Evaluating books/eBooks
Use this table to consider relevance and reliability when selecting books.
| Book part | Provides information about | Look for |
|---|---|---|
| Library catalogue record | Content list and Subject headings indicate coverage of a topic and readership e.g. juvenile literature | Relevance to the topic |
| Introduction to the book | Purpose and coverage of topic Author's perspective on a topic |
Is it written for a scholarly audience to educate, inform or persuade? Is there Bias? |
| Preface and acknowledgments | Author’s perspective on a topic | Is there Bias? Are facts and arguments from all sides presented? |
| Contents page | Coverage of a topic | Relevance to the topic |
| Publication details | The publication date Publishers name may indicate an association with an interest group |
Is the content out of date? Scholarly association or bias e.g. radical interest group or commercial interest e.g. Telstra |
| Bibliography or reference list | Use of sources to support information or point of view Currency of references |
Reliability supported by scholarly sources? Outdated? |
| Author's biographical information and qualifications | Author's scholarly qualifications and credentials? | Does the author’s background reflect personal, political or professional bias? |
| Language used | Purpose of the book | General public, technical or research audience? |
Description
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