Purpose: To index all biographies (on an international level) since some countries do not have such reference sources.

Authority: New and existing “entrants” are sent questionnaires each year to supply biographical details.  Therefore, the information in each entry should be reliable, as they come from primary sources.  Additional research is provided by the editor and editorial staff.

Scope: 20,000 entries (this edition has 1,000 new entries).  Entries are based on merit and their continuing interest and importance.  Some entries are household names, while others are included for the contributions they have made to their field or their country.  Entries can be from a variety of areas: architecture, art, business, cinema, diplomacy, engineering, fashion, journalism, law, literature, medicine, music, photography, politics, science, sport, technology, and theater.

Format: One volume divided into the following sections: list of abbreviations, international telephone codes, reigning families, obituaries, entries.  There are two columns per page.  Names are in bold and the last name is in capital letters.

Entries: There are no pictures, just text.  Text is in the form of incomplete sentences.  Abbreviations are used throughout.  Dates are given where appropriate.  Information includes the following: role/job title, education, birth date and location, publications, interests, contact information (subject headings are italicized).

Overall evaluation: This book is easy to understand if users take the time to learn the abbreviations.  Otherwise, the information may seem daunting.  It is useful for quick reference questions, but not the type of book someone would browse through.  While it seemed to be reliable, I found a mistake in the first entry I examined.  Quarterback Joe Montana’s entry contained inaccurate information.  The book only lists three Superbowls for which he was the starting quarterback, when in fact he started in four.  I am left wondering how the mistake happened, given the fact that the preface clearly states that entrants review their own biographies.

 

Citation: Who Was Who 1981-1990. (1991). New York: St. Martin’s Press.

Purpose: To index entrants of Who’s Who who are have died during the given time.

Authority: Entries are the same as those in Who’s Who, the only difference is that these people have died; therefore, see the same authority observations apply.

Scope: See same section in Who’s Who – the number of entries is subject to the number of people who have died.

Format:  Volume is divided into the following sections: preface, abbreviations used in this book, addenda (for those whom the editors were not notified of death until after volume was sent to publisher), and biographies.  There are two columns per page.  Names are in bold, last name is also in capital letters.

Entries: Abbreviations are used whenever possible.  Information includes: job title, jobs, accomplishments, recreations, clubs, and address.  The date of death is given at the bottom of each entry, on the right side of the paragraph.  There are no pictures.

Overall evaluation: There seemed to be an abundant amount of abbreviations.  It was distracting in the text, as it became clear that users would have to constantly refer to the list of abbreviations in order to make meaning of the text.  Similarly, the book should have been more explicit in explaining why entrants are originally chosen (aside from the fact that they died within the given decade).  Perhaps the publishers assume that this can be determined from examining the original Who’s Who series?

 

Citation: Who Was Who in America with World Notables 2000-2002. (2002). New Providence, NJ: Marquis Who’s Who.

Authority: Biographies are prepared by the entrants themselves.  Rough sketched written by the editorial staff are given back to the entrants for approval.  If an entrant is deceased, a relative or legal representative is responsible for approving the entry.  This method has led to the nickname “the autobiography of America.”

Scope: Fourteen volumes contain 137,800 entries.  However, the preface did not provide users with information regarding admission standards.

Format: Each volume is divided in the following: table of abbreviations, alphabetical practices, and entries.  There are three columns per page.  Size is smaller than other Who’s Who books.

Entries: Names are bold, last name is in capital letters.  Information covered includes job title, birth date and location, family information, education, jobs (dates are given where applicable), home, death information. 

Overall evaluation:  It was not until I scanned multiple entries that I realized all entrants died between the years 2000-2002.  This form of admission criteria should have been clearly stated in the preface.  Therefore, I am assuming this book’s value is limited to the user having to know that a particular person died within those given years.

 

Citation: Who’s Who of American Women 2002-2003, 23^rd ed. (2002). New Providence, NJ: Marquis Who’s Who.

Authority: Information is gathered from the following sources: newspapers, magazines, trade publications, professional association rosters, and nominations by current biographees. Members of the Board of Advisors also nominate individuals from their region/professional field. Entrees contribute their own formation and are then asked to review final drafts before publication. If an entry has an asterisk, it means the entrant did not submit her own information.  Standards of submission include the position of responsibility held and the level of achievement attained by the individual.

Scope: 32,000 entries. Entries were originally volunteer workers involved in civic, religious, and club activities. This edition contains a broader range – women from the field of business, education, government, law, medicine, performing and visual arts, sciences, and more.  The women are from both the United States and Canada.

Format: Edition includes key to information (sample entry), table of abbreviations, alphabetical practices, entries, geographical index, and professional index.

Entries: There are three columns per page.  The name is in bold letters (last name is also capitalized). Information given includes job/field, birth date and location, family information, education, accomplishments, and contact information.  Dates are given whenever possible.  There are no pictures.  It appears as though all entrants are still living.

Overall evaluation: Useful for a quick reference, though the criteria stated for being admitted is very broad; it does not give users a good sense of how/why a woman is given an entry.  Small text also makes it difficult to read.