Book impact

Measuring the impact of books and book chapters is not as straightforward as it is for journals.

The following questions adapted from the Bernard Becker Medial Library are a good place to start:

  • How many libraries hold the book in their collections? Use WorldCat to find out.
  • Is the book noted on any bestseller lists?
  • Is the book used as a textbook?
  • Are chapters of the book incorporated into course syllabi?
  • Are there any book reviews? If so, how many? Where are the book reviews published?
  • Are there any discussions about the book in the Amazon Customer Discussion forum?
  • Is the book available in an e-reader format as well as print?
  • Has the book been mentioned in social media?
  • What are the sales figures for the book?
  • Has the book been included in bibliographies?
  • Has the author been invited to present on the topic related to the book or book chapter?
  • Has the author been invited to book signings?
  • Are there subsequent editions of the book?
  • Are there any translations of the book?
  • Has the book been awarded any prizes?
  • Has the book been noted by an organization as having made a significant contribution to a field?

Resources that help you answer these questions include: