books used for research

10 Best Research Books For Qualitative And Quantitative Research

Are you looking for the best research books? Take a look at some of the best books on research methods below.

Research methodology comes in many shapes and forms. Regardless of whether you are interested in qualitative or quantitative research, it is essential to find a book that can help you plan your research project adequately. Research design can vary from hard sciences to social sciences, but data analysis following a case study is usually similar. Therefore, you need a practical guide that can help you complete a research project and finish your research paper.

1. Qualitative Research: A Guide To Design And Implementation, 4th Edition

2. research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, 4th edition, 3. the research methods knowledge base, 3rd edition, 4. the craft of research, 5. doing your research project: open up study skills, 5th edition, 6. qualitative inquiry and research design: choosing among five approaches, 3rd edition, 7. the essential guide to doing your research project, 2nd edition, 8. introducing research methodology: a beginner’s guide to doing a research project, 2nd edition, 9. the sage handbook of qualitative research, 5th edition, 10. research methods in education, 7th edition, the final word on the best research books, what is the difference between quantitative research and qualitative research, how do i figure out which academic journal to publish my research in, further reading.

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When someone talks about qualitative research in academia, they refer to research that focuses on overall concepts and takeaways instead of complex numbers. For those conducting academic research, understanding the basics of this process is critical. Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation, by Sharan B. Merriam and Elizabeth J. Tisdell, 4th edition, is one of the best books available because it focuses on action research, mixed methods, online data sources, and some of the latest technology that people can use to complete their projects.

A significant portion of this book focuses on data analysis software packages, which have become critically important in an era where publishing in the best academic journals is critical for every successful researcher. Finally, this book explains topics so that nearly everyone can understand.

• Merriam, Sharan B. (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 368 Pages - 08/24/2015 (Publication Date) - John Wiley & Sons (Publisher)

Suppose you are looking for a book that can teach you the best research methodology. In that case, you will want to check out Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches by John W. Creswell, 4th edition. John Creswell is one of the most well-respected writers in case study research.

As books on how to research go, this one on quantitative and qualitative research methods is a great tool that will help you learn the basics of forming a research project in every field. This book covers philosophical assumptions and research projects, theory and research approaches, and conducts an effective literature review. These elements are also crucial in helping you form a step-by-step guide for your upcoming research project, and this book will teach you the basics of data analysis.

• Research Design
• Creswell, John W. (Author)
• 273 Pages - 05/29/2024 (Publication Date) - SAGE Publications, Inc (Publisher)

The first two editions were already solid, but the third edition of The Research Methods Knowledge Base, by William M.K. Trochim and James P. Donnelly, features many updates to quantitative and qualitative research methods, teaching graduate students the basics of data collection before diving into the details for more advanced learners.

One of the significant advantages of this text is that it is a comprehensive tool that can be used for both undergraduate and graduate-level courses. It has a relatively informal style and conversational feel, which means readers will not be intimidated by walls of text. The research methods it teaches are straightforward, applicable, and relevant to anyone looking to complete a research project in the current era.

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The Craft of Research, by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory C. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams, covers various research approaches that teach everyone the basics of forming a solid research project. In particular, this book focuses on what to do with the data after it has been collected.

People need to think about how their readers will interpret the structure of the paper, proactively anticipating questions they might have. By answering the reader’s questions in the initial version of the paper, it is easier to hold their attention from start to finish.

Of course, one of the most critical questions that must be asked when writing a research paper is, “so, what? Why does this information matter?” Researchers can keep this in mind while writing the introduction and conclusion of the paper so they will have an easier time constructing a powerful academic manuscript that is more likely to be accepted into the top academic journals.

• Booth, Wayne C. (Author)
• 336 Pages - 10/18/2016 (Publication Date) - University of Chicago Press (Publisher)

Doing Your Research Project: Open Up Study Skills, by Judith Bell, is a must-read for new researchers looking to make their way in academic research. This book is helpful because it teaches people how to conduct a research project using step-by-step advice. A research project can be daunting for new learners because it’s easy to focus on the final project and feel intimidated before taking the first step.

This book is indispensable because it teaches people everything they need to know to develop a research project, draft a hypothesis, carry out the project, and finalize a research paper after conducting detailed data analysis. Furthermore, this text will dive into common mistakes, pitfalls, and obstacles researchers need to overcome. Time is your most valuable resource, and nobody wants to spend time on trials that will not be relevant to the final project.

• Bell, Judith (Author)
• 296 Pages - 05/01/2010 (Publication Date) - Open University Press (Publisher)

Qualitative Inquiry And Research Design: Choose Among Five Approaches, 3rd Edition, Is The Latest In A Line Of Best-Selling Research Books From Creswell. This Book Ties Into People’s Philosophical Underpinnings When Developing A Research Project. It Also Looks At The History Of Various Research Projects, Which Serve As An Example For The Reader.

Overall, there are five traditions in qualitative research; grounded theory, phenomenology, narrative research, case study, and ethnography. Creswell uses an accessible writing style to help the reader understand when to use each of these narratives. Then, he dives into strategies for writing research papers using each of these approaches.

• Used Book in Good Condition
• 472 Pages - 03/14/2012 (Publication Date) - SAGE Publications, Inc (Publisher)

The Essential Guide To Doing Your Research Project by Zina O’Leary is geared more toward young learners. As books on how to research, it focuses on how to develop a research project, analyze data, and write up the results. Every stage of the book is clearly explained, with the author specifying why it is essential to carry out that step correctly.

It also focuses on practical tips and tricks that learners can use to successfully carry out their research projects. The book includes helpful chapter summaries, a complete glossary, and boxed definitions for essential terms that should not be overlooked. The author also has a variety of suggestions for further reading, which is helpful for more advanced learners who may want to pick up a text that is a bit more detailed. Finally, the book also comes with access to a companion website. The website includes journal articles, real projects, worksheets, and podcasts.

• O′Leary, Zina (Author)
• 384 Pages - 12/20/2013 (Publication Date) - SAGE Publications Ltd (Publisher)

Introducing Research Methodology: A Beginner’s Guide to doing a research project, by Uwe Flick is ideal for new researchers. the author guides readers through the fundamentals that underpin a strong research project. He focuses on essential steps, common mistakes, and ways to expedite the research process.

Then, the author dives into some of the most critical skills readers need to have if they want to collect and analyze data properly. he goes into basic organizational tactics that make data easier to interpret, explains how to shorten the analytical process, and dives into real-life quantitative and qualitative research methods. He uses his research as an example, explaining to people how to pull out the essential parts of the research project before writing them up.

• Flick, Uwe (Author)
• 320 Pages - 04/14/2015 (Publication Date) - SAGE Publications Ltd (Publisher)

The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research by Norman K. Denzin and Yvonna S. Lincoln focuses on global research. this text teaches readers how to synthesize existing literature, identify current research, and focus on caps that can be filled. the authors gather contributions from some of the most well-renowned researchers, addressing issues in research projects today. this text focuses more on research regarding social justice. therefore, this is better for people in the social sciences.

• Hardcover Book
• 992 Pages - 02/15/2017 (Publication Date) - SAGE Publications, Inc (Publisher)

Research Methods in Education, by Louis Cohen, Lawrence Manon, and Keith Morrison, is essential for students and professional researchers who want to learn how to create a comprehensive research project. It’s broken up into helpful chapters wrapped up by a convenient summary at the end, explaining to readers how to hit the high points.

Research Methods in Education also comes with a helpful companion website that contains PowerPoint slides for every chapter. This book can be read independently and discussed with a classroom full of students. The book has been written at a level that is accessible even to high school students, but the basics can be a helpful review for graduate researchers.

• Cohen, Louis (Author)
• 944 Pages - 10/27/2017 (Publication Date) - Routledge (Publisher)

Academic research comes in many shapes and forms, with qualitative and quantitative research having high points; however, the basics are the same across all fields. Researchers need to learn how to develop a hypothesis, put together a research methodology, collect their data, interpret it, and write up their findings.

It can be helpful to use the books about research above to refine your research methods . Each book focuses on a slightly different facet of academic research, so readers need to find the right book to meet their needs. With a substantial text, readers can avoid common mistakes, follow in the footsteps of successful researchers, and increase their chances of writing a solid research paper for school or getting their paper accepted into an academic journal.

Books About Research FAQs

Quantitative research focuses more on numbers and statistics. This type of research is more common in hard sciences such as biology, chemistry, and physics.

Qualitative research focuses more on overall meanings and concepts. This type of research is more common in social sciences such as anthropology, archaeology, and research topics focusing on social justice.

It would help compare prior articles in that academic journal to the article you have written. Most academic journals focus on a specific field, and you need to submit your article to a publication that shares research articles similar to your own. Be sure to consider the prestige of the journal before submitting your paper.

If you enjoyed this round-up of the best research books, you might also like our top 11 essay writing tips for students . 

You might also find our guide on essay topics for students  helpful. 

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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HOW TO: Use Books for Research: Using Books for Research

• Using Books for Research
• Table of Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Preface/Forward/Introduction
• Bibliography
• Evaluation Criteria

Why Use Books?

Books are excellent sources for information such as:       • in-depth coverage of a subject        • history and chronology       • overview of a big topic        

• background information           • bibliographies of additional sources. 

A book doesn't need to be read cover-to-cover to be used for research. To determine how appropriate and useful the book might be, look at its parts as outlined in the box below.

All sources of information need to be evaluated before they are used in a research project. To learn more about evaluating resources, click on the tab at the top of this guide.

How to Use a Book

Look at the parts of a book when deciding how it might be used in your research. To see examples, click on each link below or follow the tabs at the top of this guide.

The Title Page gives publication information such as complete title, names of all authors or editors, edition of the book, name of the publisher, city of publication, and date of publication.

The Table of Contents appears at the front of a book and gives a list of the chapters or sections in a book, usually with the corresponding page number.  The table of contents may give a general idea of the topics covered in the book as well as how the book is arranged (for example, chronologically or topically).

A List of Illustrations , which may appear at the front of a book, gives a list of photographs, drawings, tables, or other types of illustrations used to support the contents of the book, usually with corresponding page numbers.

A Preface, Forward, or Introduction may provide the reader with ideas about the author's intention or purpose for writing the book, and may give an indication of the depth of research presented.

A Bibliography is a list of materials related to a specific topic. The list may be sources that were used to create the work they accompany, or it may be a list of additional materials on the topic.   Bibliographies may be located at the ends of chapters throughout the book, or at the end of the book.

The Index , which is usually located in the back of the book, is an alphabetical list of the specific subjects in the book, along with the corresponding page numbers.  Indexes may provide names, dates, events, geographic locations, and other detailed terms related to the contents of the book.  Browsing an index is an excellent way to identify exactly where in the book relevant information may be located.  An index can also provide subject terms and keywords that might be useful for further research on a topic.

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100 Best Research Books of All Time

We've researched and ranked the best research books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Kahneman | 5.00

Barack Obama A few months ago, Mr. Obama read “Thinking, Fast and Slow,” by Daniel Kahneman, about how people make decisions — quick, instinctive thinking versus slower, contemplative deliberation. For Mr. Obama, a deliberator in an instinctive business, this may be as instructive as any political science text. (Source)

Bill Gates [On Bill Gates's reading list in 2012.] (Source)

Marc Andreessen Captivating dive into human decision making, marred by inclusion of several/many? psychology studies that fail to replicate. Will stand as a cautionary tale? (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

Man's Search for Meaning

Viktor E. Frankl, William J. Winslade, et al. | 4.85

Tony Robbins Another book that I’ve read dozens of times. It taught me that if you change the meaning, you change everything. Meaning equals emotion, and emotion equals life. (Source)

Jimmy Fallon I read it while spending ten days in the ICU of Bellevue hospital trying to reattach my finger from a ring avulsion accident in my kitchen. It talks about the meaning of life, and I believe you come out a better person from reading it. (Source)

Dustin Moskovitz [Dustin Moskovitz recommended this book on Twitter.] (Source)

The Craft of Research (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)

Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams | 4.81

The Art of War

Sun Tzu | 4.78

Reid Hoffman Reid read Carl von Clausewitz and Sun Tzu as a boy, which informed his strategic thinking. (Source)

Neil deGrasse Tyson Which books should be read by every single intelligent person on planet? [...] The Art of War (Sun Tsu) [to learn that the act of killing fellow humans can be raised to an art]. If you read all of the above works you will glean profound insight into most of what has driven the history of the western world. (Source)

Evan Spiegel After meeting Mark Zuckerberg, [Evan Spiegel] immediately bought every [Snapchat] employee a copy of 'The Art Of War'. (Source)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Rebecca Skloot | 4.76

Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.

Now Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the “colored” ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells; from Henrietta’s small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia — a land of wooden slave quarters, faith healings, and voodoo — to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells.

Henrietta’s family did not learn of her “immortality” until more than twenty years after her death, when scientists investigating HeLa began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. And though the cells had launched a multimillion-dollar industry that sells human biological materials, her family never saw any of the profits. As Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family — past and present — is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.

Over the decade it took to uncover this story, Rebecca became enmeshed in the lives of the Lacks family—especially Henrietta’s daughter Deborah, who was devastated to learn about her mother’s cells. She was consumed with questions: Had scientists cloned her mother? Did it hurt her when researchers infected her cells with viruses and shot them into space? What happened to her sister, Elsie, who died in a mental institution at the age of fifteen? And if her mother was so important to medicine, why couldn’t her children afford health insurance?

Intimate in feeling, astonishing in scope, and impossible to put down, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks captures the beauty and drama of scientific discovery, as well as its human consequences.

Carl Zimmer Yes. This is a fascinating book on so many different levels. It is really compelling as the story of the author trying to uncover the history of the woman from whom all these cells came. (Source)

A.J. Jacobs Great writer. (Source)

The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

Susan Cain | 4.71

Simon Sinek eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'theceolibrary_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_5',164,'0','1'])); Leaders needn’t be the loudest. Leadership is not about theater. It’s not about dominance. It is about putting the lives of others before any other priority. In Quiet, Cain affirms to a good many of us who are introverts by nature that we needn’t try to be extroverts if we want to lead.... (Source)

Jason Fried A good book I’d recommend is “Quiet” by Susan Cain. (Source)

James Altucher Probably half the world is introverts. Maybe more. It’s not an easy life to live. I sometimes have that feeling in a room full of people, “uh-oh. I just shut down. I can’t talk anymore and there’s a lock on my mouth and this crowd threw away the key.” Do you ever get that feeling? Please? I hope you do. Let’s try to lock eyes at the party. “Quiet” shows the reader how to unlock the secret powers... (Source)

A Memoir of the Craft

Stephen King | 4.70

Mark Manson I read a bunch of books on writing before I wrote my first book and the two that stuck with me were Stephen King’s book and “On Writing Well” by Zinsser (which is a bit on the technical side). (Source)

Jennifer Rock If you are interested in writing and communication, start with reading and understanding the technical aspects of the craft: The Elements of Style. On Writing Well. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. (Source)

Benjamin Spall [Question: What five books would you recommend to youngsters interested in your professional path?] On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft by Stephen King, [...] (Source)

The Hero With a Thousand Faces

Joseph Campbell | 4.70

The first popular work to combine the spiritual and psychological insights of modern psychoanalysis with the archetypes of world mythology, the book creates a roadmap for navigating the frustrating path of contemporary life. Examining heroic myths in the light of modern psychology, it considers not only the patterns and stages of mythology but also its relevance to our lives today--and to the life of any person seeking a fully realized existence. Myth, according to Campbell, is the projection of a culture's dreams onto a large screen; Campbell's book, like Star Wars , the...

The first popular work to combine the spiritual and psychological insights of modern psychoanalysis with the archetypes of world mythology, the book creates a roadmap for navigating the frustrating path of contemporary life. Examining heroic myths in the light of modern psychology, it considers not only the patterns and stages of mythology but also its relevance to our lives today--and to the life of any person seeking a fully realized existence. Myth, according to Campbell, is the projection of a culture's dreams onto a large screen; Campbell's book, like Star Wars , the film it helped inspire, is an exploration of the big-picture moments from the stage that is our world. It is a must-have resource for both experienced students of mythology and the explorer just beginning to approach myth as a source of knowledge.

Ray Dalio The book I’d give [every graduating senior in college or high school] would be [...] Joseph Campbell’s 'Hero of a Thousand Faces'. It's little bit dense but it’s so rich, so it’s a good one. (Source)

Darren Aronofsky [I'm] totally part of his cult. Because I believe in that hero’s journey. (Source)

Kyle Russell Book 28 Lesson: Embedded in human psychology (and the resulting symbolism we find compelling) is a wish for our struggles to be meaningful, for our suffering to have value, for our effort to pay off for ourselves and those we love - and to then be recognized for it. https://t.co/lWgr4k7d8Y (Source)

A Brief History of Humankind

Yuval Noah Harari | 4.68

Richard Branson One example of a book that has helped me to #ReadToLead this year is Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. While the book came out a few years ago now, I got around to it this year, and am very glad I did. I’ve always been fascinated in what makes humans human, and how people are constantly evolving, changing and growing. The genius of Sapiens is that it takes some daunting,... (Source)

Reid Hoffman A grand theory of humanity. (Source)

Barack Obama eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'theceolibrary_com-leader-2','ezslot_7',164,'0','1'])); Fact or fiction, the president knows that reading keeps the mind sharp. He also delved into these non-fiction reads. (Source)

The Psychology of Persuasion

Robert B. Cialdini | 4.68

Charles T. Munger Robert Cialdini has had a greater impact on my thinking on this topic than any other scientist. (Source)

Dan Ariely It covers a range of ways in which we end up doing things, and how we don’t understand why we’re doing them. (Source)

Max Levchin [Max Levchin recommended this book as an answer to "What business books would you advise young entrepreneurs read?"] (Source)

Don't have time to read the top Research books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

• Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
• Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
• Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.

The Story of Success

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.68

Bill Gates [On Bill Gates's reading list in 2011.] (Source)

James Altucher Gladwell is not the first person to come up with the 10,000 hour rule. Nor is he the first person to document what it takes to become the best in the world at something. But his stories are so great as he explains these deep concepts. How did the Beatles become the best? Why are professional hockey players born in January, February and March? And so on. (Source)

Cat Williams-Treloar The books that I've talked the most about with friends and colleagues over the years are the Malcolm Gladwell series of novels. Glorious stories that mix science, behaviours and insight. You can't go wrong with the "The Tipping Point", "Outliers", "Blink" or "David & Goliath". (Source)

The Body Keeps the Score

Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

Bessel van der Kolk M.D. | 4.63

Matthew Green Reading The Body Keeps the Score was a eureka moment for me. (Source)

How to Win Friends & Influence People

Dale Carnegie | 4.61

Dustin Moskovitz Seek to be understood. (Source)

Scott Adams [Scott Adams recommends this book on his "Persuasion Reading List."] (Source)

Daymond John I love all the Dale Carnegie books. (Source)

The New Psychology of Success

Carol S. Dweck | 4.61

Tony Robbins [Tony Robbins recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Bill Gates One of the reasons I loved Mindset is because it’s solutions-oriented. In the book’s final chapter, Dweck describes the workshop she and her colleagues have developed to shift students from a fixed to a growth mindset. These workshops demonstrate that ‘just learning about the growth mindset can cause a big shift in the way people think about themselves and their lives. (Source)

The New Jim Crow

Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

Michelle Alexander, Cornel West | 4.61

Mark Zuckerberg I read The New Jim Crow, a study of how the U.S. justice system disproportionately criminalizes and jails blacks and Latinos. Making our criminal justice system fairer and more effective is a huge challenge for our country. I’m going to keep learning about this topic, but some things are already clear: We can’t jail our way to a just society, and our current system isn’t working (adapted with... (Source)

Peter Temin The new Jim Crow that Michelle Alexander is talking about is mass incarceration. (Source)

The Demon-haunted World

Science As a Candle in the Dark

Carl Sagan | 4.60

James Randi First of all, Carl was my very good friend, and we had a lot of confidences over the years. He was the epitome of the scientific mind and the scientific thinker. In The Demon-Haunted World, one of his later books, he investigates pseudoscience, frauds and fakes, and the mistakes that scientists made over the years. It’s very comprehensive. He had a whole chapter devoted to “Carlos” – or Jose... (Source)

Philip Plait He holds your hand and shows you the wonders of science and the universe. The Demon-Haunted World is probably his best book. (Source)

Dallas Campbell @TheChilterns Even if you profoundly disagree with Clarke, it’s very detailed. The classic is of course ‘The Demon Haunted World’ by Carl Sagan. When I’m Prime Minister it will be compulsory reading at school! Best book on what science is/isn’t and why we think the way we do. 👍 (Source)

The Power of Habit

Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

Charles Duhigg | 4.57

Naval Ravikant I also recently finished The Power of Habit, or close to finish as I get. That one was interesting, not because of its content necessarily, but because it’s good for me to always keep on top of mind how powerful my habits are. [...] I think learning how to break habits is a very important meta-skill that can serve you better in life than almost anything else. Although you can read tons of books... (Source)

Blake Irving You know, there's a book called The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Simple read book about just how to build positive habits that can be I think I what I'd call you know whether in your personal life or whether in your business life to help you build you know, have a loop that can build your success and that's one I mean there are so many great books out there. (Source)

Santiago Basulto Another book with great impact was “The power of habit”. But to be honest, I read only a couple of pages. It’s a good book, with many interesting stories. But to be honest, the idea it tries to communicate is simple and after a couple of pages you’ve pretty much understood all of it. Happens the same thing with those types of books (Getting things done, crossing the chasm, etc.) (Source)

The Tipping Point

How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.56

Kevin Rose Bunch of really good information in here on how to make ideas go viral. This could be good to apply to any kind of products or ideas you may have. Definitely, check out The Tipping Point, which is one of my favorites. (Source)

Seth Godin Malcolm Gladwell's breakthrough insight was to focus on the micro-relationships between individuals, which helped organizations realize that it's not about the big ads and the huge charity balls... it's about setting the stage for the buzz to start. (Source)

Andy Stern I think that when we talk about making change, it is much more about macro change, like in policy. This book reminds you that at times when you're building big movements, or trying to elect significant decision-makers in politics, sometimes it's the little things that make a difference. Ever since the book was written, we've become very used to the idea of things going viral unexpectedly and then... (Source)

The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.54

Mike Shinoda I know most of the guys in the band read [this book]. (Source)

Marillyn Hewson CEO Marilyn Hewson recommends this book because it helped her to trust her instincts in business. (Source)

Research Design

Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches

John W. Creswell | 4.53

A Brief History of Time

Stephen Hawking | 4.51

Richard Branson Today is World Book Day, a wonderful opportunity to address this #ChallengeRichard sent in by Mike Gonzalez of New Jersey: Make a list of your top 65 books to read in a lifetime. (Source)

Dan Hooper Everybody knows Hawking’s greatest contributions: understanding that black holes radiate light and other particles, that they contain entropy and all these things that no one imagined before him. Hawking and Roger Penrose also worked out the Big Bang singularity, the very moment of creation. To hear him describe some of these things with his own word choices, his own phrasing—not to mention his... (Source)

Adam Hart-Davis When Stephen Hawking wrote A Brief History of Time..his publisher told him that every equation he left in would halve the number of readers (Source)

The Elements of Style

William Jr. Strunk | 4.49

Tobi Lütke [My] most frequently gifted book is [this book] because I like good writing. (Source)

Bill Nye This is my guide. I accept that I’ll never write anything as good as the introductory essay by [the author]. It’s brilliant. (Source)

The Hot Zone

Richard Preston | 4.48

Jon Najarian I believe both the corona virus and ebola have a bat connection. Scary, but great book on ebola: Hot Zone by Richard Preston https://t.co/jGEjbrB7pZ (Source)

Pierre Haski @ChuBailiang The hot zone, it made my days during SARS in Beijing, a great book! https://t.co/8E8AYgIhp7 (Source)

Freakonomics

A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Stephen J. Levitt, Steven D.; Dubner | 4.46

Malcolm Gladwell I don’t need to say much here. This book invented an entire genre. Economics was never supposed to be this entertaining. (Source)

Daymond John I love newer books like [this book]. (Source)

James Altucher [James Altucher recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Mary Roach | 4.43

Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness

Richard H. Thaler | 4.42

Dan Ariely Nudge is a very important book. One of the reasons Nudge is so important is because it’s taking these ideas and applying them to the policy domain. Here are the mistakes we make. Here are the ways marketers are trying to influence us. Here’s the way we might be able to fight back. If policymakers understood these principles, what could they do? The other important thing about the book is that it... (Source)

Eric Ries A pioneer in behavioral economics and just recently awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics, his classic book on how to make better decisions. (Source)

Ryan Holiday This might feel like a weird book to include, but I think it presents another side of strategy that is too often forgotten. It’s not always about bold actors and strategic thrusts. Sometimes strategy is about subtle influence. Sometimes it is framing and small tweaks that change behavior. We can have big aims, but get there with little moves. This book has excellent examples of that kind of... (Source)

Guns, Germs and Steel

The Fates of Human Societies

Jared Diamond Ph.D. | 4.41

Bill Gates Fascinating.... Lays a foundation for understanding human history. (Source)

Daniel Ek A brilliant Pulitzer Prize-winning book about how the modern world was formed, analyzing how societies developed differently on different continents. (Source)

Yuval Noah Harari A book of big questions, and big answers. The book turned me from a historian of medieval warfare into a student of humankind. (Source)

Bird By Bird

Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Anne Lamott | 4.36

Susan Cain I love [this book]. Such a good book. (Source)

Timothy Ferriss Bird by Bird is one of my absolute favorite books, and I gift it to everybody, which I should probably also give to startup founders, quite frankly. A lot of the lessons are the same. But you can get to your destination, even though you can only see 20 feet in front of you. (Source)

Ryan Holiday It was wonderful to read these two provocative books of essays by two incredibly wise and compassionate women. [...] Anne Lamott’s book is ostensibly about the art of writing, but really it too is about life and how to tackle the problems, temptations and opportunities life throws at us. Both will make you think and both made me a better person this year. (Source)

George Orwell | 4.34

Steve Jobs called this book "one of his favorite" and recommended it to the hires. The book also inspired one the greatest TV ad (made by Jobs) (Source)

D J Taylor In terms of how technology is working in our modern surveillance powers, it’s a terrifyingly prophetic book in some of its implications for 21st-century human life. Orwell would deny that it was prophecy; he said it was a warning. But in fact, distinguished Orwell scholar Professor Peter Davis once made a list of all the things that Orwell got right, and it was a couple of fairly long paragraphs,... (Source)

Emotional Intelligence

Why It Can Matter More Than IQ

Daniel Goleman | 4.32

Drew Houston It’s nonfiction, but it spelled out something that I just didn’t know you could kind of break down in a logical way. And, suddenly, I had this understanding about the world that I didn’t have before. (Source)

Sharon Salzberg [Sharon Salzberg recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Roxana Bitoleanu [One of the books recommends to young people interested in her career path.] (Source)

Think and Grow Rich

Napoleon Hill | 4.31

Daymond John The main takeaway from [this book] was goal-setting. It was the fact that if you don't set a specific goal, then how can you expect to hit it? (Source)

Mark Moses [ listing the books that had the biggest impact on him] (Source)

Sa El Another book all about how to obtain financial success by changing how you think and how to change your actions based on that thinking pattern, mindset is the first thing that must change if you want to build a business. (Source)

Angela Duckworth | 4.31

Benjamin Spall [Question: What five books would you recommend to youngsters interested in your professional path?] [...] Grit by Angela Duckworth (Source)

Bogdan Lucaciu Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance - it was frustrating to read: “Where was this book 20 years ago!?” (Source)

Stephen Lew When asked what books he would recommend to youngsters interested in his professional path, Stephen mentioned Grit. (Source)

An Unquiet Mind

A Memoir of Moods and Madness

Kay Redfield Jamison | 4.30

Jonathan Glover Kay Redfield Jamison is a psychologist who has co-authored the major psychiatric textbook on manic depression. It authoritatively covers every aspect of the science, from genetics to pharmacology, and also has chapters on the links with creativity and on what the illness feels like. The chapters on the subjective experience are enriched with vivid quotations from patients. In her autobiography,... (Source)

Tanya Byron This is a divine book. A patient of mine who suffers with a bipolar illness, an absolutely inspiring young genius, recommended it to me. So I read it, and then we discussed it in a lot of our sessions together. (Source)

Amusing Ourselves to Death

Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business

Neil Postman, Andrew Postman | 4.28

Austin Kleon Earlier this year Postman’s son Andrew wrote an op-ed with the title, “My dad predicted Trump in 1985 — it’s not Orwell, he warned, it’s Brave New World.” Postman wrote: “What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.” (Source)

Steve Lance Neil Postman took the work of Marshall McLuhan – who was putting out early theories on media – and built on them. However, Postman was far more observant and empirical about the trends occurring in the media landscape. The trends which he identifies in Amusing Ourselves to Death, written in the 1980s, have since all come true. For example, he predicted that if you make news entertaining, then... (Source)

Kara Nortman @andrewchen Also a great book on the topic - Amusing Ourselves to Death https://t.co/yWLBxKumLQ (Source)

How to Be a Victorian

A Dawn-to-Dusk Guide to Victorian Life

Ruth Goodman | 4.28

Between the World and Me

Ta-Nehisi Coates | 4.27

Barack Obama The president also released a list of his summer favorites back in 2015: All That Is, James Salter The Sixth Extinction, Elizabeth Kolbert The Lowland, Jhumpa Lahiri Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates Washington: A Life, Ron Chernow All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr (Source)

Jack Dorsey Q: What are the books that had a major influence on you? Or simply the ones you like the most. : Tao te Ching, score takes care of itself, between the world and me, the four agreements, the old man and the sea...I love reading! (Source)

Doug McMillon Here are some of my favorite reads from 2017. Lots of friends and colleagues send me book suggestions and it's impossible to squeeze them all in. I continue to be super curious about how digital and tech are enabling people to transform our lives but I try to read a good mix of books that apply to a variety of areas and stretch my thinking more broadly. (Source)

Inside the Victorian Home

A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England

Judith Flanders | 4.27

The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Daniel H. Pink | 4.27

Tobi Lütke [Tobi Lütke recommended this book in an interview in "The Globe and Mail."] (Source)

David Heinemeier Hansson Takes some of those same ideas about motivations and rewards and extrapolates them in a little bit. (Source)

Mike Benkovich I'd recommend a sprinkling of business books followed by a heap of productivity and behavioural psychology books. The business books will help you with principals and the psychological books help with everything else in your life. Building your own business can really f!@# you up psychologically. (Source)

The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers

Johnny Saldana | 4.26

Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design

Choosing Among Five Approaches

John W. Creswell and Cheryl N. Poth | 4.25

The Emotion Thesaurus

A Writer's Guide to Character Expression

Becca Puglisi | 4.25

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

Thomas S. Kuhn and Ian Hacking | 4.23

Mark Zuckerberg It's a history of science book that explores the question of whether science and technology make consistent forward progress or whether progress comes in bursts related to other social forces. I tend to think that science is a consistent force for good in the world. I think we'd all be better off if we invested more in science and acted on the results of research. I'm excited to explore this... (Source)

Tim O'Reilly The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, by Thomas Kuhn. Kuhn introduced the term "paradigm shift" to describe the changeover from Ptolemaic to Copernican astronomy. But the book is far more than a classic in the history of science. It's also a book that emphasizes how what we already believe shapes what we see, what we allow ourselves to think. I've always tried to separate seeing itself from... (Source)

Andra Zaharia I’ve gone through quite a few experiences brought on or shaped by what I’ve learned from books. A particularly unexpected one happened in college when our public relations teacher asked us to read a book called The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn. As a humanities student, you can imagine that I wasn’t thrilled I’d have to read a book on science, but what followed blew my mind... (Source)

The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection

Or, the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life

Charles Darwin, Robin Field | 4.23

Neil deGrasse Tyson Which books should be read by every single intelligent person on planet? [...] On the Origin of Species (Darwin) [to learn of our kinship with all other life on Earth]. If you read all of the above works you will glean profound insight into most of what has driven the history of the western world. (Source)

Mark Kurlansky It is one of the most important books written, and I always urge people to read it. (Source)

Darren Aronofsky [Darren Aronofsky recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew

From Fox Hunting to Whist—the Facts of Daily Life in 19th-Century England

Daniel Pool | 4.22

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Malcolm X, M. S. Handler, Ossie Davis, Attallah Shabazz, Alex Haley | 4.22

Casey Neistat Aside from The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Casey's favorite book is The Second World War by John Keegan. (Source)

Ryan Holiday I forget who said it but I heard someone say that Catcher in the Rye was to young white boys what the Autobiography of Malcolm X was to young black boys. Personally, I prefer that latter over the former. I would much rather read about and emulate a man who is born into adversity and pain, struggles with criminality, does prison time, teaches himself to read through the dictionary, finds religion... (Source)

Keith Ellison Malcolm X is somebody that everybody in America’s prisons today could look at and say, ‘You know what, I can emerge, I can evolve' (Source)

Edith Hamilton | 4.20

Alan Kay A few more books like this, and by the time I got to first grade I had been ruined for the 'single book - single truth' ideas of school and church. (Source)

David and Goliath

Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.19

Catalina Penciu Business-wise, my goal for this year is to improve my collection and my mindset, but my favorite so far has been David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell. (Source)

Robert Katai Buy Malcolm Gladwell’s book “David and Goliath” and read the interesting stories about how the Davids of that moments have defeated the Goliaths. (Source)

Predictably Irrational

The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

Dan Ariely | 4.18

Nick Harkaway Predictably Irrational is an examination of the way in which we make decisions irrationally, and how that irrationality can be predicted. (Source)

Jonah Lehrer Dan Ariely is a very creative guy and was able to take this basic idea, that humans are irrational, and mine it in a million different directions. (Source)

The Emperor of All Maladies

A Biography of Cancer

Siddhartha Mukherjee, Fred Sanders, et al | 4.18

Bill Gates I loved [this] brilliant book about cancer. (Source)

Timothy J. Jorgensen A tremendous amount of cancer biology comes through in that book through the eyes of the victims and the people up close and personal. (Source)

A Brief History of Tomorrow

Yuval Noah Harari | 4.18

Richard Branson I certainly wouldn’t consider myself a big reader of paleontology or anthropology – not good words for us dyslexics! – but I enjoy learning about how society has unfolded and history has developed in an exciting, easy to read way. The sequel, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, is a fascinating look into the future too. While these aren’t traditional business or leadership books, they are all... (Source)

Bill Gates Harari’s new book is as challenging and readable as Sapiens. Rather than looking back, as Sapiens does, it looks to the future. I don’t agree with everything the author has to say, but he has written a thoughtful look at what may be in store for humanity. (Source)

Vinod Khosla Not that I agree with all of it, but it is still mind-bending speculation about our future as a follow-up to a previous favorite, Sapiens. It’s directionally right. (Source)

Case Study Research

Design and Methods (Applied Social Research Methods)

Robert K. Yin | 4.18

The Design of Everyday Things

Don Norman | 4.17

Marius Ciuchete Paun eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'theceolibrary_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_5',164,'0','1'])); Question: Was there a moment, specifically, when something you read in a book helped you? Answer: Yes there was. In fact, I can remember two separate sentences from two different books: The first one comes from “The Design of Everyday Things” by Don Norman. It says: “great design will help... (Source)

Grey Baker I mainly read to decompress and change my state of mind, so it’s hard to point to an insight I read that helped me. Reading fiction has pulled me out of a bad mood more times than I can count, though, and always reenergises me to attack problems that had stumped me again. That said, I read and loved Norman Norman’s “The Design of Everyday Things”, and it’s helped me think through design problems... (Source)

Kaci Lambe These three books are about how people actually use design in their lives. They helped me understand this very basic idea: There are no dumb users, only bad designers. Take the time to create based on how your design will be interacted with. Test it. Iterate. That's how you become a good designer. (Source)

Brave New World

Aldous Huxley | 4.16

Yuval Noah Harari The most prophetic book of the 20th century. Today many people would easily mistake it for a utopia. (Source)

Ellen Wayland-Smith It is a hilarious, and also very prescient, parody of utopias. Huxley goes back to the idea that coming together and forming a community of common interests is a great idea – it’s the basis of civil society. At the same time, when communities of common interests are taken to utopian degrees the self starts to dissolve into the larger community, you lose privacy and interiority; that becomes... (Source)

John Quiggin The lesson I draw from this is that the purpose of utopia is not so much as an achieved state, as to give people the freedom to pursue their own projects. That freedom requires that people are free of the fear of unemployment, or of financial disaster through poor healthcare. They should be free to have access to the kind of resources they need for their education and we should maintain and... (Source)

Understanding Comics

The Invisible Art

Scott McCloud | 4.16

Austin Kleon Unsolicited, but here’s my advice for visual thinkers (and others) who want to be better writers: [...] Cartoonists, because their work demands work from two disciplines (writing/art, poetry/design, words/pictures), are highly instructive when it comes to visual people learning to write, writers learning to make art, etc. (Check out Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics for more.) (Source)

Will Brooker Understanding Comics is a book about how comics work, told in comic form. It’s very accessible, it’s for the general reader and is about comics in general, not just superhero comics. It explores areas like pacing and editing – how motion can be created through static panels on a page, and how arranging those panels in different ways, or drawing in different styles, or combining text and image,... (Source)

The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England

A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century

Ian Mortimer | 4.16

The Handmaid's Tale

Margaret Atwood | 4.15

Grady Booch I read this several years ago but — much like Orwell’s 1984 — it seems particularly relevant given our current political morass. (Source)

Cliff Bleszinski @HandmaidsOnHulu Done. Love the show, book is a classic, can't wait for season 2. (Source)

Jason Kottke @procload Not super necessary, since you've seen the TV show. This first book is still a great read though...different than the show (tone-wise more than plot-wise). (Source)

A Short History of Nearly Everything

Bill Bryson | 4.14

Amanda Palmer [Amanda Palmer recommended this book in the book "Tools of Titans".] (Source)

Fabrice Grinda I have lots of books to recommend, but they are not related to my career path. The only one that is remotely related is Peter Thiel’s Zero to One. That said here are books I would recommend. (Source)

David Goldberg What I really liked about A Short History of Nearly Everything is that it gives an excellent account of a lot of the personalities and the interconnectedness of important discoveries in cosmology and elsewhere. He does such a great job of bringing together our understanding of cosmology, evolution, paleontology, and geology in a very, very fluid way. (Source)

New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus

Charles C. Mann | 4.14

In this groundbreaking work of science, history, and archaeology, Charles C. Mann radically alters our understanding of the Americas before the arrival of Columbus in 1492. Contrary to what so many Americans learn in school, the pre-Columbian Indians were not sparsely settled in a pristine wilderness; rather, there were huge numbers of Indians who actively molded and influenced the land around them. The astonishing Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan had running water and immaculately clean streets, and was larger than any contemporary European city. Mexican cultures created corn in a...

In this groundbreaking work of science, history, and archaeology, Charles C. Mann radically alters our understanding of the Americas before the arrival of Columbus in 1492. Contrary to what so many Americans learn in school, the pre-Columbian Indians were not sparsely settled in a pristine wilderness; rather, there were huge numbers of Indians who actively molded and influenced the land around them. The astonishing Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan had running water and immaculately clean streets, and was larger than any contemporary European city. Mexican cultures created corn in a specialized breeding process that it has been called man’s first feat of genetic engineering. Indeed, Indians were not living lightly on the land but were landscaping and manipulating their world in ways that we are only now beginning to understand. Challenging and surprising, this a transformative new look at a rich and fascinating world we only thought we knew.

Adam Conover @TheBaltimoreSon @CharlesCMann Sure it! A total revolution in my understanding of history, all in one book. Amazing stuff. (Source)

Scott Keyes It’s one of those books that takes everything you thought you knew about the history of European colonialists and indigenous groups in the Americas and turns it on its head. Just a fascinating deep-dive into early American history that questions a lot of dogma we were taught in school. (Source)

Colin Calloway The book provides a huge hemispheric overview. (Source)

The Power of Myth

Joseph Campbell, Bill Moyers | 4.14

Naval Ravikant I’m rereading The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell. Sometimes I think it’s better to just to reread the greats than it is to read something that’s not as great. (Source)

Bryan Callen Joseph Campbell was the first person to really open my eyes to [the] compassionate side of life, or of thought... Campbell was the guy who really kind of put it all together for me, and not in a way I could put my finger on... It made you just glad to be alive, [realizing] how vast this world is, and how similar and how different we are. (Source)

Park Howell This is one of the books I recommend to people looking for a career in advertising. (Source)

On Writing Well

The Classic Guide To Writing Nonfiction

William Zinsser | 4.14

Tim O'Reilly On Writing Well, by William Zinsser. I wouldn't say this book influenced me, since my principles of writing were established long before I read it. However, it does capture many things that I believe about effective writing. (Source)

Derek Sivers Great blunt advice about writing better non-fiction. So inspiring. (Source)

Women Who Run With the Wolves

Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype

Clarissa Pinkola Estés | 4.14

Irina Botnari I’m reading more books at the same time. Guilty. Some of them are Tools of Titans - Tim Ferriss, My Berlin Child – Anne Wiazemsky, Women who Run with the Wolves - Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Tim is full of lessons to learn, remember & implement, I’ll see what the rest of the books will unfold. (Source)

Gender Trouble

Feminism and the Subversion of Identity

Judith Butler | 4.13

Invisible Women

Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

Caroline Criado Perez | 4.12

Konnie Huq @FenTiger697 @WokingAmnesty @CCriadoPerez @Hatchards @radioleary Brilliant book by the brilliant @CCriadoPerez 😍 (Source)

Feminist Next Door @Rockmedia Awesome book (Source)

Nigel Shadbolt Invisible Women is an exposé of just how much of the world around us is designed around the default male. Deploying a huge range of data and examples, Caroline Criado Perez, who is a writer, broadcaster and award winning campaigner, presents on overwhelming case for change. Every page is full of facts and data that support her fundamental contention that in a world built for and by men, gender... (Source)

A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations

Chicago Style for Students and Researchers

Kate L. Turabian | 4.12

Just Enough Research

Erika Hall | 4.12

Mike Monteiro Hello. @mulegirl’s revised, expanded, even more good edition of the world’s best research book, Just Enough Research, dropped today. Buy it for yourself, or buy it for everyone in your company, and you’ll make better things. https://t.co/7U4xcCu2ez (Source)

Daniel Burka Awesome! @mulegirl's excellent new book, Conversational Design, is now available from @abookapart. My blurb even made it in! "This book cuts through the fluff and buzzwords to get straight to the point..." https://t.co/0oeD5J0OSH (Source)

Tim Kastelle “A large corporation is more like Australia: it’s impossible to see the whole landscape at once and there are so many things capable of maiming or killing you.” Just Enough Research by ⁦@mulegirl⁩ is a fantastic book - highly recommended. https://t.co/t11yOVeqNc (Source)

The Prince [with Biographical Introduction]

Nicollo Machiavelli, Tim Parks | 4.11

Eric Ripert A fascinating study and still wholly relevant. (Source)

Neil deGrasse Tyson Which books should be read by every single intelligent person on planet? [...] The Prince (Machiavelli) [to learn that people not in power will do all they can to acquire it, and people in power will do all they can to keep it]. If you read all of the above works you will glean profound insight into most of what has driven the history of the western world. (Source)

Ryan Holiday Of course, this is a must read. Machiavelli is one of those figures and writers who is tragically overrated and underrated at the same time. Unfortunately that means that many people who read him miss the point and other people avoid him and miss out altogether. Take Machiavelli slow, and really read him. Also understand the man behind the book–not just as a masterful writer but a man who... (Source)

The Better Angels of Our Nature

Why Violence Has Declined

Steven Pinker | 4.10

Mark Zuckerberg My second book of the year is The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker. It's a timely book about how and why violence has steadily decreased throughout our history, and how we can continue this trend. Recent events might make it seem like violence and terrorism are more common than ever, so it's worth understanding that all violence -- even terrorism -- is actually decreasing over time.... (Source)

Eric Schmidt When you finish [this book], which takes a long time, you conclude that the world is in a much, much better place than it has been in the past. (Source)

Bill Gates Yong succeeds in his intention to give us a 'grander view of life' and does so without falling prey to grand, unifying explanations that are far too simplistic. He presents our inner ecosystems in all their wondrous messiness and complexity. And he offers realistic optimism that our growing knowledge of the human microbiome will lead to great new opportunities for enhancing our health. (Source)

Save the Cat

The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need

Blake Snyder | 4.09

Eric Weinstein [Eric Weinstein recommended this book on Twitter.] (Source)

Bill Liao The human world occurs in language so best get good at it! (Source)

Neville Medhora It takes you through 11 different 'archetypes' of screenplays you can write, and the exact elements each needs to be a great story. (Source)

How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

Jared Diamond | 4.08

Bill Gates I found this to be an interesting follow-up to the excellent Guns, Germs, and Steel. It examines the downfall of some of history's greatest civilizations. (Source)

Matthew Yglesias I wanted to get a book on my list that is actually enjoyable to read, so not everything is quite so dry and dull as a narrative. I also wanted to include something that reflects the growing importance of environmental and ecological concerns to progressive politics in America. This is relatively new to the agenda – it’s only been in the last 30 to 35 years. But going forward, one of the most... (Source)

Stefan Lessard He should read this book I’m almost finished with. Jared Diamond is one of my favorite historical authors. https://t.co/f9JLYlsc4v https://t.co/KtPgMZaWen (Source)

The Elegant Universe

Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory

Brian Greene | 4.08

Mark Kurlansky I love this book. Brian Greene makes quantum physics and Einstein’s theory of relativity really make sense, so you can understand something which nobody seems to understand (Source)

Tom Clarke This book is perhaps the public debut of string theory – an attempt to explain how the best of the big and the small theories might be linked to explain the entire universe. (Source)

Steven Gubser The book works at many levels – I gave a copy to my mom when it came out, and I also received very positive impressions about the book from Norman Ramsey, who is a Nobel Prize physicist at Harvard. So it’s a great achievement, and part of why it’s a great achievement is that it covers not only string theory but also the accepted pillars of 20th-century theoretical physics, namely, quantum... (Source)

Imagined Communities

Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism (Revised Edition)

Benedict Anderson | 4.08

Jon Calame We looked into divided cities not because we had a morbid fascination with these traumatised cities, but because they seemed to be a keyhole through which you could glimpse this larger phenomenon relatively clearly. (Source)

Daring Greatly

How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

Brené Brown | 4.08

Chase Jarvis [Chase Jarvis recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Chelsea Frank I read everything with an open mind, often challenging myself by choosing books with an odd perspective or religious/spiritual views. These books do not reflect my personal feelings but are books that helped shape my perspective on life, love, and happiness. (Source)

AnneMarie Schindler I suggest these [books] because they really open up 'how' you think about life and in turn work, success/challenges/setbacks, and in general, yourself. I believe that the more you can understand yourself and broaden your approach to work, the easier it will be to find work that energizes you. Finally, I'm a team player at heart, and love working with others to achieve a huge goal so a portion of... (Source)

Norse Mythology

out of 5 stars4,12 | 4.08

Introducing an instant classic—master storyteller Neil Gaiman presents a dazzling version of the great Norse myths.

A People's History of the United States

Howard Zinn | 4.07

Lisa Ling I credit this book with propelling me to dig deeper, and to not always believe the narrative. (Source)

Alex Honnold Totally changed the way I look at politics. (Source)

Discipline and Punish

The Birth of the Prison

Michel Foucault, Alan Sheridan | 4.07

The Little Book of Research Writing

Varanya Chaubey | 4.07

The Gifts of Imperfection

Brené Brown | 4.07

Poverty and Profit in the American City

Matthew Desmond | 4.06

Bill Gates If you want a good understanding of how the issues that cause poverty are intertwined, you should read this book about the eviction crisis in Milwaukee. Desmond has written a brilliant portrait of Americans living in poverty. He gave me a better sense of what it is like to be poor in this country than anything else I have read. (Source)

Satya Nadella Nadella is using this season to learn more in a variety of subjects. By the looks of it, he is interested in, among other things, virtual reality, the refugee crisis, and housing for the urban poor. (Source)

Noah Kagan Surprising insights into the lives of people who were evicted. I make a lot of assumptions about these people. Turns out I was wrong WHY they get evicted. (Source)

Bad Science

Quacks, Hacks, and Big Pharma Flacks

Ben Goldacre | 4.06

Timothy Ferriss I agree wholeheartedly with a lot of the co-opted science, which people can read a book called Bad Science, which is by a doctor named Ben Goldacre. It’s great. (Source)

Tim Harford This book changed the way I thought about my own writing and it changed the way I thought about the world. It really is one of the best books I have ever read. (Source)

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore It’s just a brilliant book, and he’s a fearless defender of science. (Source)

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Llewellyn's Sourcebook Series)

Scott Cunningham | 4.05

The Republic

The Influential Classic

Plato | 4.05

Maria Popova Tim Ferriss: "If you could guarantee that every public official or leader read one book, what would it be?": "The book would be, rather obviously, Plato's The Republic. I'm actually gobsmacked that this isn't required in order to be sworn into office, like the Constitution is required for us American immigrants when it comes time to gain American citizenship." (Source)

Rebecca Goldstein Living today in Trump’s America, I am constantly reminded of specific passages in the Republic, most saliently his warnings of how a demagogue might arise in the midst of a democracy by fanning up resentments and fears. (Source)

David Heinemeier Hansson I’m about a third through this and still can’t tell whether Plato is making a mockery of Socrates ideas for the idyllic society or not. So many of the arguments presented as Socrates’ are so tortured and with so disconnected leaps of logic that it’s hard to take it at face value. Yet still, it’s good fun to follow the dialogue. It reads more like a play than a book, and again, immensely... (Source)

How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger - Second Edition with a New Chapter by the Author

Darrell Huff and Irving Gei | 4.05

Bill Gates I picked this one up after seeing it on a Wall Street Journal list of good books for investors. It was first published in 1954, but it doesn’t feel dated (aside from a few anachronistic examples—it has been a long time since bread cost 5 cents a loaf in the United States). In fact, I’d say it’s more relevant than ever. One chapter shows you how visuals can be used to exaggerate trends and give... (Source)

Tobi Lütke We all live in Malcolm’s world because the shipping container has been hugely influential in history. (Source)

Jason Zweig This is a terrific introduction to critical thinking about statistics, for people who haven’t taken a class in statistics. (Source)

The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures

The Ultimate A-Z of Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic

John Matthews, Caitlin Matthews | 4.05

Stamped from the Beginning

The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America

Ibram X. Kendi | 4.04

Bianca Belair For #BHM I will be sharing some of my favorite books by Black Authors 27th Book: Stamped from the Beginning Written by: @DrIbram When I found this book I couldn’t believe that I had never learned about the information in this book. A book everyone should read. Eye-opening! https://t.co/pLaifB8DFI (Source)

The Bell Jar

Sylvia Plath, Maggie Gyllenhaal, et al | 4.04

Bryony Gordon As a teenage girl, you have to read The Bell Jar. It’s a rite of passage. (Source)

The CEO Library Community (through anonymous form) One of the best 3 books I've read in 2019 (Source)

Tim Kendall Despite its subject matter, The Bell Jar is often a very funny novel. Perhaps we miss it because the pall of Plath’s biography descends across the whole work and reputation. But The Bell Jar is viciously funny. There are people still alive today who won’t talk about it because they were so badly hurt by Plath’s portrayal of them. (Source)

White Fragility

Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

Robin DiAngelo, Michael Eric Dyson | 4.04

Elizabeth C. Mclaughlin I've recommended the book White Fragility on here many times, and this interview is a great place to start. If you're a white person who believes you're not racist, please read this article. And then go read the book. https://t.co/S5plH3wS5m (Source)

Marshall Kirkpatrick @jhagel This is a great book btw! (Source)

Todd Nesloney @SarahSuggs13 I love that book, have spoken with the author, and did an entire staff book study. Again, had you even tried to see my work that I do, you'd have learned that. You seek to divide and that is it. Great lesson for our students. (Source)

Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit

John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker | 4.04

Gödel, Escher, Bach

An Eternal Golden Braid

Douglas R. Hofstadter | 4.04

Steve Jurvetson [Steve Jurvetson recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Seth Godin In the last week, I discovered that at least two of my smart friends hadn't read Godel, Escher, Bach. They have now. You should too. (Source)

Kevin Kelly Over the years, I kept finding myself returning to its insights, and each time I would arrive at them at a deeper level. (Source)

Fermat's Enigma

The Epic Quest to Solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem

Simon Singh | 4.03

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore The book is great because Simon Singh has this ability to write about the driest and most complex scientific or mathematical concepts and issues, and somehow make them come alive. (Source)

Kirk Borne New Perspective on Fermat's Last Theorem: https://t.co/YeaHQ6iadB by @granvilleDSC @DataScienceCtrl #abdsc #Mathematics See the best-selling book "Fermat's Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem": https://t.co/dqenmvUw0A by @SLSingh https://t.co/deyMhQTQLU (Source)

The Signal and the Noise

Why So Many Predictions Fail - But Some Don't

Nate Silver | 4.03

Bill Gates Anyone interested in politics may be attracted to Nate Silver’s The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail—but Some Don't. Silver is the New York Times columnist who got a lot of attention last fall for predicting—accurately, as it turned out–the results of the U.S. presidential election. This book actually came out before the election, though, and it’s about predictions in many... (Source)

The Brain that Changes Itself

Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

Norman Doidge | 4.02

Carol Dweck For me it was exciting to read this book because while my research shows a growth mindset is really good for you, this book shows that a growth mindset also has a strong basis in modern neuroscience. It illustrates, though fascinating case histories and descriptions of recent research, the amazing power of the brain to change and even to reorganise itself with practice and experience. (Source)

Naveen Jain I think the book that I really, really enjoy was, "The Brain That Changes Itself." It's all about neuroplasticity, you'd really love that book. (Source)

Bogdana Butnar I don't have favourite books. I equate a favourite something with wanting to do it over and over again and I've never wanted to read a book too many times. I have favourite authors and I have books that changed me in significant ways because they moved me or taught me something or changed my view of the world. So, here's some of those books... (Source)

The Artist's Way

Julia Cameron | 4.02

Anand C STARTING FROM AUTHENTICITY: by observing, showing humility and being grateful - I started being open to what’s in the sub-conscious more (30+ sessions in). Speaking your truth is a powerful result of this. One great book to help explore this. https://t.co/sOAgAHhWsO (Source)

Emma Gannon Instead of all these fast paced books saying: ‘Here’s how to be amazing, here’s how to get a side hustle, here’s how to hustle, hustle, hustle.’ This is the total opposite. It’s about slowing right down and connecting with yourself again. (Source)

The Negative Trait Thesaurus

A Writer's Guide to Character Flaws

Angela Ackerman, Becca Puglisi | 4.02

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association(r)

American Psychological Association | 4.01

In addition to providing clear guidance on grammar, the mechanics of writing, and APA style, the Publication Manual offers an authoritative and easy-to-use reference and citation system and comprehensive...

In addition to providing clear guidance on grammar, the mechanics of writing, and APA style, the Publication Manual offers an authoritative and easy-to-use reference and citation system and comprehensive coverage of the treatment of numbers, metrication, statistical and mathematical data, tables, and figures for use in writing, reports, or presentations.

The new edition has been revised and updated to include:

Writers, scholars, and professionals will also find:

New and experienced readers alike will find the 5th Edition a complete resource for writing, presenting, or publishing with clarity and persuasiveness.

Approximately 400 pages

The Poisoner's Handbook

Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York

Deborah Blum | 4.01

Michelle Francl Deborah Blum’s book reminds me that molecules are powerful witnesses, if only we have the skills to interrogate them, and sometimes they are killers. (Source)

A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner

Scott Cunningham | 4.01

Georgette Heyer's Regency World

Jennifer Kloester | 4.01

From Here to Eternity

Traveling the World to Find the Good Death

Caitlin Doughty, Landis Blair | 4.01

Dylan Thuras Caitlin Doughty is razor sharp, and writes about death with exceptional clarity and style. From Here to Eternity manages to be both an extremely funny travelogue and a deeply moving book about what death means to us all. (Source)

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers

How to Edit Yourself Into Print

Renni Browne, Dave King | 4.00

Alina Varlanuta My professional path – copywriting – somehow intertwines with my unprofessional (hahaha) path – writing so I would recommend reading literature for both. Somehow reading and writing are two ways of doing the same thing: storytelling (even when you read you tell yourself a story in your own voice, bringing your personal emotion and empathy to the story you’re reading). The only difference is that... (Source)

Unmentionable

The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners

Therese Oneill | 4.00

Best Research Methodology Books for Researchers and Academics

The best research methodology books can help research students, academics, and potential scholars, as academic research papers require a thorough reading of the research literature.

One must be familiar with different research paradigms, methods, epistemological and ontological stances, and more.

These books can help you start your research. They will teach you research methodology and how to build a study design.

• Table of Contents

1- Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

The Fifth Edition of the bestselling Research Methodology has reimagined, rebuilt, and completely renovated how a textbook may help students succeed in methods courses and research projects.

The book simplifies research project conception and execution for novices. It guides students from research topic to written report at their pace with clear explanations, DIY tasks, and study skills support.

2- Designing Research for Publication

The book Designing Research for Publication discusses strategies for avoiding research related issues. It is intended in particular for academics who are just starting out in their careers and who must quickly understand the fundamentals of research and publication, as well as for those who wish to support them.

3- Applied Qualitative Research Design: A Total Quality Framework Approach 

This unique publication presents a framework for designing, administering, and analyzing credible and relevant qualitative research investigations. In-depth interviews, focus group discussions, ethnography, content analysis, and case study and narrative research are used in many fields to demonstrate their strengths, limitations, and applications.

Chapters demonstrate how to apply each method within a paradigm-neutral and flexible Total Quality Framework (TQF) of Credibility, Analyzability, Transparency, and Usefulness. Unlike other texts, concept validity, InterResearch reliability, researcher bias, and verification procedures are covered extensively.

The book applies the TQF to creating, reviewing, and assessing qualitative research proposals and publications.

4- Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches

The comparison of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies study design was pioneered by this best-selling book. John W. Creswell provides an overview of philosophical presuppositions for each of the three approaches, as well as a look at key components of the research process, a review of the literature, an evaluation of the use of theory in research applications, and reflections on the value of writing and ethics in scholarly inquiry.

5- Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation

Qualitative Research explains, designs, conducts, and presents qualitative research studies. This fourth volume covers mixed methodologies, action research, arts-based research, internet data sources, data analysis tools, and narrative and poetic analysis strategies.

A new part presents qualitative research findings in numerous ways. This reader-friendly, jargon-free book emphasizes the relevance of a theoretical framework in study design and provides practical help.

6- The Research Methods Knowledge Base, 3rd Edition

The updated third edition of The Research methods Knowledge Base covers quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

It is suitable for introductory comprehensive undergraduate or graduate courses in many fields. Its conversational, informal manner simplifies difficult topics for students. From developing a research question through publishing, a final report, the Research Methods Knowledge Base addresses practical and technical sampling, measurement, design, and analytic difficulties.

7- Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches

John W. Creswell’s Third Edition of his bestselling text examines narrative research, phenomenology, grounded theory , ethnography, and case study’s philosophical foundations, history, and major aspects.

The author connects research designs to each inquiry tradition in his approachable writing style. He examines theoretical frameworks , quality standards, and methods for writing study introductions, collecting data, analyzing data, producing narratives, and confirming outcomes.

8- Doing Your Research Project (Open Up Study Skills)

Step-by-step instructions for a great research project. Research can be daunting, especially for first timers, but this indispensable book provides everything you need to prepare for research, draught and finalize a methodologically sound and well-written report or thesis,and warns you of potential pitfalls to avoid wasting time on false trails.

9- Research Methods in Education

‘Research Methods in Education is necessary reading for professional researchers and undergraduate and postgraduate education students who need to grasp how to plan, conduct, analyze, and use research.

Ideal for instructors and students, PowerPoint slides for each chapter define the chapter structure and summarize the major ideas. The book mentions several internet resources.

10- Introducing Research Methodology: A Beginner′s Guide to Doing a Research Project

Uwe Flick guides new researchers through research project creation in the Second Edition of this textbook. For their first assignment, the book teaches data gathering and analytic skills and the research process. It includes several examples from the author’s study and covers quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

11- The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project

The book provides step-by-step instructions for conducting your study, from beginning to end, including data analysis and writing up. Each step is carefully outlined, stressing best practices while offering helpful hints and realistic advice for actually conducting research.

12- The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research

The new edition carries on the book’s legacy of synthesizing an existing literature, defining the present, and defining the future of qualitative research by offering the greatest thinking from leading academics worldwide.

The editors and authors discuss social justice concerns and look at how the struggles of individuals can inform public issues and ultimately influence social policy. They are committed to solving inequality concerns, and their writings are supported by a critical framework.

Their goal is to demonstrate how qualitative research techniques may lead to positive change in the world, just like in earlier editions.

Their goal, like with earlier editions, is to demonstrate how qualitative research practices may lead to constructive change in the world.

13- The Foundations of Social Research: Meaning and Perspective in the Research Process  

Selecting a study methodology might be confusing. How can you be certain that the technique you have chosen is appropriate or that the methodology combination you have chosen is consistent with the theoretical angle you want to adopt?

This book makes a very clear and precise connection between methodology and theory, guiding readers through the confusing terminology minefield.

The author explains the philosophical roots of different schools of thought, outlines the main epistemological positions and theoretical views that influence and shape present social research, and demonstrates how diverse disciplines contribute to the practice of social research as it is known today.

Other articles

Please read through some of our other articles with examples and explanations if you’d like to learn more about research methodology.

• Management Information System
• Blockchain Technology
• ChatGPT: Top Picks for ChatGPT4 Users
• How to Write a Literature Review
• Artificial Intelligence
• From PhD to Industry: 4 Books to Aid Your Transition
• How to Write a Dissertation
• Websites to Read Books for Free
• Research and Dissertation Proposals
• Research Methodology Books

Comparision

• Independent vs. Dependent Variable
• Research Article and Research Paper
• Proposition and Hypothesis
• Principal Component Analysis and Partial Least Squares
• Academic Research vs Industry Research
• Clinical Research vs Lab Research
• Research Lab and Hospital Lab
• Thesis Statement and Research Question
• Quantitative Researchers vs. Quantitative Traders
• Premise, Hypothesis and Supposition
• Survey Vs Experiment
• Hypothesis and Theory
• APA vs. MLA
• Ghost Authorship vs. Gift Authorship
• Research Methods
• Quantitative Research
• Qualitative Research
• Case Study Research
• Survey Research
• Conclusive Research
• Descriptive Research
• Cross-Sectional Research
• Theoretical Framework
• Conceptual Framework
• Triangulation
• Grounded Theory
• Quasi-Experimental Design
• Mixed Method
• Correlational Research
• Randomized Controlled Trial
• Stratified Sampling
• Ethnography
• Ghost Authorship
• Secondary Data Collection
• Primary Data Collection
• Ex-Post-Facto
•   Dissertation Topic
• Thesis Statement
• Research Proposal
• Research Questions
• Research Problem
• Research Gap
• Types of Research Gaps
• Operationalization of Variables
• Literature Review
• Research Hypothesis
• Questionnaire
• Reliability
• Measurement of Scale
• Sampling Techniques
• Acknowledgements
• PLS-SEM model
• Principal Components Analysis
• Multivariate Analysis
• Friedman Test
• Chi-Square Test (Χ²)
• Effect Size
• Directional vs. Non-Directional Hypothesis

Related Posts

How to write effective grants for research funding, how to paraphrase research papers effectively, tips to self edit your research paper: why is self editing important, six useful tips for finding research gap, the role of phd supervisors in academic success, example of abstract for your research paper: tips, dos, and don’ts, effective tips for reading a research paper, 100 connective words for research paper writing, survey sampling: what it is, types & tips, cluster sampling | method and examples.

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Why use Books in your Research?

Books are great sources for information.

In books, you will find:

• in-depth coverage of a subject
• overview of a big topic
• background information
• lists of additional sources, or bibliography

You don’t need to read a book cover to cover for research .  You can focus on a chapter or section of a book that fits your needs, and use that instead.

Academic books are often a collection of discrete essays.  You only need to read the essays that are relevant to your topic.

To determine which sections will be most useful to you, use the:

• Table of contents  at the front of the book.  This will list the chapters or sections that are included and give you a general idea of what topics are covered in the book and how it is arranged.
• Index  at the back with an alphabetical list of names, events, locations, and subjects included in the book.  Use the index to identify which parts will be most useful.  It’s also a good idea to browse the index for helpful  keywords  to use for your searches.

Keep in mind, books can take a long time to go from an author’s brain to the library shelf.  If you are looking for the most recent information on a very new topic, you might be better off using an article.

Portland State University Library has both print and digital (eBooks) books for you to use.  Sometimes, we even have both print and digital versions of the same books!

Your Research Journey at Portland State University Library Copyright © 2020 by Amy Stanforth is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Finding the resources for an excellent paper

Research for gwu health science students.

• Introduction
• Getting started
• Finding resources
• Evaluating results
• Practice questions
• Getting help
• Library Catalog
• The Internet

Finding Resources: Books

What can i use to do research if i don't use google.

Don't overlook books in either print or electronic format. Books can be useful in health care research, particularly when you're just beginning your career or when you're just beginning research on a topic.

Textbooks give you an introduction, background, and basic information on a topic. They generally present either summaries of a wide range of health topics or coverage of every aspect of a particular medical topic. Textbooks provide good background information and offer an excellent starting point for more in-depth research. If you need to review the pathophysiology of kidney disease, check on a biochemical process, or look up general information on adolescent health, your best starting point will be a basic textbook.

Textbooks would be a great place to start if you need to know:

• Background/overview information
• Information on disease etiology and pathogenesis
• Information that isn't rapidly changing

Examples include:

• Overview of sexually-transmitted diseases
• Basics of study design
• History of health insurance in the United States

Monographs are also known as regular old books. These are books on a specific topic, and are different from textbooks. Monographs are good for focused, in-depth information.

Finding books

Electronic textbooks.

Himmelfarb offers approximately 150+ core textbooks electronically. These can be accessed from on or off-campus through our our e-texts page .

See the off-campus access instructions for information about logging in from off-campus.

Best strategy & research books to read in 2024

In a world where staying ahead of the curve is crucial, diving into the right resources can make all the difference. But the big question is of course ‘where do I start?’

Our ebook, 24 Essential Books for Researchers in 2024 , is your go-to list.

24 research books that will help you understand the hallmarks of effective strategy, uncover hidden truths of human behavior through big data, and delve into the creative magic behind branding in everyday life. You will be able to recognize the subtle forces influencing our decisions and unlock the psychology of consumer behavior.

As a sneak peek, here’s everything you need to know about five standout strategy books from our list that will each sharpen your strategic thinking and inspire you to create your own competitive advantage.

Free eBook: 24 Essential Books for Researchers in 2024

1. Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters

By Richard Rumelt

What better place to start than the fundamental differences between winning and losing strategies?

UCLA professor and revered strategy legend, Richard Rumelt, breaks down the bad strategy elements to avoid, like vague objectives and empty slogans, and the good strategy components to never miss. From a solid diagnosis of the challenge to a guiding policy to tackle it and coherent actions to carry it out – complemented by frameworks from leading minds like Michael Porter – Rumelt wants his reader to understand the core principles of strategic thinking.

Brilliantly complementing these principles – which can, in many ways, be seen as modern extensions of the strategic principles found in "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu, one of the best strategy books in history – Rumelt’s real-life case studies make his approach incredibly easy to grasp.

For market researchers, Rumelt’s framework – focusing on clear, actionable strategies over generic goals – will sharpen your strategic planning and refine your analytical approach. Read it and gain a true understanding of what simply makes a good strategy good and how you can streamline your efforts to achieve tangible, measurable results.

Find it on Amazon

2. Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are

By Seth Stephens-Davidowitz

Popularly known as “Everybody Lies”, this New York Times bestseller and the Economist book of the year delves into how big data unveils hidden truths about our behavior and desires.

With his background as a Google data scientist, Stephens-Davidowitz leverages online data from search engines and social media to reveal the often surprising – and sometimes uncomfortable – realities that traditional surveys often miss. It’s a fascinating demonstration of big data’s power to uncover genuine insights about everyday life, from economics to ethics, sports to race, and sex to gender.

Highlighting the potential of non-traditional data sources – specifically, online behavior – to reveal deeper consumer insights, market researchers will find this book to be a true eye-opener. Stephens-Davidowitz details techniques researchers can use to develop more precise and effective marketing strategies that truly resonate with an audience.

3. Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life

By Rory Sutherland

A renowned adman and behavioral science pioneer, Rory Sutherland puts his brilliant mind to print to explore how embracing the irrational and creative aspects of marketing can lead to extraordinary success.

At its core, “Alchemy” argues against businesses and organizations taking a purely logical approach – after all, magic and logic aren’t the greatest match. Instead, Sutherland campaigns for the transformative power of unconventional thinking, using leading-edge scientific research, absurdly entertaining storytelling and practical case studies to bring this approach to life.

With a strong emphasis on creativity and intuition, “Alchemy” should give any market researcher reason to break away from data-driven norms and experiment with bold, unconventional ideas.

4. The Illusion of Choice: 16 ½ Psychological Biases That Influence What We Buy

By Richard Shotton

Another proponent for the importance of psychology and behavioral science in marketing, Richard Shotton’s "The Illusion of Choice" reveals how tiny, unnoticed factors shape our day-to-day decisions.

Shotton identifies the 16½ most important psychological biases that everyone in business needs to be aware of today – and how any business can use them to find a competitive advantage. The book brilliantly blends theory and practical insights, demonstrating to readers how minor tweaks in presentation and context can have a huge bearing on the choices we make.

"The Illusion of Choice" is a goldmine for market researchers. Revealing the psychological tricks behind decision-making, this book will undoubtedly empower you to design better surveys and marketing strategies to ultimately build a more successful company. Shotton's insights will help you predict consumer responses more accurately and craft more persuasive messages; you’ll understand data on a deeper level and learn how to ethically influence consumer behavior.

5. Decoded: The Science Behind Why We Buy

By Phil Barden

Leveraging an over 25-year career in marketing, and working with some of the world’s most successful companies and business leaders, Phil Barden’s groundbreaking book uncovers the psychological mechanisms that drive our purchasing decisions.

Barden draws on neuroscience and behavioral economics to explore why we choose certain products over others, breaking down complex scientific concepts into easy-to-understand insights. With the help of real-world examples, Barden shows how these principles play out in everyday buying behavior with brands that you will no doubt know very well.  

Barden’s exploration of the subconscious factors influencing consumer choices provides valuable tools for any market researcher wanting to deliver more effective work. His book’s popularity stems from its practicality: by understanding the science behind why people buy, you can better predict consumer behavior and tailor your approaches to resonate more deeply with your target audience.

If you're a fan of "Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant" by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, you will get a lot out of this book.

Download your gateway to smarter, more impactful research

Whether you’re enhancing your professional toolkit or seeking fresh perspectives, these strategy books are your gateway to smarter, more impactful research in 2024.

Free eBook: 24 essential books for researchers in 2024

Ken Choi // Head of Strategy & Insights Solutions, APJ

Ken has over 18 years of experience in brand strategy and research. Previously a director and head of Quantitative Research at an insights consultancy, he’s passionate about unbundling complex issues and communicating clear growth strategies to drive business impact. He has experience working on large-scale, global research programs and has conducted brand strategy and growth innovation research in over 45 countries.

As a Solutions Strategist for the Asia Pacific & Japan region, he is focused on designing best-in-class technology and service solutions to help brands develop and maintain consistent and engaging experiences with their audiences.

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Introduction to College Research

(5 reviews)

Walter D Butler, Pasadena City College

Aloha Sargent, Cabrillo College

Kelsey Smith, West Hills College Lemoore

Copyright Year: 2021

Publisher: Academic Senate for California Community Colleges

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Maletta Payne, Systems Administrator/Reference Librarian, Southern University on 4/2/24

Introduction to College Research extends beyond mere language. Each chapter unfolds logically, building upon previous concepts while laying the groundwork for library research. read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Introduction to College Research extends beyond mere language. Each chapter unfolds logically, building upon previous concepts while laying the groundwork for library research.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text is written on timely topics that impact the way researchers synthesize information, using examples from searching the Internet. The author carefully guides the researcher away from the influence of algorithms and leads the reader to the importance of library resources.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book is relevant to researchers because it introduces readers to an updated approach to understanding information and its impact on society, the importance of research, and how to conduct research without biases.

Clarity rating: 4

By presenting information coherently and systematically, the book ensures that students can navigate its contents with ease, fostering deeper comprehension and retention.

Consistency rating: 4

The book’s consistency builds on the information landscape of how technology is being transformed and how it is evolving to impact learning in the digital age.

Modularity rating: 5

Whether students are seeking a comprehensive overview of research methodology or focusing on specific skills and techniques, they can navigate the book with ease, selecting and sequencing modules according to their preferences and priorities.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Key points are highlighted, summaries are provided for quick reference, and interactive exercises reinforce learning objectives.

Interface rating: 5

The book is intuitive and user-friendly, enhancing the overall learning experience and facilitating engagement with the material.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not note any grammatical errors throughout the book.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The Introduction to College Research acknowledges racial bias and challenges the readers to explore use of algorithms that perpetuate these biases.

The book does focus on some databases that may not be applicable to users. Librarians using this book can adapt the information to reflect their community of users.

Reviewed by Kelly Comcowich, Adjunct Instructor, Metropolitan State University of Denver on 2/23/24

The content of this text is clear and concise. I was especially impressed by the first chapter about algorithms and how they create or bias while seeming objective. The chapter on disinformation was also very useful and clear. The text covers... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The content of this text is clear and concise. I was especially impressed by the first chapter about algorithms and how they create or bias while seeming objective. The chapter on disinformation was also very useful and clear. The text covers most of the basic elements of research for an intro to research class.

This text does not have a lot of information on how students might use that information to create written material after completing the research (argument structure, rhetoric, summary, paraphrasing, outlining etc). As such, it would need to be used along with another text in a research WRITING course.

The accuracy of information seemed solid, and the discussion of how bias is created in online algorithms was very informative and well supported.

Most material was very up to date -- the only thing missing was a robust discussion of AI. Perhaps an update about how the algorithims are affecting AI generated material in research might be in order.

Clarity rating: 5

The content of this text is clear and concise.

Consistency rating: 5

There was a lot of consistency and focus in this text. The overarching theme appears to be educating students about media bias, and making them aware of the many issue surrounding this in researching online.

The chapters do hold up seprately, and I plan to use the first chapter about algorithms , the second chapter on disinformation, and the second to last chapter on plagiarism. These separate chapters should be easy to include in various parts of my research writing course.

The structure overall is great -- easy to follow and logical.

Interface rating: 4

The format of the online version was a little frustrating. The text seemed to be broken into tiny bits (perhaps to make it easier to read on a phone screen?). The “next” button was tiny and located in the very bottom of the screen -- took me a little while to find it. I know that students may have this difficulty as well.

The page format and next button are not a huge issues, but the navigation was not as intuitive as other OER texts I have looked at.

Grammar looks good. The structure and writting are clear.

Many of the examples of racial and cultural bias were covered pretty well, and there were a variety of sources used.

Reviewed by Tracy Scharn, Instruction and Outreach Librarian, Oregon Institute of Technology on 6/5/23

This book is explicitly an introduction to the topic of college research. As such, it provides an overview of key information literacy concepts, issues and components in a way that is broad but not deep. In general, it presents a comprehensive... read more

This book is explicitly an introduction to the topic of college research. As such, it provides an overview of key information literacy concepts, issues and components in a way that is broad but not deep. In general, it presents a comprehensive introduction to how information is produced, gathered and used. There is no index, but the table of contents is effective and easy to navigate. There is a glossary. Throughout the book the authors also generally provide in-text or pop-up definitions of key concepts but there are some notable gaps (for instance, not explaining what database aggregators are).

The authors are knowledgeable on the subject and provide information that is accurate and free of errors. The text presents different types of examples and scenarios which impart a balanced understanding of the information landscape and how to approach research within it.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

This book does contain references to current events that will eventually be less relevant (recent elections, news, etc.). However, a book about the information landscape should be updated periodically to reflect current information trends and concerns, and the examples used in the text are highly relevant and engaging. There are links to outside sources (including videos) that may become broken over time.

Because it was designed and written for California community college students and uses library examples that are specific to the California system, users outside that system would need to make adjustments. For instance, the section on how to use OneSearch (a widely used but not universal discovery system) would need to be adapted to local tools, but it provides a good outline of what that section should cover. Additionally, any book that references specific information interfaces (library catalogs, EBSCO databases, etc.) will become out of date when those interfaces change.

Each chapter begins with clearly stated Learning Objectives. The language is accessible -- at times even conversational, which is an asset for this type of text. The authors generally define any jargon or subject-specific terminology. A couple of chapters (particularly the Introduction) suffer from an overuse of quotes that make it harder to follow the flow of text. Throughout the book, information is presented in different ways: text, charts, icons, illustrations, and so on. In several places, multimedia is used to convey more information (chiefly videos). All of these techniques help keep the reader's attention.

The structure of each chapter is usually consistent. There are points throughout the text in which the reader is invited to answer a question or reflect upon a concept, and these boxes are the same color as the quote boxes throughout. That similarity makes it harder for the reader to immediately recognize these invitations to engage.

Modularity rating: 4

The material is generally modular, however a few chapters have points where authors refer readers to a different section of the book. Usually there is enough information in the current chapter to avoid having to jump to a different one, but this does impact the modularity somewhat.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The book follows a logical structure and progression, with later chapters building on information presented in earlier ones. For instance, the book begins with topics that help the reader understand the current information landscape (algorithms, disinformation, information cynicism, etc.) -- aspects of research that can be often be overlooked. This provides a context for understanding the complexity of conducting research and evaluating information, which are covered in later chapters.

The Pressbooks format is easy to use and navigate. The book is also offered in other formats: PDF, EPUB, and MOBI. It can also be ordered as a printed and bound book. The efforts of the authors to be accessible are notable. Images consistently have alt-text or text-based descriptions of the information presented in the image; options are offered to enlarge images for enhanced readability; captions and transcripts are offered for multimedia; and information is often presented in multiple ways to serve different learners.

No major grammatical errors were noted.

The examples, images and multimedia used throughout the book are highly diverse and represent a range of identities. The authors also directly address inequities in the information landscape. This is especially evident in the chapter on algorithmic biases, but is also present in other sections. For example, in their section on the appropriate uses of Wikipedia, they also discuss who is most engaged in the production of Wikipedia's content and what that means for its content coverage.

If your institution uses Canvas, you might be interested in the extensive supplementary materials the authors created for that learning management system. You can freely download and use them in your own Canvas course. Those elements are not reviewed here. Find links to those materials in the chapter titled "A Note for Instructors."

Reviewed by Rachel Milani, Assistant Librarian, Minnesota North College on 5/16/23

This text provides a solid foundation on the subject of college research, covering relevant content areas that impact research and providing sound research strategies. The supplementary Canvas modules add to this, providing resources that... read more

This text provides a solid foundation on the subject of college research, covering relevant content areas that impact research and providing sound research strategies. The supplementary Canvas modules add to this, providing resources that instructors often seek when adopting open resources.

Information provided is accurate. All statistics provided include citations to their sources.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

As technology is an ever evolving tool that directly affects the way we access and consume information, this text will inevitably require updating in future. However, based on the way we presently access and consume information, the information in this text is current and relevant to college research.

The text provides a glossary and in-text definitions for terminology that might be unfamiliar to students, and utilizes said terminology in context so that students can more readily understand the subject matter.

Layout of information and formatting is consistent throughout the text. Each chapter begins with stated learning objectives, and each chapter is broken down into sub-sections that each contain information and source citation. Images, charts, and text blocks are interspersed throughout, making for easier reading.

The text and the accompanying ancillary materials on Canvas are easily broken down into modules that could be utilized on their own or in conjunction with other resources as needed. Each chapter is broken down into easily digestible sub-sections.

This text is well organized, laying a strong foundation by first establishing how algorithms affect the information generated by our searches, and immediately following that up with information on disinformation and how to determine whether a source is accurate and reliable. The text then lays out the different types of information sources and logically walks through the process for researching the primary academic repositories of those sources (namely libraries and databases).

No navigation issues or image distortions are present.

The text utilizes proper grammar and punctuation.

This text covers neutral information and is not insensitive or offensive. The text also covers the issue of bias in information in an objective manner.

Reviewed by kat gullahorn, Lecturer III, University of New Mexico on 5/11/23

This text provides a sound foundation of the subject matter. It covers the major content areas and strategies for an introductory research course and includes a helpful glossary for reference. The supplementary Canvas modules include additional... read more

This text provides a sound foundation of the subject matter. It covers the major content areas and strategies for an introductory research course and includes a helpful glossary for reference. The supplementary Canvas modules include additional instructional objects, assignments, discussions and quizzes.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Content is neutral, appropriately biased against information biases. there are no apparent errors in the framing or application. Content is easily paired with additional materials.

The content is highly relevant and up-to-date. Content is composed to pages or modules can be easily updated to refresh examples. The illustrations are relevant and informative.

Prose is accessible to the casual reader. Technical jargon is clearly defined and supported with a glossary. The supplemental materials in Canvas are composed to compliment the text.

The layout and content format is consistent throughout the text. The use of color and pattern aid in navigation while alternating text and illustration break up the type into manageable portions. There is a suggested attribution provided at the bottom of each page and a hyperlinked bibliography at the end of each chapter.

Content is scaffolded appropriately and presented in digestible portions of information. Hyperlinks to internal content and external sources are balanced and do not distract the reader. Chapters in the book are parallel with the Canvas modules. Content is brief and concise, allowing space for discussion and creativity in the classroom delivery.

Topics are presented in a logical fashion and chapters appear to be able to re-order without disrupting the reader's experience. The instructor may rearrange topics to appear in an order that suits their objectives, and will not be hindered by linear internal references.

The interface is simple and logical. Navigation is sound. Each piece of content is meaningful; there is no visual noise to distract or confuse the reader. The simplicity leaves room for the instructor to augment or adapt as necessary with the confines of the open license.

No grammatical errors were found.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The content is neutral and includes exercises and examples from a variety of perspectives.

I am looking forward to interacting more with this text.

Table of Contents

• A Note for Instructors
• Read Online or Download this Book
• Introduction
• The Age of Algorithms
• Disinformation
• Fact-Checking
• Types of Information Sources
• Getting Your Research Started
• Search Strategies
• Finding Materials in the Library
• Using Library Databases
• Searching the Web: Strategies and Considerations
• Ethical and Legal Use of Information
• Citing Sources

Ancillary Material

• Xiaoyang Behlendorf and Cynthia Mari Orozco

About the Book

This book acknowledges our changing information landscape, covering key concepts in information literacy to support a research process with intention. We start by critically examining the online environment many of us already engage with every day, looking at algorithms, the attention economy, information disorder and cynicism, information hygiene, and fact-checking. We then move into an exploration of information source types, meaningful research topics, keyword choices, effective search strategies, library resources, Web search considerations, the ethical use of information, and citation.

About the Contributors

Walter D. Butler,  Pasadena City College

Aloha Sargent,  Cabrillo College

Kelsey Smith,  West Hills College Lemoore

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Table of Contents

Tip 1: Start with Your Positioning and Outline

Tip 2: make a research plan, tip 3: ask the internet, tip 4: read books, tip 5: talk to experts, tip 6: collect survey data, tip 7: keep everything organized.

• Tip 8: Set a Deadline & Stop Early

Tip 9: Write the First Draft

How to conduct research for your book: 9 tips that work.

If you’re like many first-time nonfiction writers, you’ve probably wondered, “How do I research for my book?”

I get this question a lot, and there are plenty of tips I can share. But before I dive into it, I’m going to throw you a curveball:

Don’t assume you have to do research for your book.

Because the purpose of nonfiction is to help the reader solve a problem or create change in their life (or both) by sharing what you know. If you can do this without a lot of research, then don’t do research.

We’ve had many Authors who knew their topic so inside and out that they didn’t need research. That is perfectly fine. They still wrote incredible books.

When it boils down to it, there are only 2 reasons to do research for your book:

• You know enough to write the book, but you want to add sources and citations to make the book more persuasive to a specific audience.
• You don’t know enough, and you need to learn more to make the book complete.

We’ve had many Authors who–despite knowing their stuff–wanted to include additional data, expert opinions, or testimonials to ensure that readers would find their arguments credible. This is important to consider if you’re writing for a scientific or technical audience that expects you to cite evidence.

Likewise, we see many Authors who know their industry but have a few knowledge gaps they’d like to fill in order to make their arguments more robust.

In fact, that’s the whole key to understanding how much research you should do. Ask yourself:

What evidence does a reader need to believe your argument is credible and trustworthy?

Research can be complicated, though. Many Authors don’t know where to start, and they get bogged down in the details. Which, of course, derails the book writing process and stalls them–or worse, it stops them from finishing.

The bad news? There’s no “right way” to make a book research plan.

The good news? The basic research tips apply for either person.

In this post, I’ll give you 9 effective research tips that will help you build a stronger, more convincing book.

More importantly, these tips will also show you how to get through the research process without wasting time.

9 Research Tips for Writing Your Book

Don’t jump into research blindly. Treat it like any other goal. Plan, set a schedule, and follow through.

Here are 9 tips that will help you research effectively.

Before you start researching or writing, you need to figure out two main things: your audience and your message.

This is called book positioning , and it’s an essential part of the book writing process.

Your job as an Author is to convince readers that your book will help them solve their problems.

Every piece of research you include in the book–whether it’s a survey, pie chart, or expert testimonial–should help you accomplish that.

Once your positioning is clear, you can put together your book outline.

Your outline is a comprehensive guide to everything in your book, and it is your best defense against procrastination, fear, and all the other problems writers face . It’s crucial if you don’t want to waste time on research you don’t need.

With an outline, you’ll already know what kind of data you need, where your information gaps are, and what kinds of sources might help you support your claims.

We’ve put together a free outline template to make the process even easier.

All this to say: without solid positioning and a comprehensive outline, you’ll wander. You’ll write, throw it away, write some more, get frustrated, and eventually, give up.

You’ll never finish a draft, much less publish your book .

If you don’t know your subject well enough to figure out your positioning and make a good outline, it means you don’t know enough to write that book—at least not right now.

Your plan will vary widely depending on whether you are:

• An expert who knows your field well
• Someone who needs to learn more about your field before writing about it

The majority of you are writing a book because you’re experts. So most of the information you need will already be in your head.

If you’re an expert, your research plan is probably going to be short, to the point, and about refreshing your memory or filling small gaps.

If you’re a non-expert, your research plan is probably going to be much longer. It could entail interviewing experts, reading lots of books and articles, and surveying the whole field you are writing about.

The outline should highlight those places where your book will need more information.

Are there any places where you don’t have the expertise to back up your claims?

What key takeaways require more evidence?

Would the book be stronger if you had another person’s point of view?

These are the kinds of gaps that research can fill.

Go back through your outline and find the places where you know you need more information. Next to each one, brainstorm ways you might fulfill that need.

For example, let’s say you’re writing a book that includes a section on yoga’s health benefits. Even if you’re a certified yoga instructor, you may not know enough physiology to explain the health benefits clearly.

Where could you find that information?

• Ask a medical expert
• A book on yoga and medicine
• A website that’s well respected in your field
• A study published in a medical journal

You don’t have to get too specific here. The point is to highlight where you need extra information and give yourself leads about where you might find it. ​

The kinds of research you need will vary widely, depending on what kind of nonfiction book you’re writing.

For example, if you’re giving medical advice for other experts, you’ll likely want to substantiate it with peer-reviewed, professional sources.

If you’re explaining how to grow a company, you might refer to statistics from your own company or recount specific anecdotes about other successful companies.

If you’re writing a memoir, you won’t need any quantitative data. You might simply talk with people from your past to fill in some gaps or use sources like Wikipedia to gather basic facts.

Different subject matter calls for different sources. If you’re having trouble figuring out what sources your subject needs, ask yourself the same question as above:

Ask yourself what evidence does a reader need to believe your argument is credible and trustworthy?

Generally speaking, an expert can do their research before they start writing, during, or even after (depending on what they need).

If you’re a non-expert, you should do your research before you start writing because what you learn will form the basis of the book.

It may sound obvious, but the internet is a powerful research tool and a great place to start. But proceed with caution: the internet can also be one of the greatest sources of misinformation.

If you’re looking for basic info, like for fact-checking, it’s fantastic.

If you’re looking for academic information, like scientific studies, it can be useful. (You might hit some paywalls, but the information will be there.)

If you’re looking for opinions, they’ll be abundant.

Chances are, though, as you look for all these things, you’re going to come across a lot of misleading sources—or even some that straight-up lie.

Here are some tips for making sure your internet research is efficient and effective:

• Use a variety of search terms to find what you need. For example, if you’re looking for books on childhood development, you might start with basic terms like “childhood development,” “child psychology,” or “social-emotional learning.”
• As you refine your knowledge, refine your searches. A second round of research might be more specific, like “Piaget’s stages of development” or “Erikson’s psychosocial theories.”
• Don’t just stop with the first result on Google. Many people don’t look past the first few results in a Google search. That’s fine if you’re looking for a recipe or a Wikipedia article, but the best research sources don’t always have the best SEO. Look for results that seem thorough or reputable, not just popular.
• Speaking of Wikipedia, don’t automatically trust it. It can be a great place to start if you’re looking for basic facts or references, but remember, it’s crowd-sourced. That means it’s not always accurate. Get your bearings on Wikipedia, then look elsewhere to verify any information you’re going to cite.
• Make sure your data is coming from a reputable source. Google Scholar, Google Books, and major news outlets like NPR, BBC, etc. are safe bets. If you don’t recognize the writer, outlet, or website, you’re going to have to do some digging to find out if you can trust them.
• Verify the credentials of the Author before you trust the site. People often assume that anything with a .edu domain is reputable. It’s not. You might be reading some college freshman’s last-minute essay on economics. If it’s a professor, you’re probably safe.

Using a few random resources from the internet is not equivalent to conducting comprehensive research.

If you want to dive deeper into a topic, books are often your best resources.

They’re reliable because they’re often fact-checked, peer-reviewed, or vetted. You know you can trust them.

Many Authors are directly influenced by other books in their field. If you’re familiar with any competing books, those are a great place to start.

Use the internet to find the best books in each field, and then dive into those.

Your book will have a different spin from the ones already out there, but think of it this way: you’re in the same conversation, which means you’ll probably have many of the same points of reference.

Check out the bibliographies or footnotes in those books. You might find sources that are useful for your own project.

You might want to buy the books central to your research. But if you aren’t sure if something’s going to be useful, hold off on hitting Amazon’s “one-click buy.”

Many Authors underestimate the power of their local libraries. Even if they don’t have the book you’re looking for, many libraries participate in extensive interlibrary loan programs. You can often have the books you need sent to your local branch.

Librarians are also indispensable research resources. Many universities have subject-specific research librarians who are willing to help you find sources, even if you aren’t a student.

Research doesn’t always require the internet or books. Sometimes you need an answer, story, or quotation from a real person.

But make sure you have a decent understanding of your field BEFORE you go to experts with your questions.

I’m an expert at writing nonfiction books, so I speak from personal experience. It’s annoying as hell when people come to you with questions without having done at least a little research on the topic beforehand—especially when you already have a 3,000 word blog post about it.

Experts love it when you’ve done some research and can speak their language. They hate it when you ask them to explain fundamentals.

But once you find a good expert, it condenses your learning curve by at least 10x.

To figure out who you need to talk to, think about the kind of nonfiction book you’re writing.

Is it a book about your own business, products, or methods? You may want to include client stories or testimonials.

In Driven , Doug Brackmann relied on his experience with clients to teach highly driven people how to master their gifts.

Is it a book that requires expert knowledge outside your own area of expertise (for example, a doctor, IT specialist, lawyer, or business coach)? You might want to ask them to contribute brief passages or quotations for your book.

Colin Dombroski did exactly that for his book The Plantar Fasciitis Plan . He consulted with various colleagues, each of whom contributed expert advice for readers to follow.

It’s much easier to contact people who are already in your network. If you don’t personally know someone, ask around. Someone you already know may be able to connect you with the perfect expert.

If that doesn’t work out, you can always try the cold call method. Send a polite email that briefly but clearly explains what your book is about and why you’re contacting them.

If you do this, though, do your research first. Know the person’s name. Don’t use “To whom it may concern.” Know their specialty. Know exactly what type of information you’re seeking. Basically, know why they are the person you want to feature in your book.

Some Authors like to collect surveys for their books. This is very optional, and it’s only applicable in certain books, so don’t assume you need this.

But if you want to include a section in your book that includes how people feel about something (for example, to back up a point you’re making), you might want to have survey data.

You might have access to data you can already cite. The internet is full of data: infographics, Pew data, Nielsen ratings, scholarly research, surveys conducted by private companies.

If you don’t have access to data, you can conduct your own surveys with an online platform like SurveyMonkey. Here’s how:

• Consider your research goals. What are you trying to learn?
• Formulate the survey questions. Most people prefer short, direct survey questions. They’re also more likely to answer multiple-choice questions.
• Invite participants. If you want a reliable survey, it’s best to get as many participants as possible. Surveying three family members won’t tell you much.
• Collect and analyze the data.

That will work for more informal purposes, but surveys are a science unto themselves. If you require a lot of data, want a large sample size, or need high statistical accuracy, it’s better to hire pros. Quantitative data is more effective and trustworthy when it’s properly conducted.

Don’t go overboard with statistics, though. Not all books need quantitative data. There are many other ways to convince readers to listen to your message.

Organize your research as you go. I can’t stress this enough.

If you research for months on end, you might end up with dozens of articles, quotations, or anecdotes. That’s a lot of material.

If you have to dig through every single piece when you want to use something, it’ll take you years to write.

Don’t rely on your memory, either. Three months down the line, you don’t want to ask, “Where did I find this piece of information?” or “Where did that quotation come from?”

I suggest creating a research folder on your computer where you collect everything.

Inside the main folder, create subfolders for each individual chapter (or even each individual subsection of your chapters). This is where your outline will come in handy.

In each folder, collect any pdfs, notes, or images relevant to that section.

Every time you download or save something, give the file a clear name.

Immediately put it into the correct folder. If you wait, you might not remember which part of your book you found it useful for.

Also, be sure to collect the relevant citation information:

• Author’s name
• Title of the book, article, etc.
• The outlet it appeared in (e.g., BBC or Wired) or, if it’s a book, the publisher
• The date it was published
• The page number or hyperlink

If you have photocopies or handwritten notes, treat them the same way. Label them, file them, and add the necessary citation information. This will save you a lot of time when you sit down to write.

Some Authors use programs like Scrivener or Evernote to keep track of their research. I personally use the software program Notion, which is similar to Evernote.

These programs allow you to collect references, notes, images, and even drafts, all in one convenient place.

They save you from having to create your own digital organizational system. They also make it easier to consult documents without opening each file individually.

Once you’ve got a system in place, don’t forget: back up your data. Put it on the cloud, an external hard drive, or both. There’s nothing worse than spending hours on research just to have it disappear when your computer crashes.

All of this takes time, and it may seem tedious. But trust me, it’s a lot more tedious when you’re racing toward your publication deadline, and you’re hunting down random data you quoted in your book.

Tip 8: Set a Deadline & Stop Early

Research is one of the most common ways Authors procrastinate.

When they’re afraid of writing or hit roadblocks, they often say, “Well, I just need to do a little more research…”

Fast-forward two years, and they’re still stuck in the same spiral of self-doubt and research.

Don’t fall into that trap. Learn when to stop.

When I’m writing, I set a research deadline and then stop EARLY. It’s a great way to beat procrastination , and it makes me feel like I’m ahead of the curve.

Here’s the thing: there’s always going to be more information out there. You could keep researching forever.

But then you’d never finish the book—which was the point of the research in the first place.

Plus, excessive research doesn’t make better books . No one wants to read six test cases when one would have worked.

You want to have enough data to convincingly make your case, but not so much that your readers get bogged down by all the facts.

So how will you know when you’ve done enough?

When you have enough data, anecdotes, and examples to address every point on your outline.

Your outline is your guide. Once it’s filled in, STOP .

Remember, the goal of data is to support your claims. You’re trying to make a case for readers, not bludgeon them with facts.

If you feel like you have to go out of your way to prove your points, you have 1 of 2 problems:

• You’re not confident enough in your points, or
• You’re not confident enough in your readers’ ability to understand your claims.

If you’re having the first problem, you may need to go back and adjust your arguments. All the research in the world won’t help support a weak claim.

If you’re having the second problem, ask yourself, If I knew nothing about this subject, what would it take to convince me? Follow through on your answer and trust that it’s enough.

When you think you have enough research, start writing your vomit draft.

If it turns out you’re missing small pieces of information, that’s okay. Just make a note of it. Those parts are easy to go back and fill in later.

Notice: I said “later.” Once you start writing, stop researching.

If you stop writing your first draft to look for more sources, you’ll break the flow of your ideas.

Research and writing are two completely different modes of thinking. Most people can’t switch fluidly between them.

Just get the first draft done.

Remember, the first draft is exactly that—the first draft. There will be many more versions in the future.

It’s okay to leave notes to yourself as you go along. Just be sure to leave yourself a way to find them easily later.

I recommend changing the font color or highlighting your comments to yourself in the draft. You can even use different colors: one for missing data and another for spots you need to fact-check.

You can also use the “insert comment” feature on Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or any other writing software you prefer.

Another useful tip is to simply type “TK.” There’s no word in the English language where those two letters appear together. That means, when you’re ready to go back through your draft, you can use the “Find” option (Control+F). It will take you back to all the spots you marked.

Whatever method you choose, don’t stop writing.

Also, don’t worry about how “good” or “bad” it is at this point. No one ever wrote an amazing first draft. Not even bestselling Authors.

Just keep at it until you have a complete first draft.

That won’t be hard because you won’t be missing any huge pieces. The whole point of the outline was to zero in on exactly what you want to write for the exact audience you want to reach. If you followed that outline when you researched, you’ll be able to stay on track during the writing process.

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Teens who use marijuana are more likely to suffer psychotic disorders, study finds

Teenagers who used cannabis within the last year had a dramatically higher rate of developing a psychotic disorder, according to a study published Wednesday. 

The study, led by researchers from the University of Toronto, found an 11 times higher risk of developing a psychotic disorder among teenagers who used cannabis compared with those who did not. When the analysis was limited to just emergency room visits and hospitalizations, there was a 27-fold increase in psychotic disorders in teenagers who had used the drug. 

“When I see youths with psychotic symptoms, they’re almost always using lots of cannabis,” said Dr. Leslie Hulvershorn, a child psychiatrist and chair of the psychiatry department at Indiana University who was not involved with the study. “It would be unusual to see someone present with psychotic symptoms to a hospital and not have smoked cannabis.”

The paper adds to the growing body of research that links cannabis to an increased risk of psychotic disorders, particularly in adolescence. Use of marijuana, particularly higher-potency products, has been linked to a variety of mental health disorders, including schizophrenia, anxiety and depression .

“I think that there’s enough evidence out there for us to give recommendations that teens probably shouldn’t be using cannabis,” said the study’s lead author, Andre McDonald, a postdoctoral research fellow at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. “If we can somehow ask teens to delay their use until their brain has developed a little further, I think that would be good for public health.”

While most teenagers who use cannabis will not develop psychotic disorders, McDonald said, the findings are concerning given how debilitating these conditions can be. 

The new study, like previous research on marijuana and psychosis, does not directly prove that marijuana is causing psychotic disorders. While it’s possible that teens who were prone to develop psychotic disorders could have also been more likely to use cannabis, it’s unlikely because of how striking the association was, Hulvershorn said. 

“The magnitude of the effect here is just hard to believe that it’s not related to cannabis,” Hulvershorn said. 

There was no association between cannabis use and psychotic disorders in people ages 20 to 33. 

“There’s something about that stage of brain development that we haven’t yet fully characterized — where there’s a window of time where cannabis use may increase the risk of psychosis,” said Dr. Kevin Gray, a professor of psychiatry and director of addiction sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina who was not involved with the study. “This study really puts a fine point on delaying cannabis use until your 20s may mitigate one of the most potentially serious risks.”

The Biden administration has been moving toward rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to the less dangerous Schedule III, which would also acknowledge its medical benefits at the federal level. While the potential change is expected later this year, cannabis is currently legal in 24 states for recreational use.

Marijuana use among high school students has remained steady in recent years. Nearly 1 in 3 12th graders reported using it in the previous year, according to the 2023 Monitoring the Future Survey, an annual survey that measures drug and alcohol use among adolescent students nationwide. 

The new research, published in the respected journal Psychological Medicine, includes data from over 11,000 teens and young adults who were ages 12 to 24 at the beginning of the study.

The authors pulled from the annual Canadian Community Health Survey, focusing on 2009 to 2012. Participants were then followed for up to nine years after the initial survey to track any visits they may have had to doctors or emergency rooms or any times they were admitted to hospitals.. 

Of the teens who were hospitalized or visited emergency rooms for psychotic disorders, roughly 5 in 6 had reported previous cannabis use.

“We see this replicated over and over again that there’s this developmental window of adolescence that’s very high-risk,” Gray said. 

It’s not completely clear why, he added, but one theory is that disruptions to the endocannabinoid system in adolescence may make psychotic symptoms more likely. The endocannabinoid system is a complex signaling system in the brain that marijuana targets. That could make it harder to distinguish reality from what is going on inside the head, leading to symptoms such as hallucinations. 

The authors did not specifically look at how the potency of marijuana products affected the risk of mental disorders, although previous research has found an increased risk .

Akshay Syal, M.D., is a medical fellow with the NBC News Health and Medical Unit. 

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Former WSU wing Jaylen Wells staying in NBA draft pool

PULLMAN – Former Washington State wing Jaylen Wells has played his final game as a Cougar.

He revealed the news Wednesday morning on Instagram, announcing he’s staying in the NBA draft pool and forgoing the remainder of his college eligibility. Wells is doing so on deadline day for players to decide to stay in the draft or return to school.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by League Him (@league.him)

Wells, who averaged 12.6 points and shot 42% on 3-pointers in one season at WSU, also entered the transfer portal last month to keep his options open. An NBA draft combine invitee, Wells makes it clear he won’t be returning to Pullman.

“The NBA is a dream that many players have, and I’m blessed to be a part of that small percentage with an opportunity to achieve it,” Wells told League Him on Instagram. “What I value about my journey is that I walked my own path.”

Wells, who helped engineer the Cougars’ first NCAA Tournament season in 16 years, started his career at Division II Sonoma (California) State, where he averaged 19.5 points and six rebounds per game as a sophomore.

Former WSU coach Kyle Smith brought him to WSU, where he played a meaningful role in helping WSU finish second in the Pac-12.

After the season, Wells was one of 12 Cougars to depart the program, including guard Myles Rice (Indiana); wing Andrej Jakimovski (Colorado); centers Oscar Cluff (South Dakota State), Rueben Chinyelu (Florida) and walk-on AJ LaBeau (Cornell); guards Jabe Mullins (Montana State), Dylan Darling (Idaho State) and Joseph Yesufu (West Virginia); and wing Kymany Houinsou (Loyola Chicago).

The only returners from last season’s WSU team will be guards Isaiah Watts and Parker Gerrits, the latter of whom took a redshirt year.

Watts figures to feature prominently on next season’s team, which will include a host of newcomers, including former Washington guard Nate Calmese; Iceland guard Tomas Thrastaron; Eastern Washington transfers LeJuan Watts, Ethan Price and Dane Erikstrup; Cal transfer ND Okafor; Quinnipiac transfer Rihard Vavers; and Lapwai (Idaho) High guard Kase Wynott, who flipped from Utah State.

The truth about Gigs, Gs and other internet marketing jargon

My phone runs on 5G. I also just saw a bunch of ads about “10G”. Is it twice as fast?