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Dissertations in Full Text

Great news!!!  WCSU Libraries now subscribe to the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (PQDT) Full Text database!!  Now you can access entire dissertations quickly and easily.  Try it now...then tell us what you think.  Use the Meebo box to share comments or ask any questions about using this powerful database system.

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Taking Sides: Controversial Issues in Education

Check out these current resources for researching current and controversial issues in education/teaching!

Troubleshooting Your Search Results: When You Get No Results

  • Check for misspellings
  • Check for terms that are unlikely to be used by an author
  • Check for terms that are too specific
  • Check your date limiters and adjust as needed
  • Check that you have used Boolean operators correctly
  • Check that you have closed any quotation marks and nesting symbols ()
  • Check for incorrect or missing field terms/limiters
  • Also try techniques listed under "too few records"

Troubleshooting Your Search Results: When You Get Too Few Results

  • Drop the use of multi-word phrases and use AND between words instead
  • Decrease the use of the AND operator or the number of concepts searched
  • Increase the number of synonyms or alternatives for a term (combined with OR)
  • Use the scientific/technical/generic name and the common/everyday/brand name
  • Use variant spellings (i.e. British variants--e.g. "color or colour"' "behavior or behaviour," etc.
  • Use truncation (*) at the appropriate place in terms to pick up variant endings (e.g. ecolog*)
  • Use a search term appropriate to the database you are searching (subject headings/descriptors)
  • Use a broader search term; use a thesaurus for the database or subject
  • Search earlier or more years of the database
  • Try searching a different database

Troubleshooting Your Search Results: When You Get Too Many Results

  • Decrease the number of synonyms by choosing the most specific subject headings or the most significant/relevant keyword
  • increase the number of search concepts (with AND)
  • Do not search the full text of the item (i.e. do not search by keyword)
  • Limit your search by field, e.g. restrict your search to terms found only in the title of the article, or the abstract of the article, for example.
  • Limit your search (to peer reviewed/refereed articles, by date, search only research articles, full text articles, etc.)
  • Limit your search by time period to the last five or less years.
  • Exclude less relevant concepts with NOT.

Subject Guide