Use ERIC: How to Search

Searches can be done across all fields [Anywhere] OR designed for specific search fields. Fields often used include ABSTRACT, AUTHOR, TITLE or SUBJECT HEADING. Use more than one search field if you want to combine search terms -- use AND. OR, or NOT in the box next to the search term.

Use the Thesaurus to find suggestions for search terms based on Subject terms used by the ERIC database.

Using SUBJECT TERMS is the most effective way to search ERIC.

Begin by clicking THESAURUS (see box Keyword Search above). Enter a keyword or phrase in the box then click on FIND to review subject terms that are used in the database to describe the topic.

Next select a subject term -- and both broader and narrower terms will be displayed.  If you want to include all the subject terms in addition to the primary term, check the box to the left of each term. By default these terms are combined using OR. Select AND or NOT if you prefer. Select ADD to add the selected subject term to an Advanced Search. This same process can be used to add additional subject terms from the Thesaurus to the Advanced Search. 

Select SEARCH on the Advanced Search page when your combined search has been constructed.

From the advanced search pages, you can select limits such as peer reviewed, educational level, date limits, document type, or language. Limiting to Journal Articles (EJ) will provide results only from published journals while Documents (ED) will provide various grey literature such as reports, case studies, proceedings, posters, and other types of submissions.

To combine results of previous searches, select SEARCH HISTORY underneath the search boxes. Select the boxes for the searches you would like to combine. Select either Search with AND or Search with OR. Terms will be combined by search ID# in the search box with results below.