Finding Books (and more)

Library Catalog

Use the catalog to find books, government documents, DVDs, etc. that are in Kresge Library. Also use the catalog to see if we have access to a particular journal title (in print on 4th floor or online as an "electronic resource")--but the Catalog does NOT include/index journal articles. Some good "subject headings" to use: Action Research in Education, Early Childhood Education, Education - Research.

MelCat

Union catalog of many Michigan libraries; 1st stop to interloan books. When you search the OU catalog for a book title and discover that the library does not have it, you automatically get a link to MelCat. Then you can see if another Michigan library has it and place a request for it.

World Cat--union catalog of libraries worldwide

Finding Articles: Databases in Education

Eric Via CSA The standard database for resources in education (very broadly defined) including journal articles from research/scholarly and practitioner literature, as well as ERIC documents. ERIC documents include such various sources as books, research reports, government documents, conference papers, bibliographies, curricula and lesson plans, and other documents. Covers literature from 1966 through the present, with online direct full-text for ERIC documents from 1992-present. Use "Get It" links to find out if library has the journal articles. Try using the "educational levels" that are at the bottom of the search screen. Relevant ones to use include: Early Childhood, Preschool Education, Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3.

Education Abstracts --only indexes journal articles. Most items will duplicate what is in ERIC, but you may discover some unique items.

PsycInfo PsycINFO provides access to international literature in psychology and related disciplines such as education, psychiatry, counseling, business, medicine, nursing, pharmacology, law, linguistics, and social work. It indexes journal articles, chapters in books, books, and dissertations. Useful to limit to English language. Use "Get It" links to find out if materials indexed are available at OU.

JSTOR--Online collection of many scholarly journals from volume 1 until 2 to 5 years ago. Full text of articles is searchable! Problem: JSTOR does not use subject headings. If you get too many results searching your terms in "full-text" try restricting them to "article title." Browse the list of education journals included to determine if this would be a useful collection to search.

Finding and "getting" resources

Does the library have access to a journal online? Easiest way to find out is to check the "E-Journals A to Z " from the library's "Find Articles" page.

Where do you find lists of databases and other online resources available at OU? The easiest way to find these is to check "Databases by Subject" or "Databases A to Z" from the "Find Articles" page. To see a listing of the Library's education databases click on Education on the "Databases by Subject" listing.

When you are using the library's databases, be sure to click on the blue link when the article you want does not have a full text link in the database. will then take you to the article from another source or, if the online article is not available, you can check the library catalog record for print holdings or, if we do not have it in print, you can request a copy of the article via interlibrary loan.

ILLIAD for Interlibrary Loan-- When you click on links in any of the Library databases and discover OU does not have access to a journal (either in print or online), you can click on the link to "order this through interlibrary loan." This takes you to ILLIAD. You can also get to ILLIAD directly and fill out a form to request an item OU does not own.

Keyword Searching review

and requires that both concepts be included in your search results

or gets "more"--use between similar terms (e.g., dogs or pets)

* (? in the Library Catalog)is a truncation symbol--gets all words that begin with the letters before the symbol. Teen* gets teens, teenager, teenagers.

" "--quotation marks around 2 or more words require that the words occur together and in that order. Use them around "united states". However, "obesity in children" could be better searched as obesity and children.

( )--use parentheses to group like terms (dogs or cats or pets)

--Sample searches:

(toddlers or "young children" or "preschool children") and "action research"

"action research" and education?

Contact Information

Millie Merz

merz@oakland.edu

248-370-2457

Finding Background Information

Print (2d floor, South end):

• Early Childhood Education: An International Encyclopedia
  Ref. LB 1139.23 .E272 2007 
• Encyclopedia of Education and Human Development
  Ref. LB15 .E473 2005

Online:

• Handbook of Research on the Education of Young Children
• Key Concepts in Early Childhood Education and Care
• Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology
• Credo Reference (many reference books)

Sampling of web sites:

• US Department of Education
• ERIC (for updated ERIC documents)
• MEAP Testing
• Michigan E-Library
• Michigan Department of Education
• National Association for Education of Young Children
• Oakland Schools

Some useful journals

• Childhood Education
• Early Childhood Research Quarterly
• Educational Leadership [On resulting page enter Educational Leadership as "source"]
• Review of Research in Education
• Young Children--OU does not have online access, but the Library does have a print subscription. 4th floor: Per. LB 1140. A2 J8

Evaluating, Citing, and Keeping Up with Your Sources

• OWL Guide to Using APA Format (Purdue U.)
• APA Style Guide (from the APA)
• Writing Resources for Students
• Ulrich's Periodical Directory - Can help you determine if an article is from a scholarly journal.
• RefWorks - a reference management tool that allows you to create a personal database of references and automatically generate formatted bibliographies for your projects.

Instructions for RefWorks

Step 1 —Log in to RefWorks. (If you do not have an account, first create one. Be sure that you give your OU e-mail account when you register.)

Step 2 —Export records from ERIC via CSA . Instructions for exporting.

Step 3 —Create folder/folders for your bibliographic records.  (View “Organizing your references” tutorial.)

Step 4 —Put your imported references into appropriate folders.  A reference can be placed in more than one folder.

Step 5 —Export references from other sources—the Library Catalog [directions are for Firefox], JSTOR, and PsycInfo (links take you to instructions).

Step 6 —Add references manually.  Sometimes you have references that you find in books and bibliographies that you need to add “by hand.” 

Step 7 —Share folders.  You can share folders with your fellow students, with your professor, or with anyone.  Be sure to click on “Allow users to post comments on references” when you share a folder with your instructor. 

Step 8 —Save a folder shared with you to your own RefWorks account.  This involves “exporting” the shared folder to your RefWorks. 

Step 9 —Create a bibliography from your references.

Potential Problems

1.Pop-ups. You may have to change your pop-up settings--in Google or Yahoo toolbar, in browser settings, and/or your internet security software (e.g., Norton).

2. You may get a screen indicating that "there is a problem with this website's security certificate." Click on "continue to this website."

3. When exporting a shared folder to your RefWorks from off campus, you will need to use the access code for OU (RWOakUniv) and log into RefWorks.

 

One more thing! Librarians are here to help you. Click on "Ask a Librarian" on the library web site to find out many ways you can seek our assistance--including Research Consultations!