Although I feel honored to write a foreword for this important book, it is a task that I approach with some trepidation. The topics covered in the book summarize the current state of the art in technical demography. However, my knowledge and expertise with respect to technical demography are limited to the most fundamental and intermediate-level methods; hence, critical commentary on the contents of this volume is beyond my scope in this fore word. Since I have some understanding of the logic and substantive aspects of the methods rather than the complicated mathematics used in describing them, my comments will necessarily be restricted to the book's general or ganization and content. To date, most texts published on technical demography have been limited to traditional demographic methods: sources and limitations of data, life table construction and applications, standardization techniques, various methods for preparing population estimates and forecasts, etc. However, population specialists have in recent years been developing and successfully applying a variety of sophisticated techniques not covered in the more standard intro ductory texts. In addition, many traditional methods that are unique to the demographic discipline have been improved and extended.

The nature of demography; Rates and rations; Accuracy and error; The life table; The study of mortality; Measurement of fertility; Growth of population; Migration and the distribution of population; Manpower and working activities.

Essential Demographic Methods brings to readers the full range of ideas and skills of demographic analysis that lie at the core of social sciences and public health. Classroom tested over many years, filled with fresh data and examples, this approachable text is tailored to the needs of beginners, advanced students, and researchers alike. An award-winning teacher and eminent demographer, Kenneth Wachter uses themes from the individual lifecourse, history, and global change to convey the meaning of concepts such as exponential growth, cohorts and periods, lifetables, population projection, proportional hazards, parity, marity, migration flows, and stable populations. The presentation is carefully paced and accessible to readers with knowledge of high-school algebra. Each chapter contains original problem sets and worked examples. From the most basic concepts and measures to developments in spatial demography and hazard modeling at the research frontier, Essential Demographic Methods brings out the wider appeal of demography in its connections across the sciences and humanities. It is a lively, compact guide for understanding quantitative population analysis in the social and biological world.

This book offers an ideal introduction to the analysis of demographic data. Inside, readers of all quantitative skill levels will find the information they need to develop a solid understanding of the methods used to study human populations and how they change over time due to such factors as birth, death, and migration. The comprehensive, systematic coverage defines basic concepts and introduces data sources; champions the use of Lexis diagrams as a device for visualizing demographic measures; highlights the importance of making comparisons (whether over time or between populations at a point in time) that control for differences in population composition; describes approaches to analyzing mortality, fertility, and migration; and details approaches to the important field of population projection. Throughout, the author makes the material accessible for readers through careful exposition, the use of examples, and other helpful features. This book's thorough coverage of basic concepts and principles lays a firm foundation for anyone contemplating undertaking demographic research, whether in a university setting or in a professional employment that takes on a demographic dimension requiring in-house training.