Research Help
Evaluating Books & Periodicals
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printable pdf
Books and periodicals are generally considered to be accurate and reliable information resources
useful for research. Books and journal articles are often reviewed by editors for content and
writing quality, well-established publishers make sure to continue building their reputations by
publishing quality works, and books that make it into academic library collections have been often
been hand-selected by librarians. No need for further evaluation, right?
Actually, when doing research and writing papers, you always should further evaluate your
information sources. Librarians can not vet every book or article available for use through the
library, and respected authors and publishers can’t always produce accurate, quality works.
Materials published by vanity or private presses, and self-published works, should be carefully
examined for accuracy and authority. As with information from the Internet, information from books
and periodicals should be carefully evaluated as well.
Purpose |
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- Why was this book/article written?
- Is the information presented to share knowledge or personal opinions, give a factual report, create
personal gain, provide an overview
of something, share research, persuade the reader, or prove a point?
- Is this resource an objective work that presents all sides of the argument, or a
subjective work, presenting only certain viewpoints, biases, or opinions?
- What aspects of your topic does this book or article not cover?
- The purpose of the work can usually only be determined by reading the material, but a quick
examination of the preface, contents page, or introduction can give you a fair idea.
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Author's Credentials
- Has the author written other materials on this subject? Were those materials well-received?
- Has the author earned a graduate degree in the area he/she is writing about? Does he/she conduct
research or teach classes in this subject area?
- What is the author’s background? Has he/she won any awards or honors?
- Does the author work for an organization affiliated or concerned with, or potentially benefited
by, the subjects that the author is writing about?
Publisher's Credentials
- What do you know about this publisher? Do they have a solid reputation for publishing
scholarly works? An editorial policy?
- Is the publisher a large commercial, small independent, university, or alternative press?
University Press |
Specialize in scholarly or academic works. |
Commercial Publisher |
Most publishing houses are commercial. Publish materials ranging from children’s fiction to
scholarly works. |
Small/Independent Publisher |
Publish non-mainstream works from little known authors; usually provide editing and
marketing. |
Government Agencies |
Publish country-related information (economic, political, social etc.); may include a
political agenda or bias. |
Alternative Press |
Publish works on non-mainstream and alternative topics; can contain strong opinions or bias. |
Professional/Trade Association |
Publish material related to their professions—can include research or works by members
of their associations. |
Vanity Press or Self-Published |
The author paid for his/her work to be published—often lacks outside review or editing. |
- Publisher information is usually located on the title page. Explore the publisher’s website
(if available)—read more about what types of work they publish, their editorial policies, and their
position in the publishing world.
Authority and Sources
- Can you tell if the information is documented fact or simply opinions?
- Watch for periodical articles that are editorials or opinion pieces.
- Is the information in this source similar to information found in other credible sources?
- Where did the author gather information for this work?
- Look for a bibliography, footnotes, or endnotes. Do those sources look reliable? Are they
primary or secondary sources? Did the author use the latest sources available or are they much
older than the work itself?
- Did the author conduct original research, or include experiments, observations, or interviews?
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Currency
- Inaccurate and outdated information often lurks in older books and periodicals. When
researching a topic that changes constantly or demands only current information—such as in the fields
of medicine or computer technology—it is important to pay attention to the timeliness of the materials
you use.
- Copyright date usually located on the title page of books; cover or contents page for
periodicals.
Type of Information
- Is this information scholarly, governmental, popular, or from a business?
- Can you tell if the information is intended for the general public or for a scholarly audience of
academics and researchers?
- Is the language and writing style understandable, intended for a specialized audience, or
needlessly technical and complex?
Other Helpful Hints
- Use Book Review Resources
- Through St. Mary's University's database subscriptions, you have access to:
- The American Book Review
- Booklist
- Library Journal
- The New York Times Book Review
- Publishers Weekly
- Use Journal
Finder to find out where to access each journal.
- Trust your gut. If the book is not well written or poorly organized, author information is
impossible to find, the publisher is questionable, or there is a strong one-sided bias in the
information, then don’t use that book or periodical. There are plenty of other information
resources available that can better support your research.
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Need additional help evaluating an information source?
Don't hesitate to
Contact Us or
Make an Appointment if you need assistance.
Last revised: July 13, 2009
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Maintained by the staff of Saint Mary's University Twin Cities Library
Comments to tc-library@smumn.edu
URL: http://www2.smumn.edu/deptpages/tclibrary/help/evaluating_books.php
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