Stephen Chapman’s Essentials of MATLAB Programming is a successful freshman-level text that is useable in a wide range of courses. This brief text serves two purposes -- it teaches how to program using MATLAB as a technical programming language as well as teaching students the basics of computer programming. Using top-down design methodology, the text encourages students to think about the proper design of a program before coding. Problem solving skills as well as the ability to locate desired functions within MATLAB are also presented making this text a useful reference tool.