Need Help?
- How-To VideosLearn how to navigate and use library resources, including searching, citing, saving, and requesting materials.
- Research ToolkitResearch Toolkit workshops are designed to address the most common challenges students face in doing college-level research, including navigating databases, locating relevant sources, and making sense of information once it is found.
- Ask UsAsk questions via chat, email, or schedule an appointment with your subject librarian.
- Subject LibrariansLearn which librarian specializes in your area of research.
1. Choose Your Search Terms
Start your search with one term (keyword), such as ESL. This will let you see if your resource uses that term. Then add more terms to narrow your search. As you search, try to think of as many closely related words as you can and search for articles with those words as well. For example, you might want to search for ESL and Internet use, then you might want to try ESL and Internet use in education.
General phrases tend to give more results. Consider that the language used by the databases might not be the same language you or your article would use.
You could also try searches for the specific problems mentioned in your reading, such as Internet access or computer anxiety.
For help generating keywords for your topic, try our Ask a Librarian service or use the Email Me button.
2. Find magazine articles and scholarly articles
These databases can be searched individually or at the same time. Each individual database is linked separately below.
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Get full-text access to magazines, newspapers, and scholarly journals in the sciences, social sciences, business, education, and the humanities. Full-text may be available via Find-It. Useful place to begin broad searches for general topics.
- Education Research Complete This link opens in a new window
Cover all levels of education from early childhood to higher education and all educational specialties, such as multilingual, health education, and testing, curriculum instruction, administration, policy, funding, and related social issues. Some full-text is included. Other full-text may be available via Find-It.
3. Get Citation Help
Practice Applying the CRAAP Test
- Teaching ESL with the InternetPractice on this web site.
