Connect to the ERIC Database
ERIC - Education Resources Information Center (ProQuest interface)
ERIC - Education Resources Information Center (EBSCO interface)
What is in the ERIC Database?
ERIC Subject Headings
Both ERIC platforms (EBSCO and ProQuest) provide access to Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors. Noting various subject headings assigned to articles can help you in your searching.
Selected relevant ERIC Descriptors:
Default and keyword search
The All fields option looks for search terms in all fields—including any available abstract or full text.
Two or more terms entered are combined with AND
Plurals
Searches regular plurals automatically. You can change this in preferences.
Phrase
Use quotes: "curriculum development"
Truncation / Wildcards
* use an asterisk at the beginning, end, or in the middle of a search term. Replaces up to 10 characters. Each truncated word can return up to 500 word variations:
identit* gets identity or identities
? used to replace a single character, either insider or at the right end of a world.
organi?ation, e?l
Proximity
near/n or N/n searches two terms, in any order, within 0 to n number of words from each other. Replace ‘n’ with a number. Used alone, near defaults to near/4. When you shorten NEAR to N, you must provide a number.
adult near/3 learner
pre/n or P/n - searches for documents that contain a search term appearing a specified number of words before a second term.
novice pre/2 teacher
Field searching
Use either the pulldown menus to select fields or specify them in your search:
ti,ab,su(online) searches for online in the title, abstract, and subject fields.
ALLCAPS
Brings back results with the letters in the parents in capitals
ALLCAPS(esl)
