Skip to Main Content

EDUC 300: Principles of Education: Scholarly Articles

Scholarly Article Databases

*Education Research Complete database has more coverage for scholarly journals published outside the United States.

*Although using a different design, ERIC from the US Department of Education is available after graduation.

Google Scholar - Off-campus Library Links

Screenshot of Google Scholar settings option for library links with library links circledIf you use Google Scholar while off-campus, you can avoid hitting publisher paywalls by adding Oberlin to your library links list.

  1. Click the three-line menu.
  2. Go to settings > library links.
  3. Type in Oberlin College. Select Oberlin College and WorldCat.

PhD Dissertations and MA Theses

Common Types of Education Articles

When you're in a database, your results will include different types of articles--all of which can help you with your research in different ways. Two common types with usefulness for this class include:

Empirical Articles (research articles)

These articles share the results of original research in which the authors collected data. Their authors will describe their research method and findings, including results, data, and ideas for future research. In the article's abstract, look for words like "study" or "studies" and information on the population studied and the findings.

Review Articles

Review articles are written to provide an overview or synthesis of multiple studies around a topic or area of research. They may have a similar structure to empirical articles, but they will describe what others have found. They will not collect their own data or run a study. In the abstract, look for terms like review or literature review.

Practitioner Articles

Practitioner articles are written by educators in the field (and sometimes by researchers) as practical guidance for other educators. They discuss classroom experiences, share teaching tips, and are usually short and have a conversational tone. Although they are not reporting on studies or reviewing the scholarly literature, they may provide classroom context for your topic or language to use in your searches.

Get Research Help

Profile Photo
Clint Baugess
he/him/his
Contact:
Mudd Center, Room 104
Terrell Main Library
440-775-5026

Finding Full Text

Many databases on the library's website include the full text of articles. Click on the PDF or HTML icon to download the article.

If full text is not available, click the Find It or 360 Link icons to see if there is access from another source. 

Look for 360 Link Find Full Text button icon displayed for each item in the library's databases. In Google Scholar, look for Find Full Text @ Oberlin. Access via publisher websites is generally limited to subscribers.

Full text is not always accessible for immediate download. The 360 Link may lead to an intermediary page offering access through Interlibrary loan. If you have trouble, consult the library staff.