Databases: A gateway to literature in mathematics and science education research

The ease of using some databases may make novices feel like experts. This can be advantageous because it gives confidence in conducting searches. The confidence may, however, be a disadvantage if it prevents novices from learning more efficient and effective techniques. A study of ERIC searches by faculty members and graduate students indicates they are finding only one-third of the items that would be useful for their topics (Lancaster, Elzy, Zeter, Metzler, & Low, 1994). Furthermore, inefficient searches waste time. Few people have the time to wade through a few hundred records from a poorly designed search-full of unneeded items and missing relevant records. Science and mathematics education researchers must know how to efficiently access information in literature databases, and which databases are important and relevant for their research.