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EDU 999: Research and Evaluation

A guide to information resources for EDU 999 students working on their theses.

A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis).

- Purdue Online Writing Lab, 'Writing a Literature Review'

Getting Education Research Articles For Your Literature Review...

Getting More Full Text

  • Many of our databases make articles immediately available as full-text PDFs or text on webpages
  • If not, then use the 'Full Text Finder' link
  • Even if the database you found an article citation in doesn’t have the full text right there, click on this link to check for full text in other library databases
  • This means: DON'T limit to full text when searching our databases

 

pointing handFor database searching help, contact a librarian, or try these searching tips.

 

Top Databases for Education Articles

Other Multi-Topic Academic Databases

Ram Search

Search for articles, books, journals, and more!

Advanced Search   |   About Ram Search
  • Pros:
    • Can be useful for interdisciplinary topics
    • Can see the list of databases searched, then choose a few specific ones to make a custom search
    • Can limit to peer-reviewed journals only
    • Defaults to finding only full-text results
  • Cons:
    • Not able to search every database we have
    • Tends to be less precise, more like a Google search
    • Searches books, news and other stuff, too; may have to filter those results out
    • Defaults to finding only full-text results - you may miss citations that you would really want for your Lit Review
  • If you try this, use the advanced search page to get more precise searches

 

2) Multiple Ebsco Databases at once

  • Pros
    • Search multiple databases that we get from the same company
  • Cons
    • Have to make sure to leave out the newspaper and other non-relevant databases

3) Multiple Gale Databases at once

  • Pros
    • Search multiple databases that we get from the same company
  • Cons
    • Have to make sure to leave out the newspaper and other non-relevant databases

4) Multiple ProQuest Databases at once

  • Pros
    • Search multiple databases that we get from the same company
  • Cons
    • Have to make sure to leave out the newspaper and other non-relevant databases

 

 

Finding Individual Journals at FSU

  • Browse journals by topic on our Journal Search Page
  • Search for a specific journal title on our Journal Search Page
  • Journals may be available from more than one source; journal coverage (years available) may vary
    • We may get older issues from one source and current issues from a different source
    • Some journals may have 'embargoes' (full-text delays) of up to one year
  • Yes, you can search within an individual journal
    • There will be a search box somewhere (usually upper right) on the journal's main page
    • Run a keyword or title phrase search there
  • Please request articles NOT currently available full-text at FSU by using our Interlibrary Loan Form

Google Scholar

  • Follow the links (when available) on the right hand side of the results listing to retrieve full text of search results
  • Below each search result there is an icon of double quotes that links to citation information
  • Check FSU for full-text of citations found online: Run the complete article title as a phrase search in RamSearch
  • Request articles NOT currently available at FSU via our Interlibrary Loan Request Form.

When to use Google / Other online search engines:

1) Looking for the full text of articles

  • Search for a desired article that you know is not available full text at FSU by using the entire article title as a phrase search
    • Type a double quote (") The complete article title, then another double quote (")
    • Example: "Impact of Peer-Led Team Learning and the Science Writing and Workshop Template on the Critical Thinking Skills of First-Year Chemistry Students"
  • Article authors may make available a pre-print or final journal version of their article on their personal, departmental or institutional repository website (or sometimes on sites like ResearchGate)

2) Looking for the full text of others' dissertations or theses

  • Try a title phrase search via Google / your online search engine of choice

or

  • Find the website of the degree-granting institution
  • Do a title phrase search in website search box to quickly see if they offer free full text via an open-access digital repository

 

FSU's Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Service

  • FSU students can receive from other libraries, at no cost to themselves, copies of articles that are NOT available full text at FSU
  • While searching library databases, if our site does not have access to article full text, you will have an option to click a link to an ILL form that is already half filled out
    • Complete that online form and submit it to request that article
    • Don't forget to fill out the part of the form asking what is the date after which you do not need the desired article any more
    • You will receive in your e-mail box either a link/password to retrieve your article, or an attached PDF
    • We have no control over how quickly requested articles arrive, so plan accordingly

To find other theses and dissertations in your topic area...

  • Go to the ProQuest Search Interface (searches all our ProQuest databases)
  • Click on the 'Dissertations & Theses' button above the search box
  • Search now for your topic
  • Openly-available (free) results will then appear