ERIC--Put out by the U.S. Department of Education, ERIC contains abstracts (not full-text articles) of journal articles, papers, research reports, books, conferences, curriculum, and teaching guides related to education.
Because each database indexes different articles and journals, you'll need to search for your topic on as many different databases as you can. This list is by no means exhaustive, and your library will probably have a different list of databases than the one you see above.
If you don't have access to an online library with its list of databases, you'll need to be a bit more creative, and probably open your wallet some, in order to gain access to the information you need. EBSCOhost--This database provides subscribers with information from over 12,000 journals. You can't subscribe to the database as an individual, but many public library websites allow their patrons to access the database online. Check your public library's website to see if they offer online access to EBSCOhost.
LexisNexis AlaCarte! {off site link)--LexisNexis is the only database that allows individuals without an affiliation with a library to access its information. If you sign up for AlaCarte! service, you can search abstracts from over 20,000 journals, newspapers, and other sources for free. You do need to pay a fee, usually around $3.00, for each full-text article you view.
The major benefit to using searchable databases is that professionals have scoured the journals for you, indexing only what they consider to be important information. The upside of this is that you won't have to wade through junk studies or a lot of inappropriate research to find good-quality journal articles. The downside is that you might miss important information if you limit yourself to the indexed articles from journals included in the database.
When Should You Get in Your Car?
There are times when you'll need the expertise of a research librarian, or when only a book will do. If you topic is so obscure that you can't find much information either on a general web search or in an online database, then you should consider visiting your closest university library. Most college libraries allow the general public to come inside and use the library's resources, but you probably won't be able to borrow books.Online databases can serve up an incredible variety of quality journal articles, giving students most of the information they need to complete their assignments. Sometimes, though, a good number of articles will refer to the same book. When many or most of your sources quote or reference a book, then you do need to find that book and read it. You may be able to order a copy from an online bookstore, but if the book is prohibitively expensive or out-of-print, then you'll need to find a library that has the book.
