Evaluating... Books
Here is a book you might have found on the topic of global warming.
What can we learn about this book from the information given on the screen?
Currency or time period…
First, you might notice that the book was published in 2005.
Global warming has been a hot topic for a number of years. But new information is being discovered all the time, so the currency
of the book is crucial.
To take a different example, if you were researching the short stories of Edgar Allen Poe, you would find many useful critical articles
written within the last several decades. Since the general understanding of Poe’s works has not changed significantly in recent years, the
currency of those articles would not be as important.
Authority…
What can we tell about the authority of this book’s author or publisher?
There are actually two good clues here. First, we have the author’s name. Even if you don’t know of this person, you could look him up in
such sources as the Biography and Genealogy Master Index, Who’s Who in America or the Internet and maybe find out something about his background
and experience.
Second, we have the name of the publisher. With a little research we can find out something about their mission and other books they have published.
Purpose…
What is the purpose or focus of this book? More importantly, does it fit in with your research need?
The title, Ecological Debt: The Health of the Planet and the Wealth of Nations, suggests that the book will look at how environmental problems affect the economies of countries. If this aspect of global warming
were the focus of your research, then this book might be really valuable.
Also, check out the Subject categories for the book.
Subject – Environmental economics
Subject – Environmental protection—Citizen participation
Subject – Consumption (Economics)—Environmental aspects
Subject – Global Warming
One says Environmental protection – Citizen participation. This gives you another clue as to the focus of the book. It may or may not be your focus.
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