Skip to main content

Education, Adult Guide

Articles

When searching for journal articles, an indexing and abstracting database or print index is usually the best place to begin. Below are some recommended databases for research in Adult Education. For other databases, check the Article and Research Databases page of the library website.

Key Resources

  • ERIC (EBSCO)
    ERIC is a "bibliographic database that contains education-related documents and journal articles." The EBSCO interface also provides some full text linking.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • Canadian Business and Current Affairs (CBCA) Education (ProQuest)
    Please note: CBCA Education is now searchable as part of the larger CBCA Complete collection. Canadian Business and Current Affairs (CBCA) Complete is the nation's largest and most comprehensive bibliographic full-text reference and current events database. Available through the ProQuest Web interface, CBCA Complete combines full text and indexed content from all four CBCA database subsets (Business, Current Events, Education, and Reference). Subject coverage is comprehensive and information is available from the broadest range of Canadian sources anywhere.
    NOTE: In certain instances ProQuest has decided to omit particular 'articles' from full-text access due to copyright restrictions or because the item has not met their criteria for being an 'article' (ie. too short, a letter, not attributed to an author, etc.).
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • Academic Search Premier (EBSCO)
    Academic Search Premier is a multidisciplinary resource that "provides journal coverage for most academic areas of studies."
    Unlimited simultaneous users.

Additional Resources

  • Dissertations & Theses (ProQuest PQDT)
    ProQuest Dissertations and Theses "is the single, authoritative source for information about doctoral dissertations and master's theses. The database represents the work of authors from over 1,000 graduate schools and universities."

    All PhD dissertations and Master's theses from depositing universities are available from 1997 onwards, unless the document's author has requested a temporary delay.

    It is also possible to search within an interface exclusive to Dissertations & Theses @ University of New Brunswick.

    For UNB theses submitted after 2012, please consult UNB’s institutional repository, UNB Scholar, or the library catalogue, UNBWorldCat.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.

  • PsycINFO (American Psychological Association - EBSCO)
    PsycINFO is an abstracting and indexing database of more than 2000 journals (approximately 3.3 million records) devoted to peer-reviewed literature (journals, books and dissertations) in the behavioural sciences and mental health.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • Sociological Abstracts (ProQuest)
    Sociological Abstracts "covers the world's literature in sociology and related disciplines in the social and behaviorial sciences."
    Unlimited simultaneous users.
  • CINAHL with Full Text (Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature - EBSCO)
    CINAHL with Full Text is the world's most comprehensive source of full text for nursing & allied health journals, providing full text for more than 500 journals indexed in CINAHL. This authoritative file contains full text for many of the most used journals in the CINAHL index - with no embargo. With full-text coverage dating back to 1981, CINAHL with Full Text is the definitive research tool for all areas of nursing and allied health literature.
    Unlimited simultaneous users
  • Google Scholar
    Google Scholar searches a subset of the Web that Google has classified as "scholarly literature". They do not publish a list of chosen sites, and they do not state how often sites are checked. Some important sources are not covered at all. Thus, Google Scholar alone should not be relied on for comprehensive research.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.

UNB Libraries subscribes to a number of adult education journals, both in print and online. 

Some examples of adult education journals include:

 

Books

 

Search UNB WorldCat:
Limit to: 
Advanced Search | Locations Guide | Help

How to locate, access, and view eBooks in the UNB Libraries collection; includes downloading and installing the Adobe Digital Editions eBook reader:
https://youtu.be/DpjH4ZkDh98

Encyclopedias etc.

Below is a small sample of the encyclopedias and handbooks available through UNB Libraries.

To find more, search UNB WorldCat on the Find Books tab in this guide and include, among your keywords, the term "encyclopedia" or "handbook" (e.g. search for handbooks on special education using terms such as: "special education handbook").  Limit by Format to "eBook" for web-available versions.

Key Resources

  • Handbook of Adult Development [multiple locations HIL-REF BF724.5 .H36 2003]

    Includes sections on introductory theory and method, biocognitive development in adulthood, and social development in adulthood. By soliciting contributions from leading theoreticians and researchers in the field of adult development, this volume presents theory and research on this subfield of developmental psychology.

  • Handbook of Complementary Methods in Education Research [HIL-REF LB1028 .C577 2006]

    In this successor to Complementary Methods for Research in Education (1987), Green (U. of California., Santa Barbara) and colleagues at other U.S. universities introduce this volume as a continuation of the commitment by the American Educational Research Association to professional development. The editors launch the 46 chapters by addressing "what's complementary about complementary methods" in education research, emphasizing epistemic and methodological plurality. Other contributors address the field's philosophical, epistemological, and ethical issues; range of quantitative and qualitative methods; theory-to-practice challenges; and the impact of policy on education. Annotation #169;2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

  • Handbook of Online Learning: Innovations in Higher Education and Corporate Training [HIL-REF LB2395.7 .R83 2002]
    Chronicle of Higher Education article about the handbook: http: //chronicle.com/free/2002/08/2002081301t.htm" "The Fielding Institute authors apply an impressive wealth of organizational management theory and experience in their analyses of computer-mediated teaching and learning. The result is an enjoyable-to-read, fresh and lively book, delivering an abundance of ideas about how to establish a supportive learning environment, design a well structured course and manage electronically mediated dialog, -- in other words, how to successfully facilitate learning in the new context of on-line distance education." #62; Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.
    Table of Contents

  • International Encyclopedia of Adult Education [HIL-REF LC5211 .I56 2005]

    English (adult education, St. Francis Xavier University, Canada) compiles 171 entries, by authors on six continents, in this reference for scholars, graduate students, and practitioners in adult education. Contributors define the field and raise key questions for the 21st century, exploring terms, theories, movements, and concepts in the field, as well as strategies, institutions and organizations, and areas of practice. Entries are 1,000-3,000 words long, and include cross-references and extensive bibliographies. Annotation #169;2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

  • International Handbook of Higher Education
    see also [HIL-REF LB2322.2 .I58 2006 pts. 1-2]

    The purpose of this publication is to provide a central, authoritative reference source on the most essential topics of higher education. The International Handbook of Higher Education combines a rich diversity of scholarly perspectives with a wide range of internationally derived descriptions and analyses. Chapters in the first volume cover central themes in the study of higher education, while contributors to the second volume focus on contemporary higher education issues within specific countries or regions.

  • International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (2nd Ed.)
    see also [HIL-REF H41 .I58 2001 vols. 1-26]
    Fully revised and updated, the second edition of the International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences, first published in 2001, offers a source of social and behavioral sciences reference material that is broader and deeper than any other. Available in both print and online editions, it comprises over 3,900 articles, commissioned by 71 Section Editors, and includes 90,000 bibliographic references as well as comprehensive name and subject indexes.

    UNB has online access to the 2001 edition as well as owning print volumes of the earlier edition.
    Unlimited simultaneous users.

 

Literature Searching Essentials

Literature Searching Essentials

The following brief web tutorials are intended to acquaint you with tools and strategies for conducting and managing literature searches as a UNB scholar. Feel free to proceed sequentially or dive in where the need presents itself. Below we will cover:

  1. UNB Libraries Website
  2. UNB Worldcat for searching for books
  3. Article searching with ERIC and other EBSCO-based resources
  4. Searching for theses and dissertations with ProQuest Dissertations & Theses database
  5. Google Scholar for finding articles and searching through "grey literature"
  6. Zotero for citation management

Introduction

 

1. The UNB Libraries Website

 

2. UNB WorldCat for book searching

Does anybody even read books anymore? Well at the very least they skim them or else read them selectively - and often to great effect. While journal articles might be considered the primary unit of scholarly communication, books situate the highly specific info typical of research articles - say the mathematical achievement of 11 year old boys at an Anglican schools in Trinidad on the Secondary Entry Exam - in broader contexts - like the history and legacy of standardized testing in the Caribbean or comparing boys vs girls scores across all school types or different regions – the sort of contexts, in other words, that define academic and even societal discourses whatever the subject, period, or place.

But it’s not really my job to convince you of a book’s worth, only to show you how to find the ones you’re after.

More on retrieving research materials and document delivery: https://youtu.be/Ta9qicg1e10

More on eBooks at UNB Libraries: https://youtu.be/pNpW9mMRu-Y

 

3. Article Searching

When I was a youngster, the first floor of the Harriet Irving Library was nothing but big bound volumes of indexes and abstracts, floor to ceiling far as the eye could see, blotting out the sun. These were the ancestors of the article and research databases of today – oh and coffee back then? Forget about it! Get you thrown out on your head. My, how the times have changed. What hasn’t changed are many of the names we now associate with easy online access: ERIC, CINAHL, Dissertations and Theses, and many, many more have been around a long time, only now they’re joined by younger siblings like Academic Search Premier and Canadian Business and Current Affairs in a vast digital universe the access to which sometimes leaves you breathless.

So sit back, loosen up, and enjoy this double feature of ERIC and Dissertations & Theses, two titans in the realm of research literature, each available from UNB Libraries on a respectively popular platform - and learn how you make their power...your own.

ERIC on the EBSCO Platform

For those of you interested in learning more about how to break down a research question into its logical parts and put it back together in a manner that works well in ERIC on the EBSCO platform, have a look at the following document: SearchStrategiesForClassroomDesign_0.pdf

 

4. Dissertations and Theses on the ProQuest Platform

 

5. Google Scholar – the what, the why, the when, and then: the how

What – It's a treasure trove of research articles and so-called grey literature: technical and government sponsored reports, white papers, conference proceedings, theses and dissertations - and more.

Why – it’s easy to use and you don’t have to worry about mastering database- or discipline- specific controlled vocabularies - though they’re hardly a liability, just not everyone’s idea of time well spent - while leaving the sophistication of the searching up to Google Scholar leads to a lot of false positives - we’re talking...millions - the cream, if there is any, often mysteriously rises to the top...

And as you gain practice you get better at making the searching work for you. Another plus: a lot of international research, often housed in institutional repositories – like UNB Scholar here, or UWISpace in the Caribbean, not to mention the aforementioned grey literature - isn’t found in the subscription databases. And then there are some great features like tracing the influence of a piece of research into the future – from when it was published – not like the future future – though with Google I wouldn’t put it past them. Maybe in a future future upgrade.

The When – Whenever – start here or go directly to subscription databases, but ideally you will use them in tandem since there is bound to be areas where coverage doesn’t overlap – and you’re a serious scholar now.

And now, the How. These next two videos impart indispensable tips and tricks for using Google Scholar as a UNB student and, while they won’t constitute the most dynamic seven minutes of your life, they will more than pay for themselves in time saved and research accrued moving forward.

5 a. Google Scholar I

How to set up authentication or linking to UNB Libraries' full text journal and ebook subscriptions from within Google Scholar

 

5 b. Google Scholar II

The ins and outs of GS searching

 

6. Zotero for citation management

A software program that collects, manages, and cites research sources, Zotero is easy to use, works with your web browser where you do your work, and best of all it's free. With one click, Zotero will save web pages, books, PDFs, abstracts, and almost anything else with all its citation information. Learn more here:
https://guides.lib.unb.ca/guide/206

Bonus Content

Research Booster I

  • UNB Scholar Profiles
  • Google Scholar + Zotero
  • ETD Formatting basics

Lay a firm foundation for your research and publishing activities with this action-packed 45 minute introduction to useful practices, products, and people.

With Marc Bragdon, Mike Nason, and Rob Glencross.

Citing Sources

Zotero for citation management

A software program that collects, manages, and cites research sources, Zotero is easy to use, works with your web browser where you do your work, and best of all it's free. With one click, Zotero will save web pages, books, PDFs, abstracts, and almost anything else with all its citation information. Learn more here:
https://guides.lib.unb.ca/guide/206

 

Citations

More Information More Information