Educational Psychology & Counseling 602: Research Principles

This Web page accompanies the two Oviatt Library lectures which students in Educational Psychology and Counseling are required to attend. These lectures were developed to fill a perceived need for better research skills (information competence or IC) among EPC students and faculty. To learn more about IC in general, and about the grant that funded this initiative, see the EPC page for Information Competence.

Journals

The Oviatt Library subscribes to 25,000 academic journals, either in print or online, or both. There are several ways to access journals:

Search for journal articles through specific databases or search across multiple databases simualtenously using keywords
When searching an index, check to see if the Library has the article by selecting the FIND TEXT button. The menu will provide a list of options. If the title does not appear, always double check our Library catalog to confirm whether or not we have the article/journal.
Start at the Library Catalog and do a KEYWORD search. After typing in a word or phrase, open the Limit to: pull-down menu and switch from Entire Collection to Periodicals/Serials. This retrieves journals whose content is closely related to your keywords, in addition to those with those keywords in the title.
For online journals only, click CSUN List of Electronic Periodicals at the bottom of the Library Catalog page. Then do a KEYWORD or TITLE search, or click on a letter for an alphabetical list.

Online journals are indicated by "online" or "electronic resource" (same thing). Click on the title for the call number of a print journal, or to access the full-text of an online journal.

Search Tips and Tricks

When searching databases, the goal is to find a reasonable number (e.g. 10-50) of articles relevant to your topic. Here are some tips for improving your search results:

Most databases allow you to choose a date range, so you can limit the search to recently-published articles only.
Most allow you to choose English articles only, which can further reduce your results.
Many also allow you to limit your results to peer-reviewed journals, which contain high-quality scholarly articles.
In keyword searching, a truncation symbol (usually *) expands your search by including various forms of a root word, e.g. adolescen* retrieves adolescent, adolescents, and adolescence.
Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) serve to either narrow or expand your search: OR expands it by including synonyms or related terms (e.g. adolescen* OR teen*); AND narrows it by finding the subset of articles that contain both search terms you want (career counseling* AND latino*); NOT narrows your search by eliminating articles that contain a specific term you do not want (eating disorder* NOT anorexia). An easy way to remember the difference is the rhyme OR gives you MORE, while the other two operators give you less (although the results may be better).

Statistics

See librarian Mary Finley's webpage Finding Statistics about Education for listings of state, federal, and international organizations (usually government agencies) that collect, analyze, and publish statistical data about education on a regular basis. Here are a few Oviatt Library resources with statistics:

Digest of education statistics. National Center for Education Statistics L112 .A3 2005 Reference Room (also available online as the Digest of Education Statistics.
Education state rankings: PreK-12 education in the 50 United States. LA217.2 .E383 5th ed. 2006-07 Reference Room
RAND California is an excellent database sponsored by RAND, a leading think tank. Click the Statistics link, then Education for stats on K-12 and higher education. You can format tables with data at the level of individual schools, districts, zip codes, counties, statewide, and/or national. Local data available on population, crime, wages, abuse, government asisstance, taxes, election results, etc. For more information, see Using RAND California and/or try a RAND practice exercise.

Testing Instruments

The Oviatt Library does not keep actual psychological and educational tests but does have databases (e.g. PsycINFO and ERIC) and books with descriptions, reviews and critiques of testing instruments. Some print resources are located behind the reference desk on Table 7:

Mental measurements yearbook / Buros Institute of Mental Measurements. BF431 .M549. All print issues from 1940 to 2005. Online user's guide, also in print on Index Table 7. Another copy is available in Reserve Room on fourth floor.
Test critiques. BF176 .T419 Most recent volume is Vol 11, published in 2006.

For more information about tests and measures, see the Research guide for EPC 601: Individual and Group Assessment. The CSUN College of Education maintains a collection of testing instruments in room 106A of the Mitchell Family Counseling Clinic (Education Administration building).

Web Sites

In addition to books and journals, Web sites can be a valuable source of information as long as you use sound judgment. For guidance in choosing Internet sources, see Evaluating Print & Internet Resources. The following Web sites are recommended:

American Psychological Association (http://www.apa.org/) is the producer of PsycINFO and other literature databases, over 50 journals, countless books and, of course, the APA writing style guide. With 150,000 members, it is the largest association of psychologists worldwide. There is a page specifically for students (http://www.apa.org/students/) which includes a free job bank. Student membership in APA is $43 a year for graduate students.
GLSEN Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (http://www.glsen.org/) is an advocacy group for members of the PreK-12 school community stuggling with issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Educators Resources Page offers lesson plans, curricular tools, information on teacher training programs, a listing of local chapters and student clubs, a library of free online resources, and a book shop.
MedlinePlus (http://medlineplus.gov/) from the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. Excellent source of consumer-level information on many diseases and conditions. Also provides links to MEDLINE searches, a medical encyclopedia and dictionary, Spanish-languange materials, drug information, and numerous links to other websites.
Teaching Tolerance (http://www.tolerance.org/teach/) from the Southern Poverty Law Center. Provides free educational materials that promote respect for differences and appreciation of diversity. There is also content for kids, teens, and parents. Publisher of the award-winning magazine Teaching Tolerance (http://www.tolerance.org/teach/magazine/index.jsp).

Books

Browsing: Most EPC books are located in the Library of Congress call numbers LB 1051-1091 on the second floor of the Oviatt Library. Remember to look also on the first floor Reference Room, although reference books (with green dots) cannot be checked out. Because EPC is broad in scope and intersects with many disciplines, however, you may want to browse books in other sections as well. Here are some related call number ranges:

Psychology -- all BF
Education theory and practice -- all LB
Career counseling -- HF 5381-5382
Family – HQ 503-1064
Genetic counseling -- RB155.7
Psychotherapy – RC 475-510

Searching: Use the Library Catalog to find books on a topic. If you don't know a specific title, then start with a KEYWORD search, e.g. "play". From the list of titles displayed, click on any one for more information. From here, you may switch to a SUBJECT search by clicking the links listed alongside Subject, e.g. Play therapy or Play--Psychological aspects. This will take you to a list of relevant Library of Congress subject headings which you may also want to explore. (Read more about Finding Books Using the Library of Congress Classification.) To determine if a particular book is available, look under Status. A due date will appear if the book is currently checked out. To be notified when a book is returned, click the Place a Hold button at the bottom.

Here is a sampling of EPC-related books in the Reference Room of the Oviatt Library. None of them can be checked out but some are also available online. Electronic books have no call numbers and must be accessed through the Library Catalog (requires a valid ID and password if accessing from off-campus).

The educator's desk reference (EDR): a sourcebook of educational information and research / Melvyn N. Freed, Robert K. Hess, and Joseph M. Ryan. LB1028.27.U6 F74 2002
Encyclopedia of applied developmental science / editors, Celia B. Fisher, Richard M. Lerner HQ 767.84 .E52 2005 (2 vol)
Encyclopedia of education / James W. Guthrie, editor in chief. LB15 .E47 2003 (8 vol) (also an electronic book)
Encyclopedia of education and human development / Stephen J. Farenga and Daniel Ness, editors. LB15 .E473 2005 (3 vol)
Gale encyclopedia of mental disorders [electronic resource] / Ellen Thackery and Madeline Harris, editors 2003
Gale encyclopedia of psychology / Bonnie Strickland, executive editor. BF31 .G35 2001 (also an electronic book)
Handbook of child psychology / William Damon, editor. BF721 .H242 6th ed. 2006 (4 vol)
Handbook of psychology / Irving B. Weiner BF121 .H1955 2003 (10 vol) see Volume 7: Educational Psychology
The Praeger handbook of education and psychology / edited by Joe L. Kincheloe and Raymond A. Horn, Jr. ; Shirley R. Steinberg, associate editor. LB1051 .P635 2007 (4 vol)

If you cannot find what you are looking for in the CSUN catalog, try the WorldCat database, which is a mega-catalog of books and other materials in libraries worldwide, including CSUN and other CSUs.

Recommend Books and Videos

The Oviatt Library is always looking for good materials to add to its collection. If you discover a book that would support the EPC curriculum, please forward the title and author to eric.garcia@csun.edu.

Also, if you see a high-quality video or DVD in EPC or related areas, please let us know that too. Use the online Video/DVD Purchase Recommendation Form and include distributor information, if possible.

Writing Help

The Library has a Web page on writing style (including APA) for quick reference: Online Citation Style Guides. In addition, there are many books to help you write and format your papers in APA style. The best-known is the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, BF76.7.P83 2001. Copies are available for use in the library at various locations, including the first floor Reference Room shelves, fourth floor Reserve Room shelves, and Reserve Desk. Other useful books are:

Concise rules of APA style BF76.7 .C66 2005 behind Reference Desk. This easy-to-use pocket guide, at $26.95 is less expensive than other formats http://www.apastyle.org/
World's easiest guide to using the APA BF76.7.A52 2002 Reference Room shelves

Note: As a researcher and writer, it is your responsibility to obey U.S. copyright laws and CSUN's plagiarism policy. Please read the Library's webpage Why cite? Avoiding plagiarism.

Starting Your Thesis?

Students beginning work on a thesis or graduate project are encouraged to use these resources:

Browse copies of masters theses and projects produced by previous CSUN students. EPC department theses and projects are located on the second floor in call number LB 2369 .Z953, then grouped by year of graduation. You can also do a SUBJECT search in the Library catalog using this phrase: Dissertations, Academic--CSUN--Education--Educational Psychology and Counseling.
Read the Masters Thesis guidelines published by the CSUN Office of Graduate Studies. This document is available online in two formats: Word and PDF.
Read the EPC Student's Guide for the Culminating Experience (PDF)

Other Libraries

In the Los Angeles area, there are 3 professional schools of psychology and education offering masters and doctorate degrees. All allow members of the public to visit and use library materials (onsite only).

Alliant International University Library in Alhambra.
Argosy University Library in Santa Monica.
Phillips Graduate Institute Library in Encino.

More Information

View the PowerPoint presentation designed for EPC 602: Research Principles.

See additional Web pages with Library resources for related disciplines:

Human development: Child and Adolescent Development Research Guide.
Early childhood education: Early Childhood Research Guide.
Psychology: Psychology Research Guide.

For information about the Library in general, see these Web pages:

Read the Library's webpage How to do Library & Internet Research
For help finding Library materials, come to the Reference Desk (but first check Hours of Service)
Get a virtual answer to your question (same day) by Email or Live Chat (real time)
Browse the Student Guide to the Oviatt Library (large PDF document)
Faculty: discover the array of Services for Faculty and browse the Faculty Guide to the Oviatt Library (large PDF)
Users with disabilities: discover Oviatt Library's Services for Users with Disabilities

The Oviatt Library has a MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/oviatt_library

EPC Librarian

Eric Garcia is the Oviatt librarian who serves the CSUN Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling. Her home page is http://library.csun.edu/egarcia/. Contact her at eric.garcia@csun.edu or 818-677-3840.

Stephanie Ballard created this webpage. Links were last checked on 8/20/07. Modified 21-Jul-2008 by Mary Woodley