EBSCO ERIC Guide

Getting Started

Basic Search

Advanced Search

Visual Search

ERIC Thesaurus

Viewing/ Printing

Saving/ Alerts

This guide is for using the EBSCO version of ERIC. It contains instructions that are specific to users with affiliations to UMaine. Residents of Maine who are not affiliated with the University of Maine can access ERIC through the state's license for databases at http://libraries.maine.edu/mainedatabases/#e . A free version of ERIC is available at http://www.eric.ed.gov.

Users who wish to pull peer-reviewed journals from their results should use the CSA version of ERIC. For assistance using the CSA version of ERIC click here.

Getting Started

Mac users will have an easier time printing if they use the Safari browser. Safari can be downloaded at http://www.apple.com/safari/download/

Locating ERIC on the Fogler Web Page
1. From the Fogler Library web page at http://www.library.umaine.edu/ go to the link "Search in a Database" under the heading "Articles on your topic.

2. Under the Databases A-Z list click on E.

3. Then click on the link for ERIC (EBSCO).

Connecting to ERIC from Guide
You can go directly to the site from this link to ERIC (EBSCO)

Accessing ERIC Remotely
1. You will need to enter your name and the number on the back of your Maine card in order to access ERIC.

2. Your Maine card needs to be activated. If you have not checked out a book, you will need to have your Maine card activated at the circulation desk.

Basic Search

Basic Search is the default setting for ERIC. This is the single search box that searches all of the default fields.

Entering Your Search Terms

Your search terms are the words that must match part of the ERIC record. When you do a Basic Search your search terms are automatically compared to all the fields of the record including the abstract.
1. Enter a subject term or the name of an author or journal title. Example: dyslexia
2. Use AND to look search for more than one term. You can search for a subject and an author. Example: Dodge AND aggression

3. Use OR to search for synonyms. Matching records will contain either of your terms. Example: children OR adolescents
4. Use NOT to eliminate certain aspects of a term. Example: curriculum NOT reading
5. Put ( ) around terms to make a complex search. Example (children OR adolescents) AND discipline

6. Use * to truncate words so that you can capture both the singular and the plural. Example: child*

Setting Limits in Basic Search
You can place a number of limits on your search. When you place a limit on your search you will not see any records that do not match your limits.

1. Because we now have an additional database of full-text articles in Education Full Text, it is NOT a good idea to limit your search to full text. Use Article Linker to access the full text articles from Education Full Text.
2. The journal or document limit allows you to choose between the two types of resources kept in ERIC. ERIC documents (ED) include a variety of formats from ERIC digests to entire books. EDs may vary in scholarly quality. ERIC journal articles (EJ) may or may not be peer reviewed.

Narrow Results by Subject
1. You can narrow the results within your results by clicking on a subject term in the yellow box on the left of search results. Below are the subject terms returned, if you search by the keyword Dyslexia.

2. This process can be repeated by clicking on another subject term. Each time the results are further limited.

Sorting Results
1. The default listing is by date

2. Results can also be listed by author, source, or relevance.

Advanced Search

To access Advanced Search click on the Advanced Search tab that is near the top of your screen.

Entering Your Search Terms

If you leave the setting for "Default Fields" your search terms are matched in the same way as a basic search. Unless you are know a specific field you wish to search, you should use the default fields.
Advanced Search has pull down menus for AND, OR and NOT.

Setting Limits in Advanced Search
Advanced Search contains all the limits that are available in Basic Search (e.g. full text, document type). Advanced Search allows for more limits including Education Level, Publication Type, Intended Audience, and Government Level.

Search History on Advanced Search
1. ERIC automatically makes a temporary file running your searches. This file will not remain if you close out of the database.
2. Click on the tab "Search History/Alerts" to see your search history.

3. You can click on the link to see the results or revise a previous search

ERIC Thesausus

Using the Thesaurus
The thesaurus is an index of subject terms that are used in ERIC. Subject terms are assigned to each record, and using them can increase your success in getting records that contain related concepts.

1. Click on the Thesaurus button that is in the top part of the screen.

2. Look for descriptors by entering your search terms into the box and then clicking on the Browse button. You will be shown the closest match alphabetically.

3. Click on terms to find the scope note and broader, related, or narrower terms.

Visual Search

Visual Search allows you to search across broad subjects.

Enter Your Search Term

Your results will come in a visual map organized by topic

View Visual Map

1. Circles represent categories of results. Squares represent links to articles.
2. Clicking on a category will allow you to access the articles and subcategories within it. A category can contain both articles and more categories.
3. The bar at the top can be used to show the filters, zoom back to the previous category level, or jump to the top level from wherever the search has gone.

The Show filters link allow you to search by keyword within the results, limit the years, and limit to full text.

Once you have clicked on a rectangle to bring up a document the record will appear on the right hand side of the screen.

Viewing/Printing

Opening Full Text Documents
	This link pulls full text directly from the ERIC government web site for ED documents
	This link opens pdf journal articles. The articles have the same format as print journals.
	This link opens pdf journal articles. The articles have the same format as print journals.
	This link opens html journal articles. These articles have been recoded using html and do not have the same format as the print journal.
	This button implements a process that connects the database to the journals in URSUS. This will connect to full text articles if URSUS has access to an online journal either through a subscription or through another database. If no online source can be found, then print resources or interlibrary loan are available.

Printing or Emailing a PDF Document
Mac users utilizing Safari can go to the file menu and hit print. Safari can be downloaded at http://www.apple.com/safari/download/. All PC users and Mac users utilizing Internet Explorer will need the following instructions for printing:
1. If you article has is a pdf document you will see icons above article

2. Click on the icon of a printer to print the article.
Do NOT go to the file menu and click on print. If you do this, you will not print the article.
3. Click on the link "Email" that is on the upper right of your screen.

If you do not see this link at the upper right of your screen, you may not be able to email the article.
Do NOT click on the icon next to the printer icon. This is an emailing icon, but it won't work.

Printing or Emailing an HTML Document
1. If you article is an html document you will links above the article.

2. Printing is easier for html documents. All users can use the print command under the file menu or click on the "Print" link to print the article.
3. Click on the "E-mail" link to email the article.

Locating ERIC Journal Articles and ERIC Documents in Fogler
1. Fogler Library has a complete collection for all ED documents that are available on microfiche prior to 2003. They are filed by ED number. Ask for assistance in the Microform area.
2. The journals are shelved in alphabetic order unless otherwise noted in URSUS. Floor 1 contains A -- Chemical Society Journal Floor 1b contains Chemical Society Proceedings -- Journal of Reprints for Anti-Trust Law and Economics Floor 2 contains Journal of Reproduction and Fertility -- Physical Review Floor 2b contains Physical Review A -- Zygon
3. If Fogler does not have access to an item either online or in print you can request it through interlibrary loan.

Using Folders

Saving in a Temporary Folder
Note: Documents in a temporary folder will be lost if you close ERIC or time out due to inactivity.
1. Click on the icon of a folder located to the right of an individual item.

2. Click on the link at the top of the screen to save all of the items in a search.

Viewing Items in Folder
1. Click on the folder icon in the upper right area of your computer screen to see items in folder.

2. Once you are in the folder area, you may email, save, print, export , or remove your items.

You must open an article in order to to print or email the full-text.

Saving on the EBSCO Server
1. In order to save a search or create a web alert on the EBSCOhost server, you must sign up for an EBSCO host account. There is a link at the top of the page called "Sign Into My EBSCOhost" which leads to an area where you can sign in or create a new account.

2. Click on the "I'm a new user" link.


3. Click on the link "Save Searches/Alerts" to save your search.

4. Enter a name and description for your saved search.
5. Select either a permanent or temporary (24 hr) save.

Web Alerts on EBSCOhost
1. Web Alerts are created by clicking on the "Save Searches/Alerts" link.

2. A Web Alert can run your search on on a regular basis ranging from daily to monthly and send you email links to new matching records.

Contact Information for ERIC
Education Subject Specialist: Cynthia Crosser Phone: 581-3612 cynthia.crosser@umit.umaine.edu \| Revised: 01/25/2008