The goal of this text, as its name implies, is to allow the reader to become proficient in the analysis and design of circuits utilizing modern linear ICs. It progresses from the fundamental circuit building blocks through to analog/digital conversion systems. The text is intended for use in a second year Operational Amplifiers course at the Associate level, or for a junior level course at the Baccalaureate level. In order to make effective use of this text, students should have already taken a course in basic discrete transistor circuits, and have a solid background in algebra and trigonometry, along with exposure to phasors. Calculus is used in certain sections of the text, but for the most part, its use is kept to a minimum. For students without a calculus background, these sections may be skipped without a loss of continuity. (The sole exception to this being Chapter Ten, Integrators and Differentiators, which hinges upon knowledge of calculus).

In writing this text, I have tried to make it ideal for both the teacher and the student. Instead of inundating the student with page after page of isolated formulas and collections of disjunct facts and figures, this text relies on building a sound foundation first. While it may take just a little bit longer to “get into” the operational amplifier than a more traditional approach, the initial outlay of time is rewarded with a deeper understanding and better retention of the later material. I tried to avoid creating formulas out of thin air, as is often done for the sake of expediency in technical texts. Instead, I strove to provide sufficient background material and proofs so that the student is never left wondering where particular formulas came from, or worse, coming to the conclusion that they are either too difficult to understand completely, or are somehow "magic"