Education Resources Information Center - Essay Example

At times, research through ERIC can be time-consuming. This is due to the large library of information that ERIC has to offer (ERIC, 2012). Hence, locating information can be tiresome. Another disadvantage of using ERIC is that there is a cost incurred in accessing the database. Even though one pays for using ERIC, it still has a broad variety of data that cannot be accessed anywhere else.

Locating and reading original articles rather than just using the abstract source is vital due to several reasons. The reasons are that: the original article has the original and full information. The original article is of higher standards than the abstract and is up-to-date and complete. The original article represents the original information of what the article is about (ERIC, 2012). Unlike the information found in abstracts, which might just describe the original study, the original article has full information on the topic matter without biasness. Also, in most cases, people find that original articles are of higher standards than the abstract. This is because the original article is examined for quality before it is published, unlike abstracts. Finally, original articles are always up-to-date. They comprise the most recent information, unlike abstracts (ERIC, 2012).

It is advantageous to start with secondary sources of information since these secondary sources are produced by individuals who have examined the primary source and enhanced its information. Secondary sources give assurance that the primary source is viable (ERIC, 2012). They also summarize the primary source so that one could know what is contained in the primary source. Some of the valuable traits of secondary sources are: secondary sources are gathered from diverse databases. They also provide a summary of primary sources (ERIC, 2012). Gathering information from secondary sources takes less time than a primary source, and secondary sources provide a greater database of information. Secondary sources have quite several limitations as compared to primary sources. Some of these limitations are that the quality of the information is low, and information may be incomplete.

Library holdings that are considered primary sources are articles that offer first-hand testimonies, as well as direct evidence regarding a topic that is being investigated. These holdings are created by recorders or witnesses who experienced the event itself (ERIC, 2012). Library holdings that are primary sources refer to the sources that were created at the period of the event. They can, however, comprise memoirs, autobiographies, or oral histories that were recorded later. Library holdings that are primary sources are distinguished by content, irrespective of whether they are available in original format, digital format, microfilm, or published format. They can also be found in many libraries across the United States (ERIC, 2012).

Articles differ in format, but in general, have a reasonably similar scheme. They begin with a segment that looks at the background of the research, and a clarification of why the authors chose to do the research. It is followed by enlightenment of how the researchers experimented, and their results, plus conclusions. However, to assess a report and determine whether it is viable for the research, there are three ways of assessing an article to determine whether it meets the criteria of work. The three assessment rules are whether the researchers are reputable, what the research is about, and whether the literature review is viable (ERIC, 2012). These three rules will help determine whether the article itself is viable, and it will avoid wastage of time going through an entire article to determine whether it is viable.

Statistics refers to a field of knowledge that permits an investigator to derive and calculate conclusions about a matter from a sample of data (ERIC, 2012). Statistics permits a person to make generalizations regarding a large group based on what the person finds in a smaller group. Statistics deals with selecting, collecting, and classifying data, plus deriving and evaluating the strength and reliability of findings based on the data interpreted. Through statistical knowledge, a person can interpret whether a research report is accurate by using facts about the material (ERIC, 2012). By using the facts of the material, one can predict whether the research report is viable or not.

In conclusion, people should apply the above facts for better research in the future. These methods will assist a person to carry out viable research on any subject. People should know that there are many internet databases for research, but, to attain the correct information, they should only use viable databases. Read More