Evaluating Books

Evaluating information is extremely important. Just because it is in print does not mean that it is reliable or true. Try using these criteria to help you learn to read books with a critical eye.

To evaluate a book look for:

Purpose: Why was this book written? Was it to...

• inform the reader about an event, a person, the results of an experiment or research study?
• persuade the reader to change an opinion or belief? To prove something?
• provide an overview of a topic or a comprehensive study?

Read carefully the introduction to the book. It will tell you a great deal about why the book was written, who wrote it, and even perhaps some of the inherent bias in the work.

Author: Find out something about the author. Is the author considered an expert in this field? What is his/her background? What other works has he/she written? Has he/she won awards or honors? Again, the introduction will often help you answer some of these questions.

Publisher: Check to see who published the book. You will find the publisher on the front or title page of the book.

• University Presses usually specialize in more academic or scholarly works. Check to see if there is an editorial board listed and who is on it.
• Commercial publishers, the majority of publishing houses, publish anything from scholarly works to works of fiction to children’s books.
• Professional or Trade Association, Institution, or Research Center’s often publish works by members of their association or research team.
• Government presses often publish useful information about their country but may also have a particular political agenda they want to achieve with a publication.
• Vanity press or self-published works means the author has paid to have the book published.

Date of Publication: Check the publication date of the book. What was the prevailing attitude towards the topic at the time the books was published? If it is a new edition of a work, is it the latest edition? Are there significant changes between editions?

Bibliography: A scholarly work will always contain a bibliography.

• Check the length of the bibliography. Did the author consult only a few sources or does it appear to be an extensive list?
• Check what types of sources are listed in the bibliography. Are the references listed mostly primary sources, secondary sources or a combination of both.
• Check the dates of the works in the bibliography. Did the author use the latest information available? Are the resources used much older than the book itself? Do the materials used represent a comprehensive overview of the published works?

Audience: Who is the intended audience of this book? Is the level of the book appropriate for your needs? Is the book written for: general readers, students (high school, college, graduate), specialists or professionals in the field, researchers or scholars?

Illustrations: Are there charts, graphs, maps, photographs, etc. used to illustrate concepts? Are the illustrations relevant to the text/topic?

Book Reviews are another good source to help you evaluate the contents of a book. To learn more about finding book reviews, see our Locating Book Reviews web page http://www.library.wwu.edu/lmt/page.phtml?page_id=196.

Last Updated: 04/09/2004