Dr. Wang @ CSUB

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References: Format for Online/Hardcopy journals
Knowledge/Envision of a particular field
Critical thinking/Reflection is required to search and to evaluate search results.
Part of re search is narrowing and re directing your topic

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Books & Government Documents http://voyager.lib.csub.edu/vwebv/searchAdvanced?sk=en_US
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Journal Articles http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/search/advanced?sid=332b1d80-bc28-4bd4-a1ef-
6d10c94d0cff%40sessionmgr13&vid=2&hid=10
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Online Resources
(http://scholar.google.com)
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Theses and Dissertations http://proquest.umi.com/login?COPT=REJTPUcyODcrNDZkZSZJTlQ9MCZWRVI9Mg
==&clientId=17830
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Inter-library loan?

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Be able to state your topic clearly in a single sentence.
Include all major components of your topic.
For example:
◦ Which childcare system (home-based or center-based) is more effective in facilitating early childhood development?

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Combining concepts to find relationships
Concepts:
◦ Service types (home-based, center-based, or both)
◦ Child*, kid*, …
◦ Development indicators (gross/fine motor)
◦ Pre-school/family resource center …

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And: focuses the search to combine
both concepts in the search results.
◦ Home-based AND center-based
Or: broadens the search by allowing
either synonym to appear in the search results.
◦ instruct OR teach
Not: excludes term from results
◦ Communication NOT verbal

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Truncation makes the database retrieve all words that have the same beginning.
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For example, Educat* would retrieve education, educating, educate, educates, and educated, etc.
◦ Some words can bring back too many irrelevant results and using synonyms may be more effective
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An * is used for truncation in most library databases.
A ? Is used for truncation in the CSUB Catalog

Synonyms and truncation broaden your search.
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You must come up with synonyms for your terms
◦ be on the lookout for how scholars refer to what you are interested in studying
◦ Keep notes as you research/read
For example,
◦ parent* support* OR parent* involv* to express the first concept.
◦ Academic achiev* OR test score* for the second concept.
◦ Elementary school OR primary for the third concept.

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Find books and government documents in the catalog on the
Library website.
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Education M.A. projects at CSUB
Catalog (Keyword Anywhere)
 Education AND thesis AND
Concept

◦ Magazines, journals, and newspapers
(hardcopy vs. e-copy)
◦ Journal name search if the article is known
(http://www.csub.edu/library/periodicallist.shtml)
◦ Google & title search in a database
(http://www.csub.edu/library/databasesub.shtml)
◦ Dissertations and Theses
(http://proquest.umi.com/login?COPT=REJTPUcyODcrNDZkZSZJTlQ9MCZWRVI
9Mg==&clientId=17830)

Periodical Databases for Education
Research
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Periodical databases search for articles or article citations.
◦ ERIC: Educational Resources Information
Center; A database sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Education to provide access to educational literature.
◦ Education Full Text: Indexes 79 journals; can also search other Wilson Databases
◦ PsycINFO: Primary research database in the field of psychology.

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You can select the type of source such as peer reviewed journals
Search results can be ranked by relevance or most recent items.
◦ Most relevant is necessary when you have
30+ results
For education databases you do not need to include terms: school, education wiki/answers.com as the first step?

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Option – Full Text in database
◦ Why? (title match, but content irrelevant!)
Practice at home
◦ Access individual ID/NetID from home PC
◦ title/year/abstract/...
◦ (...) and/or/not (...)
Stop by the reference desk at CSUB
Questions?