Q. What does peer-review mean? Are books peer-reviewed?

Peer-review essentially means that a written work has been evaluated by people with knowledge in the same field who have verified the sources and information found within that particular work, usually a journal article. Looking at some of the characteristics of peer-reviewed articles is a good way to check if a book is a good, scholarly source:

• Chapters tend to be lengthy
• Reading requires your undivided attention
• The author provides a complete list (bibliography) of the sources used
• The book contains few pictures and advertisements
• Often there are illustrations or graphs supporting the author's research
• The author's credentials are provided
• The book is published or sponsored by a scholarly or a professional association or an academic press

If you have any questions or need help finding sources for a paper or project, please ask a librarian.