After thinking about this weeks lesson, I had a few things to add regarding the use of periodicals, indexes, etc.
My Experiences:
Based on my experience with Periodical Indexes such as ERIC, EBSCO and Academic Search Premier I have noted several pros and cons.
The Pros:
- Access to a wealth of information that you would otherwise not find
- Most sources are academic (therefore ensuring authenticity)
- The search engines in many provide recommendations to narrow your search
- Online periodicals make access to information possible from anywhere at anytime
o Good for users who are not on campus (at the school library)
The Cons:
- You need the right keyword when searching or else you get a lot of irrelevant information
- Sources are not always legitimate because there may be limited information on the author/publisher
My Preferences:
While there are hundreds of different periodical indexes available to use, I have found EBSCO and Academic Search Premier to be the best as they are easy to use and provide consistently good sources of relevant information.
In the world of international schools, there is constant ongoing comment over the content of the various databases. Nobody is ever totally happy. What I've always liked about the ORC is the constant oversight of the products - changing them as often as needed to meet the needs of students and teachers in AB.
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