This new text takes the reader from the very basics of analogue electronics to an introduction of state-of-the-art techniques used in the field. It is aimed at all engineering or science students who wish to study the subject from its first principles, as well as serving as a guide to more advanced topics for readers already familiar with the subject. Attention throughout is focused on measurable terminal characteristics of devices, the way in which these give rise to equivalent circuits and methods of extracting parameter values for them from manufacturers data sheet specifications. In the practical application of these equivalent circuits, step-by-step analysis and design procedures are given where appropriate. Throughout the book, emphasis is given to the pictorial representation of information, and extensive use is made of mechanical analogues. This, combined with the self-assessment questions, copious exercises and worked examples result in an accessible introduction to a key area of electronics that even those with the most limited prior experience will find invaluable in their studies.