1. Locating Published Research
Introduction to Educational Research (5th ed.) Craig A. Mertler & C.M. Charles
Chapter 4
Locating Published Research

2. Why Explore Existing Literature?
To see what has already been done
To profit from the experiences of others
Findings
Cautions
Suggestions
Recommendations

3. Secondary Sources Of Information In The Library
Not firsthand accounts (primary sources); analyses, compilations, interpretations, summaries of primary information
Begin a literature search by examining secondary sources
Specific secondary sources:
The Encyclopedia of Educational Research
The NSSE Yearbooks
The Handbooks of Research
Review of Research in Education
Review of Educational Research
Educational Leadership
Scholarly books
Magazines and newspaper articles

4. Secondary Sources Of Information In The Library (cont’d.)
Locating secondary sources
Library’s main on-line catalog
Reference section
Newspaper Abstracts
Periodical Abstracts

5. Primary Sources Of Information In The Library
Original research and other information
Abstracts can be found in publications such as:
Psychological Abstracts
ERIC’s Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE)
Specific directories of primary sources:
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) clearinghouses that abstract and index research articles and other papers
Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors
Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE)
Resources in Education (RIE)

6. Primary Sources Of Information In The Library (cont’d.)
Abstracts publications:
Psychological Abstracts
Dissertations Abstracts International (DAI)…also known as Digital Dissertations
Social Science Citation Index
Digest of Educational Statistics

7. Locating Primary Sources
Manual searching of ERIC’s CIJE and RIE --
Computer searching --
Using it is a learning experience -- “trial-and-error”!
Many databases are available via the Web
ERIC:
AskERIC
Access ERIC
ProQuest Digital Dissertations
ProQuest Periodical Abstracts

8. Applying Technology…
Searchable Web sites cataloging education articles and documents
AskEric (
Research Navigator (