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EDLD 621 Research Design: Background Info

Introduction: Why Use Handbooks?

Handbooks contain short entries that summarize and define complex research and also highlights important scholars.  Use handbooks to get background information, define theories, and find foundational scholars. Scholarly articles published in academic journals present a very small sliver of a large and often complex research topic, so handbooks can be an excellent way to get the bigger picture.

Handbook and Encyclopedia Databases

Use the below databases to search through thousands of encyclopedias and handbooks at once.

Professional Associations

Professional associations organize members that share interests in specific fields. They often host conferences or published trade magazines that explore issues workers are currently passionate about. 

Use professional associations to generate research ideas or to learn more about how your interests function in the world. 

Examples of Encyclopedias & Handbooks in Education