Consider these aspects to evaluate the source. Does the author or publisher indicate a particular purpose. Objectivity may be indicated by the inclusion of other viewpoints and the use of data and information to support statements. An author may provide objective evidence and supporting documentation. When authors have significant credentials and have published a number of books or articles, the author information is often in the source itself, usually given at beginning or end of article in scholarly journals or in the preface or at the end of a book.
Authors often cite themselves when they have done previous, related work.
If not found in the work itself, information about an author can be hard to find. There are many sources but few are comprehensive and the process can take a surprising amount of time. Select Biography and Genealogy Master Index , a comprehensive source for information about people which includes references to many other reference sources such as Who's Who . This is the most comprehensive database available for book references. For comprehensive searching, it is necessary to look in more than one index or database.