Ask Us - Answer(s)

Most databases don't have a feature to limit to peer-reviewed (or scholarly) books. In fact, the peer-reviewed filter will show only journals and will typically filter out books. 

Some factors that can indicate if a book is scholarly or peer-reviewed include:

• Author's credentials: Does the author have an advanced degree and affiliation with a university that indicates their authority on the subject? Scholarly publications will list the author’s credentials (what degrees they have earned or where they are a professor).
• Publisher: Is the book or journal published by a university press, professional association, or academic publisher specializing in the field? If so, it is more likely to be scholarly. (There may be some exceptions.)
• Content: Consider the accuracy of the content, possible bias (e.g. religious or political affiliation) and audience appropriateness. Is technical language used which indicates that it has been written for an academic audience?
• Cited Sources: Scholarly books have a list of references and/or a bibliography, while most of those written for a general audience don’t. A title that has references is more likely to be scholarly than one that has none. Consider the quality of these sources, which should include other scholarly books or articles and primary sources.

Feel free to Ask A Librarian for clarification or assistance.