Search Services

Kenji Kitao and S. Kathleen Kitao

(Last updated on October 17, 1997)

k.kitao@lancaster.ac.uk

Introduction

When you need to find papers, articles or books on a particular subject, one of the easiest ways to do it is to do an on-line search. In this section, we will describe some of the major on-line search services which are of use to linguists and language teachers.

BIDS and OCLC are useful resources, and many libraries have them. You can check with your library to find out whether your university has an account. Your university may have these or similar services.

1. BIDS

BIDS is a search service with various indexes which has citations and abstracts from a large number of journals. It is fairly easy to use, if you just read the menus and follow the directions. You open BIDS by typing "telnet bids" (or telnet bids.ac.uk, if you are outside of the United Kingdom). You choose BIDS ISI from the menu, and then enter the username and password. From the menu, you choose "Select ISI Database," and then you can choose among the Social Sciences Citation Index, the Science Citation Index, the Arts and Humanities Index, and the Index to Scientific & Technical Proceedings. (If you are interested in linguistics and language teaching, the Social Sciences Citation Index is the one most likely to be of interest to you.)

Using the Social Sciences Citation Index, you can search for word(s) in title; word(s) in title, keywords or abstract; author name(s); or journal title. You enter the term you want to search for, and you will get a list of the number of articles found for each year. You can view the articles found in your search by pressing "d" (display). You will have a choice of the amount of information you want to have displayed, including title only, title author and journal, and so on. You can also have up to 150 citations sent to you by e-mail by pressing "p" (output).

You may want to refine your search if you get too many citations on your first search, or if the citations you get are not what you want. You can combine previous terms using "use previous sets" from the search menu.

You can use the options menu to expand the years that your search covers. (The default covers 1993 to the current year; you can search for any year[s] between 1981 and the current year.) You can also use the options menu to switch to different subject database, limit searching to specified language(s), or limit searching by document type(s).

I understand that you can make a bibliography easily using ENDNOTE, a computer program. If this is true, it will be very helpful to you for writing your dissertation or thesis.

2. OCLC FirstSearch

OCLC has a variety of searchable databases. They include ERIC, which is an American-based abstracting service, WorldCat, which connects you to university libraries throughout the world, ArticleFirst, which is a database of titles of journal articles from 12,000 journals, and ContentsFirst, which allows you to see the tables of contents of the 12,000 journals.

You access OCLC through NISS (National Information Services and Systems). To enter OCLC FirstSearch, you type "telnet niss" ("or telnet niss.ac.uk" if you are outside of the UK) and type TD to get OCLC FirstSearch. (NISS also has other resources, some of which are available to non-subscribers. They are discussed in "Internet Gateway: Using niss.ac.uk." After entering the username and password, you choose the database you want by choosing "6 All Databases." You then have the choice of nine databases. The databases you probably will find most useful are described below.

For all these databases, you can download the lists of citations that you find by having them sent to your e-mail address. (Press "e.") However, the disadvantage of FirstSearch is that you can only download five citations at a time, which is too cumbersome if you have a long list of citations.

When you are finished with FirstSearch, you type "bye." This will return you to the NISS main menu.

A. WorldCat

One feature on OCLC is WorldCat, which gives you on-line access to library catalogues all over the world. After you get the database menu, you choose 1 WorldCat.

You search WorldCat by specifying an author, title, or subject. If the search matches the author, title, or subject you have specified against any publications, a list of the matches appears of the screen, and you can indicate the ones for which you want to see full bibliographic information. You can also find out which libraries hold each item.

B. ArticleFirst and ContentsFirst

You can also access ArticleFirst and ContentsFirst through OCLC FirstSearch. After choosing the one you want from the database menu, you enter the search term. In the case of ArticleFirst, you can search by subject, author or title, and you will get a list of articles, which is automatically displayed. You can type in the number of the article you are interested in to get more information about it. In the case of ContentsFirst, you can search by journal title, subject heading, or subject. You will get a list of journals. You can choose the journal and the volume and number you want, and you can see its table of contents. You can also get a list of the libraries which have that journal in their holdings.

http://www.oclc.org/oclc/menu/t-home1.htm
OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.

You can also refer our site, "Search Sites" (http://ilc2.doshisha.ac.jp/users/kkitao/online/www/referenc.htm#sites). Many sites are free.

C. ERIC

http://www.aspensys.com/eric/index.html
ERIC

*ERIC is another feature of OCLC. It is a very useful resource for faculty and students, not only for linguistics and language teaching, but also many other fields. The following is from ERIC.

a. What is ERIC?

The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is a national information system designed to provide users with ready access to an extensive body of education-related literature. Established in 1966, ERIC is supported by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement.

The ERIC database, the world's largest source of education information, contains over 850,000 abstracts of documents and journal articles on education research and practice. This information is available to you at about 3,000 locations worldwide.

You can access the ERIC database online, on CD-ROM, through the printed abstract journals, Resources in Education and Current Index to Journals in Education, or through cumulated microfiche indexes. The database is updated monthly (quarterly on CD-ROM), ensuring that the information you receive is timely and accurate.

If you need to search only since 1976, you can use the following site. http://ericae2.educ.cua.edu/scripts/ewiz/amain2.asp
Search ERIC

b. Searching ERIC on OCLC FirstSearch

After choosing ERIC from the database menu, you enter the search term. You can search by subject, author or title, and you will get a list of articles, which is automatically displayed. You can type in the number of the article you are interested in to get more information about it.

c. ERIC on CD-ROM

*It is possible to search ERIC on CD-ROM by purchasing a subscription. You can get one archival disc, which has ERIC up to 1980, and each quarter, you receive an updated disc, or you can order the discs individually. The drawback of the CD-ROMs is that they not updated as often as on-line versions, but they are more complete (most on-line versions only cover the past few years), and they are easy to use and always available.

*The cheapest place to obtain the CD-ROM is the ERIC Processing and Reference Facility.
1301 Piccard Drive, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20850-4305
Phone 301-258-5500 Fax 301-948-3695 e-mail ericfac@inet.ed.gov
Price for foreign countries by air:
archival disk plus one year's subscription to quarterly updated current disk--$140
above without archival disk--$115
current disk only (from 1980-present)--$28
archival disk and current disk only--$55
NISC DISC User's Guide--$15

*If you have a computer with a CD-ROM drive, you can use this CD-ROM.

d. Purchase of ERIC documents

http://edrs.com/
ERIC Document Reproduction Service

http://www.edrs.com/Webstore/Express.cfm
Express Search if you know ED number

An order can be placed with a Mastercard or Visa via Internet, mail, fax, or phone. An order can also be placed by mailing in a check or money order drawn on US funds. The payment and price schedules have been included for you.

A deposit account can be established by mailing in a check (drawn on US funds) for a minimum of $300.00. Once the account has been established an order can be placed via phone, mail, fax, or e-mail.

ERIC DOCUMENT PRICE SCHEDULE
BASED ON NUMBER OF PAGES IN ORIGINAL DOCUMENT

e. Submitting to ERIC

It is good for students to submit their work to ERIC, because ERIC documents may be considered as a publication. It is important for graduates to have publications as well as a degree when they look for a job.

ERIC collects a variety of materials on a wide range of education-related topics. Examples of materials included in the database:

Making copies of your paper available through ERIC does not preclude you from seeking other forms of publication. To submit papers to ERIC, please send 2 copies to the acquisition office of the appropriate clearinghouse or to the ERIC Processing and Reference Facility at the address above, along with a signed copy of the ERIC Document Release Form. This form gives ERIC permission to make copies available to others.

*The release form is at the end of this document.

f. ERIC Clearinghouses

Sixteen contractors from the academic and not-for-profit sectors, each responsible for collecting the significant educational literature within their particular scope of interest area (e.g., career education), selecting the highest quality and most relevant material, processing (i.e., cataloguing, indexing, abstracting) the selected items for input to the database, and also for synthesizing the literature and providing information analysis products (e.g., Digests) and various user services.

ERIC CLEARINGHOUSES
*(only the ones of interest to linguistics or language teachers are listed here)

http://www.aspensys.com/eric/barak.html#1

ERIC Clearinghouses

ERIC Clearinghouse on ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION (TM)
Catholic University of America
210 O'Boyle Hall
Washington, DC 20064-4035
Telephone: 202-319-5120
FAX: 202-342-5033
Internet: eric_ae@cua.edu

http://ericae2.educ.cua.edu/
Clearinghouse

All aspects of tests and other measurement devices. The design and methodology of research, measurement, and evaluation. The evaluation of programs and projects. The application of tests, measurement, and evaluation devices/instrumentation in education projects and programs.

ERIC Clearinghouse on INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY (IR)

Syracuse University
Center for Science and Technology, 4th Floor, Room 194
Syracuse, New York 13244-4100
Telephone: 315-443-3640
FAX: 315-443-5448
Internet: eric@ericir.syr.edu

http://ericir.syr.edu/ithome/
Clearinghouse

AskERIC (Question service via Internet): askeric@ericir.syr.ed Educational technology and library/information science at all academic levels and with all populations, including the preparation of professionals. The media and devices of educational communication, as they pertain to teaching and learning (in both conventional and distance education settings). The operation and management of libraries and information services. All aspects of information management and information technology related to education.

ERIC Clearinghouse on LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS (FL)

Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL)
1118 22nd Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20037-0037
Telephone: 202-429-9292
FAX: 202-659-5641
Internet: eric@cal.org

http://www.cal.org/ericcll/
ERIC CLL

Languages and language sciences. All aspects of second language instruction and learning in all commonly and uncommonly taught languages, including English as a second language. Bilingualism and bilingual education. Cultural education in the context of second language learning, including intercultural communication, study abroad, and international educational exchange. All areas of linguistics, including theoretical and applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics. Includes input from Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on Literacy Education for Limited-English-Proficient Adults.

ERIC Clearinghouse on READING, ENGLISH, AND COMMUNICATION (CS)

Indiana University
Smith Research Center, Suite 150
2805 East 10th Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47408-2698
Telephone: 812-855-5847
800: 800-759-4723
FAX: 812-855-4220
Internet: ericcs@ucs.indiana.edu

http://www.indiana.edu/~eric_rec/
Clearinghouse

Reading and writing, English (as a first language), and communications skills (verbal and nonverbal), kindergarten through college. Includes family or intergenerational literacy. Research and instructional development in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Identification, diagnosis, and remediation of reading problems. Speech communication (including forensics), mass communication (including journalism), interpersonal and small group interaction, oral interpretation, rhetorical and communication theory, and theater/drama. Preparation of instructional staff and related personnel in all the above areas.

ERIC Clearinghouse for SOCIAL STUDIES/ SOCIAL SCIENCE EDUCATION (SO)

Indiana University
Social Studies Development Center
2805 East 10th Street, Suite 120
Bloomington, Indiana 47408-2698
Telephone: 812-855-3838
FAX: 812-855-0455
Internet: ericso@ucs.indiana.edu

http://www.indiana.edu/~ssdc/eric_chess.htm
Clearinghouse

All aspects of Social Studies and Social Science Education, including values education (and the social aspects of environmental education and sex education), international education, comparative education, and cross-cultural studies in all subject areas (K-12). Ethnic heritage, gender equity, ageing, and social bias/discrimination topics. Also covered are music, art, and architecture as related to the fine arts. Includes input from Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouses for U.S.-Japan Studies.

ERIC Clearinghouse on TEACHING AND TEACHER EDUCATION (SP)

American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE)
One Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 610
Washington, DC 20036-1186
Telephone: 202-293-2450
FAX: 202-457-8095
Internet: jbeck@inet.ed.gov

http://www.ericsp.org/
Clearinghouse

School personnel at all levels. Teacher recruitment, selection, licensing, certification, training, preservice and inservice preparation, evaluation, retention, and retirement. The theory, philosophy, and practice of teaching. Organization, administration, finance, and legal issues relating to teacher education programs and institutions. All aspects of health, physical, recreation, and dance education.

g. ERIC Reproduction Release Form

*The release form is available below or on the World Wide Web from:
http://www.cal.org/ericcll/ReleaseForm.html

Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI)
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)

REPRODUCTION RELEASE
(Specific Document)

I. DOCUMENT IDENTIFICATION:

Title:

Author(s):

Corporate Source:

Publication Date:

II. REPRODUCTION RELEASE:

In order to disseminate as widely as possible timely and significant materials of interest to the educational community, documents announced in the monthly abstract journal of the ERIC system, Resources in Education (RIE), are usually made available to users in microfiche, reproduced paper copy, and electronic/optical media, and sold through the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS) or other ERIC vendors. Credit is given to the source of each document, and, if reproduction release is granted, one of the following notices is affixed to the document.

If permission is granted to reproduce the identified document, please CHECK ONE of the following options and sign the release below.

_____ Permission is granted to the Educational Resources information Center (ERIC) to reproduce this material in microfiche, paper copy, electronic, and other optical media (Level 1).

or

_____ Permission is granted to the Educational Resources information Center (ERIC) to reproduce this material in other than paper copy (Level 2).

Sign Here, Please

Documents will be processed as indicated provided reproduction quality permits. If permission to reproduce is granted, but neither box is checked, documents will be processed at Level 1.

I hereby grant to the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC ) nonexclusive permission to reproduce this document as indicated above. Reproduction from the ERIC microfiche or electronic/optical media by persons other than ERIC employees and its system contractors requires permission from the copyright holder. Exception is made for non-profit reproduction by libraries and other service agencies to satisfy information needs of educators in response to discrete inquiries.

Signature:

Position:

Printed Name:

Organization:

Address:

Telephone Number: ( )

Date:

III. DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY INFORMATION (FROM NON-ERIC SOURCE):

If permission to reproduce is not granted to ERIC, or, if you wish ERIC to cite the availability of this document from another source, please provide the following information regarding the availability of the document. (ERIC will not announce a document unless it is publicly available, and a dependable source can be specified. Contributors should also be aware that ERIC selection criteria are significantly more stringent for documents which cannot be made available through EDRS).

Publisher/Distributor:

Address:

Price Per Copy: Quantity Price:

IV. REFERRAL OF ERIC TO COPYRIGHT/REPRODUCTION RIGHTS HOLDER:

If the right to grant a reproduction release is held by someone other than the addressee, please provide the appropriate name and address:

Name:

Address:

V.WHERE TO SEND THIS FORM:

Send this form to the appropriate ERIC Clearninghouse or to the ERIC Processing and Reference Facility,
1301 Piccard Drive, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20850-4305
Phone 301-258-5500 Fax 301-948-3695 e-mail ericfac@inet.ed.gov

h. More Information about ERIC

http://www.ed.gov/prog_info/ERIC/
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)

http://ericir.syr.edu/
AskERIC Home Page

http://ericae2.educ.cua.edu/scripts/ewiz/amain2.asp
ERIC

i. Searching ERIC documents since 1989

http://ericir.syr.edu/Eric/
Search ERIC Database searching ERIC documents since 1989

k.kitao@lancaster.ac.uk