For a book, look for the copyright date on the reverse of the title page. Topic areas of continuing and rapid development, such as the sciences, demand more current information. On the other hand, topics in the humanities often require material that was written many years ago . Further editions indicate a source has been revised and updated to reflect changes in knowledge, include omissions, and harmonize with its intended reader's needs. Also, many printings or editions may indicate that the work has become a standard source in the area and is reliable.
Publisher Note the publisher.
If the source is published by a university press, it is likely to be scholarly. Although the fact that the publisher is reputable does not necessarily guarantee quality, it does show that the publisher may have high regard for the source being published . This distinction is important because it indicates different levels of complexity in conveying ideas . Read the preface to determine the author's intentions for the book. Scan the table of contents and the index to get a broad overview of the material it covers.