The Methods and Materials of Demography (Studies in Population)

By Henry S. Shryock

Book Overview

Like the original two-volume work, this work attempts to present a systematic and comprehensive exposition, with illustrations, of the methods used by technicians and research workers in dealing with... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0126411506
• ISBN13: 9780126411508
• Release Date: November 1976
• Publisher: Academic Press
• Length: 577 Pages
• Weight: 3.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.5" x 9.0" x 1.3"

Customer Reviews

Review of M & M2

Truly a classic. You need to have this book if you call yourself a demographer.

Go buy a copy

This new edition of a standard reference is most welcome and long overdue. Generally sound and providing the high quality expected, with several new topics covered very well. Special mention should be made of the very useful additional material on health issues. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the chapter on race and ethnicity which is already well out of date, focuses on US material on race and provides very little by way of useful or factual information on ethnicity. The information about international practices seriously thin and is badly flawed, despite some valuable comments which seem to have sneaked in. Why on earth for such a central reference work did the editorial board not find an ethnicist to co-author this chapter at the very least - this chapter is a sad and jumbled disappointment with little understanding of the topic and it misses entirely key issues and concepts such as ethnic mobility and the role of paternity effects. A quick look through the reference list for the chapter reveals the source of this lack of depth and lack of discussion of key issues - the primary research is nowhere to be seen and it depends far too heavily and uncritically on official US census publications. The appendix on GIS is welcome but is already also starting to date, as would be expected for such a fast moving area. Despite these short-comings, still a most welcome book and tremendous value for the price. Well bound and well printed, and the editors need to be complimented on a very high quality publication.

A new version of the "Bible" of Demography

I remember the early days where I used to go through the old book "The Methods and Materials of Demography" while studying at the Cairo Demographic Center in the early 90s of last century. The new version is an innovative and invaluable addition to the fundamental books in the field. I highly recommend this book for all demographers worldwide.

REVIEW OF THE 2ND EDITION

Another review displayed here refers to the 1st edition, which was published in 1976. This review covers the 2nd edition, which was published in March 2004. The 2nd Edition by J. Siegel and D. A. Swanson is hardbound and has around 850 pages. The price ($89.00) is unbelievably low for such a comprehensive and well-written book. It is filled with references and examples and provides updates on data sources while covering the many advances in methods and technology that have occurred since the publication of the first edition. This book can be used both in the classroom and by practitioners. Besides covering and updating everything that was in the 1st edition, it adds new chapters, appendices, and a cross-referenced comprehensive glossary. The 2nd edition by Siegel and Swanson is a worthy successor to the 1st edition by H. Shryock, J. Siegel, and E. Stockwell and is a mandatory book for anybody interested in demography.

A REVIEW OF THE 2nd EDITION

The other review displayed here for the Methods and Material of Demography refers to the 1st edition, published in 1976. This review covers the 2nd edition released in March 2004. The 2nd Edition by Siegel and Swanson is, indeed, the bible of demography. Filled with references and examples, it provides updates on data sources while covering the many advances in methods and technology that have occurred since the publication of the first edition. This book is well-crafted and can be used both in the classroom and by practictioners. Besides covering everything that was in the 1st edition, it adds new chapters and appendices (e.g., health demography and GIS) and provides an excellent cross-referenced glossary as well as a demography timeline. The 2nd edition is a worthy successor to the first edition and is a must-have book for anybody interested in demography.