- Determine if the author is an expert by trying to find out where the author is employed and the author’s credentials. These are often listed on the title page or at the end of the book.
- Determine the audience the material is written to reach - academic or layman.
- Determine the accuracy of the material by comparing to other sources to see if there is agreement and looking for documentation such as a bibliography or a list of references.
- Check the currency of the material by finding the copyright date.
- Determine the relevancy of the material found to the topic you are researching. Don’t use material that is too general or trivial.
- Determine if the material is biased - are all sides of the issue presented or only one side?
View the video below, How to Evaluate Books:
