This document provides an overview of how to effectively conduct education research using scholarly resources. It discusses how to locate subject-specific databases, effectively search the library's databases, and distinguish between different citation styles. Key search strategies like keyword, Boolean, and subject searching are covered. The document also reviews how to evaluate sources based on accuracy, authority, currency, coverage/purpose, and objectivity. Examples are provided of citing different resource types like books, book chapters, articles, dissertations, and reports. Contact information is included for getting additional research assistance.

1. Education ResearchCourtney Fuson615-460-5492courtney.fuson@belmont.edu

2. By the time I’m done, you will knowHow to recognize scholarly resourcesHow to locate subject-specific databasesHow to effectively search the library’s databasesHow to distinguish between different citationsHow to use a bibliography (or works cited) to identify potential sources

3. Scholarly ResourcesAKA “peer reviewed”, “refereed”, “journal articles”discipline-specificpeer-reviewedwritten on a higher reading levelwritten by a credentialed authorcite their sources

4. Where can you find scholarly articles?InternetGoogle?Google Scholar?Wikipedia? – References list?LibraryCatalog?Databases?

5. CUBcatLibrary catalogProvides access to everything the library ownsBooksJournalsE-booksDatabasesMedia

6. DatabaseCollection of newspaper, magazine and journal articlesCan include dissertations, reports and other resourceshttp://library.belmont.eduClick on DatabasesScroll down and click on Education to see all of the education resources

7. Search StrategiesKeyword searchingBoolean SearchingANDORSubject searchingThesaurus

8. ANDSupreme Court AND education

9. ORinclusion OR mainstreaming OR special education

10. Search strategiesSupreme Court AND educationinclusion OR special education OR mainstreamingpublic schools AND (inclusion OR mainstreaming OR special education)“special education”

11. Thesauruslist of subjects and related terms used to standardize the descriptions of articles in the database.You can select and search for synonyms, related, and preferred terms.

12. Other resourcesGovernment DocumentsDepartment of Education (state & federal)StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsNational Assessment of Educational ProgressNation’s Report CardCensus Bureauhttp://delicious.com/library_chic/belmontedu

13. Evaluate it!Great! I found some stuff! Now what?

14. AccuracyIs the information reliable?How do you know?

15. AuthorityIs the author identified?What are the author’s credentials?Are the credentials relevant to the topic?

16. CurrencyIs there a date?If it’s older information, is it still accurate?

17. Coverage/PurposeWhy is this information being presented?Who is the intended audience?

18. ObjectivityIs the author or organization biased?Does the source represent both sides of the issue?What is the tone of the source?

19. Reading citationsIs it a…BookBook chapterArticleDissertationReport

20. BookKember, David. Action Learning and Action Research: Improving the Quality of Teaching and Learning. London: Kogan Page. 2000.

21. How do I find books?CUBCat (the library’s catalog)Title searchKember, David. Action Learning and Action Research: Improving the Quality of Teaching and Learning. London: Kogan Page. 2000.

22. ArticleD’Amato, John. “The Belly of the Beast: On Cultural Difference, Castelike Statues and the Politics of School.” Anthropolgy and Education Quarterly, 18.4 (1987): 357-360

23. How do I find articles?CUBCat (the library’s catalog)Journal TitleD’Amato, John. “The Belly of the Beast: On Cultural Difference, Castelike Statues and the Politics of School.” Anthropolgy and Education Quarterly, 18.4 (1987): 357-360.

24. DissertationGetty, Jacob. A School Action Plan with Stakeholder Involvement: A Case Study of One Elementary School. Diss. Wilmington University (Delaware), 2011.

25. How do I find dissertations?Usually availably only through InterLibrary LoanProQuest lists many dissertations (ProQuest Dissertations & Abstracts)Library catalog of the publishing universityWorldCat (http://worldcat.org)Getty, Jacob. A School Action Plan with Stakeholder Involvement: A Case Study of One Elementary School. Diss. Wilmington University(Delaware), 2011.

26. ReportKing, Martha L., and Rentel, Victor M. How children learn to write: A longitudinal study. Report to the National Institute of Education, Washington, D. C. 1981.

27. Reports?Try the publishing agency’s websiteTry Google or Google ScholarTry a subject-specific databaseKing, Martha L., and Rentel, Victor M. How children learn to write: A longitudinal study. Report to the National Institute of Education, Washington, D. C. 1981.

28. POP QUIZ!

29. Eisenhard, Margaret and Borko, Hilda. Designing Classroom Research: Themes, Issues, and Struggles. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. 1993.

30. Saul, Wendy, and J. Carrie Launius. "Making the Case for ACTION Research." Science Scope 34.1 (2010): 24-29.

31. Turner, Susan A. "Teaching research to teachers: A self-study of course design, student outcomes, and instructor learning." Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning 10.2 (2010): 60-77.

32. Stumped?In person – 3rd floorOffice hours: M-F 8am-4:30pm(other times available by appointment)Via email – courtney.fuson@belmont.eduBy phone – 615-460-5492OnlineAIM: a2003librarychicYahoo!: librarychic2003Hotmail: library_chic@hotmail.comGmail/Jabber: librarian.courtney@gmail.com