Books published by publisher Standfast Publications Ltd

Offering an engaging and entertaining introduction to research methods, this is a practical and easy-to-use companion for all new researchers and students in the social sciences. Covering all the key stages of the research process, this book guides students in navigating some of the biggest challenges in developing a research project. This book: Uses real-life everyday examples, connecting research methods to your experiences Includes dedicated chapters on identifying a research question, ethics and writing up your findings Comprises an array of activities, tips, illustrations and international case studies Covers qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research Bringing methods to life for students across the social sciences, this book will provide you with the confidence you need to get your research off the ground.

Supported by a wealth of learning features, exercises, and visual elements as well as online video tutorials and interactive simulations, this book is the first student-focused introduction to Bayesian statistics. Without sacrificing technical integrity for the sake of simplicity, the author draws upon accessible, student-friendly language to provide approachable instruction perfectly aimed at statistics and Bayesian newcomers. Through a logical structure that introduces and builds upon key concepts in a gradual way and slowly acclimatizes students to using R and Stan software, the book covers: An introduction to probability and Bayesian inference Understanding Bayes′ rule Nuts and bolts of Bayesian analytic methods Computational Bayes and real-world Bayesian analysis Regression analysis and hierarchical methods This unique guide will help students develop the statistical confidence and skills to put the Bayesian formula into practice, from the basic concepts of statistical inference to complex applications of analyses.

Supported by a wealth of learning features, exercises, and visual elements as well as online video tutorials and interactive simulations, this book is the first student-focused introduction to Bayesian statistics.Without sacrificing technical integrity for the sake of simplicity, the author draws upon accessible, student-friendly language to provide approachable instruction perfectly aimed at statistics and Bayesian newcomers. Through a logical structure that introduces and builds upon key concepts in a gradual way and slowly acclimatizes students to using R and Stan software, the book covers: An introduction to probability and Bayesian inference Understanding Bayes' rule Nuts and bolts of Bayesian analytic methods Computational Bayes and real-world Bayesian analysis Regression analysis and hierarchical methodsThis unique guide will help students develop the statistical confidence and skills to put the Bayesian formula into practice, from the basic concepts of statistical inference to complex applications of analyses.

The economic and political situation of cities has shifted in recent years in light of rapid growth amidst infrastructure decline, the suburbanization of poverty and inner city revitalization. At the same time, the way that data are used to understand urban systems has changed dramatically. Urban Analytics offers a field-defining look at the challenges and opportunities of using new and emerging data to study contemporary and future cities through methods including GIS, Remote Sensing, Big Data and Geodemographics. Written in an accessible style and packed with illustrations and interviews from key urban analysts, this is a groundbreaking new textbook for students of urban planning, urban design, geography, and the information sciences.

Kelsee Lewis has a new school, a prima donna best friend, and one week to write a hit play. Throw in a self-obsessed mom and an absent executive dad, and it's no wonder she has panic attacks - complete with time-warp special effects. When Kelsee meets comic book maven Quinn, she realizes the attacks give her the ability to rewind time. Replaying life seems like the best way to erase mistakes. But will second chances leave Kelsee flailing in the orchestra pit alone?

SpeedJason Shaw, the fourteen year old son of a Seattle police detective, struggles to understand the mystery of the high speed car crash that killed his mother and left his father in a coma. With just his best friend Ben to help him Jason tries to make sense of the clues his father left behind but they make no sense and he’s not sure who he can trust within the police department. As he gets closer to solving the mystery and identifying those involved, he puts himself and those close to him in danger. Can Jason act quickly enough to save not only himself, but also his father and his best friend from those that want them dead?VelocityJason Shaw is on summer break and struggling to recover from the aftermath of the car crash at the beginning of the year. His father is a broken man and their relationship is strained, made worse when Jason is told that he’s adopted. When his biological father takes him on a trip to the back country of Yellowstone Park, Jason begins to doubt that the man is who he says he is but they are too far from civilisation for him to seek help. When he come across a youth wilderness survival camp, Jason realizes that there is more at risk than his own safety, but also a threat to national security and that the results of his actions can have a critical outcome. Can Jason outwit and outrun a man with a gun?ManeuversJason Shaw is recovering from injuries sustained in Yellowstone Park when his best friend Ben is kidnapped while they walk home from school. Jason tries to stop them but he is helpless as they take his friend. The kidnappers want more than money and when the ransom drop is compromised, Jason becomes frustrated with himself and the FBI who are running the investigation. Then Jason is kidnapped and he finds himself, along with Ben, imprisoned and unable to escape. As the kidnappers’ plan becomes apparent, Jason has to conquer his greatest fear in order to save himself and rescue Ben. Is his determination enough to overcome the kidnappers and save them both?

Jason Shaw, the fourteen year old son of a Seattle police detective, struggles to understand the mystery of the high speed car crash that killed his mother and left his father in a coma. With just his best friend Ben to help him Jason tries to make sense of the clues his father left behind but they make no sense and he’s not sure who he can trust within the police department. As he gets closer to solving the mystery and identifying those involved, he puts himself and those close to him in danger. Can Jason act quickly enough to save not only himself, but also his father and his best friend from those that want them dead?

What do you do when you have an out of body experience? If you're like Bevan, you start looking for answers to that age old question - is there life after death? But Bevan's search brings him closer to death than he really wanted, almost losing his life in a serious car accident. What he does lose, however, is his left leg below the knee. It's a cruel blow and circumstances are not made any easy by the advent of strange dreams which follow the events of the Waikato War fought in New Zealand in 1863. Bevan attributes these to the strong painkillers but when they continue outside of hospital, Bevan starts to search for answers. Who is the Maori warrior Haki and what is his connection to Bevan? As his life becomes more complicated and events spiral out of his control, Bevan can only find the answers in another time and place.

As the target of the juvenile gangs in the docklands of Sydney in 1863, Sam Galloway finds that nimble fingers and swift feet are of more use to him that the ability to read. This changes when his dying mother gives him a man’s pocket watch with an inscription on the back – an inscription he cannot read. Although the words are a mystery, his mother tells him that the watch belongs to the father he never knew. She entreats him to journey to Auckland, New Zealand and find his aunt, his father’s sister, but his mother dies before she can tell him anymore. Escaping the clutches of the landlord leads Sam to an encounter with a navy deserter who shelters him but takes the precious watch. In order to get the watch back, Sam must take to the sea but what starts off as an amazing adventure turns into a mission to survive as the navy ship begins to sink as night approaches. To survive the turbulent seas seems impossible and when Sam slips under the water, it appears that all is lost. Can Sam, the outcast, be rescued and recover what has been taken from him, the only thing that connects him to his father’s family and reconnect with the brave heroes of the shipwreck?The facts of the sinking of the navy corvette HMS Orpheus on 7th 1863 off the west coast of New Zealand are used in this tale of high adventure at sea. Suitable for ages 8-12.Winner: 2014 Notable Book Award for Junior Fiction

Jason Shaw is recovering from injuries sustained in Yellowstone Park when his best friend Ben is kidnapped while they walk home from school. Jason tries to stop them but he is helpless as they take his friend. The kidnappers want more than money and when the ransom drop is compromised, Jason becomes frustrated with himself and the FBI who are running the investigation. Then Jason is kidnapped and he finds himself, along with Ben, imprisoned and unable to escape. As the kidnappers’ plan becomes apparent, Jason has to conquer his greatest fear in order to save himself and rescue Ben. Is his determination enough to overcome the kidnappers and save them both?

The ordinary suburban life that Josh knew and took for granted disintegrates when his father announces that the family business has failed and Josh’s only solace is surfing the shore breaks at Piha, West Auckland. His humiliation deepens when he is beaten up by Bevan, the school bully who continues to harass him at every opportunity. Now Bevan’s ex-girlfriend is flirting with him and the financial pressure is breaking the family apart and Josh comes to realize that he is no better than the bully who torments him. When Josh is forced to make a critical decision will he conquer his resentment and do the right thing, or allow his anger to place others at risk?

An accessible, definitive student introduction to geographical thought, this book takes a unique approach that encompasses environmental, historical and social perspectives. Now in its fifth edition, it includes new case studies, and revisions and updates throughout, with additional chapters expanding coverage of global subjects, poststructuralism, and the future of geography. This text explores complex ideas in an intelligible and accessible style. Illustrated throughout with research examples and explanations in text boxes, questions for discussion at the end of each chapter and a concept glossary, this is the essential student companion to the discipline.