The Methods of Experimental Physics is the outgrowth of a discussion, several years ago, of the need in the American literature of physics for a
handbook type volume giving the experimental physicist a convenient
guide in his work. In the course of this discussion the conclusion was
reached that, with the present development of physics, the material
would have to be subdivided into several volumes, each volume covering
a sufficiently large field without too much overlapping. The scope and
basic philosophies of this publishing venture were outlined in the original
editorial policy statement:
" The experimental physicist—the person for whom this book should be
written—is normally a specialist, working in a relatively narrow domain.
He is presumed to know his own specialty very well. In the course of his
work, however, he is often confronted with the necessity of using methods
borrowed from neighboring fields, with which he is less familiar. In such
cases he may have to make a literature search or ask advice from a
specialist in the neighboring field. The existence of a concise presentation
of the most important methods used in experimental physics would
considerably simplify the task.