EDPD 6303 (Dr. Ray): Education Research

The purpose of this guide is to introduce you to sources in Cornette Library and on the World Wide Web useful for doing research on education topics. The list of sources here is not comprehensive but will lead you into your research. As you use these, explore others you find along the way. Ask at the Reference, Periodicals, and Government Documents Desks if you need assistance.

Reference Sources

Gathering background information on a topic is often important before starting your research. Cornette Library's Reference collection is a good place to do this. You'll find dictionaries, encyclopedias, statistics, almanacs, handbooks, directories, and other basic information sources here. These provide brief factual information. Reference books can not be checked out, but you may make photocopies. Reference is located on the first floor of Cornette Library.

Education

Encyclopedia of American Education
LB 17 .U54 1996 Ref.
Encyclopedia of Educational Research
LB 15 .E48 1992 Ref.
American Educators' Encyclopedia
LB 15 .D37 1991 Ref.
Dictionary of Multicultural Education
LC 1099 .D53 1997 Ref.
The Literacy Dictionary: The Vocabulary of Reading and Writing
LB 1049.98 .L58 1995 Ref.
The Europa World of Learning 2006
AS 2 .W6 2006 Ref. (Reference Desk)

Special Education & Learning Disabilities

Encyclopedia of Special Education
LC 4007 .E53 2007 Ref.
Learning Disabilities Sourcebook
LC 4705 .L434 1998 Ref.
The Complete Learning Disabilities Directory - 1997
LC 4704.6 .C65 1997 Ref.

Tests

Mental Measurements Yearbook (Buros)
Z 5814 .P8 B932 Ref.
Tests: A Comprehensive Reference for Assessments in Psychology, Education, and Business
BF 176 .T43 2003 Ref.
Test Critiques
BF 176 .T419 Ref.
Special Educator's Complete Guide to 109 Diagnostic Tests
LC 4019 .P53 1998 Ref.

Psychology & Sociology

Encyclopedia of Psychology
BF 31 .E52 2000 Ref.
Encyclopedia of Sociology
HM 425 .E5 2000 Ref.

Statistics

Statistical Abstract of the United States
HA 202 .A2 Ref. (Reference Desk - earlier editions in Reference stacks)
Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970
HA 202 A385 1975 Ref.
The Official Guide to Racial and Ethnic Diversity
E 184 .A1 R8 1996 Ref.

Law

Black's Law Dictionary
KF 156 .B53 1999 Ref.
Education and the Law: A Dictionary
KF 4117 .T39 1996 Ref.
Deskbook Encyclopedia of American School Law
LB 2514 .D47 2000 Ref.
West's Education Law Reporter
KF 4110 .A2 W47 Ref.

Government

Introduction to United States Government Information Sources
J 83 .M674 1996 Ref.
Dictionary of Government
JA 61 .D53 1998 Ref.
Government Agencies
JK 421 .G65 1983 Ref. (Reference Desk)
The United States Government Manual
JK 421 .A3 Ref. (Reference Desk)
Texas State Directory
JK 4830 .T4 Ref. (Reference Desk)
Texas Almanac
AY 311 .D3 T5 Ref. (Reference Desk)

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Journal Articles

Cornette Library provides access to a number of electronic databases for finding journal articles. Some provide the full text of articles, while others may give only the citation and in some cases an abstract or short summary of the article. Some of these databases are general in nature, covering many subject areas. Others focus on particular subjects like education. When you find articles, evaluate them to make sure you are getting valid information. If you need assistance with searching the resources listed below, ask at the Reference Desk (first floor) or the Periodicals Desk (second floor). You may also call the Reference Desk at 651-2215 during the hours Cornette Library is open or use our Ask a Librarian service.

All of our online resources are available from off-campus as well as in the library. You will be asked to login: use your Buff Advisor username (for example, js123456) and your Buff Advisor password (for example, buffaloes).

While many of our online resources include the full-text of the journal articles they index, many others only include citations. To find the full-text of an article when you only have the citation, browse our list of online journals and search the online catalog by journal title to determine if the issue you need is available in the Library's Periodicals collection. Journals are shelved alphabetically by title in the bound, microfilm, microfiche, or current periodicals areas on the Library's second floor. If the Library does not have the journal issue you need, you can request the article through Interlibrary Loan.

Subject Specific

ERIC (Ebsco)
Educational index of research documents, journal articles, technical reports, program descriptions and evaluations, and curricular materials. Access to some full-text of journal articles. Available through Ebsco.
ERIC - (U.S. Department of Education)
Educational index of research documents, journal articles, technical reports, program descriptions and evaluations, and curricular materials. Formerly known as AskERIC.
PsycINFO
Behavioral sciences database containing fulltext and abstracts for journals, books, and book chapters. International coverage for psychology, medicine, psychiatry, nursing, sociology, education and pharmacology.

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Government Information

Cornette Library collects both U.S. federal and Texas state documents. These documents contain a wealth of information on a variety of topics including education. Listed below are several places you may look for government information. For additional assistance, check with the Government Documents staff on the Library's second floor.

Government Information in Cornette Library

Government Information Online

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Books

Cornette Library's Online Catalog
Includes books, government documents, videos, journals, etc. available throughout the Library. Suggested searches include:
  • a keyword search for your subject, such as diversity education
  • the general LC subject heading multicultural education
  • the LC subject heading for a specific time and place such as Multicultural education -- Study and teaching -- United States.

To determine the most appropriate subject headings for your search, refer to the red Library of Congress Subject Headings near the Reference computers in the Library or search the online Library of Congress Authorities Catalog.

WorldCat
An online catalog for libraries around the world. You'll find books in Cornette Library's collection listed along with many more in other libraries. Search by keyword or browse by subject heading. You may request those books which are not available in the Cornette Library through Interlibrary Loan. Be sure to submit your requests at least two weeks before you will need them.

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World Wide Web

Finding reliable information on the Web can be problematic. The key is to evaluate what you find. To help you with this, start your search with one of the databases below since they carefully select sites before listing them.

Web Resources

FAQ/Finding Information About Psychological Tests
An information page from the American Psychologicl Association on where to find published and unpublished psychological tests.
Buros Institute: Test Reviews Online
From the Buros Institute of Mental Measurements. Keyword search capability for tests. For each test information includes test name, author, purpose, publisher, availability, and in which edition of the Mental Measurements Yearbook it is reviewed. Serves as an index to the Mental Measurements Yearbook.
CRISP (Computer Rebrieval of Information on Scientific Projects)
A biomedical database system containing information on research projects and programs supported by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational Testing Service (ETS) Test Collection
An extensive library of 20,000 tests and other measurement devices from the early 1900s to the present covering mainly achievement and proficiency exams.
Wisconsin Center for Education Research
Located at the School of Education athe the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the research center is home to research in a number of areas of education. Links to brief project reports and to publications of the much longer reports.

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Citing Your Sources

Why must I cite the sources I use for research projects?

APA Style

A copy of the 5th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is kept at the Reference Desk. Additional assistance with citing electronic publications is available from the APA online site, which is accessible from Cornette Library's Citation Basics page.

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Your Comments

There's always room for improvement!

If you have suggestions for improvements or would like to comment on something you found especially useful about this course guide, please e-mail Mary Jarvis. Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.

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