WISER : Education

Kate Williams, Education Librarian

February 2009

Today

In today’s session we will: see how to find relevant education resources in

Oxford identify the major education subject databases see how they work, and how best to search

them see how to get to the full text look at ways to find free education web

resources have time to practise

Where to look for information?

Books: SOLO - Search Oxford Libraries online (searches OLIS), COPAC

Known journal titles:

SOLO, Oxford E-journals

Articles / reports /

conferences:

OxLIP+ Subject databases and resources: listing for Education

Useful websites:

Education Library webpage links, Intute web gateway

Where to start…

OxLIP+ Oxford Libraries Information Platform

Gateway to subject databases and e-resources

Browse by title / subject / type of resourceCross-search a range of databasesGo into individual databases, for more in-

depth searchinghttp://oxlip-plus.ouls.ox.ac.uk/

Which databases?

3 major education databases are on the same platform:

British Education IndexERICAustralian Education Index

British Education Index (BEI)

Covers research, policy and practice in education – UK

1975 to date 300+ education and training journals Book chapters, reports, series Links to full text conference papers Updated monthly All indexed - British Education Index Thesaurus

ERIC (Education Resources Information Centre)

US Digital library Over 1 million references to thousands of

educational topics. 1966 to date Journal articles, books, theses, curricula,

reports, conference papers, dissertations and standards and guidelines.

Updated monthly All indexed – ERIC thesaurus online

Major inter-disciplinary databases:

SCOPUS: Social Sciences and sciences

Web of Science/Knowledge: all disciplinesPsycInfo: psychology, including

educational and developmentalSociological Abstracts: social and

behavioural sciences

on OxLIP+ to find out more…

How best to search …?

Natural language searching

Thesaurus searching

Keyword searching

Citation searching

Boolean searching

Pearl-growing

Cross-searching

Cross-searching: Pros and Cons

QuickSearches up to 5 databases at onceShows you where material is indexed

BUTNo thesaurus to help you searchLess sophisticated limitsNot all databases are cross-searchable

Thesaurus searching

Searches using controlled vocabulary / index terms – set by subject experts

Groups together synonyms / related terms under one heading

Looks for articles about your topic, not just with your words in the article

Avoids trial/error or guessing which search terms to use

Some search tips…

1. Identify the most important elements of your search for your key search terms.

e.g. What are the most effective methods of assessment in higher education?

2. Select a suitable database(s) for the subject area, e.g. BEI, ERIC from the Education section on OxLIP+

http://oxlip-plus.ouls.ox.ac.uk/

Some search tips…

3. Enter your search terms individually, using the thesaurus searching option.

4. For free text searches, use $ or * to truncate terms, e.g. assess$ or assess* for assessment, assessing, assessor etc

(N.B. – need to use synonyms/alternative terms)

Combining your search terms:Boolean search logic

OR searches forresults with ANY termse.g. assessment OR evaluation OR testing(synonyms)

AND – searches forresults with ALL termse.g. assessment AND higher education

Some search tips…

5. Combine the resulting search numbers with AND

e.g. 1 and 2

6. Follow the links to see if we have full text - electronic or print.

Where are print resources?Education Library, Norham Gardens Printed books and journals for Education Material to support teaching and research in the

Department of Education, plus DipLATHE Dissertations and theses in Education, plus

portfolios for DipLATHE

Bodleian Library Most UK material, including Education Can be ordered to read at Education Library

British Library / Institute of Education - loans

Free web resources for Education

Links from Education Library webpage:www.education.ox.ac.uk/library

Intute: subject gatewaywww.intute.ac.uk/socialsciences/education

UK Educational Evidence Portalwww.eep.ac.uk

How can I get help?

Phone or email the Education Library:01865 274028 library@education.ox.ac.ukkate.williams@education.ox.ac.uk

OR Use our online tutorial: Searching the British Education Index and related

databases www.education.ox.ac.uk/library/training/guides/