  This is an introduction to the Volume Conjecture and its generalizations for
nonexperts. The Volume Conjecture states that a certain limit of the colored
Jones polynomial of a knot would give the volume of its complement. If we
deform the parameter of the colored Jones polynomial we also conjecture that it
would also give the volume and the Chern-Simons invariant of a three-manifold
obtained by Dehn surgery determined by the parameter. I start with a definition
of the colored Jones polynomial and include elementary examples and short
description of elementary hyperbolic geometry.
