Henry Buhl Library

                            

How do I tell if a book is scholarly?

 Some basic guidelines to help you determine if a book is scholarly:

Author

  The name of the author(s) should be listed, as well as their credentials.

  Typically scholarly authors will have some form of subject specialty (such as professor of Religion, CEO of a Fortune 500 company, etc).

  Note: Having a Ph.D. in one field does not make someone an expert in another.

Citations

 

  Scholarly books should include notes and/or a bibliography of their sources.

  Also, look at the types of sources cited; are they appropriate for the topic?

Publisher

  Was the book published by a university or other scholarly press (such as Sage or Elsevier)?  

  

A number of books in HENRY are listed as “Recommended in…” Do NOT assume that a book is scholarly simply because it is recommended.  Follow the guidelines above and if you still have questions, ask your professor or a librarian for help.
 


Updated:  03/05/09
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Grove City College 2009