* Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
* Number Of Pages: 638
* Publication Date: 2004-01-15
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 019517089X
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780195170894

Product Description:

Excel is by far the most widely distributed data analysis software but few users are aware of its full powers. Advanced Excel For Scientific Data Analysis takes off from where most books dealing with scientific applications of excel end. It focuses on three areas-least squares, Fourier transformation, and digital simulation-and illustrates these with extensive examples, often taken from the literature. It also includes and describes a number of sample macros and functions to facilitate common data analysis tasks. These macros and functions are provided in uncompiled, computer-readable, easily modifiable form; readers can therefore use them as starting points for making their own personalized data analysis tools. Detailed descriptions and sample applications of standard and specialized uses of least squares for fitting data to a variety of functions, including resolving multi-component spectra; standard processes such as calibration curves and extrapolation; custom macros for general "error" propagation, standard deviations of Solver results, weighted or equidistant least squares, Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization, Fourier transformation, convolution and deconvolution, time-frequency analysis, and data mapping. There are also worked examples showing how to use centering, the covariance matrix, imprecision contours, and Wiener filtering and custom functions for bisections, Lagrange interpolation, Euler and Runge-Kutta integration.

Summary: Great Book, but Warning--Forget about Excel 2008 for Macintosh
Rating: 4

This book is indeed advanced material for Excel, and it does its job well. But you can forget about Excel 2008 for Macintosh for applying what is there. It is just about useless for anything other than playing around with with just a few numbers. Turns out that it's a known bug. The wondrous thing is that the Microsoft Mac BU knows about this--and has known for some time--but hasn't bothered to let users know.

You can only plot about 100 points before it gets totally bogged down. I tried plotting 5000 points, no formulas, very clean data set, and it essentially locked up--the beach ball twirled forever. BTW, Numbers can't do any more than 1000 lines.

So, get this book if you're serious about Excel calcs, but stick with PCs at this point.

Seems like OpenOffice does better, but it still feels anemic.

Summary: Useful examples and detailed discussion
Rating: 5

This book contains a very good discussion of various techniques to analyze data, especially how to cope with errors and noise in the data. Many examples fill the pages of the book, giving ample opportunity to try out the concepts discussed in each chapter. De Levie's writing style is easy to understand, candid, and seasoned with humor.
In addition to addressing data analysis techniques, de Levie includes a thorough examination of macros and how to write them, as well as instructions for utilizing the freely available MacroBundle and other add-ins that he and others have written to augment the functionality of Excel.

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