A Primary Source is an original object or document or a first person account by someone who experienced or witnessed an event.
A Secondary Source is one step removed from the primary original source. The author is reexamining, interpreting and forming conclusions based on the information that is conveyed in the primary source.
PsycINFO is the only database that offers a filter by Methodology, for example, empirical, qualitative and quantitative. In all other library databases, the closest a search can by limited to primary research, is to limit to peer review.
Search by keywords/small phrases and use Boolean searching.
AND: "student perception*" AND a"online learning"
OR: "student perception*" or "students attitudes"
Use "quotation marks" to search for whole phrases.
Limit search results by Date and Peer-Reviewed journals.
Consider truncation. The symbol used is usually *.
disab* will retrieve: disabled, disabilities, disability, etc.
Check Subject terms to see if there are any synonym terms to consider.
If you come across a citation to an article and you'd like to track down its full text, follow the steps below:
The example below shows that The Journal of Continuing Higher Education is accessible in print/microform as well as online. The entry also shows coverage dates to indicate which years are accessible.
Google Scholar can be a useful tool when collecting research information. Settings can be updated to display:
Library Links - FindIt@Txstate
Bibliography Manager - EndNote (for Desktop EndNote)
***For EndNote Web, under Downloads, use Capture Reference.