Research in Student Affairs - POSTSEC 6273 - Research in Student Affairs - Research Guides at University of Northern Iowa

Focused Databases

Use Subject Search to Improve Your Searching

All of these databases feature subject search options. The best subject headings for locating research in postsecondary education are indicated next to each search engine.

ERIC (EBSCO) - [Education]
Education database. To focus on postsecondary education limit the "Education Level" to both "Higher Education" and "Postsecondary Education" (note "Two Year Colleges" is an additional option). To focus on research - limit the "Publication Type" to "Reports - Research".

Best Subject Heading Options (SU Descriptors): College Freshmen, College Students, Colleges, Community Colleges, Higher Education, Postsecondary Education

More details on how to search ERIC

Education Full Text
Education Full Text will cover more recent research (than ERIC). Though you can limit your search to Peer-Reviewed journals this database has neither a limit for "research articles" nor a limit for "education level". Limit to higher education (postsecondary education) by using subject headings (see below). You must inspect each article to determine if it reports an empirical study (research).

Best Subject Heading Options (SU Subject): Campus Planning, College Campuses, College Enrollment, College Freshmen, College teachers, Colleges, Community Colleges, Higher Education, Postsecondary Education, Universities & Colleges

APA PsycInfo (EBSCO) - [Behavior/Psychology]
Research on human behavior. Limit the "Methodology" options at the bottom of the page to "Empirical Study." "Age Groups" can be limited to Young Adulthood (18-29 yrs).

Best Subject Heading Options (SU Subjects): Campuses, College Environment, College Students, Colleges, Community College, Higher Education, Student Personnel Services

More details on how to search APA PsycInfo

ABI/INFORM Collection (ProQuest)
Business database. Focus on the financial aspects of higher education by changing the search option from "Anywhere" to "All subjects & indexing - SU" … and then using subjects like "higher education" OR "college" OR "university"

Best Subject Heading Options (All subjects & indexing - SU): College Campuses, College Students, Colleges, Colleges & Universities, Community Colleges, Higher Education, Undergraduate Students

Many, many other databases to choose from ...
There are over 200 databases available from the Rod Library. Contact your librarian to learn more about additional databases that might be ideal for your research.

General Databases for Locating Articles from Peer-Reviewed (Refereed) Journals

Use Subject Search to Improve Your Searching

All of these databases feature subject search options. The best subject headings for locating research in postsecondary education are indicated next to each search engine.

OneSearch - Rod Library Search Engine
This is the easiest way to be sure you're getting articles from peer-reviewed journals (aka refereed journals).
Search first - then - check the "Peer-reviewed Journals" option on the right-hand side of the results page.

Best Subject Heading Options: College Freshmen, College Students, College Transfer Students, Colleges, Colleges & Universities, Community College Students, Community Colleges, Higher Education, Student Services, Two Year College Students, Two Year Colleges, Undergraduate Students

More details on how to search OneSearch

Academic Search Elite
After searching check the Peer Reviewed and Academic Journals options on the left-hand side of the page.

Best Subject Heading Options (SU Subject Terms): College Freshmen, College Students, Colleges, Community College, Higher Education, Postsecondary Education, Student Affairs Services, Universities & Colleges

Gale Academic OneFile
Use Advanced Search to improve your search. While search results automatically default to Academic Journals you will need to check the box for "Peer-Reviewed" Journals to be sure the journals are refereed.

Best Subject Heading Options: College Freshmen, College Students, Colleges, Colleges & Universities, Community Colleges, Higher Education, Student Services

Do you REALLY want to use Google Scholar? Some Advice for the Intrepid on Searching, Peer Review, and Journal Impact

Google Scholar (CAUTION)
Google Scholar appears easy to use ... BUT ...
there's no (easy) way to limit to peer-reviewed journal articles. However you can check to see if a journal is peer-reviewed by pasting the name of the journal into either Scholar's Portal or UlrichsWeb, or you can past the title of the article into OneSearch

Below is some much needed advice for those of determined to use Google Scholar..

How Good is My Journal?

Researchers often want to know which journals in their field have the highest impact (and thus which are the most prestigious).

Here are three journal ranking systems and one "high impact journal" search engine that will help you determine if your article comes from a prestigious (or at least respectable) journal:

JCR: Journal Citation Reports
To check the impact factor of an individual journal - type in the name of the journal and then scroll down the results page to the Journal Impact Factor.

To compare the impact factor of the journal you searched for with the impact factors of other journals within the field of Education & Educational Research scroll farther down the page.

SJR: Scimago Journal Reports
Type in the name of your journal and then scroll down the journal report page to find which quartile the journal is ranked in (Q1 highest - Q4 lowest) as well as the H-Index for this journal.

SCOPUS CiteScore
CiteScore is "an annual value that measures the citation impact of a title (i.e., journal, book series, conference proceeding or trade journal; includes special issues). Based on Scopus, it provides a measure of journal citation impact to 26,000 titles (in 2020)" --- Elsevier (Scopus)

Web of Science (contains the Social Science Citation Index)
Web of Science features only well-respected high impact journals. An exclusive search engine that will also indicate how often a particular article (from a high impact journal) has been cited by other articles appearing in other well-respected journals.