. Afterwards, I was even more sure I would be re-taking it. However, I managed a 30 (straight 10's) so I know anyone can.
   
   Bottom line, MCAT is not about knowing a ton of details (unlike Step 1). Know the basics like EK teaches so you can apply the concepts anyway they ask the question. Then practice, practice and pracitce some more (yes, especially the essays). It will help cement the concepts in, but more importantly give you confidence.
   
   My personal belief is reduced stress and being on top of your game test day are more important than which study aid you use. That said, EK's focused and yet whimsical style was perfect for me to go through it over and over until I knew it cold.



3. This is a very good book. Amazon shipped it right away, in excellent condition. This book will help you get ready for the MCATs by acting as your very own tutor. I recommend getting all of the Examkracker series.



4. This book is decent. Some good questions, but many a bit too trivial for MCAT. If you're pressed for time, this book may not benefit you too much.



5. This study aid has a good breadth of coverage of concepts covered by the MCAT. The questions are all in the style of the MCAT (Roman numeral questions, etc.). My only complaint was that I was hoping for some passages and passage-based questions for practice, and those are completely absent in this book. Overall, I think it's a good addendum to any study curriculum for the MCAT.

5 comments about Organic Chemistry.

1. I took this course during the summer and we packed 4 months of Organic Chemistry II into one stressful month.
   Of the many texts available for o chem, this one has to be the best. Although it is as thick as the other books, the material is extremely well organized and the author spoon-feeds the information to you. Before every exam all I needed to do was go through all the tables in the chapters and read the summaries at the end of each chapter and I was all set!
   If you really don't have the time to sift through dense material and weed out important information, this book will lay everything out for you in a very understandable manner.
   
   Highly recommended!



2. I had to buy this book for class and for some reason I thought I ordered the older edition, but I got the newest one and it is in perfect condition. I received the book within 3 or 4 days of ordering. I appreciate the speed of the order since I needed it right away for class and the book is in like new condition, so I couldn't be happier :) Now if only I could buy an "A" on Amazon too...



3. This is a great book for the subject. I find that the practice problems throughout the chapters are very helpful!



4. It came in great time - I wasn't aware it wasn't hardcover but it still works all the same.



5. I received the book just in time for my spring/summer semester! The book was in perfect condition...no complaints! Thanks a lot!

5 comments about Fundamentals of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry.

1. It's a great edition of the book, and I appreciate it very much! I'm very happy with the shipping and condition of the book, and it was great overall!



2. I received this book promptly and in excellent condition at a reduced price than the local college bookstore.



3. This book is a very good and comprehensive view of the basics in general, organic, and biological Chemistry. I also like the fact that the book gives many examples and problems to work with. I recommend the study guide which can be purchased separately to go along with this book as it has been a very useful tool for me in my effort to complete this course.



4. I'm glad I checked Amazon instead of buying this book from school. I saved a lot of money. The book came super fast and was in like-new condition, better than I expected!



5. This is a great book. I am using it to review for the DAT. It is very helpful and worth the money. The book is easy to read and has great questions after every chapter.

5 comments about The Organic Chem Lab Survival Manual, A Student's Guide to Techniques.

1. very helpful for organic chemistry lab, very clear directions and the author writes in a way geared towards students so it is funny



2. Zubrick's manual gives a comprehensive overview of fundamental lab methods. I've found it to be very useful on many ocassions. However, some of the explanations could be improved with discussion of the theory, especially the sections on chromatography. Even so, it's cheaper than other books and explains many techniques very well.



3. This is a phenomenal book in which Mr. Zubrick brings down the complexities involved in Organic Chemistry Lab into terms that undergraduates can understand. Also, in something I've never seen done before, he adds humor to his writing. I actually enjoy reading this book, and get more out of it then any other lab text I've ever read. If you take Organic Chemistry Lab without it, you're doing yourself a pretty big diservice.



4. This small book was a requirement in my organic chemistry lab last year. Unfortunately, I think I'm the only one who actually read it. Had others cracked the binding a few times I imagine there would have been fewer exploding flasks and spilled beakers. This awesome little text explains (with humor) the best ways to set up apparatus for experiments, to avoid explosions, and to get in and out of the lab quickly with as few mistakes as possible. I'm happy to report that I never lost any glassware to an explosion, though I did lose a couple pieces to carelessness. Zubrick also covers basic distillation, separation, washing, and extraction techniques, as well as briefly covering spectroscopy. A very simple and helpful book for ochem undergrads.



5. This book is the definitive guide to organic chemistry, whether you're a student or graduate, everything is in here! I bought is as a required book for Organic Lab I, but I recommend it as a reference for any chemist.

5 comments about General Chemistry.

1. I'm a junior chemistry major, and we used this book in our General Chemistry I and II course. I must say, this book is awful. The problems in the back of the book are extremely easy and only cover the basics of each section. For instance, in Chapter 17, on acid-base equilibrium, the book only covers how to do a handful of types of acid-base equilibria problems, when there are tons of different types. For me, it was absolutely useless to even look at the book because the problems were so simplified and all exactly the same.
   
   If your class suggests this book, I'd recommend purchasing another book because unless your professor is really easy, you'll be pretty screwed over trying to learn anything from this piece of trash.



2. I am currently using this book as a first-year biology major, taking the average bio major's chem class. I have found this book to be poorly written and often unclear. I have found several mathematical and theoretical mistakes among the problems of the book, and as other reviewers have mentioned, it is very simplified and does not encompass more than the basic attributes and applications to whatever laws and theories it covers. The worst thing about this book is the fact that it is just an absolute pain to read. Chemistry is not as boring as this book makes it out to be. This text is not engaging at all. With all of the Chem texts I've seen in my professor's office, I wonder what made her choose this awful one to require for the class (thankfully, after thumbing through another one of her texts and commenting on how interesting it made everything, she said I could have it).



3. This book is very simply written, and thus very useful if you have limited chemistry experiance. It does not waste time on painful examples, the examples given are very well explained, nor does it overcomplicate the simple basics of Chemistry. Although i grant that the problems of the book are simple, they are perfect if these concepts introduced are actually new to you, and hopefully your instructor will give you some harder ones to supliment.
   
   I am largely comparing it to Koltz and Triechal's Chemistry and Chemical reactivity, which is the most painful book to slog through. This book is a refreshing restbit and should be used before going into any of the more complex facets of Chemistry.



4. Ebbing Chemistry presents chemistry as "physics at the atomic level." It seems this text is geared towards those majoring in chemistry, physics, or engineering and not necessarily biology majors. Some texts are vague, while Ebbying's clearly explains core concepts like atomic structure, the gas laws, and stoichiometry. Clear, logical problem-solving is stressed and demostrated with examples in each section.
   At the risk of sounding too elementary or juvenile, there is plenty of "color" in this text. What I mean is that important charts, high-quality experiment pictures, and molecular diagrams all serve to make reading through 20-page chapters more enjoyable. Another key feature in of this text is that there is a wealth of information on the uses of chemicals and different manufacturing and industrial techniques in the end-of-chapter problems. Just reading through the problems enlightens you about the many chemical processes used today.



5. This seller is excellent, the description of the product was accurate. My only complain was that the item requested took long to arrive. Other than that I would recommnend this seller to anyone.

5 comments about Homework Helpers: Chemistry.

1. Amazeed by this chemistrt review book. It's like a large textbook, condensed in a smaller version but you have everything you need at your finger tips. I need to refresh my my mind on some basic chem for a next year, pre entrance exam for nursing and I have to say is "I don't need to take a class." The author explains everything in lay terms and you understand, quickly. Even if you have to read certain things over again, you pretty much get it after looking the material over for the third time. I read the first two chapters and mostly everything is still in my mind. The author makes chemistry interesting by using real life examples to reinforce the material. He has the gift of gab and ANYONE who is struggling with chemistry whether it's high school and college chem, this book with HELP you get an A. I'm very impressed and happy that I bought. But I also want to thank the folks before me that reviewed this book. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have bought it. THANKS GUYS!!!!!



2. This is a pretty good review of the basics of Chemistry. I'm also reading the Calculus, Physics, and Biology books of this series. They all seem to be good reviews of the basics.



3. This book was written with the student in mind. It just makes sense. The book is full of examples and explanations. This probably saved my Chemistry grade and helped me understand everything for the final. The book is seriously amazing. If you need help in Chemistry, you HAVE TO get this book. I swear, you won't regret it.
   
   The book makes it seem like you have a tutor teaching it to you.



4. This is actually not a bad book, the only reason I give three stars is that its meant for students with little or no chemistry background. Its a good book for students of chemistry 101 or maybe even 111.
   
   Its clear that the author wrote the book with the student in mind. The author explains the chemistry concepts very well so that even the least chemistry orientated can learn a thing or two.



5. Let me start by saying anyone who lands on this page, and who has either only a little or NO chemistry experience should BUY THIS BOOK. I am NOT exaggerating! The 11 dollars that you spend on this book could make all the difference between achieving your schooling goals or not. It did for me. THIS author is AMAZING. I found his book while already registered in an Intro the Chemistry course. The class required text book had me running around in circles. I almost quit. Then I found this book. This book made a huge contribution not only to passing the course but to getting an A. Know this: I failed every science course I ever tried to take when I was younger. I am trying to get back into school and have to take Chemistry, Microbiology, and Anatomy and Physiology. I could not take any of the other courses without first passing chemistry. Chemistry is a pre-req to many other courses so that is what I mean when I say this book can mean the difference in your achieving your schooling goals or not. Still if your teenager has to take chemistry and NOTHING else, then this is still the book for you. Without this book I would not be moving on to my next science. Listen I could go on and on about this book but ask yourself this: for 11 dollars is it worth not at least trying out this book? This Author in my opinion has given many of us a gift: an affordable book that is completely understandable! NOW there are some typos in important areas but guess what: this guy's teaching style is SO amazing that you will know enough to see the typos when they come. MY only suggestion is READ IT FROM COVER TO COVER. Make that commitment. DO not try to skip around if you are new to chemistry or even know a little chemistry. Now admittedly this book covers what some call the "basics" of chemistry. I would like to re-phrase that and say what this book does is cover all the FOUNDATIONAL stuff one needs to be able to understand chemistry. Let's be clear without a good foundation NOTHING is easy. TRY this book. Think of all the ways we daily waste 11 dollars. This11 dollars could give you a 500% return on your investment. This guys writing is amazing! He makes important chemistry knowledge not only accessible but affordable! This 11 dollars is giving me a chance to achieve goals that I never could before.

5 comments about Study Guide and Solutions Manual for Organic Chemistry.

1. I bought this book along with the Bruice text for the organic class I'm taking right now. A solutions manual is indispensable for checking the answers to the problems you do - so I was going to buy the book anyway. Problem is, it looks like this solutions manual is the solutions manual for the 5th editon, only with a new cover so it looks like it's for the 6th edition. This would be fine, except that the problems in the 5th edition are not the same problems used in the 6th edition. I'd say that 90% of the time, the solutions manual is right - but is 90% good enough for people who are trying to learn the subject, and just end up getting more confused by a solutions manual with solutions for the wrong problem?? I think the publisher should offer a correct copy free to anyone who shelled out $88 for this book.



2. I benefited from this book immensely. If you are taking this class do yourself a big favor and buy it. If you are going to do something do it right and working the problems is the key. I got it for around 30$.



3. The book arrived faster than the quoted time and it was in great condition. The inside had no markings and the cover was not damaged in any way. Would buy from this seller again.



4. I received an A in this class, and it was a lot of hard work. It would've been impossible without this solutions manual! In addition to giving all the answers and a brief explanations for some of them, each chapter has a small quiz at the end which are great study tools. Also there is some vocab at the beginning of each chapter which always seemed to find its way into my exams! I have not given this manual five stars because there were some errors and inconsistencies between the questions in the textbook and the answers in the manual. And I'm not talking about different editions, but rather just plain old mistakes. Like another reviewer said, they need a better editor.



5. The book without this is useless.. This manual made a difference in mee... i passed my two courses of Organic chemistry with A.....!!!