# The Sheridan Libraries

**Source**: https://guides.library.jhu.edu/metrics/book-metrics
**Parent**: https://guides.library.jhu.edu/metrics

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# Scholarly Metrics

All about metrics: definitions, how-to, and tools.

- [Home](https://guides.library.jhu.edu/metrics/home)
- [Journal Metrics](https://guides.library.jhu.edu/metrics/journal-metrics)
- [Article Metrics](https://guides.library.jhu.edu/metrics/article-metrics)
- [Author Metrics](https://guides.library.jhu.edu/metrics/author-metrics)
- [Book Metrics](https://guides.library.jhu.edu/metrics/book-metrics "Book Metrics")
- [Altmetrics](https://guides.library.jhu.edu/metrics/altmetrics "based on blogs, Twitter, etc.")
- [Data Metrics](https://guides.library.jhu.edu/metrics/data-metrics "Metrics about data sets.")
- [Caution about Metrics](https://guides.library.jhu.edu/c.php?g=202558&p=10086503)
- [How to use SciVal](https://guides.library.jhu.edu/metrics/scival)
- [How to use Dimensions](https://guides.library.jhu.edu/metrics/Dimensions)
- [Five Action Items Researchers Can Take Today](https://guides.library.jhu.edu/metrics/Five_Actions_Today)

## Thoughts about Book Chapters

Two bloggers discussed book chapters and their place in scholarly publishing. The ability to find and cite book chapters is central to their thesis.

[How to Bury Your Academic Writing](http://deevybee.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/how-to-bury-your-academic-writing.html) on BishopBlog

[Bury Your Writing - Why Do Academic Book Chapters Fail to Generate Citations?](http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2012/08/28/bury-your-writing-why-do-academic-book-chapters-fail-to-generate-citations/) on Scholarly Kitchen

## Find Book Metrics

The traditional way to assess the importance of a book was to consider the reputation of its author, of its author's institutional affilation, of its publisher, and the reviews, venues, and reputations of its reviewers.  This, of course, is all very qualitative.

Quantitative measures typically involve counting citations, and organizations are starting to put more effort into tracking citations to books and book chapters. Below are some databases and platforms that do count citations to books and book chapters.

- [Book Citation Index - Social Sciences and Humanities](http://databases.library.jhu.edu/databases/proxy/JHU06837)
- [Book Citation Index - Science](http://databases.library.jhu.edu/databases/proxy/JHU06836)
- [Google Scholar](http://scholar.google.com)
- [PsycINFO](https://databases.library.jhu.edu/databases/proxy/JHU02922)
- [SpringerLink](http://databases.library.jhu.edu/databases/proxy/JHU05015)

## Book Reviews

Don't forget book reviews! Book reviews in academic outlets not only discuss quality, but place the book and its author in relationship to their discipline. Many academic journals have book review columns. Some disciplines have publications devoted to book reviews. Below are some examples.

- [Book Review databases from JHU Libraries](http://databases.library.jhu.edu/databases/subject/book-reviews)
- [Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews](http://ndpr.nd.edu/recent-reviews/)
- [MAA Reviews (Mathematical Association of America)](https://maa.org/press/maa-reviews)
- [PsycCRITIQUES](http://databases.library.jhu.edu/databases/proxy/JHU04117)
- [Gale Literature: Book Review Index](https://databases.library.jhu.edu/az/databases?q=JHU04941)
- [Book Review Digest Plus](https://databases.library.jhu.edu/databases/proxy/JHU06598)
- [Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature](https://databases.library.jhu.edu/az/databases?q=JHU03736)

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