Chapter 3: Locating and Reviewing

the Literature
Activity 3.1: Library Worksheet
Activity 3.2: Where Would You Look?
Activity 3.3: Do a Computer Search of the Literature

Activity 3.1:
Library Worksheet

LOCATIONS FOR LIBRARY SOURCE MATERIAL

Be sure you can locate each of the following
1. Education Index

Location: _____________________

2. Journal of Educational Research

Location: _____________________

3. NSSE Yearbooks

Location: _____________________

4. Encyclopedia of Educational Research

Location: _____________________

5. M.A. theses

Location: _____________________

6. Dissertation Abstracts International (DAI) Location: _____________________

7. The research journal in your field

Location: _____________________

8. ERIC

Location: _____________________

9. The World Wide Web

Location: _____________________

What is the name of the major journal(s) in your field?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Activity 3.2:
Where Would You Look?
Where might you look to find information about each of the following?
1. A review of recent research on moral education
2. A brief summary of the history of educational programs for the gifted
3. A topic of interest that has not been reviewed during the last two years
4. A summary of a recently published article in the field of psychology
5. A summary of a Ph.D. dissertation on mastery learning
6. An article published within the last month on social studies education
7. Some of the major ideas in educational sociology
8. Some popular articles on education that appeared during the last year in U.S.
News and World Report and Newsweek magazines

Activity 3.3:
Do a Computer Search of the Literature
Use ERIC to do a computer search of the literature on a topic of interest to you.
1. The topic I chose for my search was (describe as precisely as you can below):
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. I reviewed __________ (number) of references.
3. I used the following descriptors:
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Here are the results of my search.
Search #1 _______________________________________________________________
Search #2 _______________________________________________________________
Search #3 _______________________________________________________________
Search #4 _______________________________________________________________
5. Here are the names of three of the references (abstracts or articles) identified using
these descriptors.
_______________________________________________________________________
_
_______________________________________________________________________
_
_______________________________________________________________________
_

Problem Sheet 3: Review of the Literature

1. What are the specific problem(s) or question(s) to be addressed in your literature
review: _____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. What general reference tools did you use to conduct your research? (List specific
electronic databases consulted.) _________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. What search terms did you use?
a. ___________________________
___________________________
b. ___________________________
c. ___________________________

d.
e. ___________________________
f. ___________________________

4. Specify the scope of the review and explain your inclusion/exclusion criteria (i.e.,
what was and was not included and why?)._________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
5. What topics and subtopics emerged about your problem and question as you
conducted your research?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
6. What are your conclusions based on the findings of your review?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________