reference in education research must be evaluated as per

• 1: Explore Topic
• 2: Find Sources
• 3: Evaluate

Evaluate Your Sources

Relevance is one of the most important concepts for evaluation, since your sources should be directly related to your topic, not just somewhat related. Does the source specifically address your research topic?  

Authority refers to the author or publisher of your source. Are they considered an expert? What are their qualifications to be writing on the topic?

Accuracy is the ability to confirm the information in your source is correct. Does the source have references? From your knowledge of the topic, does the information track with other information you've found?  

Currency is about the date of publication and its importance to your topic. Do you need the most recent information available or does an older source make sense? Did an event or a change in laws or policy occur that impacts your topic?  

Objectivity refers to the point of view presented in a source. What is the purpose of the source? Are they trying to sell you something, persuade you in some way, or inform you?

Identify Popular and Scholarly Sources

Understanding the different types of articles will help you know what to search for and evaluate the sources you do find.

Sources are developed for a range of audiences and serve various purposes. Some of the common sources you might find when searching library databases include scholarly , popular , and trade  articles.  

• Written by scholars for other scholars in the same field
• Contains in-depth information and often describes original findings from a study
• Uses terminology specific to the field
• Peer reviewed by other experts in the field to help ensure credibility
• Includes a lengthy reference list with many sources

Examples: Behavior Modification, Journal of Family Psychology, Advances in Applied Mathematics

• Written by journalists for the general public
• Contains news, entertainment, or general information
• Uses language that is easily understood by most readers
• Reviewed by editorial staff before publication
• Does not cite sources

Examples:  The New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, The Economist

• Written by professionals for other professionals who work in the same field
• Contains industry- or profession-specific trends, recommendations, and insight
• Uses terminology or jargon specific to the industry or profession
• Reviewed by publication staff
• May cite a small number of sources

Examples: American Nurse Today, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Law Enforcement Technology

Books are another common type of source used in research.  Not all books are considered scholarly and though books that are not scholarly can be used in research, it is important to know the difference between popular and scholarly books so that you can make informed choices.  

• Are published by such publishers as Sage, Routledge, University of Colorado Press, MIT Press, or other university presses.  You can determine the publisher by looking on the title page or copyright page of the book.  
• Are by authors who have done extensive research in the field, often work for universities or colleges, or may have a PhD or other higher education credential in the subject area.  Books usually have a brief author biography where you can find information about them.  
• Are written to focus on a narrow aspect of a topic, report on the findings of research, and often use more specialized language.  

Popular books:

• Are published by such publishers as Penguin Random House, Harper Collins, St. Martin's Press, Hachette, Macmillan, and others.  
• Are by authors who may be journalists or professional writers and have not necessarily conducted extensive original research in the subject area. The brief author biography will provide information about them.  
• Are written to entertain, persuade, share personal experiences, or give a broad overview of a topic.  These books are written for a general audience and use language that people can easily understand.   
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• Last Updated: Aug 28, 2024 10:37 AM
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Clinical Assistant Professor

Education Encyclopedias

• World Education Encyclopedia Comparative, in-depth essays on the educational systems of 233 countries and/or territories. World Education Also contains custom-made graphs and statistical tables, as well as regional maps and an extensive index.
• Encyclopedia of Education Articles on institutions, people, processes, roles, and philosophies in educational practice in the USA and the world. Features biographies, profiles of universities and of organizations; and an appendix of full-text documents, including legislation, international treaties, and testing methods.
• International Encyclopedia of Education Unequalled in its combination of authoritative scholarship and comprehensive coverage, International Encyclopedia of Education, Third Edition succeeds two highly successful previous editions (1985, 1994) in aiming to encapsulate research in this vibrant field for the twenty-first century reader. Under development for five years, this work encompasses over 1,000 articles across 24 individual areas of coverage and is expected to become the dominant resource in the field.

Other Education Encyclopedias

• Cambridge Encyclopedia of Child Development The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Child Development remains the most authoritative and accessible account of all aspects of child development. Written by an international team of experts, its comprehensive coverage includes everything from prenatal development to adolescence, pediatrics, theories and research methods, physical development, social and emotional development, perceptual and cognitive development, language development, psychopathology, and parenting.
• Encyclopedia of Cross-Cultural School Psychology The Encyclopedia of Cross-Cultural School Psychology (ECCSP) is comprehensive and reader-friendly, with approximately 400 entries written by leading researchers, educators, and practitioners in the fields of school psychology and education. ECCSP provides an easily accessible A-to-Z reference in one concise volume across these six key cross-cultural competency areas: Legal and Ethical Issues; School Culture, Educational Policy, and Institutional Advocacy; Psychoeducational Assessment and Related Issues; Academic, Therapeutic, and Consultative Intervention; Working with Interpreters; and Research.
• Encyclopedia of Distance Learning Encompasses the latest concepts, trends, issues, and technologies in the field of distance learning, providing an audience of practitioners, researchers, educators, and students with a critical mass of knowledge on an emerging and significant educational field of study. Containing over 100 research articles by internationally-renowned professionals, this must-have resource contributes the latest findings and practices in topic areas such as computer-based learning, teaching methodologies, and distance learning programs.
• Encyclopedia of Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent Covers all major facets of the field, including achievement motivation, artistic ability, creative personality, emotional intelligence, gender differences, genius, intelligence testing, learning styles, minority underrepresentation, multiple intelligences, musical ability, prodigies, scientists, self actualization, thinking skills, and more.
• Encyclopedia of Information Technology Curriculum Integration A comprehensive resource of concepts, methodologies, models, architectures, applications, enabling technologies, and best practices for integrating technology into the curriculum at all levels of education. Compiling 154 articles from over 125 of the world's leading experts on information technology, this authoritative reference strives to supply innovative research aimed at improving academic achievement, teaching and learning, and the application of technology in schools and training environments.
• Encyclopedia of Language and Education Includes research and scholarly content essential to the field of language teaching and learning in the age of globalization. In the selection of topics and contributors, the Encyclopedia reflects the depth of disciplinary knowledge, breadth of interdisciplinary perspective, and diversity of sociogeographic experience in the language and education field.
• Encyclopedia of Special Education Addresses issues of importance ranging from theory to practice and is a critical reference for researchers as well as those working in the special education field.
• Gender and Education : An Encyclopedia In this two volume set, educators explore the intersection of gender and education. Their entries deal with educational theories, research, curricula, practices, personnel, and policies, but also with variations in the gendering of education across historical and cultural contexts.
• Philosophy of Education: An Encyclopedia The encyclopedia is designed to show the diversity of topics that contribute to the study of the philosophy of education.
• TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching publishes new content online twice a year (summer and winter) to ensure that it remains the most up-to-date reference in the field of English language teaching available for students, researchers, academics and professionals.
• Education Section of CREDO

CREDO is an online reference library that provides advanced searching and full-text of hundreds of dictionaries and encyclopedias in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.

In Education area, it includes titles such as:

• The Cambridge Guide to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
• The Development Dictionary
• Dictionary of Youth Justice
• Encyclopedia of Special Education
• Gender and Education: An Encyclopedia
• Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts
• Handbook of Research on the Education of Young Children
• International Handbook of Giftedness and Talent
• Key Concepts in Education
• Philosophy of Education: An Encyclopedia
• SAGE Key Concepts series: Key Concepts in Learning Disabilities
• Springer International Handbooks of Education: International Handbook of Educational Evaluation
• Springer International Handbooks of Education: International Handbook of School Effectiveness and Improvement
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