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The Basics

About the Book Series

The Basics is a highly successful series of accessible guidebooks which provide an overview of the fundamental principles of a subject area in a jargon-free and undaunting format.

Intended for students approaching a subject for the first time, the books both introduce the essentials of a subject and provide an ideal springboard for further study. With over 50 titles spanning subjects from Artificial Intelligence to Women’s Studies, The Basics are an ideal starting point for students seeking to understand a subject area.

Each text comes with recommendations for further study and gradually introduces the complexities and nuances within a subject.

283 Series Titles


Projection Design The Basics

Projection Design: The Basics

1st Edition

By Davin E. Gaddy
April 08, 2025

Projection Design: The Basics explores the concepts of visual elements in live entertainment. It provides a conversational view of the fundamentals of projection design, from production meetings and the elements of visual design to the equipment necessary to make it all happen. This text examines ...

Science Communication The Basics

Science Communication: The Basics

1st Edition

By Massimiano Bucchi, Brian Trench
April 02, 2025

Science Communication: The Basics is an accessible yet critical introduction to science communication, which is viewed as the social conversation around science. It addresses why science communication matters, examines the evolution of theories and practices and explains concepts, myths, ...

Waste: The Basics

Waste: The Basics

1st Edition

By Myra J. Hird
March 18, 2025

Waste: The Basics answers the questions: why are we facing a global waste crisis, and how can we effectively solve it? The book identifies the most common types of waste, its major producers, how we manage waste locally, regionally and globally, and why this management is leading to more waste. ...

Anthropology of Reproduction: The Basics

Anthropology of Reproduction: The Basics

1st Edition

By Sallie Han, Cecília Tomori
February 28, 2025

Anthropology of Reproduction: The Basics is a clear and accessible guide to topics in reproduction from the perspective of anthropology, emphasizing the central importance of reproduction in human sociocultural and biological experience. It examines why reproduction matters so much to human beings ...

Positive Health The Basics

Positive Health: The Basics

1st Edition

By Jolanta Burke, Pádraic J. Dunne, Elaine Byrne, Ciaran A. O’Boyle
February 19, 2025

This introductory book offers a clear guide to the new field of Positive Health which incorporates a shift towards perceiving body and mind as an integrated system. The book combines Lifestyle Medicine research and practice, such as healthy eating, good sleep hygiene, and physical activity, with ...

Phenomenology: The Basics

Phenomenology: The Basics

2nd Edition

By Dan Zahavi
February 07, 2025

Phenomenology: The Basics is a concise and engaging introduction to one of the important philosophical movements of the twentieth century and to a subject that continues to grow and diversify. Yet it is also a challenging subject, the elements of which can be hard to grasp. This lucid book ...

Microeconomics The Basics

Microeconomics: The Basics

1st Edition

By Thomas R. Sadler
December 13, 2024

Microeconomics: The Basics is an accessible introduction to the core topics in the field. Intended for those with little or no background in the subject, it provides the reader with a solid foundation of the basic principles of microeconomics and establishes a framework for further study. Topics in...

Statistical Analysis The Basics

Statistical Analysis: The Basics

1st Edition

By Christer Thrane
December 13, 2024

Statistical Analysis: The Basics provides an engaging and easy‑to‑read primer on this sometimes daunting subject. Intended for those with little or no background in mathematics or statistics, this book explores the importance of statistical analysis in the modern world by asking statistical ...

Jewish Ethics: The Basics

Jewish Ethics: The Basics

1st Edition

By Geoffrey D. Claussen
December 04, 2024

Jewish Ethics: The Basics demonstrates how ancient and contemporary ideas have shaped and reshaped Jewish traditions about how to act toward others. Readers are introduced to foundational questions, controversies, and diverse ethical conclusions developed by Jewish thinkers throughout the ages. ...

Modern Architecture The Basics

Modern Architecture: The Basics

1st Edition

By Graham Livesey
November 15, 2024

Modern Architecture: The Basics examines technological, stylistic, socio-political, and cultural changes that have transformed the history of architecture since the late 18th century. Broad definitions of modernity and postmodernity introduce the book, which comprises 24 short thematic chapters ...

Dreams The Basics

Dreams: The Basics

1st Edition

By Dale Mathers, Carola Mathers
November 12, 2024

Dreams: The Basics presents introductory and accessible information about what dreams are, where they come from, what they do, and how to understand and work with them. This book demythologises dream interpretation, with each chapter inviting the reader to ask questions about their own dreams and ...

Shakespeare: The Basics

Shakespeare: The Basics

4th Edition

By Sean McEvoy
October 31, 2024

Shakespeare: The Basics is a lively and accessible introduction to reading and studying Shakespeare. Exploring all aspects of Shakespeare’s plays, Sean McEvoy considers the language, cultural contexts and modern interpretations. This essential guide to a range of contemporary Shakespearean ...

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