Oxford Bibliographies FAQ

Are all the citations on the site for Oxford University Press content?
No, contributors provide a definitive guide to all of the important information sources on a given topic regardless of who has produced or published the content.

Is Oxford University Press content given preference in any way by contributors?
No, absolutely not. Contributors give no preference to materials published by Oxford University Press. They are commissioned to provide an even-handed, authoritative overview of the most important resources in their area of expertise.

How do you choose which subject areas to cover?  Can I suggest a subject?
No single criterion is used to determine which subject areas we will cover. We welcome your suggestions. You can contact an editor at OBOeditor@oup.com.

How do you ensure that entries are unbiased?
We employ a system of rigorous peer review to ensure that all entries are accurate and balanced.

How do you choose who gets to write the entries?
Contributors are invited to participate based on recommendations by the Editor in Chief of the subject module. If you are interested in contributing an entry please send us a note with your name, the subject module you would like to contribute to, and the entry topic you would like to propose.

How do you choose what topics to have entries on?
The Editor in Chief and Editorial Board work together to develop a complete list of entries to be covered by the subject module. The list is not set in stone, and we welcome suggestions.

Do the entries go through a review process to ensure that they are objective?
All entries are carefully reviewed by outside scholars and the Editorial Board to confirm that they are accurate and even-handed.

Are the citations for books only?
Entries cite reliable resources in all formats. Many books are cited because of their traditional role as one of the primary vehicles for scholarly communication, but a broad range of more recent online sources are cited as well, including digital archives, datasets, electronic encyclopedias, and many other online sources.

Does OBO contain citations for content in languages other than English?
Yes, as appropriate. Contributors are encouraged to give an accurate account of the important scholarship, including works in languages other than English when they are relevant. If a reliable English translation exists, it will be mentioned in the annotation, but this is not a prerequisite for inclusion.

What citation style is used in the entries?
We use two styles based on the Chicago Manual of Style: one for scientific topics and other for humanities scholarship.

When an important new work comes out, will the entry be updated to include it?
New works will be included once they have been thoroughly vetted and their relevance has been assessed by the entry author and the Editorial Board.