The document provides an overview of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) database. It states that ERIC was established in 1966 by the U.S. Department of Education to contain both journal articles and documents on education topics. The database includes papers from conferences, school and state reports, and doctoral dissertations. Searches can be limited to peer-reviewed or full text materials using controlled vocabulary terms and Boolean or truncation search techniques. While some full text is available, other materials can be requested through interlibrary loan.

1. WHAT IS ERIC?
AN OVERVIEW OF THE EDUCATIONAL
RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER DATABASE
by
MARK HABER
THE COLLEGE OF NEW ROCHELLE, GILL LIBRARY
October 2008

2. WHAT IS ERIC?
EDUCATIONAL
RESOURCES
INFORMATION
CENTER

3. ERIC Facts
 Established in 1966
 Sponsored by U.S. Dept. of Education
 Contains both journal articles and documents

4. WHAT ARE ERIC DOCUMENTS?
 Papers presented at
scholarly conferences
 Reports of school districts
 Reports of state departments
of education
 Doctoral dissertations in
education

5. Limiting Your Search
 ERIC Searches can be limited to:
 Journal articles only
 Peer reviewed materials
 Full text materials

7. Controlled Vocabulary
 Agreed upon term for a subject or concept
(in ERIC, these are called “Descriptors”)
Phonic method USE Phonics
Reading disabilities USE Reading Difficulties
Speech handicaps USE Speech Impairments

8. Use of Thesaurus
 List of ERIC Descriptors
 Scope Note (ERIC’s definition of the term)
 Other Terms (Broader, Narrower, Related)

13. Boolean Searching
 Combine Search Terms
 “AND” narrows the search (retrieved item must
have all the terms)
 “OR” broadens the search (retrieved item can have
one or more of any of the terms)
 “NOT” limits the search (retrieved item does not
have the term)

16. Truncation
 The asterisk * at the end of the root of a word
retrieves the word and all forms of the word
 Teach* retrieves teach, teacher, teaching, etc.
 Adolescen* retrieves adolescent, adolescence, etc.
 Read* retrieves read, reader, reading, etc.

18. Retrieving the full text
 Some articles and documents are available full text
 Others can be requested at the Circulation Desk
 Journal articles and ERIC documents that are not
owned by CNR can be ordered via Illiad
 The Arrigoni Library at Iona College (715 North Ave.
New Rochelle) also has many ERIC documents and
education journals and is available for use by CNR
students.

28. Advantages of Using ERIC
 Contains both journal articles and ERIC documents
 Comprehensive Thesaurus
 Boolean Searching