The three main objectives of the book are to:
Explain the basic physics and formalism of quantum field theory
To make the reader proficient in theory calculations using Feynman diagrams
To introduce the reader to gauge theories, which play a central role in elementary particle physics.
Thus, the first ten chapters deal with QED in the canonical formalism, and are little changed from the first edition. A brief introduction to gauge theories (Chapter 11) is then followed by two sections, which may be read independently of each other. They cover QCD and related topics (Chapters 12-15) and the unified electroweak theory (Chapters 16 19) respectively. Problems are provided at the end of each chapter.
New to this edition:
Five new chapters, giving an introduction to quantum chromodynamics and the methods used to understand it: in particular, path integrals and the renormalization group.
The treatment of electroweak interactions has been revised and updated to take account of more recent experiments.