Books
Jump to: Why to use them | How to find them | How to cite them
Why to use books
- They typically contain much more information than newspaper, magazine, or scholarly articles
- Great way to explore a topic in depth
- Table of contents, index, and bibliography can be very helpful tools
Important types of books
There are so many different kinds of books, especially when you start looking into art and design publishing. For HPSS research, there are a few special types of books to look out for:
Monograph: a book covering one topic in depth. Most one-author nonfiction books are monographs.
Edited collection: scholarly essays by different authors, often aimed at other scholars (example)
Essay collection: essays on various topics, usually by one person (example)
Textbook: a book designed to teach the fundamentals of a topic (example)
PS: Books sometimes count as scholarly, peer reviewed sources. If you're not sure, check with your professor or librarian.
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This book is an essay collection: writings by one person, usually about their experiences or thoughts. It can be a good source of subjective evidence or personal narrative. The Seventh Heaven : Travels Through Jewish Latin America by Ilan Stavans |
This book is a monograph, by one author on one topic. It is also a scholarly book published by a university press. The Politics of Local Participatory Democracy in Latin America : Institutions, Actors, and Interactions by Françoise Montambeault |
How to Find Them
How to find books
Search the library catalog, choosing "Rhode Island School of Design" from the Location dropdown box. This will look for printed books as well as eBooks you can view remotely.
Learn more about using eBooks and our various collections here. Having trouble? Check the Doing Library Research page of this guide and don't hesitate to ask us for help.
How to cite books
- Chicago style: Author-Date | Notes & Bibliography
- MLA style
- APA style