Welcome to Joyner Library. We're here to help you get the most out of the library's resources as you move through EDUC 6480 online. If you need help at any time do not hesitate to Ask a Librarian.
EDUC 6840 covers the development and use of research, research methods, applied research, basic research, methods of reasoning, fallacies in reasoning, statistical methods, thesis writing, survey research, and evaluation of research.
Getting Started
Selected relevant Library of Congress subject headings include:
If you are able to come into Joyner Library, use the call number charts on the wall by the stairs to determine on which floor books with those call numbers will be found. Students living in Pitt County, even if taking courses online, will have to visit the library personally to check out books. If you are a distance learning student living outside of Pitt County, you can ask that books be mailed to you. See: Joyner Library Services for our Distance Learning Community
Are there books available full-text electronically?
The library has an increasing number of book titles available electronically. NetLibrary, for example, is a collection of books from various publishers that are available in electronic format. As an ECU student, you have access to a collection of more than 30,000 reference, scholarly and professional books. These are available by searching the library's catalog. For more information see: How Do I Use NetLibrary?
Finding Articles:
Good Starting Places
Once on the library's homepage select the DATABASES tab on the top toolbar, or go directly to that page.
All of the Joyner Library databases can be reached from this Electronic Resources page. (If accessing the databases from off campus you will be asked for your Pirate User ID and password. This is the same as you use for "OneStop" or Blackboard.) If you have any problems with remote access, see: How Do I Connect to the Library's Electronic Resources From Home?
To search for an article on a particular subject in (or examples of) educational research, consider using the following databases:
ERIC is the premiere indexing and abstracting source for education and related disciplines. The database contains more than 950,000 abstracts of documents and journal articles on education research and practice. Documents include reports, curricular materials, books, conference papers, etc. Many ERIC documents (denoted with an ED followed by 6 numbers) from 1993 to the present are available full-text. Most ERIC documents are also available in microfiche in the Joyner Library Periodicals Department. Years of Coverage: 1966 - present
TIPS FOR USING ERIC TO FIND RESEARCH ARTICLES:
Use the "Advanced Search" function -- see the tabs at the top of the screen and click "Advanced Search"
In the FIND boxes (where you type your search terms) change the "default" to SU Descriptors and in the search box itself type QUALITATIVE RESEARCH or STATISTICAL ANALYSIS (this is ERIC's subject descriptor term for quantitative research)
In the "limiting" area of the search screen -- scroll down a bit to where it says "Journal or Document" -- the default is "All" Using the pull-down menu change this to "Journal Articles"
Education Research Complete is the definitive online resource for education research. This massive file offers the world's largest and most complete collection of full text education journals. It is a bibliographic and full text database covering scholarly research and information relating to all areas of education. Coverage: 1866- Current
How can I see articles?
Many of our databases include the full text of articles. In some cases, though, the full text of an article may not be available online in the database you are using due to publishers' restrictions or the prohibitive cost of providing them online. Increasingly, when you search for articles in the library's databases you will see the button on your results list or on the screen showing the citation/abstract of the article.
Citation Linker: If you already have a citation from someone else’s bibliography and want to find out if we have that article, key it into the Citation Linker. When you click the Find IT! Button at the bottom of the page, you will generate an menu of options that works like the one described above.
What if the article I want is not available full-text online?
If the article is not available online, you can check the Joyner Library catalog or the Laupus Health Sciences catalog to see if it is held in printed form. The button does this for you automatically from within databases. If you live within Pitt County you would need to come to the library to make a copy of the article. If you are a distance learning studentliving outside of Pitt County, you can have articles copied and sent to you, using Interlibrary Lending.
A Word About Using Web Sites for Your Research .........
Many instructors advise you to use the Web wisely and with discernment, because the Web has much that is valuable, but also some material that may not be as authoritative as the instructor prefers you to use for your research. Here are some principles for evaluating what you find on the Web: How Do I Evaluate Websites?
