University Library at St. Cloud State University

EDAD 829: Doctoral Research Design & Methodology

EDAD 829: Doctoral Research Design
Finding Articles

ERIC (EBSCO) Restricted Resource Some full text availablefindit elm database
ERIC is the primary database supporting research in all areas of education, including psychology, administration, and library science.

Professional Collection (Education) Restricted Resource findit database
The Professional Collection is a selection of more than 300 full-text journals for educators. It offers balanced coverage for any professional educator in the following areas: arts and humanities; child and adolescent psychology and development; drug and alcohol abuse; health/nutrition/fitness; learning disabilities; literature; school law; science and technology; social sciences; and sports/athletic training

Professional Development Collection Restricted Resource Some full text availableelm database
Full-text access to 520 periodicals related to education, including 350 peer-reviewed journals. Also contains more than 200 educational reports.

PsycINFO Restricted Resource findit database
PsycINFO is the premier source for finding scholarly articles and other information relating to all aspects of psychology and related fields.

Dissertation Abstracts - PQDT Open Unrestricted Resource findit database
Selective index to open access masters theses and dissertations from U.S., Canada, Great Britain, and Europe. Note: This is an open access subset of Dissertation Abstracts International (DAI).

Google Scholar Restricted Resource database
Searches academic papers and other scholarly literature. Go to Settings and set SCSU as your "Library link" to get full text available through the library.

JSTOR Restricted Resource Some full text availabledatabase
Provides access to scholarly journals in anthropology, ecology, economics, education, general science, history, literature, mathematics, political science, philosophy, and more. Some journals have "moving wall" access that does not include the most recent 2-5 years.

Articles within last 2 - 5 years are not usually available.


Articles and Databases Unrestricted Resource
An alphabetical list of all library databases, with the option to search by subject area.
 

FindIt!  This software checks all SCSU library databases to locate full text of articles. If full text is not available, read the screen to see if the library has a copy in another format (bound volumes, microfiche, recent issues) or if you need to use interlibrary loan to get a copy.

Empirical and Review Articles
According to the Educational Administration and Leadership Dissertation Manual, "It is important that the literature review is based primarily around scholarly journal articles that report the results of empirical studies rather than secondary sources such as textbooks."
 
Empirical Review
An empirical article is a research article that reports the results of a study that uses data derived from actual observation or experimentation.

For empirical articles in ERIC, select Reports -- Research as the Publication Type.
 
A scholarly literature review article summarizes and critically evaluates academic articles and other scholarly works on a topic. It does not contain original research.

For review articles in ERIC, select Information Analyses as the Publication Type.
Format of Article:
  • Abstract – summary of the study
  • Introduction – literature review
  • Methods – methodology used
  • Results – data results/analysis
  • Discussion – significance of study
  • References – works used/cited
Format of Article:
The literature review may be organized various ways. For instance, a review of the literature may trace the historical development of an issue, or group similar research studies on a particular topic, or examine major trends or advancements in an area of study.
ERIC and PsycINFO databases have limiter tools to narrow results by methodology type (empirical). Few databases have this limiter tool. In this case, you can use keywords to locate empirical research articles by using the following terms: empirical, methods, methodology, research design, survey, data, results.
Random Searching Tips
Boolean Connectors
Special education AND middle schools
disabilities AND technolog*
middle schools OR junior high schools
 
Quotation Marks
Useful in Google Scholar and other databases; keeps phrases together
"dual enrollment" “academic affairs”
 
Truncation *
Works in almost all databases
Teach* = teach, teacher, teachers, teaching, teachable
Read* = read, reading, reader
Parent* = parent, parents, parental, parenting
 
Thesaurus
Use the Thesaurus feature in ERIC to access a list of terms representing research topics in the field of education.
 
Finding Books
Books and More Search (MnPALS Plus)
Click Advanced Search for more options.

WorldCat Restricted Resource database
Search for materials beyond SCSU, from thousands of libraries and institutions around the world. Click on the FindIt! button and sign in to and request items through Interlibrary Loan.
Use WorldCat to locate a book to access through interlibrary loan. Search using key words. If you already know a book title, search by the title. At book record, click and the computer will take you to an interlibrary form. To request that book be delivered for you at SCSU, click interlibrary loan link and fill out the form. You will need your StarID and password.


Library Access for Distance Students

United States Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics Unrestricted Resource
This official agency site includes: Education Statistics at a Glance which is comprised of The Condition of Education, The Digest of Education Statistics, and Projections of Education Statistics. In addition, there is a searchable database of NCES tables and figures. This search tool lets the user locate all tables/figures published in the inventory of NCES' "Education Statistics Quarterly"; the NEDRC (National Education Data Resource Center) Postsecondary Table Library; and many NCES publications.


Condition of Education
Summarizes important developments and trends in education using the latest available data.

State Education Data Profiles
Provides information on education by state and allows for comparisons of up to four states at once.
Subject Specialist
Picture: Robin Ewing

Robin Ewing
Professor, Research Librarian
MC 204F
(320) 308-2093
rlewing@stcloudstate.edu

Ask a Librarian

Click to access email (answered usually within an hour during regular Reference Desk hours), chat (available 24 / 7), phone numbers for SCSU Reference Desk, and online form to set up a one-on-one (in person or via telephone) research consultation with a librarian.

As you work on your culminating project, schedule a meeting with me for in-depth guidance on finding the best resources for your topic. 
Literature Reviews
Write Place Unrestricted Resource
The Write Place offers one-on-one tutoring at any stage in the writing process. Make an online appointment or visit Webster Hall 117 or University Library 135E. 

Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students
From North Carolina State University Libraries

Literature Reviews 
From The Writing Center at the University of North Carolina

Write a Literature Review (Includes video tutorials)
From Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries
Citation Management
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA)
READY REF BF76.7 .P83 2019
Official manual for APA documentation. Available in print only, in the Ready Reference section of the library, 1st floor. Latest edition is 7th edition, 2019.  

APA Formatting and Style Guide (2010 update) (OWL at Purdue) Unrestricted Resource
Provides examples of formatting papers, in-text citations, footnotes and endnotes, and reference lists in APA style. Updated according to the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

What is a Citation Manager? 
From the University of Minnesota Libraries

Wikipedia's Comparison of Reference Management Software

Use Mendeley
Learn about Mendeley
From the University of Minnesota Libraries

Use Zotero
Learn about Zotero
From the University of Minnesota Libraries



RefWorks YouTube Tutorials  
Recommended tutorial:  2.4 Finding Full Text and Saving File Attachments in RefWorks
Repository at St. Cloud State University
SCSU School of Graduate Studies is launching an initiative that will feature culminating projects (such as a thesis or dissertation) from SCSU graduates as full text online documents available from the Repository at St. Cloud State University (Institutional Repository) Unrestricted Resource
Provides open access to a diverse collection of academic, scholarly, scientific, and creative content produced by faculty, students, and staff at the University. . As you progress through your program, watch for more information about preparing and uploading your proposal, draft for committee members, and final copy to the Repository. Your culminating project will also be cataloged and available through the SCSU library catalog.

Culminating projects in Education Administration and Leadership


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