Political science and sociology increasingly rely on

mathematical modeling and sophisticated data analysis,

and many graduate programs in these fields now

require students to take a “math camp” or a semesterlong or yearlong course to acquire the necessary skills.

The problem is that most available textbooks are written for mathematics or economics majors, and fail to

convey to students of political science and sociology

the reasons for learning often-abstract mathematical

concepts. A Mathematics Course for Political and Social

Research fills this gap, providing both a primer for math

novices and a handy reference for seasoned researchers.

The book begins with the fundamental building

blocks of mathematics and basic algebra, then goes

on to cover essential subjects such as calculus in one

and more than one variable, including optimization,

constrained optimization, and implicit functions; linear algebra, including Markov chains and eigenvectors;

and probability. It describes the intermediate steps

most other textbooks leave out, features numerous exercises throughout, and grounds all concepts by illustrating their use and importance in political science

and sociology.

Will H. Moore is professor of political science at

Florida State University.

David A. Siegel is associate

professor of political science at Duke University.