Where to begin constitutes a difficulty in expounding most subjects. For completeness' sake, the present treatment of the analysis of electrical networks begins by establishing from first principles those basic electrical concepts such as current, potential and electromotive force in terms of which analysis is executed. In covering these basic concepts in the first two chapters it is, of course, recognised that some students will already be thoroughly conversant with them, some will merely need to ‘brush up’ on them and others will prefer to acquire them through studying more-detailed physical texts.

Network analysis begins in earnest in chapter 3 where network laws and theorems, such as Kirchhoff's laws and Thévenin's theorem, are introduced in the easy context of direct-current networks. Following descriptions of the physical nature of capacitance and inductance, traditional methods of deducing transient and sinusoidal steady-state responses are developed. These encompass the solution of linear differential equations and the application of phasor and complex algebraic methods. Consideration of the powerful Fourier and Laplace transform techniques is delayed until towards the end of the book, by which stage it is hoped that any reader will have acquired considerable mathematical and physical insight regarding the signal responses of circuits. Overall, the intention is that the book will take a student from ‘scratch’ to a level of competence in network analysis that is broadly commensurate with a graduate in Electrical or Electronic Engineering, or one in Physics if specialising somewhat in electrical aspects.