springer nature singapore jan 2017 (100 résultats)

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book mainly addresses the Emergency Response Decision Support System (ERDSS) and its applications, making use of ten related modules and a number of key technologies, especially Disaster Assessing Technology, Adaptive Information Evaluation Technology and Knowledge Management Technology. The book is especially valuable in coping with disasters that result in the loss of human life and property, and which threaten the stability of our societies. The ERDSS enables people to prepare for potential incidents, to rapidly respond to them, and to cope with their aftermath. Presenting practical solutions, this book helps readers to understand the ERDSS and effectively respond to emergency events.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 84 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book explores the adaptation processes of German-speaking immigrants and their descendants into New Zealand¿s predominantly Anglophone society. Specifically, it considers the experiences and long-term consequences of the migration of more affluent European immigrants to New Zealand, where migration was predominantly a lifestyle choice.A comprehensive four-year study adds insights into the social integration and assimilation processes of the immigrants and their descendants, including intercultural marriage behaviour, work and educational achievements and community enrichments. It also considers the institutional and social reception of these immigrants and their children in New Zealand, and the effects these have had on them.Nexus Analysis reveals that strong motives for lifestyle migration enabled the immigrants to cope with unexpected institutional setbacks in New Zealand, and finds both shifts and maintenance in language and culture, and explores feelings of belonging and identities across three generations.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 284 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -The two-volume set, CCIS 681 and CCIS 682, constitutes the proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Bio-Inspired Computing: Theories and Applications, BIC-TA 2016, held in Xi'an, China, in October 2016.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 552 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed proceedings of the 15th National Software Application Conference, NASAC 2016, held in Kunming, Yunnan, in November 2016.The 15 revised selected papers were selected from 38 submissions and focus on all aspects of software engineering, e.g. requirements engineering, software methodologies, software analytics, software testing and evolution, and empirical studies.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 240 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -Clinically-focussed, with easily accessible tables and chapter summaries suitable for clinicians and researchers, this comprehensive book provides a systematic, critical evaluation of the current literature. An updated clinical decision-making algorithm specifically tailored to the antiretroviral drugs is also provided. The identified interactions are interpreted in the context of known mechanisms derived from clinical, preclinical, and in vitro data. The clinical relevance of the interactions is systematically evaluated and gaps in literature discussed in the context of potential future experiments. In addition to the comprehensive summary of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic drug interactions associated with WHO-recommended antiretroviral drugs on the market today (i.e. nucleotide reverse-transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors, integrase inhibitors, and protease inhibitors), this book also provides detailed section summaries on theepidemiology of HIV infection, diagnosis and pharmacotherapy, basic pharmacology of the individual antiretrovirals, pertinent pre-clinical and in vitro molecular pharmacology, and in vitro drug interaction data available in the literature today.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 144 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -Interfaces are created to separate two distinct phases in a situation in which phase coexistence occurs. This book discusses randomly fluctuating interfaces in several different settings and from several points of view: discrete/continuum, microscopic/macroscopic, and static/dynamic theories. The following four topics in particular are dealt with in the book.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 152 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -The two-volume set, CCIS 681 and CCIS 682, constitutes the proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Bio-Inspired Computing: Theories and Applications, BIC-TA 2016, held in Xi'an, China, in October 2016.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 560 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -The economic liberalization of India, changes in global structures, and the rapid emergence of India on the global landscape have been accompanied by the dramatic rise in popular, public, and elite discourses that offer the promise to imagine India. Written mostly in the future tense, these discourses conceive of India through specific frames of global change and simultaneously offer prescriptive suggestions for the pathways to fulfilling the vision. Both as summary accounts of the shifts taking place in India and in the relationships of India with other global actors as well as roadmaps for the immediate and longer term directions for India, these discourses offer meaningful entry points into elite imaginations of India. Engaging these imaginations creates a framework for understanding the tropes that are mobilized in support of specific policy formulations in economic, political, cultural, and social spheres. Connecting meanings within networks of power and structure help make sense of the symbolic articulations of India within material relationships.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 232 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book explores how Chinese students abroad may suffer stress, and how they conceptualize and adapt to stress in the American higher education environment. To do so, it adopts a mixed methods design: the sequential explanatory design, which is characterized by the collection and analysis of quantitative data followed by the collection and analysis of qualitative data. To date, no empirical research has focused solely upon understanding the stress and coping processes of Chinese students in the United States. This book addresses that gap, enriching the body of literature on international students¿ adaptation process in foreign countries.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 168 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -The book examines the trade liberalization measures, which were initiated in India during 1991 and which focused on manufacturing industries. This industry was considered because of its strong inter-sectoral links and its capacity to stimulate the growth of other sectors. The resulting liberal trade policies, involving a reduction in trade barriers and inflows of FDI, capital and technologies, were adopted to increase the manufacturing output. However, these measures were most beneficial to those industries whose products have greater demand in developed countries. Against this backdrop, the book breaks down the overall effect of trade-induced manufacturing growth into scale, composition and technique effects to discuss the impact on environmental externality. In addition to manufacturing activity, it also investigates the effect of other factors that improve with economic growth and examines the extent to which Indiäs trade-led economic growth allows production activities to move to cleaner technologies and whether India has achieved its economic growth by specializing in pollution-intensive (low technology) industries. The book also estimates the impact of these environmental externalities on society¿s wellbeing.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 200 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This is a first book to show that the theory of the Gaussian random matrix is essential to understand the universal correlations with random fluctuations and to demonstrate that it is useful to evaluate topological universal quantities. We consider Gaussian random matrix models in the presence of a deterministic matrix source. In such models the correlation functions are known exactly for an arbitrary source and for any size of the matrices. The freedom given by the external source allows for various tunings to different classes of universality. The main interest is to use this freedom to compute various topological invariants for surfaces such as the intersection numbers for curves drawn on a surface of given genus with marked points, Euler characteristics, and the Gromov¿Witten invariants. A remarkable duality for the average of characteristic polynomials is essential for obtaining such topological invariants. The analysis is extended to nonorientable surfaces and to surfaces with boundaries.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 152 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book integrates the fundamental theories of decentralization and rural development, providing a comprehensive explanation of how they can be successfully implemented to improve the livelihoods of rural communities in Indonesia. The topics addressed in this book include participatory budgeting, social capital, community participation, local capacity development, and poverty alleviation, which are discussed in detail from the perspectives of local politics, public administration, rural economy, and community studies. The multifaceted interrelations between these disciplines are analyzed to formulate a framework identifying the opportunities and challenges involved in formulating guiding principles for the implementation of decentralization. Readers are provided with the necessary intellectual groundwork through theoretical discussions and case studies involving grassroots realities in Indonesian villages. This book is highly recommended for all readers who are seeking an in-depth understanding of modern efforts to effectively implement decentralization in developing countries to promote local democratization, community empowerment, and poverty alleviation.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 180 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book offers an understanding of the transient migration experience in the Asia-Pacific through the lens of communication and entertainment media. It examines the role played by digital technologies and uncovers how the combined wider field of entertainment media (films, television shows and music) are vital and helpful platforms that positively aid migrants through self and communal empowerment. This book specifically looks at the upwardly mobile middle class transient migrants studying and working in two of the Asia-Pacific¿s most desirable transient migration destinations ¿ Australia and Singapore ¿ providing a cutting edge study of the identities transient migrants create and maintain while overseas and the strategies they use to cope with life in transience.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 284 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book presents a historical overview of the Indonesian ¿lm industry, the relationship between censorship and representation, and the rise of Islamic popular culture. It considers scholarship on gender in Indonesian cinema through the lens of power relations. With key themes such as nationalism, women's rights, polygamy, and terrorism which have preoccupied local filmmakers for decades, Indonesia cinema resonates with the socio-political changes and upheavals in Indonesiäs modern history and projects images of the nation through the debates on gender and Islam. The text also sheds light on broader debates and questions about contemporary Islam and gender construction in contemporary Indonesia. Offering cutting edge accounts of the production of Islamic cinema, this new book considers gendered dimensions of Islamic media creation which further enrich the representations of the 'religious' and the 'Islamic' in the everyday lives of Muslims in South East Asia.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 220 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This edited volume presents case studies of the transformation of Chinäs public services over the past decade in China. As the country has experienced fundamental changes in its demographic, economic, social and environmental structures, demands on public services have been increasing tremendously, and have become unprecedentedly diverse. In response, innovations to provide new services, expand service recipients, adopt new technologies, engage partners, and streamline service processes have been employed widely in China to increase service efficiency, enhance quality, enlarge coverage, and improve citizen satisfaction. This book examines prominent cases of public service innovations in China, disclosing their causes, patterns, diffusion, and effects. These cases provide interesting evidence about the nature and effectiveness of public service innovations in China while highlighting to what extent these innovations can be explained by accepted theories and whether new theory building is needed. This book will be of value to academics and policymakers seeking to understand the evolving Chinese political system.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 236 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book analyses the relation between state and religion in Indonesia, considering both the philosophical underpinning of government intervention on religious life but also cases and regulations related to religious affairs in Indonesia. Examining state regulation of religious affairs, it focuses on understanding its origin, history and consequences on citizens¿ religious life in modern Indonesia, arguing that while Indonesian constitutions have preserved religious freedom, they have also tended to construct wide-ranging discretionary powers in the government to control religious life and oversee religious freedom. Over more than four decades, Indonesian governments have constructed a variety of policies on religion based on constitutional legacies interpreted in the light of the norms and values of the existing religious majority group. A cutting edge examination of the tension between religious order and harmony on one hand, and protecting religious freedom for all on the other,this book offers a cutting edge study of how the history of regulating religion has been about the constant negotiation for the boundaries of authority between the state and the religious majority group.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 292 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This thesis covers various facets of brain image computing methods and illustrates the scientific understanding of neurodegenerative disorders based on four general aspects of multimodal neuroimaging computing: neuroimaging data pre-processing, brain feature modeling, pathological pattern analysis, and translational model development. It demonstrates how multimodal neuroimaging computing techniques can be integrated and applied to neurodegenerative disease research and management, highlighting relevant examples and case studies. Readers will also discover a number of interesting extension topics in longitudinal neuroimaging studies, subject-centered analysis, and the brain connectome. As such, the book will benefit all health informatics postgraduates, neuroscience researchers, neurology and psychiatry practitioners, and policymakers who are interested in medical image computing and computer-assisted interventions.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 164 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This edited volume presents the latest high-quality technical contributions and research results in the areas of computing, informatics, and information management. The book deals with state-of art topics, discussing challenges and possible solutions, and explores future research directions. The main goal of this volume is not only to summarize new research findings but also place these in the context of past work. This volume is designed for professional audience, composed of researchers, practitioners, scientists and engineers in both the academia and the industry.Springer-Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 300 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book explores state-of-art techniques based on methodological and modeling aspects of solid and hazardous waste management, specifically focusing on the recent trends in data acquisition and robust modeling of the results obtained. In addition to an in-depth description of the recent regulatory paradigm for solid waste disposal and revealing insights into solid waste management models, the book also addresses significant case history and remediation methodologies for sustainable development in emerging economies like India, China and Brazil.The main emphasis is on a suitable regulatory framework with site-specific baseline calibration and aimed at the robust modeling of contaminant transport and its remediation. This is based on instructive case history in various locations/regions worldwide. The focus on recent modeling and quantification methods is the backbone of the book. One of the major aspects discussed is the application of non-invasive methods for studies related to the Earth's interior, which are increasingly preferred over invasive techniques thanks to their economic utility, as well as robust techniques for the interpretation of geophysical data. The increasing demand for groundwater and energy resources, especially for rapidly emerging countries with large populations like India and China, has made it vital to derive safe utilization approaches for our resources, including suitable waste disposal and remediation methodologies that can be adopted for 'contaminated sites.'Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 184 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This is the first book to compare eight LDFs by different types of datasets, such as Fisher¿s iris data, medical data with collinearities, Swiss banknote data that is a linearly separable data (LSD), student pass/fail determination using student attributes, 18 pass/fail determinations using exam scores, Japanese automobile data, and six microarray datasets (the datasets) that are LSD. We developed the 100-fold cross-validation for the small sample method (Method 1) instead of the LOO method. We proposed a simple model selection procedure to choose the best model having minimum M2 and Revised IP-OLDF based on MNM criterion was found to be better than other M2s in the above datasets.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 228 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This thesis offers novel methods for catalyst and process design for the selective hydrogenation of acetylene and 1,3-butadiene. The author predicts the properties of supported Pd¿Ni bimetallic catalysts using density functional theory (DFT) calculations and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). The excellent correlation between model surfaces and supported catalysts demonstrates the feasibility of designing effective bimetallic catalysts for selective hydrogenation reactions. The author also proposes a method for designing non-precious metal catalysts to replace precious metals. She modifies the process of selective hydrogenation of acetylene by coupling the selective adsorption to the selective hydrogenation in the liquid phase, as a result of which the ethylene selectivity is greatly improved and heat transfer is greatly enhanced. Lastly, by analyzing the mechanism of liquid-phase hydrogenation, the author proposes a multi-stage slurry bed reactor for industrial applications.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 156 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book reflects the considerable appeal of the Anthropocene and the way it stimulates new discussions and ideas for reimagining sustainability and its place in education in these precarious times. The authors explore these new imaginings for sustainability using varying theoretical perspectives in order to consider innovative ways of engaging with concepts that are now influencing the field of sustainability and education. Through their theoretical analysis, research and field work, the authors explore novel approaches to designing sustainability and sustainability education. These approaches, although diverse in focus, all highlight the complex interdependencies of the human and more-than-human world, and by unpacking binaries such as human/nature, nature/culture, subject/object and de-centring the human expose the complexities of an entangled human-nature relation that are shaping our understanding of sustainability. These messy relations challenge the well-versed mantras ofanthropocentric exceptionalism in sustainability and sustainability education and offer new questions rather than answers for researchers, educators, and practitioners to explore. As working with new theoretical lenses is not always easy, this book also highlights the authors¿ methods for approaching these ideas and imaginings.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 348 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book offers insights into the relationship between nation-state and education by problematizing and analyzing the assumed straightforwardness of the role of education and schooling.Placing the issue in very contemporary contested nation-state structures like Scotland, Catalonia, Ukraine and Belgium. These conflict situations and contested power relations are in a way some of Europe¿s internal North-South struggles. In addition, the particular Nordic North-South example of the Saami with their status as indigenous people recognized in international law is viewed in terms of their educational struggle for better consideration of their cultural features in Saami land crossing the Nordic states. The book focuses on the Nordic countries, often viewed as globally exemplary in their educational arrangements, but casts deeper insight into Nordic education and points to problematic schooling issues in Northern Europe. This volume presents somewhat unexpected views on European educational arrangements with regard to the European growing diversity.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 256 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This exciting new collection examines the relationships between warfare, myths, and fairy tales, and explores the connections and contradictions between the narratives of war and magic that dominate the ways in which people live and have lived, survived, considered and described their world. Presenting original contributions and critical reflections that explore fairy tales, fantasy and wars, be they 'real' or imagined, past or present, this book looks at creative works in popular culture, stories of resistance, the history and representation of global and local conflicts, the Holocaust, across multiple media. It offers a timely and important overview of the latest research in the field, including contributions from academics, story-tellers and artists, thereby transcending the traditional boundaries of the disciplines, extending the parameters of war studies beyond the battlefield.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 260 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This collection examines the event of Fukushima in Japan in terms of urban sociology and cultural politics to portray the triple catastrophe of March 2011 as both a planetary event and a dual economic and environmental crisis which indelibly marked Japan and the wider global community. The contributors examine how this new situation has been expressed in particular cultural forms (literature, film), political discourses and urban everyday life in Tokyo and Fukushima, arguing for an imperative need to redefine the national frame of analysis in terms of the concept of the planetary. Building on recent debates in ecocriticism, Planetary Atmospheres and Urban Life After Fukushima deconstructs the spatial logic of containment that reduces the event of Fukushima to a place-bound object to instead reinscribe this event within an open narrative of the planetary. This we believe will allow us to redefine our topologies of attachment to local places beside national discourses of unity, resilience and global strategies of risk management, and open the way to a radical rethink of Japan¿s cultural politics of Japan after March 2011.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 232 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book is intended to serve as a one-stop reference on fibre-reinforced soils.Over the past 30-35 years, the engineering behaviour of randomly distributed/oriented fibre-reinforced soil, also called simply fibre-reinforced soil, has been investigated in detail by researchers and engineers worldwide. Waste fibres (plastic waste fibres, old tyre fibres, etc.) create disposal and environmental problems. Utilization of such fibres in construction can help resolve these concerns. Research studies and some field applications have shown that the fibres can be utilized in large quantities in geotechnical and civil engineering applications in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner.This book covers a complete description of fibres, their effects when included within a soil or other similar materials such as the fly ash, and their field applications. It gives a detailed view of fibre-reinforced soil engineering. The book will be useful to students, professional, and researchersalike, and can also serve as a text for graduate coursework and professional development programsSpringer-Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 196 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book combines insights from cultural economics, public finance, and tax law, providing an accessible and comprehensive introduction in the application of tax incentives for the creative industries. It does not have a single-country focus, but instead uses the perspective and examples of various countries around the world. The book starts with a theoretical part, introducing the concepts of creative industries and of tax incentives: how can the creative industries be defined, why do governments support the creative industries and how can tax incentives be applied as policy instrument. In the globalized and digitalized world in which the creative industries operate, restrictions imposed by guidelines on harmful tax competition and state aid and regulations influencing the (im)possibility of applying tax incentives in cross-border situations have a great impact. For that reason these legal concepts are discussed as well in the theoretical part. Globalization also gives rise to questions on the cross border application of tax incentives. The example of cross border giving is discussed in this respect. The theoretical part is followed by a part that focuses on tax incentives for specific sectors of the creative industries: museums and cultural heritage, the audiovisual industries (film, tv and videogames), the art market, copyright and artists. This part uses insightful examples from various countries to illustrate the application of these tax incentives. As the book takes both an academic and a practical approach, it is of relevance to researchers, students, policy makers and readers involved in the creative industry who seek an in-depth and up-to-date overview of this alternative way for governments to support the creative industries.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 260 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book deals with quantifying and analyzing the risks associated with sustainable energy technology growth in electric power systems, and developing appropriate models and methodologies to mitigate the risks and improve the overall system performance. The rapid increase in the installation of renewable energy sources in electric power systems has given rise to a wide range of problems related to planning and operation of power systems to maintain quality, stability, reliability and efficiency. Additionally, there is a growing global environmental concern regarding increasing emissions from the electric power generation required to meet rising energy needs and support sustainable and inclusive development. The phenomenon of low voltage ride through (LVRT), common to wind energy systems, is discussed, and ways to tackle the same are proposed in the first chapter. Subsequent chapters propose methods of optimizing a sustainable and smart microgrid, and supplying electricity to remote areas of a developing country with no immediate possibility of national grid extension. The economic benefit and technical challenges of forming localized minigrid are also discussed. The book proposes a method for reliability assessment of a power grid with sustainable power transportation system. The issue of weak link in power system is very important as it will provide the system operators and planners to take necessary measures to strengthen the system. An approach to determine the weak parts of the system and its unreliability is proposed. With increasing installation of HVDC power transmission and development of efficient and low cost power electronic devices, the DC microgrids are becoming a common phenomenon. Their existence together with AC Grids result in Hybrid AC/DC Microgrids, which are discussed in this book. It further presents a method for reliability evaluation of a distribution system with network reconfiguration in the presence of distributed generation. The important problems in sustainable energy growth, and their potential solutions discussed and presented in the book should be of great interest to engineers, policy makers, researchers and academics in the area of electric power engineering.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 188 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book, containing more than 400 photos and illustrations, provides practical guidelines for the cosmetic use of botulinum toxin type A (BTA) in Asians. The differences in BTA treatment of Asians and Caucasians with respect to applicable dose, injection methods, anatomic significance, and indications are clearly described. It is explained how the optimal dose and injection sites for the treatment of wrinkles differ from the guidelines advocated in North America and Europe. Detailed consideration is given to the rapidly expanding role that BTA treatment is playing in facial and body contouring based on leveraging the mechanism of disuse muscle atrophy. Examples that are particularly relevant in Asians include treatment of hypertrophy of the masseter and temporalis muscles and calf muscle reduction. Further chapters are devoted to the use of BTA in the treatment of hyperhidrosis and the intradermal injection of BTA. The book will be an excellent resource for all dermatologists, plastic surgeons, cosmetic Physicians, and other clinicians who employ BTA in Asian patients.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 200 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Etat : Neu. Neuware -This book is a valuable read for a diverse group of researchers and practitioners who analyze assessment data and construct test instruments. It focuses on the use of classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT), which are often required in the fields of psychology (e.g. for measuring psychological traits), health (e.g. for measuring the severity of disorders), and education (e.g. for measuring student performance), and makes these analytical tools accessible to a broader audience.Having taught assessment subjects to students from diverse backgrounds for a number of years, the three authors have a wealth of experience in presenting educational measurement topics, in-depth concepts and applications in an accessible format. As such, the book addresses the needs of readers who use CTT and IRT in their work but do not necessarily have an extensive mathematical background. The book also sheds light on common misconceptions in applying measurement models, and presents an integrated approach to different measurement methods, such as contrasting CTT with IRT and multidimensional IRT models with unidimensional IRT models. Wherever possible, comparisons between models are explicitly made. In addition, the book discusses concepts for test equating and differential item functioning, as well as Bayesian IRT models and plausible values using simple examples.This book can serve as a textbook for introductory courses on educational measurement, as supplementary reading for advanced courses, or as a valuable reference guide for researchers interested in analyzing student assessment data.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 320 pp. Englisch.