ERIC is an important resource for tracking education literature. ERIC indexes not only journals; it makes available the full text of research reports, conference papers, and other non-journal items. ERIC recently discovered that many documents it had digitized a decade ago revealed private information. ERIC removed most documents from the Web and has been gradually restoring them.
In the meantime, you have several options:
Avoid the ERIC documents in your database search.
- Use the Education Full Text database, which focuses on journals.
- Use ERIC, but limit your search to journals. Select journals under search options or source types. Marking the peer-reviewed box is another option.
- In the QuickSearch Advanced Search, select "KEYWORD" and "EQUALS EXACT PHRASE" to do a subject search. Ask a librarian if you need help finding the subject heading for your topic.
You may need to include ERIC documents for a thorough literature review. If so, here are some strategies for getting them.
- Many of the documents are available from other organizations. Try a Google search for the item's title.
- The library has many pre-2006 documents on microfiche. ERIC microfiche are on Level 1 of Coe Library and arranged by document (ED) number. Library staff can assist you in reading the microfiche and making copies. If you are off-campus, use Request It.
- The documents may be available through other libraries. Use Request It and interlibrary loan staff will try to track down the document to get a copy for you.
- ERIC is in the process of restoring the documents. Use their request form to give your needed document priority.