Types of items included in this category are:

• Books/monographs
• Articles from scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers
• Conference proceedings
• All other non-web print resources

Relevance-Does the item relate to the topic you are looking for?

• Title - Titles help give you clues to what something is about. If you are searching for information about buffalo (as in bison) then a book City on the Lake: The Challenge of Change in Buffalo, New York is obviously not going to be useful.
• Abstract or first paragraph, table of contents, index - These are all ways in which an article or book can be quickly summarized. The abstract is usually a paragraph that explains the intent of the article. The first paragraph for a magazine or newspaper article will introduce the subject of the article. The table of contents will break down a book into chapters. Many scholarly or academic books have indices at the back of major concepts, topics or peoples. For examples click on the links below.
• Journal article abstracts from Asian Market Research
• First paragraph from Growing Wheat in the Argentine Republic
• Index from Palloncini, Balloon New Sculptures
• Table of contents from The Origin of Species
• Keywords or Subjects (catalog or in databases)- Databases and catalogs will often provide a list of key topics discussed in a book or article.
• Author - As you explore a topic, you may discover or recognize an author's name because she or he is an expert in that field.

Credibility

• Who is the author? - Are credentials listed for the author? Is the author an expert in the field they are writing about? Additionally, as you research, you will become familiar with certain authors who write a lot in your field. Some are recognized as experts by your professors or other writers; others are known as "crack-pots," or, to put it more delicately, their research bears some extra scrutiny.
• Currency - When was it published or written? Is the information still accurate? If you are writing a "technical paper" for Engineering, you are going to need the latest information; historians and English majors may have a little more leeway on currency.
• Source - Is the source known to be reliable or credible?  How credible is The National Inquirer (http://www.nationalenquirer.com/)?
• Objectivity or bias - Does it seem like the author is simply presenting information taking multiple viewpoints into account or is she or he trying to convince you of his or her point of view? Consider if the author has an ulterior motive such as a political agenda or if he or she would gain financially from persuading people on this topic. For example, the National Rifle Association does not present objective information on gun control.
• Accuracy of information - Does the information conflict with what you've read/learned elsewhere? Why?  Does the source seem to raise red flags?  Does the author have facts to support their claims?