Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 0
Title: Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis
Introduction
In this comparative analysis, the two books being evaluated are The Analysis and Design of Linear Circuits by Roland E. Thomas and Albert J. Rosa and Basic eEngineering Circuit Analysis by J. David Irwin and Chwan-Hwa Wu. The purpose of this report is to comparatively analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each book, and upon this analysis, make a recommendation of which book is appropriate for a sophomore level Circuits I class.
The analysis will be done based on the following criteria especially in the subject matter that is the most critical to mastering the course. The subjects to be considered in this evaluation will be Kirchoff’s laws, Node-voltage analysis, Mesh-current analysis, Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits and electronic devices. The areas under evaluation within these five subjects are topic coverage, level of complexity, exercises, figures, and examples. These subject areas were chosen because they are fundamental to the circuitsCircuits I class and to the classes that proceed the circuitsCircuits I class.
This analytical report will address the issue of choosing the proper textbook for the Circuits I class. The report will include the background of the situation, the criteria that will be evaluated, the evaluation of this criteria, and finally the conclusion where the recommendation will be made.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 1
Background of the Situation
Every semester college faculty and staff members are faced with the decision of selecting the proper textbook for their classes. This time consuming task of evaluating books based on select criteria was given to our company. An in-depth analysis will be given focusing on the strong points and negative points of each of the two books in question and then a recommendation given.
Criteria
The areas chosen for consideration were Kirchoff’s laws, Node-voltage analysis, Mesh-current analysis, Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits, and electronic devices. These were chosen because they are fundamental principles of Circuits I and are also viewed by the ABET accreditation as vital to a student in electrical engineering. Within these areas, the recommendation will be given based upon, topic coverage, level of complexity, exercises, figures, and examples. Organization and layout of both books will also be evaluated.
Topic coverage was selected as a point of interest because it is critical for the subject material to be thoroughly covered. The student needs enough detail within the text to grasp the ideals and concepts being discussed. Level of complexity was chosen because the author of the books should strive to keep the tone as simple as possible within reason. The material within electrical engineering textbooks is complex as it stands with all of the formulas, calculations, and figures without adding to the complexity. The chapter exercises is of special interest as well because they are a great way for students to practice the new ideals that they just learned. The chapters should contain enough problems so that the students feel that they have had plenty of practice. The problems should start off easy and then progress to harder problems. This helps the students feel more comfortable with their abilities to do the problems. The figures within the chapters were also evaluated because of the importance of good and abundant figures. Within the electrical engineering curriculum figures are vital to the learning of the material, because the students are dealing with things like voltage and current which can not be visualized. Therefore, an adequate amount of figures should be present and the figures should be easy to understand. The figures should have enough white space around them to distinguish them from the text, have good captions clearly describing the content, and proper placement within the chapter. Next, the example problems were evaluated because the example problems are so important for visualizing the concepts just learned in the chapter. The majority of students learn the most from the example problems, because they show how to apply the information just learned. The example problems should also closely resemble the exercises. Lastly, the organization and layout of both books were compared because this is the overall impression of the books.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 2
Evaluation
Organization/Layout
The Thomas and Rosa book gives a brief summary at the beginning of each chapter to inform the reader of the contents of the chapter. The book also contained a summary at the end of each chapter, highlighting the important information that the reader should have gathered from the text. The text was presented in an easy to read fashion, because the authors presented it almost in a narrative form,. and tThe information also flowed together in a logical manner. The book provided good tables in the front cover with informative conversions and equations. The book also contained a table of contents, appendixes, glossary and index. Thomas and Rosa gave a brief introduction to the background of circuits analysis before they started introducing new material to the reader. The background information was perfect, because they didn’t spend too much time rehashing material that the student should have learned from prior courses.
Irwin and Wu also had good organizational layout in their book. However, the book started out with the first two chapters being dedicated to material that should have been review for a circuits student. The text was a little choppy, and the ideas didn’tdid not really flow together. The authors did, however, provide a summary at the end of each section which was a definite advantage over the other book. There was also an introduction at the beginning of each chapter overthat stated which topics would be discussed. The problemsexercises at the end of the chapters were separated by thin blue lines which organized those quite well. One big disadvantage of this book was the lack of color in the figures, and important concepts.
Kirchoff’s Laws
In the Rosa and Thomas book Kirchoff’s Laws were placed at the beginning of chapter two. The laws were presented in a logical manner with the authors first identifying Kirchoff’s current law and then Kirchoff’s voltage law. The coverage of the material was adequate enough so that the reader could grasp the concepts fairly well. The complexity of the material was drastically reduced by the authors presenting the material in a way that was visually pleasing to the eye. This was done through the use of two different colors used tothat visually separated equations, important points and figures. There were also ample exercises included for the student to practice the concepts just learned. The figures were placed near the text that referenced them, and they accurately described what was being discussed. There were a couple of figures that demonstrated KVL and KCL. There was also ample white space around the figures with a different color caption to distinguish them. The examples in this section of the book were also very gooduseful in that they adequately assessed the material that was just discussed before the example problem. After looking through the examples, the reader felt more knowledgeable and confident about the problemsexercises.
In the Irwin and Wu book, Kirchoff’s Laws were also placed at the beginning of chapter two. The coverage of the material was descentdecent, but the contents were not presented in a very logical way. The authors didn’t use any other color in the entire section except to distinguish the
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 3
figures and exercises. Therefore, it seemed as though everything just ran together. The language was more complex, making it more difficult to understand what the authors were trying to express. The exercises were more scarce, so that the student didn’t get adequate practice. The figures were good, but they didn’t really stand out to show the significance of them. The examples were far more difficult in this book, because they started working problems with dependant sources which wasn’twere not even covered in the other book until chapter four.
Node-voltage Analysis and Mesh-current Analysis
In the Thomas and Rosa book, these two topics were covered very well. They presented step-by-step instructions needed to develop node-voltage equations and mesh-current equations. They included several ways to solve the problems either by the equation method or inspection method. There was also a review on solving linear algebraic equations using Cramer’s rule and node and mesh analysis with voltage and current sources. The book also discussed supernodes and supermeshes. There were enough exercises so that the student would feel comfortable with working the problems at the end of the chapter. The figures, again, were ample and accurately conveyed the information in the text. Examples were very gooduseful in that even in the examplesbecause they provided a step by step breakdown of how to analyze these types of problems.
In the Irwin and Wu book, this subject matter was not impressive by any means. The topic coverage was adequate enough, but the complexity was increased by lack of distinct separation of the two different topics. Difficulty in the exercises was present again with the addition of dependant sources to the problems. The figures were bad and not really presented in a logical way. The examples were harder to follow, because there were no step-by-step methods included.
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits
Both of the books did a good job in presenting material for this subject. The topic was fully covered in basically the same fashion. They both demonstrated how the circuit is broken down using this method. The exercises were also good in that they assessed the students’ knowledge in working a variety of problems that they might be faced with in the work environment. The figures pictorially showed how the circuits are simplified using Thevenin and Nortons method. Examples were also good because they matched up with the exercises, but were changed just enough as to give the student a bit of a challenge.
Electronic Devices
The coverage of electronic devices is important to a student at the Circuits I level because it is their first chance for exposure to these topics. It is the precursor to Electronics I and other electrical engineering classes to follow. In the Thomas and Rosa book the topicelectronic devices waswere covered very well in that they discussed the transistor, the op-amp, the comparator, the capacitor, and the inductor in great detail. The complexity of the topics was again drastically reduced by the layout of the material, and the different colors used to
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 4
distinguish distinction of the figures and calculations. by the use of different colors. The exercises were ample, and were challenging enough. The figures were again done very well, and the examples were perfect for the exercises.
In the Irwin and Wu book, the coverage of electronic devices was not done very well. In fact, the book only contained a brief amount of information on op-amps, inductors, and capacitors. They didn’t did not even cover transistors or comparators which are the basic building blocks for an introduction to electronics. Therefore, because of the lack of information on any of these devices, the examples, figures, and exercises were also very scarce.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 5
Conclusion
Thomas/Rosa
Criteria Kirchoff’s
Laws
Node-Voltage and Mesh-Current Analysis
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits
Electronic Devices
Topic Coverage Thorough coverage of this material.
Good coverage of all the main points.
Thorough coverage of this material.
Excellent job of covering the main electronic devices.
Level of Complexity
Complexity was decreased by figures used and main points highlighted.
Easy to comprehend and follow due to the layout and organization.
The subject matter is confusing, but the authors did a good job trying to reduce the complexity.
Just provided an overview of this material, so it was not too complex.
Exercises Provided several good exercises within the text and at the end of the chapter.
A little complex, but the student should be able to work them with a little guidance.
The exercises were placed in a logical manner (from easy to hard)
Fairly easy exercises, but still challenging enough.
Figures Colorful figures that allow the student to see current flow pattern.
Again, good figures showing current flow and voltage drops.
The figures were vital in learning this material, and the authors did a great job of showing how to simplify problems.
Good figures and ample number of them.
Examples The examples given provided a variety of ways to work the problems.
Plenty of examples showing the different methods of solving the problems.
The examples were excellent and also vital in learning this material.
Examples coincided with the exercises.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 6
Irwin/Wu
Criteria Kirchoff’s
Laws
Node-Voltage and Mesh-Current Analysis
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits
Electronic Devices
Topic Coverage Thorough coverage of this material.
Descent coverage of this material, but doesn’t go into many ways to work the problems.
Through coverage of this material.
Horrible job of covering these topics. Didn’t even discuss transistors or comparators.
Level of Complexity
Complexity was increased by lack of color for main points and figures.
Language used is a little confusing, and not represented in a logical way.
The subject matter is confusing, but the authors did a good job trying to reduce the complexity.
Not Applicable
Exercises Did not provide many exercised within the chapter.
Some exercises were good, but others were introducing complex material way too early in the book.
Not a variety of exercises were present for this material.
Not Applicable
Figures Plain figures placed in odd places.
Plain figures placed in odd places.
Plain figures placed in odd places.
Not Applicable
Examples The examples are difficult to follow, and they start introducing some material too early.
Too many examples with dependant sources, so that the student never gets to just focus on the topic at hand.
The examples were excellent and also vital in learning this material.
Not Applicable
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 7
Title: Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis
Introduction
In this comparative analysis, the two books being evaluated are The Analysis and Design of Linear Circuits by Roland E. Thomas and Albert J. Rosa and Basic engineering Circuit Analysis by J. David Irwin and Chwan-Hwa Wu. The purpose of this report is to comparatively analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each book, and upon this analysis, make a recommendation of which book is appropriate for a sophomore level Circuits I class.
The analysis will be done based on the following criteria especially in the subject matter that is the most critical to mastering the course. The subjects to be considered in this evaluation will be Kirchoff’s laws, Node-voltage analysis, Mesh-current analysis, Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits and electronic devices. The areas under evaluation within these five subjects are topic coverage, level of complexity, exercises, figures, and examples. These subject areas were chosen because they are fundamental to the circuits class and to the classes that proceed the circuits class.
This analytical report will address the issue of choosing the proper textbook for the Circuits I class. The report will include the background of the situation, the criteria that will be evaluated, evaluation of this criteria, and finally the conclusion where the recommendation will be made.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 8
Background of the Situation
Every semester college faculty and staff members are faced with the decision of selecting the proper textbook for their classes. This time consuming task of evaluating books based on select criteria was given to our company. An in-depth analysis will be given focusing on the strong points and negative points of each of the two books in question and then a recommendation given.
Criteria
The areas chosen for consideration were Kirchoff’s laws, Node-voltage analysis, Mesh-current analysis, Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits and electronic devices. These were chosen because they are fundamental principles of Circuits I and are also viewed by the ABET accreditation as vital to a student in electrical engineering. Within these areas, the recommendation will be given based upon, topic coverage, level of complexity, exercises, figures and examples. Organization and layout of both books will also be evaluated.
Topic coverage was selected as a point of interest because it is critical for the subject material to be thoroughly covered. The student needs enough detail within the text to grasp the ideals and concepts being discussed. Level of complexity was chosen because the author of the books should strive to keep the tone as simple as possible within reason. The material within electrical engineering textbooks is complex as it stands with all of the formulas, calculations, and figures without adding to the complexity.
. The chapter exercises is of special interest as well because they are a great way for students to practice the new ideals that they just learned. The chapters should contain enough problems so that the students feel that they have had plenty of practice. The problems should start off easy and then progress to harder problems. This helps the students feel more comfortable with their abilities to do the problems.
The figures within the chapters were also evaluated because of the importance of good and abundant figures. Within the electrical engineering curriculum, figures are vital to the learning of the material, because the students are dealing with things like voltage and current which can not be visualized. Therefore, an adequate amount of figures should be present and the figures should be easy to understand. The figures should have enough white space around them to distinguish them from the text, have good captions clearly describing the content, and proper placement within the chapter.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 9
Next, the example problems were evaluated because the example problems are so important for visualizing the concepts just learned in the chapter. The majority of students learn the most from the example problems, because they show how to apply the information just learned. The example problems should also closely resemble the exercises. Lastly, the organization and layout of both books were compared because this is the overall impression of the books.
Evaluation
Organization/Layout
The Thomas and Rosa book gives a brief summary at the beginning of each chapter to inform the reader of the contents of the chapter. The book also contained a summary at the end of each chapter highlighting the important information that the reader should have gathered from the text. The text was presented in an easy to read fashion, because the authors presented it almost in a narrative form, and the information flowed together in a logical manner. The book provided good tables in the front cover with informative conversions and equations. The book also contained a table of contents, appendixes, glossary and index. Thomas and Rosa gave a brief introduction to the background of circuits analysis before they started introducing new material to the reader. The background information was perfect, because they didn’t spend too much time rehashing material that the student should have learned from prior courses.
Irwin and Wu also had good organizational layout in their book. However, the book started out with the first two chapters being dedicated to material that should have been review for a circuits student. The text was a little choppy, and the ideas didn’t really flow together. The authors did, however, provide a summary at the end of each section which was a definite advantage over the other book. There was also an introduction at the beginning of each chapter over which topics would be discussed. The problems at the end of the chapters were separated by thin blue lines which organized those quite well. One big disadvantage of this book was the lack of color in the figures, and important concepts.
Kirchoff’s Laws
In the Rosa and Thomas book Kirchoff’s Laws were placed at the beginning of chapter two. The laws were presented in a logical manner with the authors first identifying Kirchoff’s current law and then Kirchoff’s voltage law. The coverage of the material was adequate enough so that the reader could grasp the concepts fairly well. The complexity of the material was drastically reduced by the authors presenting the material in a way that was visually pleasing to the eye. This was done through the use of two different colors used to visually separate equations, important points and figures. There were also ample exercises included for the student to practice the concepts just learned. The figures were placed near the text that referenced them, and they accurately described what was being discussed. There were a couple of figures that demonstrated KVL and KCL. There was also ample white space around the figures with a different color caption to distinguish them. The examples in this section of the book were also
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 10
very good in that they adequately assessed the material that was just discussed before the example problem. After looking through the examples, the reader felt more knowledgeable and confident about the problems.
In the Irwin and Wu book, Kirchoff’s Laws were also placed at the beginning of chapter two. The coverage of the material was descent, but the contents were not presented in a very logical way. The authors didn’t use any other color in the entire section except to distinguish the figures and exercises. Therefore, it seemed as though everything just ran together. The language was more complex, making it more difficult to understand what the authors were trying to express. The exercises were more scarce, so that the student didn’t get adequate practice. The figures were good, but they didn’t really stand out to show the significance of them. The examples were far more difficult in this book, because they started working problems with dependant sources which wasn’t even covered in the other book until chapter four.
Node-voltage Analysis and Mesh-current Analysis
In the Thomas and Rosa book, these two topics were covered very well. They presented step-by-step instructions needed to develop node-voltage equations and mesh-current equations. They included several ways to solve the problems either by the equation method or inspection method. There was also a review on solving linear algebraic equations using Cramer’s rule and node and mesh analysis with voltage and current sources. The book also discussed supernodes and supermeshes. There were enough exercises so that the student would feel comfortable with working the problems at the end of the chapter. The figures again were ample and accurately conveyed the information in the text. Examples were very good in that even in the examples they provided a step by step breakdown of how to analyze these types of problems.
In the Irwin and Wu book, this subject matter was not impressive by any means. The topic coverage was adequate enough, but the complexity was increased by lack of distinct separation of the two different topics. Difficulty in the exercises was present again with the addition of dependant sources to the problems. The figures were bad and not really presented in a logical way. The examples were harder to follow, because there were no step-by-step methods included.
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits
Both of the books did a good job in presenting material for this subject. The topic was fully covered in basically the same fashion. They both demonstrated how the circuit is broken down using this method. The exercises were also good in that they assessed the students’ knowledge in working a variety of problems that they might be faced with in the work environment. The figures pictorially showed how the circuits are simplified using Thevenin and Nortons method. Examples were also good because they matched up with the exercises, but were changed just enough as to give the student a bit of a challenge.
Electronic Devices
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 11
The coverage of electronic devices is important to a student at the Circuits I level because it is their first chance for exposure to thisese topics. It is the precursor to Electronics I and other electrical engineering classes to follow.
In the Thomas and Rosa book the topic was covered very well in that they discussed the transistor, the op-amp, the comparator, the capacitor, and the inductor in great detail. The complexity of the topics was again drastically reduced by the layout of the material, and the distinction of the figures and calculations by the use of different colors. The exercises were ample, and were challenging enough. The figures were again done very well, and the examples were perfect for the exercises.
In the Irwin and Wu book, the coverage of electronic devices was not done very well. In fact, the book only contained a brief amount of information on op-amps, inductors, and capacitors. They didn’t even cover transistors or comparators which are the basic building blocks for an introduction to electronics. Therefore, because of the lack of information on any of these devices, the examples, figures, and exercises were also very scarceinadequate.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 12
Conclusion
Thomas/Rosa
Criteria Kirchoff’s
Laws
Node-Voltage and Mesh-Current Analysis
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits
Electronic Devices
Topic Coverage Thorough coverage of this material.
Good coverage of all the main points.
Through coverage of this material.
Excellent job of covering the main electronic devices.
Level of Complexity
Complexity was decreased by figures used and main points highlighted.
Easy to comprehend and follow due to the layout and organization.
The subject matter is confusing, but the authors did a good job trying to reduce the complexity.
Just provided an overview of this material, so it was not too complex.
Exercises Provided several good exercises within the text and at the end of the chapter.
A little complex, but the student should be able to work them with a little guidance.
The exercises were placed in a logical manner (from easy to hard)
Fairly easy exercises, but still challenging enough.
Figures Colorful figures that allow the student to see current flow pattern.
Again, good figures showing current flow and voltage drops.
The figures were vital in learning this material, and the authors did a great job of showing how to simplify problems.
Good figures and ample number of them.
Examples The examples given provided a variety of ways to work the problems.
Plenty of examples showing the different methods of solving the problems.
The examples were excellent and also vital in learning this material.
Examples coincided with the exercises.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 13
Irwin/Wu
Criteria Kirchoff’s
Laws
Node-Voltage and Mesh-Current Analysis
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits
Electronic Devices
Topic Coverage Thorough coverage of this material.
Descent coverage of this material, but doesn’t go into many ways to work the problems.
Through coverage of this material.
Horrible job of covering these topics. Didn’t even discuss transistors or comparators.
Level of Complexity
Complexity was increased by lack of color for main points and figures.
Language used is a little confusing, and not represented in a logical way.
The subject matter is confusing, but the authors did a good job trying to reduce the complexity.
Not Applicable
Exercises Did not provide many exercised within the chapter.
Some exercises were good, but others were introducing complex material way too early in the book.
Not a variety of exercises were present for this material.
Not Applicable
Figures Plain figures placed in odd places.
Plain figures placed in odd places.
Plain figures placed in odd places.
Not Applicable
Examples The examples are difficult to follow, and they start introducing some material too early.
Too many examples with dependant sources, so that the student never gets to just focus on the topic at hand.
The examples were excellent and also vital in learning this material.
Not Applicable
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 14
Title: Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis
Introduction
In this comparative analysis, the two books being evaluated are The Analysis and Design of Linear Circuits by Roland E. Thomas and Albert J. Rosa and Basic eEngineering Circuit Analysis by J. David Irwin and Chwan-Hwa Wu. The purpose of this report is to comparatively analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each book,. Aand upon this analysis, make a recommendation of which book is appropriate for a sophomore level Circuits I class.
The analysis will be done based on the following criteria especially in the subject matter that is the most critical to mastering the course. The subjects to be considered in this evaluation will be Kirchoff’s laws, Node-voltage analysis, Mesh-current analysis, Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits and electronic devices.These subject areas were chosen because they are fundamental to the circuits class and to the classes that proceed the circuits class The areas under evaluation within these five subjects are topic coverage, level of complexity, exercises, figures, and examples. These subject areas were chosen because they are fundamental to the circuits class and to the classes that proceed the circuits class.
This analytical report will address the issue of choosing the proper textbook for the Circuits I class. The report will include the background of the situation, the criteria that will be evaluated, evaluation of this criteria, and finally the conclusion where the recommendation will be made.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 15
Background of the Situation
Every semester college faculty and staff members are faced with the decision of selecting the proper textbook for their classes. This time consuming task of evaluating books based on select criteria was given to our company. An in-depth analysis will be given focusing on the strong points and negative points of each of the two books in question and then a recommendation given.
Criteria
The areas chosen for consideration were Kirchoff’s laws, Node-voltage analysis, Mesh-current analysis, Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits and electronic devices. These were chosen because they are fundamental principles of Circuits I and are also viewed by the ABET accreditation as vital to a student in electrical engineering. Within these areas, the recommendation will be given based upon, topic coverage, level of complexity, exercises, figures and examples. Organization and layout of both books will also be evaluated.
Topic coverage was selected as a point of interest because it is critical for the subject material to be thoroughly covered. The student needs enough detail within the text to grasp the ideals and concepts being discussed. Level of complexity was chosen because the author of the books should strive to keep the tone as simple as possible within reason. The material within electrical engineering textbooks is complex as it stands with all of the formulas, calculations, and figures without adding to the complexity. The chapter exercises is of special interest as well because they are a great way for students to practice the new ideals that they just learned. The chapters should contain enough problems so that the students feel that they have had plenty of practice. The problems should start off easy and then progress to harder problems. This helps the students feel more comfortable with their abilities to do the problems. The figures within the chapters were also evaluated because of the importance of good and abundant figures. Within the electrical engineering curriculum figures are vital to the learning of the material, because the students are dealing with things like voltage and current which can not be visualized. Therefore, an adequate amount of figures should be present and the figures should be easy to understand. The figures should have enough white space around them to distinguish them from the text, have good captions clearly describing the content, and proper placement within the chapter. Next, the example problems were evaluated because the example problems are so important for visualizing the concepts just learned in the chapter. The majority of students learn the most from the example problems, because they show how to apply the information just learned. The example problems should also closely resemble the exercises. Lastly, the organization and layout of both books were compared because this is the overall impression of the books.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 16
Evaluation
Organization/Layout
The Thomas and Rosa book gives a brief summary at the beginning of each chapter to inform the reader of the contents of the chapter. The book also contained a summary at the end of each chapter highlighting the important information that the reader should have gathered from the text. The text was presented in an easy to read fashion, because the authors presented it almost in a narrative form, and the information flowed together in a logical manner. The book provided good tables in the front cover with informative conversions and equations. The book also contained a table of contents, appendixes, glossary and index. Thomas and Rosa gave a brief introduction to the background of circuits analysis before they started introducing new material to the reader. The background information was perfect, because they didn’t spend too much time rehashing material that the student should have learned from prior courses.
Irwin and Wu also had good organizational layout in their book. However, the book started out with the first two chapters being dedicated to material that should have been review for a circuits student. The text was a little choppy, and the ideas didn’t really flow together. The authors did, however, provide a summary at the end of each section which was a definite advantage over the other book. There was also an introduction at the beginning of each chapter over which topics would be discussed. The problems at the end of the chapters were separated by thin blue lines which organized those quite well. One big disadvantage of this book was the lack of color in the figures, and important concepts.
Kirchoff’s Laws
In the Rosa and Thomas book Kirchoff’s Laws were placed at the beginning of chapter two. The laws were presented in a logical manner with the authors first identifying Kirchoff’s current law and then Kirchoff’s voltage law. The coverage of the material was adequate enough so that the reader could grasp the concepts fairly well. The complexity of the material was drastically reduced by the authors presenting the material in a way that was visually pleasing to the eye. This was done through the use of two different colors used to visually separate equations, important points and figures. There were also ample exercises included for the student to practice the concepts just learned. The figures were placed near the text that referenced them, and they accurately described what was being discussed. There were a couple of figures that demonstrated KVL and KCL. There was also ample white space around the figures with a different color caption to distinguish them. The examples in this section of the book were also very good in that they adequately assessed the material that was just discussed before the example problem. After looking through the examples, the reader felt more knowledgeable and confident about the problems.
In the Irwin and Wu book, Kirchoff’s Laws were also placed at the beginning of chapter two. The coverage of the material was descent, but the contents were not presented in a very logical way. The authors didn’t use any other color in the entire section except to distinguish the figures
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 17
and exercises. Therefore, it seemed as though everything just ran together. The language was more complex, making it more difficult to understand what the authors were trying to express. The exercises were more scarce, so that the student didn’t get adequate practice. The figures were good, but they didn’t really stand out to show the significance of them. The examples were far more difficult in this book, because they started working problems with dependant sources which wasn’t even covered in the other book until chapter four.
Node-voltage Analysis and Mesh-current Analysis
In the Thomas and Rosa book, these two topics were covered very well. They presented step-by-step instructions needed to develop node-voltage equations and mesh-current equations. They included several ways to solve the problems either by the equation method or inspection method. There was also a review on solving linear algebraic equations using Cramer’s rule and node and mesh analysis with voltage and current sources. The book also discussed supernodes and supermeshes. There were enough exercises so that the student would feel comfortable with working the problems at the end of the chapter. The figures again were ample and accurately conveyed the information in the text. Examples were very good in that even in the examples they provided a step by step breakdown of how to analyze these types of problemsThe examples proved to be very good by providing a step by step breakdown of how to analyze these types of problems.
In the Irwin and Wu book, this subject matter was not impressive by any means. The topic coverage was adequate enough, but the complexity was increased by lack of distinct separation of the two different topics. Difficulty in the exercises was present again with the addition of dependant sources to the problems. The figures were bad and not really presented in a logical wayThe figures did not present a the material in a logical way . The examples were harder to follow, because there were no step-by-step methods included.
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits
Both of the books did a good job in presenting material for this subject. The topic was fully covered in basically the same fashion. They both demonstrated how the circuit is broken down using this method. The exercises were also good in that they assessed the students’ knowledge in working a variety of problems that they might be faced with in the work environment. The figures pictorially showed how the circuits are simplified using Thevenin and Nortons method. Examples were also good because they matched up with the exercises, but were changed just enough as to give the student a bit of a challenge.
Electronic Devices
The coverage of electronic devices is important to a student at the Circuits I level because it is their first chance for exposure to these topics. It is the precursor to Electronics I and other electrical engineering classes to follow. In the Thomas and Rosa book the topic was covered very well in that they discussed the transistor, the op-amp, the comparator, the capacitor, and the
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 18
inductor in great detail. The complexity of the topics was again drastically reduced by the layout of the material, and the distinction of the figures and calculations by the use of different colors. The exercises were ample, and were challenging enough. The figures were again done very well, and the examples were perfect for the exercises.
In the Irwin and Wu book, the coverage of electronic devices was not done very well. In fact, the book only contained a brief amount of information on op-amps, inductors, and capacitors. They It didn’t even cover transistors or comparators which are the basic building blocks for an introduction to electronics. Therefore, because of the lack of information on any of these devices, the examples, figures, and exercises were also very scarce.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 19
Conclusion
Thomas/Rosa
Criteria Kirchoff’s
Laws
Node-Voltage and Mesh-Current Analysis
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits
Electronic Devices
Topic Coverage Thorough coverage of this material.
Good coverage of all the main points.
Through coverage of this material.
Excellent job of covering the main electronic devices.
Level of Complexity
Complexity was decreased by figures used and main points highlighted.
Easy to comprehend and follow due to the layout and organization.
The subject matter is confusing, but the authors did a good job trying to reduce the complexity.
Just provided an overview of this material, so it was not too complex.
Exercises Provided several good exercises within the text and at the end of the chapter.
A little complex, but the student should be able to work them with a little guidance.
The exercises were placed in a logical manner (from easy to hard)
Fairly easy exercises, but still challenging enough.
Figures Colorful figures that allow the student to see current flow pattern.
Again, good figures showing current flow and voltage drops.
The figures were vital in learning this material, and the authors did a great job of showing how to simplify problems.
Good figures and ample number of them.
Examples The examples given provided a variety of ways to work the problems.
Plenty of examples showing the different methods of solving the problems.
The examples were excellent and also vital in learning this material.
Examples coincided with the exercises.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 20
Irwin/Wu
Criteria Kirchoff’s
Laws
Node-Voltage and Mesh-Current Analysis
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits
Electronic Devices
Topic Coverage Thorough coverage of this material.
Descent coverage of this material, but doesn’t go into many ways to work the problems.
Through coverage of this material.
Horrible job of covering these topics. Didn’t even discuss transistors or comparators.
Level of Complexity
Complexity was increased by lack of color for main points and figures.
Language used is a little confusing, and not represented in a logical way.
The subject matter is confusing, but the authors did a good job trying to reduce the complexity.
Not Applicable
Exercises Did not provide many exercised within the chapter.
Some exercises were good, but others were introducing complex material way too early in the book.
Not a variety of exercises were present for this material.
Not Applicable
Figures Plain figures placed in odd places.
Plain figures placed in odd places.
Plain figures placed in odd places.
Not Applicable
Examples The examples are difficult to follow, and they start introducing some material too early.
Too many examples with dependant sources, so that the student never gets to just focus on the topic at hand.
The examples were excellent and also vital in learning this material.
Not Applicable
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 21
Title: Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis
Introduction
In this comparative analysis, the two books being evaluated are The Analysis and Design of Linear Circuits by Roland E. Thomas and Albert J. Rosa and Basic engineering Circuit Analysis by J. David Irwin and Chwan-Hwa Wu. The purpose of this report is to comparatively analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each book, and upon this analysis, make a recommendation of which book is appropriate for a sophomore level Circuits I class.
The analysis will be done based on the following criteria especially in the subject matter that is the most critical to mastering the course. The subjects to be considered in this evaluation will be Kirchoff’s laws, Node-voltage analysis, Mesh-current analysis, Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits and electronic devices. The areas under evaluation within these five subjects are topic coverage, level of complexity, exercises, figures, and examples. These subject areas were chosen because they are fundamental to the circuits class and to the classes that proceed the circuits class.
This analytical report will address the issue of choosing the proper textbook for the Circuits I class. The report will include the background of the situation, the criteria that will be evaluated, evaluation of this criteria, and finally the conclusion where the recommendation will be made.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 22
Background of the Situation
Every semester college faculty and staff members are faced with the decision of selecting the proper textbook for their classes. This time consuming task of evaluating books based on select criteria was given to our company. An in-depth analysis will be given focusing on the strong points and negative points of each of the two books in question and then a recommendation given.
Criteria
The areas chosen for consideration were Kirchoff’s laws, Node-voltage analysis, Mesh-current analysis, Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits and electronic devices. These were chosen because they are fundamental principles of Circuits I and are also viewed by the ABET accreditation as vital to a student in electrical engineering. Within these areas, the recommendation will be given based upon, topic coverage, level of complexity, exercises, figures and examples. Organization and layout of both books will also be evaluated.
Topic coverage was selected as a point of interest because it is critical for the subject material to be thoroughly covered. The student needs enough detail within the text to grasp the ideals and concepts being discussed. Level of complexity was chosen because the author of the books should strive to keep the tone as simple as possible within reason. The material within electrical engineering textbooks is complex as it stands with all of the formulas, calculations, and figures without adding to the complexity. The chapter exercises is of special interest as well because they are a great way for students to practice the new ideals that they just learned. The chapters should contain enough problems so that the students feel that they have had plenty of practice. The problems should start off easy and then progress to harder problems. This helps the students feel more comfortable with their abilities to do the problems. The figures within the chapters were also evaluated because of the importance of good and abundant figures. Within the electrical engineering curriculum figures are vital to the learning of the material, because the students are dealing with things like voltage and current which can not be visualized. Therefore, an adequate amount of figures should be present and the figures should be easy to understand. The figures should have enough white space around them to distinguish them from the text, have good captions clearly describing the content, and proper placement within the chapter. Next, the example problems were evaluated because the example problems are so important for visualizing the concepts just learned in the chapter. The majority of students learn the most from the example problems, because they show how to apply the information just learned. The example problems should also closely resemble the exercises. Lastly, the organization and layout of both books were compared because this is the overall impression of the books.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 23
Evaluation
Organization/Layout
The Thomas and Rosa book gives a brief summary at the beginning of each chapter to inform the reader of the contents of the chapter. The book also contained a summary at the end of each chapter highlighting the important information that the reader should have gathered from the text. The text was presented in an easy to read fashion, because the authors presented it almost in a narrative form, and the information flowed together in a logical manner. The book provided good tables in the front cover with informative conversions and equations. The book also contained a table of contents, appendixes, glossary and index. Thomas and Rosa gave a brief introduction to the background of circuits analysis before they started introducing new material to the reader. The background information was perfect, because they didn’t spend too much time rehashing material that the student should have learned from prior courses.
Irwin and Wu also had good organizational layout in their book. However, the book started out with the first two chapters being dedicated to material that should have been review for a circuits student. The text was a little choppy, and the ideas didn’t really flow together. The authors did, however, provide a summary at the end of each section which was a definite advantage over the other book. There was also an introduction at the beginning of each chapter over which topics would be discussed. The problems at the end of the chapters were separated by thin blue lines which organized those quite well. One big disadvantage of this book was the lack of color in the figures, and important concepts.
Rosa and Thomas:The Analysis and Design of Linear Circuits
Kirchoff’s Laws
In the Rosa and Thomas book Kirchoff’s Laws were placed at the beginning of chapter two. The laws were presented in a logical manner with the authors first identifying Kirchoff’s current law and then Kirchoff’s voltage law. The coverage of the material was adequate enough so that the reader could grasp the concepts fairly well. The complexity of the material was drastically reduced by the authors presenting the material in a way that was visually pleasing to the eye. This was done through the use of two different colors used to visually separate equations, important points and figures. There were also ample exercises included for the student to practice the concepts just learned. The figures were placed near the text that referenced them, and they accurately described what was being discussed. There were a couple of figures that demonstrated KVL and KCL. There was also ample white space around the figures with a different color caption to distinguish them. The examples in this section of the book were also very good in that they adequately assessed the material that was just discussed before the example problem. After looking through the examples, the reader felt more knowledgeable and confident about the problems.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 24
In the Irwin and Wu book, Kirchoff’s Laws were also placed at the beginning of chapter two. The coverage of the material was descent, but the contents were not presented in a very logical way. The authors didn’t use any other color in the entire section except to distinguish the figures and exercises. Therefore, it seemed as though everything just ran together. The language was more complex, making it more difficult to understand what the authors were trying to express. The exercises were more scarce, so that the student didn’t get adequate practice. The figures were good, but they didn’t really stand out to show the significance of them. The examples were far more difficult in this book, because they started working problems with dependant sources which wasn’t even covered in the other book until chapter four.
Node-voltage Analysis and Mesh-current Analysis
In the Thomas and Rosa book, these two topics were covered very well. They presented Sstep-by-step instructions that are needed to develop node-voltage equations and mesh-current equations were presented in organized fashion. They included several ways to solve the problems either by the equation method or inspection method. There was also a review on solving linear algebraic equations using Cramer’s rule and node and mesh analysis with voltage and current sources. The book also discussed supernodes and supermeshes. There were enough exercises so that the student would feel comfortable with working the problems at the end of the chapter. The figures again were ample and accurately conveyed the information in the text. Examples were very good in that even in the examples they provided a step by step breakdown of how to analyze these types of problems.
In the Irwin and Wu book, this subject matter was not impressive by any means. The topic coverage was adequate enough, but the complexity was increased by lack of distinct separation of the two different topics. Difficulty in the exercises was present again with the addition of dependant sources to the problems. The figures were bad and not really presented in a logical way. The examples were harder to follow, because there were no step-by-step methods included.
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits
Both of the books did a good job in presenting material for this subject. The topic was fully covered in basically the same fashion. They both demonstrated how the circuit is broken down using this method. The exercises were also good in that they assessed the students’ knowledge in working a variety of problems that they might be faced with in the work environment. The figures pictorially showed how the circuits are simplified using Thevenin and Nortons method. Examples were also good because they matched up with the exercises, but were changed just enough as to give the student a bit of a challenge.
Electronic Devices
The coverage of electronic devices is important to a student at the Circuits I level because it is their first chance for exposure to these topics. It is the precursor to Electronics I and other electrical engineering classes to follow. In the Thomas and Rosa book Tthe topic, electronic
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 25
devices was covered very well in that they discussed the transistor, the op-amp, the comparator, the capacitor, and the inductor in great detail. The complexity of the topics was again drastically reduced by the layout of the material, and the distinction of the figures and calculations by the use of different colors. The exercises were ample, and were challenging enough. The figures were again done very well, and the examples were perfect for the exercises.
In the Irwin and Wu book, the coverage of electronic devices was not done very well. In fact, the book only contained a brief amount of information on op-amps, inductors, and capacitors. They didn’t even cover transistors or comparators which are the basic building blocks for an introduction to electronics. Therefore, because of the lack of information on any of these devices, the examples, figures, and exercises were also very scarce. Electronic Devices
Irwin and Wu: Basic engineering Circuit AnalysisK
Kirchoff’s Laws
Kirchoff’s Laws were also placed at the beginning of chapter two. The coverage of the material was descent, but the contents were not presented in a very logical way. The authors didn’t use any other color in the entire section except to distinguish the figures and exercises. Therefore, it seemed as though everything just ran together. The language was more complex, making it more difficult to understand what the authors were trying to express. The exercises were more scarce, so that the student didn’t get adequate practice. The figures were good, but they didn’t really stand out to show the significance of them. The examples were far more difficult in this book, because they started working problems with dependant sources which wasn’t even covered in the other book until chapter four.
Node-voltage Analysis and Mesh-current Analysis
In the Irwin and Wu book, this subject matter was not impressive by any means. The topic coverage was adequate enough, but the complexity was increased by lack of distinct separation of the two different topics. Difficulty in the exercises was present again with the addition of
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 26
dependant sources to the problems. The figures were bad and not really presented in a logical way. The examples were harder to follow, because there were no step-by-step methods included.
Electronic Devices
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 27
Conclusion
Thomas/Rosa
Criteria Kirchoff’s
Laws
Node-Voltage and Mesh-Current Analysis
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits
Electronic Devices
Topic Coverage Thorough coverage of this material.
Good coverage of all the main points.
Through coverage of this material.
Excellent job of covering the main electronic devices.
Level of Complexity
Complexity was decreased by figures used and main points highlighted.
Easy to comprehend and follow due to the layout and organization.
The subject matter is confusing, but the authors did a good job trying to reduce the complexity.
Just provided an overview of this material, so it was not too complex.
Exercises Provided several good exercises within the text and at the end of the chapter.
A little complex, but the student should be able to work them with a little guidance.
The exercises were placed in a logical manner (from easy to hard)
Fairly easy exercises, but still challenging enough.
Figures Colorful figures that allow the student to see current flow pattern.
Again, good figures showing current flow and voltage drops.
The figures were vital in learning this material, and the authors did a great job of showing how to simplify problems.
Good figures and ample number of them.
Examples The examples given provided a variety of ways to work the problems.
Plenty of examples showing the different methods of solving the problems.
The examples were excellent and also vital in learning this material.
Examples coincided with the exercises.
Electrical Engineering Circuits Textbook Comparative Analysis 28
Irwin/Wu
Criteria Kirchoff’s
Laws
Node-Voltage and Mesh-Current Analysis
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits
Electronic Devices
Topic Coverage Thorough coverage of this material.
Descent coverage of this material, but doesn’t go into many ways to work the problems.
Through coverage of this material.
Horrible job of covering these topics. Didn’t even discuss transistors or comparators.
Level of Complexity
Complexity was increased by lack of color for main points and figures.
Language used is a little confusing, and not represented in a logical way.
The subject matter is confusing, but the authors did a good job trying to reduce the complexity.
Not Applicable
Exercises Did not provide many exercised within the chapter.
Some exercises were good, but others were introducing complex material way too early in the book.
Not a variety of exercises were present for this material.
Not Applicable
Figures Plain figures placed in odd places.
Plain figures placed in odd places.
Plain figures placed in odd places.
Not Applicable
Examples The examples are difficult to follow, and they start introducing some material too early.
Too many examples with dependant sources, so that the student never gets to just focus on the topic at hand.
The examples were excellent and also vital in learning this material.
Not Applicable