Are For Dummies Books Good

By Irene Daraman Written by Irene Daraman Expertise: Technology, Learning, and Money Title: - Author and Freelance Writer Education: - Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of La Salette Work Experience: - Registered Nurse with 10+ years of experience in BPO and healthcare industries - Management position in a Fortune 500 company, driving operational excellence and exceeding targets - Designing and implementing business plans and strategies to promote the attainment of goals, including financial (money matter), technology, and internal learning and development - Patient care coordinator in a California-based private practice - Experience as a personal injury medical records reviewer and demand letter writer in a Texas law firm - 5+ years of content/article writing experience, delivering engaging and informative pieces across various domains About: I am a Registered Nurse with 10+ years of experience in BPO and the healthcare industry. With a specialization in public and community nursing, I possess a deep understanding of patient care. Currently working in a management position at a Fortune 500 company, where I drive operational excellence and exceed targets. I am responsible for using technology at work, and driving learning and development. I am an expert in technology, learning, and money related topics from my corporate work experience. Public Profiles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irene-daraman-496a94152/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094593561818
Updated on April 3, 2022

For Dummies is an extensive series of books and guides. Each of these books specialized in specific topics presented in a non-intimidating way to be understood by learners more easily. For Dummies books are a good starting point if you want to learn a topic you’re not familiar with. You can choose from less complicated topics to more complex ones. 

Most For Dummies books are good references and starting points when you are trying to learn something outside your comfort zone. There are books that can help you better understand the topic related to your career paths, like coding, programming, marketing, and many more. A lot of people say that books give the best and easiest way to do something. It uses simple language that is easy to understand and follow.

A woman holding three for Dummies books

Are For Dummies books good for learning language?

Learning a new language is hard. For Dummies books offer opportunities to learn new languages like English, French, Spanish, and many more. Whether you are a student, tourist, taking a professional language course, or just want to learn the basics of a language, For Dummies has a lot to offer. From grammar, speech, vocabulary, pronunciation to all the technicalities of a language, they have them. It has a good amount of information to learn the basics and technicalities of a language. Here are some of the examples of books for language: 

  1. Learning English as a Foreign Language for Dummies
  2. Inglés Para Dummies (Spanish Edition)
  3. English Grammar for Dummies
  4. Vocabulary for Dummies
  5. Communication Skills for Dummies

The language series of For Dummies usually come with an audio CD so the learner can appreciate the topic better. 

Learning English as a Foreign Language for Dummies

Are for Dummies books credible?

Yes, for Dummies books are credible. They are written with professional writers as well. And just like any other academic book, they are written professionally. Most of the copies are, sometimes, better than some similar courses. Contents are, most of the time, well-organized and written in simple and easy-to-understand verbiage. But, despite the decent number of books for For Dummies produced, there are still books that don’t seem to make sense, like Performing miracles for Dummies, Chewing food for Dummies, How to fix everything for Dummies, and many more. The bottom line is, you have to choose the topic that makes sense and is relevant to you. 

How good are Dummies books at teaching programming?

That would depend on which programming books you want to read. And just like any other textbooks, some of the Dummies books are very good, and some are less effective. Nevertheless, for Dummies programming series is a great primer for anyone looking into learning development, development design, and leaning into this career path. But keep in mind that programming is a bit of a complicated topic. Therefore, programming books are expected to be well-organized, clear, and concise. Another is that programming books must deliver the accurate information you need in your programming course. Well-written programming books are hard to find. Here are some of the programming books for Dummies:

  1. Coding All-in-One For Dummies
  2. Coding for Dummies 
  3. Beginning Programming for Dummies 
  4. Python for Dummies
  5. Beginning Programming with Java for Dummies

Is the Dummies series book suitable for serious study?

There are more than 200 million books for Dummies in print and around 2,500 titles available to choose from. Isn’t that big enough to learn new things or learn complicated topics more simply?

For Dummies books are decent and written by great writers to be suited for formal study. It is a great introduction to subjects in your school or could be a refresher, a good review material, and a reference. They are extremely helpful for those looking to get started with their career, or to someone who’s still testing the water and yet to decide on what course to take. For Dummies will be a good starting point. However, most books for Dummies are relatively broad in scope. Therefore, they are not recommended for more in-depth studies or in preparation to take a licensure exam. It would be better for you to get books recommended by your school.

For Dummies alternatives

If you are looking for an alternative for Dummies, it will vary per topic. For example, if you are looking for an alternative book for programming then you might want to try checking the web. There are thousands of books that you can choose from including digital copies. Here are some of the famous competitors of for Dummies in providing a series of books: 

  1. Citrus Press– It is an independent publishing company located in New South Wales, Australia. They are one of the leading distributors of allied health, psychology, education, and travel books. 
  2. Graffeg Publishing- An independent publisher specializing in high-quality, illustrated non-fiction books and children’s books, based in Wales.
  3. Monarch Books of Canada– A Canadian book distributor specializing in producing business books. 
  4. Elsevier– It is a Netherlands-based publishing company specializing in scientific, technical, and medical content.
  5. Kaplan– It is a for-profit corporation providing training for college students, businesses, and individuals. 
  6. Informa-Publishing company that specializes in financial research. 

There are also courses that you can take online if you are trying to study on your own, like Udemy and Coursera. Essentially, there are a lot to choose from everywhere. The bottom line is, just choose what is relevant for you.