How do I know if a book is scholarly?
Answer
Scholarly books disseminate research and academic discussion among professionals within disciplines. They are intended for academic study and research and are preferred when writing college-level papers. They are published by academic or university presses.
Non-scholarly books do not examine a topic with a sufficient level of detail and intellectual rigor. They are not authoritative (the authors are often not academics). They are written to entertain and broadly inform, rather than to advance a field of study. Non-scholarly books are published by commercial presses.
For more information about Scholarly vs. Popular Resources, please view our Research Tutorial guide.