Use each database's thesaurus or subject headings list to identify the best terms (keywords) to use for your search.
ERIC is one of the most popular education databases. For example, when searching for topics within special education, the thesaurus in ERIC provides terms that one should use to tailor the search.
Examples of search terms for "disability:"
ERIC thesaurus guidelines also suggest that when using search terms around disabilities, you are as specific as possible such as "Language Impairments," which has 20 broad, narrowed, and related terms in the thesaurus.
Peer-reviewed or scholarly articles are sources based on in-depth research. Here are some characteristics of scholarly or peer-reviewed articles:
•Journal title often contains the word “Journal” or “Review” in the title
•Published 4 or 6 times per year
•Contains long articles, with charts, graphs, citations, and an occasional photo or picture, & very little to no advertisements
•Has a works cited, reference, or bibliography
•Articles are authored by scholars/experts in the field and credentials are noted
•Audience for the article is narrow; prior knowledge on the topic helpful
Check out the video below that goes over the differences between a scholarly article and other types of articles.
Reading a scholarly or peer-reviewed article is much different from reading a magazine or book. Check out the video below that gives you tips on how to read a scholarly or peer-reviewed article.
