Books...

• can give you an in-depth analysis of your topic        
• can get you a historical perspecitve on your topic to see how it has evolved over time
• often are written by authors who are experts or have taken the time to do research on a particular subject
• help you understand the complexity your topic  

When you find a book...

• you do not have to read the whole book! Instead look at the table of contents in the front to find which chapters will be most helpful to you

• look in the back of the book.  Often there is a list of sources that the author consulted when he or she wrote the book.  You might want to use these sources for your research, too!
• evaluate it to determine if it is a credible sources for your research