InfoSkills for Social and Behavioral Sciences

Types of scholarly books

Scholarly books are written for an expert audience and aim to present research findings. While they are not peer-reviewed like scholarly articles, those published by university presses and reputable academic publishers still undergo a rigorous editorial process. These books are typically categorized into four main types: 

• Monographs [NL: monografieën] are books focused on a specific, specialized topic, often written by a single author.
  • Dissertations [NL: proefschriften] are a specific type of monograph. These are extensive scholarly works created to earn a PhD, the highest academic degree, from a university.
• Edited books [NL: geredigeerde boeken] are compilations of articles or chapters on a specific topic, typically written by various authors and compiled by one or more editors. The editor is responsible for revising the chapters for consistency in length, grammar, and style, ensuring they are cohesively organized.
• Conference proceedings are collections of papers presented at conferences, congresses, or symposia, and are often published as edited books. In some cases, these papers may also appear as special issues or supplements in journals.
• Textbooks are reference books organized by topic, designed for use as course materials. These books offer an overview of key knowledge in a particular field and are usually written at an accessible reading level. We mention textbooks because lecturers may permit students to cite them in writing assignments. However, it's important to note that they are not considered true scholarly books and are rarely cited by academics.

Reference works

Reference works are valuable for quickly obtaining authoritative facts, information, or a general overview of a subject.

• Dictionaries can assist in defining unfamiliar terms or concepts. They also offer synonyms, which can help you find alternative terms for your database searches. For more accurate definitions related to your field of study, use specialized dictionaries. 
• General encyclopedias offer brief and accessible summaries of a wide range of topics.
• Subject encyclopedias focus on a specific topic, like Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement or Encyclopedia of Leadership. They provide in-depth, specialized information that goes beyond the broader coverage found in general encyclopedias.
• Handbooks provide clear, authoritative summaries of key concepts, making complex topics more accessible. They also reference the leading researchers in the field.

Dictionaries, (subject) encyclopedias, and handbooks are especially helpful for the initial stages of research, giving you a better understanding of a topic. However, it's important to note that reference works don’t typically include the most recent developments in a subject area. Make sure to check the publication date of any reference work you’re using.

Locating dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks 

The TiU library offers online access to a wide range of dictionaries and encyclopedias, which can be found on the library's Encyclopedias and dictionaries page.

Handbooks can be found in the library catalog by entering a keyword followed by "handbook" in the search bar. Then, filter the results to show only books. [See Module D for detailed instructions on how to search the catalog.]