Determining whether a book is scholarly

There are several clues that you can use to determine whether a book is scholarly. Use the following questions to assess the book:

Publisher

• Who is the publisher?
• Do they specialize in this field?
• Is it published by a university press such as Oxford University Press or Indiana University Press?
• Take a look at the publisher’s website if you are unsure of its subject expertise and purpose.

Bias

• Does the publisher have a religious or political affiliation?
• Consider how this affiliation might affect the scholarship or content of the book.

Authority

• Who is the author?
• Do they have credentials that give them authority on the subject?
• Are they recognized by other scholars in the field?

Cited sources

• Scholarly books will have cited references or a bibliography. Most books written for general audiences will not.
• Consider the quality of the sources. Note whether the bibliographies include scholarly journal articles, primary sources, or other scholarly books by experts in the field.

Content

• Consider accuracy, bias, audience appropriateness, graphics, charts, and illustrations. Note the book's organization such as a preface, introduction, table of contents, conclusion, and index.

Book reviews

• Search for book reviews and evaluate the reviewers' opinions.

Still have questions?

• Ask your instructor whether the book is scholarly.
• Contact your subject librarian for additional help.