When gathering bibliographic references for research, one invariably comes up with more items than one can look at. How does one make a judgment about what is most important to read? The basic strategy, for both books and articles, is to look for two things: 1) the reputation of the publisher of the book/article , and 2) evidence of the influence of the book/article on other scholars.
For both monographs (books) and journal articles follow these guidelines:
For monographs (books) also add this guideline:
For journal articles:
It is sometimes difficult to assess the nature of a journal by its title alone. Don't hesitate to ask a librarian or your instructor for help.
Because so much of the information you find is downloaded from the Internet, it is often difficult to figure out if the article you printed or downloaded is a peer-reviewed, scholarly article, and therefore suitable for academic work. Here are some quick ways you can figure out if your article is scholarly:
A. The author is a scholar. Look for a byline or a blurb that identifies the college or university where the author teaches. If no information is given, Google the author to find out.
B. There are extensive footnotes, showing the author's familiarity with and reliance on scholarship in the field.
C. The article is addressed to a knowledgeable audience, rather than to the general public.
D. Find the journal's home page and figure out what society or institution publishes it. See who is on the editorial board of the journal—are they scholars in the field, people with academic positions? Find the "about" section and read about the journal's peer review process.