SCOPE
Brief Introduction to Library Research
Carol Wright, Education Librarian
caw4@psu.edu~ 814-865-0666 502 Paterno Library
Common Search Tips for using Electronic Databases
Vocabulary |
Use the appropriate search terms used by each database. Terms may vary, and will significantly affect the results of your search. Note the difference between keywords and subject headings. Subject headings are 'official' terms used to categorize titles under a common topic.Use of each of these commands will yield significantly different results. |
Combining terms |
and [so that both terms are retrieved] .... or [so that either term is retrieved] ....... not [so that one term is eliminated] ........ |
Truncation |
The LIAS symbol to truncate for variant endings is $ . For example, the search: k chil$ retrieves: childhood, Chilcott, etc. This symbol varies among databases. Internet search engines often use * |
Limit |
Limit by date, language, etc. See CAT ‘help’ for more information. |
A. KEY ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
ERIC
-- Educational Resources Information Center
ERIC, (Education Resources Information Center),
is a premier database of journal and non-journal education literature, with
more than 1.1 million citations since 1966. Sponsored by the Institute of
Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Dept. of Education.
ERIC covers two types of literature:
Journals [over 1000 scholarly, professional
and practitioner journals]
ERIC Documents [non-journal literature, such
as conference papers, standards reports, etc. Not peer-reviewed].
The recommended ERIC search interface for PSU users is Cambridge Scientific
Abstracts.
What Works Clearinghouse
Created in 2002, the goal of the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) is to identify
findings of scientific evidence. The WWC collects, screens, and identifies
studies of the effectiveness of educational interventions (programs, products,
practices, and policies); reviews studies that have the strongest design;
and reports on the strengths and weaknesses of those studies against the
WWC Evidence Standards. Study reports [ratings of individual studies and
designs for reliability];
intervention reports [findings that meet WWC Evidence Standards for
a particular intervention]; topic
reports [description of topic and each intervention that the WWC reviewed]
http://www.w-w-c.org/
Proquest
Direct
[combination of Periodical Abstracts, Newspaper Abstracts and ABI business]
http://www.lias.psu.edu/dball.html#PROQUEST
CQ
Researcher(contemporary issues)
Weekly "magazine" that explores in-depth a single "hot issue"
currently being discussed in the news. Topics include social issues, politics,
economics, the environment, education, science, and more. Each issue includes
an essay outlining the issue, a pro-con feature, a chronology, and a bibliography.
http://www.lias.psu.edu/dball.html#CQRESEARCHER
Opposing
Viewpoints Resource Center
Provides research and background information on social issues, including
essays, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text
magazine and newspaper articles.
http://www.lias.psu.edu/dball.html#OVRC
Education
Abstracts Full Text(Wilson)
Covers almost 500 periodicals in primary, secondary, and higher education
and behavioral sciences since 1983, with full text for 133 periodicals since
1994.
http://www.lias.psu.edu/dball.html#ERLEDUCABS
Professional
Development Collection
A collection of over 515 full text journals, including nearly 350 peer-reviewed
titles.
http://www.lias.psu.edu/dball.html#PROFDEV
Ethnic
NewsWatch
http://www.lias.psu.edu/dball.html#ETHNICNEWS
GenderWatch
http://www.lias.psu.edu/dball.html#GENDERWATCH
B. STATISTICAL SOURCES
National Center for Education
Statistics
http://nces.ed.gov/
Includes the Encyclopedia of ED Stats http://www.nces.ed.gov/edstats/ Digest
of Education Statistics, Condition of Education Statistics,
Projections of Education Statistics to 2008, Education Indicators: An International
Perspective, and Youth Indicators 1996
Statistical
Abstracts of the US
The National Data Book, it contains a collection of statistics on social
and economic conditions in the US; Selected international data.
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
Education
Statistics
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/ebsl/howdoi/statistics.htm
C. SELECTED BACKGROUND/ OVERVIEW RESOURCES
International
Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences
D. CITING YOUR SOURCES
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
[APA Style Manual]
5th ed, 2001. BF76.7.A46 at all reference desks in Paterno Library [2nd,
3rd, 4th floors]
The
APA [American Psychological Association] Electronic Reference Formats
recommended by the American Psychological Association. Includes
email
communications web sites, articles and abstracts from electronic databases,
and web citations in text.
http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html
A
Writer's Reference, Diane Hacker, 5th Edition
http://www.dianahacker.com/writersref/resdoc.html