Introduces the concept of expert systems development as a model for the acquisition, representation and validation of knowledge about relatively limited domains. Case studies derive from the authors' own development experiences in the social sciences.

Presenting an introduction to computing and advice on computer applications, this book examines hardware and software with respect to the needs of the social scientist. It offers a framework for the use of computers, with focus on the 'work station', the center of which is a personal computer connected to networks by a telephone-based modem.