ERIC Basics: How To Use ERIC To Search Your Special Education Topic. ERIC Digest E523.

This digest offers tips for both new and experienced users of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) database. It describes ERIC as a federally funded, nationwide information network providing access to papers, curriculum and teaching guides, conference proceedings, literature reviews, curricular materials, and journal articles in the field of education. It notes that over 60,000 documents and journal articles in ERIC relate to the education of exceptional children. The digest explains how to determine the best way to access ERIC, states the importance of using the "Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors" to identify subject terms, reviews the use of Boolean logic for expanding or limiting the database search, and points out that the 16 ERIC clearinghouses have information specialists to provide assistance. The ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education is noted as having the primary responsibility for collecting and disseminating information on special education. A supplement to the digest, titled "ERIC Basics: Search Planning Worksheet and List of ERIC Clearinghouses" is also available. (JDD)