What is the copyright date of the book?

Is the information current and up-to-date? Does it need to be?

Is there a new edition of the book?

For biographies and books on history, older books can be valid and important to the field.

Remember - books can take years to publish. In science, health, and technology, currency is essential.

New editions emphasize and update topics of high interest or importance

Does the title indicate that the book is too specific or too general?
Is there a subtitle with more information?

What is the target audience?
General public, students, scholars?

Does the book address a topic within a certain time frame and/or geographic area?

What are the subject headings assigned to this book?

Look at the title and subtitle of the book, since the real intent of a book is often revealed in the subtitle.

Look at the table of contents, which outlines the book. You can determine which chapters you need to read and which you can skip.

Use the index in back to locate more specific topics

Is the author an expert in the field?

What are the author’s credentials, in work and education?

With which institution, organization, or company is the author affiliated?

Has the author published other books or articles?

Is the publisher of the book well known?

Does the publisher stand to benefit from the research or argument presented in the book?

Find information about the author’s work and educational background. This information is usually in the preface or at the back of the book.

Search Google with the author's name in quotation marks to find their faculty website, LinkedIn page, or Social Media profile.

Search for the author in Library OneSearch, Amazon, or Worlcat to see what other books they have written.

Reputable publishers include University Presses, Routledge, Sage, Springer, Wiley, Harcourt, Lippincott, Macmillan, McGraw-Hill, and many others. Search Google or Wikipedia for information about publishers.

What sources did the author use?

Does the book provide a reference and/or bibliography section?

Does the book have a table of contents?

Look at the reference and/or bibliography section at the end of each chapter or the end of the book. References show you what kind of sources the author used.

Look at the graphs/charts. As with references, graphs and charts show you what kind of sources the author used.

Why was this book written?

Does the book address a subject from a specific time period? Or geographic location?

What is the target audience for the book? General public, students, scholars?