Niagara University Library: Guide to Finding Articles for EDU 467 and EDU 767

Niagara University Library
Guide to Finding Articles for EDU 467 and EDU 767

This guide is intended to help you find research articles in scholarly journals using the Academic Search Premier database via EBSCOhost (www.niagara.edu/library/ebsco.html). Click the EBSCOhost link to start your search, but please read on first:

You don't need a password to search EBSCOhost from anywhere on campus. But if you are connecting from home, you will need a user id and password, which you can obtain from a reference librarian. Call 716-286-8022, stop by the reference desk, or send an email request to reflib@niagara.edu (please make sure to include your name and student ID number in your message).

What is Academic Search Premier?

Academic Search Premier is one of the databases available through the EBSCOhost database system. It includes references from about 8,200 journals and magazines. About 4,700 of those journals are in full-text, meaning that you can view the article immediately. It does not cover every education journal published, but it covers the core journals, and will be sufficient to find a few articles on most topics.

Connect to Academic Search Premier

Clicking on the Academic Search Premier via EBSCOhost link (www.niagara.edu/library/ebsco.html) will open a new browser window, which allows you to easily switch back to this guide. Then choose the on-campus or off-campus link. Once you enter the system, the default database will be Academic Search Premier, so you can just click Continue. You then will see a screen that looks like the image below. Click the Advanced Search tab at the top of the screen

Construct Your Search

The concept common to all your searches will be the elementary grade level. The two most important terms in this sense will be "elementary or primary," but you could also type "kindergarten" as well. Here is an example of a search of cooperative learning at the elementary level.

You would just substitute your concepts for "cooperative learning" and leave the first box ("elementary or primary") exactly as is.

Note how the connectors OR and AND are being used.

OR: retrieves synonyms or variations of a word.
AND: coordinates the different aspects of your search.

Searching in this way employs something called Boolean Logic (www.lscc.cc.fl.us/library/guides/boolsea.htm)

Also note how the full-text and peer reviewed boxes are checked. This will limit your search to articles that can be viewed in full-text on the computer, but that are also from scholarly or research journals, which is what "peer reviewed" signifies.

Please note, however, that not every article in a research journal is a research study, so you will have to be selective.

The end result is a list of articles that looks like this:

The red oval shows you two possible full-text choices:

HTML Full Text contains the words from the article, but the article does not look exactly like the original.

PDF Full Text is a scanned version of the original, so it will look like a photocopy and requires that you have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer (which you probably do). If you do not have it, you can download it for free from Adobe's web site.

It is a good idea to experiment with different searches, but keep your search as simple as possible.

Here is an example or how you might do a search on ability grouping in elementary schools:

Here is an example of a search looking for research on reading in kindergarten:

Cite Your Article Properly

When you obtain an article from a database, you need to cite it as such.

Here is how you can cite an article obtained through Academic Search Premier using APA style:

Borman, W. C., Hanson, M. A., Oppler,
   S. H., Pulakos, E. D., & White, L. A.
   (1993). Role of early supervisory
   experience in supervisor performance.
   Journal of Applied Psychology, 78,
   443-449. Retrieved September 12, 2002,
   from Academic Search Premier database.

Consult the APA web site for additional information on citing electronic resources:

www.apastyle.org/elecref.html

Evaluate Your Articles

For Students of EDU 467

The following is the format to be followed in your critique.
1. Problem: State clearly the purpose of the research. What is/are the questions that the researcher(s) is/are investigating? Why are they doing this study?
2. Sample and Setting: Describe the sample used for this study. Who participated in this study? Teachers? Students? How many? Where were they from? How were they selected? Where did it take place? How long did it take?
3. Procedures: How was this research conducted? What methodology was used? What did the researchers do to obtain their data? For example, did they observe, administered tests, interviews, etc. You must explain how the data was gathered/collected.
4. Results: What did the researcher(s) find out? What are the answers to their questions?
5. Implications: Identify and discuss the implications this study/research has for elementary teachers. How would you as a future teacher benefit from this research? How does it help you?
The paper must be typed, double-spaced, 12 font. No more than 4 pages. Paper and reference citation must follow APA (5th edition) guidelines.
You must include a copy of the article with your assignment.

For Students of EDU 767

Annotated Bibliography: Research the Internet and library for appropriate articles and websites related to teaching methodology in the elementary grades.

This annotated bibliography must include 5 current articles (1995 to present) and it must follow APA (5th ed.) style guidelines.
- Correct APA citation of articles, correct spelling, punctuation and grammar.
- Annotations (use complete sentences) for the 5 articles.
Include an annotated list of 5 websites that are related to teaching methodology in the elementary grades.
- Correct APA citation of websites, correct spelling, punctuation and grammar.
- Annotations (use complete sentences) for the 5 websites.

Tips

Education World (www.education-world.com) is a useful directory of education web sites.

You can find out how to cite web sites at the APA web site: www.apastyle.org/elecref.html.

If You Did Not Find Everything You Need,
Ask a Reference Librarian For Assistance

If you need assistance, please stop by the Library reference desk, call 716-286-8022, or send an email message to reflib@niagara.edu.