LibGuides: ELHE6063: Special Topics in Higher Education Administration: Finding Articles

General Search Tips

All databases will give you the option of limiting your search to Scholarly or Peer Reviewed articles.

Do not check the Full-Text only box. This will limit you to only the full-text available in THAT database, not to the extensive list of journals that are available from the Cheng Library.

If you are working on a major research project, keep a search journal recording the databases you used, the search terms you tried, and the success of the search. This can keep you from repeating an unsuccessful search.

If your topic is too broad, you'll get too many articles (over 200).

If you get too few or no results, check your spelling, or use related search terms, e.g. instead of grade 12, try secondary education.

Look at the descriptors or subject terms to identify appropriate search terms.

Use the term, and, to narrow your search, e.g. computers and instruction.

Avoid using complete sentences or prepositional phrases in the search box.

Different databases use different search terms. You may need to adjust your search terms as you move from one database to another.

Find Articles about Education Topics

Here are links and brief descriptions of the Library databases that can be used to find articles about education.

ERIC (via EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new window
The ERIC database, sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education, provides access to more than 1.3 million bibliographic records of journal articles and other education-related materials. Included in the database are citation records, abstracts, and (where available) full-text links for journal articles, books, research syntheses, conference papers, technical reports, policy papers, and other education-related materials. [1966 - present]
ProQuest Education Database This link opens in a new window
The ProQuest Education Database includes over 1,130 full-text periodicals and 18,000 dissertations, supporting research on the theory and practice of education. Education Database covers not only the literature on primary, secondary, and higher education but also special education, home schooling, adult education, and hundreds of related topics.
Educational Administration Abstracts This link opens in a new window
Index to articles on topics in educational administration from over 150 periodicals, with links to full-text content where available. [1993 - present]
Google Scholar (Full Text @ Cheng Library) This link opens in a new window
Access full-text articles from the Library's subscription e-journals using the familiar Google search engine.

For access to our subscription journals through Google Scholar, select the link above and then follow these steps:

1. Click on the top-left corner menu on the screen

2. Select "Settings" from the menu

3. On the next page, select "Library links" from the menu on the left side of the screen

4. Type "cheng" in the search field and run the search

5. Select "David and Lorraine Cheng Library - Full Text@Cheng Library" and then click on the "Save" button

This will enable you to see the "Full Text@Cheng Library" links displayed with your search results.
ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window
ProQuest Central is a large multidisciplinary database indexing over 14,000 publications, the majority of them available in full text. Over 160 subjects areas are covered extensively in this product including business and economics, health and medical, news and world affairs, technology, social sciences, and more. The publications include over 6,500 scholarly journals, over 3,600 trade publications, over 2,000 magazines and newspapers, and over 800 industry reports, plus dissertations and theses, company annual reports, and videos.

Higher Education Journals

Peer-Reviewed

Not Peer-Reviewed

Scholarly v. Popular

When conducting research, you will usually be asked to find Scholarly Articles, or artices from a Scholarly Journal, rather than popular sources (like magazines and newspapers).

Not sure what the difference is between scholarly and popular? Check out this short tutorial: Scholarly v. Popular

Have a Question? Contact a Librarian:

By phone

Call 973-720-2116

The Reference Desk is staffed until 10PM Sunday-Friday and until 8:00pm on Saturday.

By e-mail

Send your question to the Reference Desk via email - refdesk@wpunj.edu Allow 24 hours for a response.

Schedule a Research Appointment

Contact the library for an appointment with a Reference Librarian: Schedule Research Help