New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Comprehensive (New Perspectives (Thomson Course Technology)) [Paperback]

June Jamrich Parsons (Author), Dan Oja (Author), Roy Ageloff (Author), Patrick Carey (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1423905857 | ISBN-13: 978-1423905851 | Publication Date: August 24, 2007 | Edition: 1

Following the critical thinking, problem-solving approach of the New Perspectives Series students will gain a comprehensive understanding of Microsoft Excel 2007, including the new features of the software. The case-based tutorials challenge students to apply what they are learning to real-life tasks, preparing them to easily transfer skills to new situations. With the New Perspectives Series approach, students understand why they're learning what they're learning, and are better situated to retain skills.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

June Parsons and Dan Oja purchased their first computer, an Apple II+, in 1981 and quickly became fluent in BASIC, dBASE II, Lotus 123, WordStar, and a variety of accounting programs. The next year, they opened a successful small computer retail store that also offered software instruction to children and adults. June taught at the university level for more than 20 years, has a doctorate in Educational Technology, and was certified by the ICCP in 1995. June and Dan began writing and creating educational software for Course Technology in 1992. They contributed to the Windows for Business and Illustrated Series and developed the New Perspectives, e-Course, and Practical series. They work via the Internet with a team of highly skilled media specialists and desktop publishers located in various states and provinces.

Roy Ageloff has taught courses in computer programming, database design and development, accounting information systems, and office productivity software at the University of Rhode Island and has written textbooks in programming languages, database software, and spreadsheet applications. He is a business consultant and teacher at Paradise Valley Community College, Arizona.

Patrick Carey received his M.S. in Biostatistics from the University of Wisconsin, where he worked as a researcher designing and analyzing clinical studies. He co-authored his first textbook on using Excel as a statistical tool. Patrick has authored or co-authored over 20 academic and trade texts for the software industry.

Product Details

• Paperback: 904 pages
• Publisher: Course Technology; 1 edition (August 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423905857
• ISBN-13: 978-1423905851
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,010 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Computers & Technology > Microsoft > Applications > Excel

More About the Author

June Parsons and Dan Oja purchased their first computer, an Apple II+, in 1981 and quickly became fluent in BASIC, dBASE II, Lotus 123, WordStar, and a variety of accounting programs. The next year, they opened a successful small computer retail store that also offered software instruction to children and adults. June taught at the university level for more than 20 years, has a doctorate in Educational Technology, and was certified by the ICCP in 1995. June and Dan began writing and creating educational software for Course Technology in 1992. They contributed to the Windows for Business and Illustrated Series and developed the New Perspectives, e-Course, and Practical series. They work via the Internet with a team of highly skilled media specialists and desktop publishers located in various states and provinces.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Achieving "Application Specialist" Excel Know-How, August 7, 2008

By 

Thomas J. Schriber (Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Comprehensive (New Perspectives (Thomson Course Technology)) (Paperback)

Three cheers for this book and the other Thomson/Course Technology "Comprehensive" books addressing various applications in Microsoft Office 2007 (and, earlier, in Office 2003, etc.). The books are designed for successful use (either on a self-study basis, or in formal courses) on the part of those who, starting with no prior knowledge, want to bring themselves up to a skill level corresponding to what Microsoft terms "Microsoft Certified Application Specialist." Here are some of the distinguishing features of this Excel 2007 book:

(1) The book makes effective use of color, including frequent and well annotated screen shots.

(2) The book presents material in a highly readable, step by step way. (This might be a disadvantage for fast-track users of the book who do not need or want that much "hand holding," but it does mean that just about any motivated person who works conscientiously with the book can achieve success.)

(3) Each of the 12 chapters is set in the context of a "case" providing meaningful settings within which the application potential of Excel is brought into focus, usually in a "business-related" way. (This contrasts with some books that describe "how to do this" and "how to do that," but might lack motivation for WHY it might be of interest to be able to do this or do that.) Peripheral benefit: the book provides an informal introduction to some aspects of business, in the sense of extracting information from data to provide insights and perhaps support fundamental decision making.

(4) Each chapter concludes with a set of five exercises or "cases," starting with an exercise in which the reader is asked to extend the material developed in the body of the chapter. Starting-point workbooks for these exercises (and for the case presented in the body of the chapter itself) can be downloaded from the publisher's website. Workbook "solutions" for the cases can be downloaded by instructors using the book in a course setting. (Although some of the exercises include "explore" steps, the exercises do largely tend to take a "follow the bouncing ball" approach, which helps the user ease into the material but probably falls short for fast-track users who might want to be challenged to be more creative in applying the material, i.e., "Here's a situation, and here's the information that is to be developed in this situation. Starting from scratch and using your own wits entirely, develop the information. No step by step approach is provided for your use. You're on your own. Go to it!"

(5) The book is certified by Microsoft as containing the Excel material that, when mastered, puts the user in a position to pass Microsoft's "Certified Application Specialist" exam. This certification, in turn, can be a valuable resume' entry for some people in the workforce. (Ditto for similar certifications for Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Access, and so on.)

(6) There is a companion book ("Casegrader," by Crews and Murphy, ISBN 978-1-4239-9823-5) consisting of twelve "cases" integrated with the Excel material presented in the corresponding chapters in the Parsons, Oja, Auer, and Carey book. After developing the workbook for a Crews and Murphy case, the workbook can be uploaded to a website for automatic scoring, with a step by step analysis and report produced as a result. (The Crews and Murphy cases fall into the "follow the bouncing ball" category, but have the virtue of forcing use of the Parsons et al. material after the material has been studied. In my opinion, Parsons et al. and Crews and Murphy are best used together in this sequence: (a) Study a Parsons et al. chapter. (b) Do the corresponding Crews and Murphy case, keeping at it until you score 100% on it. (c) Do at least two of the Parsons et al. exercises at the end of the chapter. (d) Proceed to the next Parsons et al. chapter, etc.)

All best wishes for success to users of Parsons et al.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars BEWARE: Only for instructor-led classes, not self-study!, March 22, 2010

By 

Donna Lee - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Comprehensive (New Perspectives (Thomson Course Technology)) (Paperback)

At the end of each tutorial there are case problems and assignments that allow you to practice what you've learned. The required student data files are downloaded from the internet. However, you are NOT able to check your work. You will have no idea whether you are completing the assignments accurately or if you need to spend additional time learning a particular topic.

Workbook solutions are only available to instructors; an email and password are required to download solutions, practice exams and other great learning tools.

I wish I had known this before purchasing this very expensive book. If anyone can help me to access the solutions, I would be most grateful.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive Learning Tool, December 14, 2008

By 

Enica Castaneda "Enica" (Southern California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Comprehensive (New Perspectives (Thomson Course Technology)) (Paperback)

This text book is very thorough: It provides excellent pictures, so there is no guess work as to whether you did something right or not; it walks you through everything step-by-step; gives you real life scenarios of projects; and also gives you necessary information as to what is and is not professional - when certain visuals should be used as opposed to other for given information, data, statistics. This is definitely a book that I will not be selling back to the school bookstore :0). I'm tabbing it up so I know where to jump to when I need help and keeping it until Excel 2012 comes out!