Higher Education: A Library Research Guide  

If you need a copy of a issertation that is not available online full text, you can use the Library's free Interlibrary Loan Service to try and obtain a copy.

In addition to the databases below, you can also locate dissertations that are distributed as open access dissertations by searching Google using the the title, author. or keyword although identifying a dissertation from the retrieved results is a bit challenging due to the lack of meta tagging.. 

The CLIC has a collection of more than 300 handbooks. BE sure to check here as new handbooks are added periodically. Handbooks are a great resource for locating best practices, research theories, names of authors, background material, overviews of topics, and good keyword terminology to use when you search databases for journal articles and other materials to inform and support your research.

The handbooks are located to the right of the door as you enter the CLIC. You cannot check out handbooks; however you can scan (free if you use the digital sender in the CLIC) or photocopy them for 8 cents per page using the public printer in the CLIC and your Cavalier debit card

Sample Handbooks

For example, I was looking for a video about women attending universities. I clicked on the VIDEOS in VIRGO link below, entered  women and universities into the  search box and I got a list of videos  including, "The Chilly Climate for Women in Colleges and Universities."

Below are links to additional higher education journals and general education journals that publish articles that are recognized as outstanding and appropriate to higher education. Click on the Journal Title to get to the full text. When you click on the Publisher's link, you may or may not be able to access the article full text, so click on the Journal Title link. The links to the publishers often  provide information about author manuscript  instructions for submitting articles for publication, calls for manuscripts for themed issues, citation alerts, and more.

Below is a selective list of associations in this field.

You will need to write your research paper using a consistent bibliographic style.  Curry students usually are assigned to use APA style. However, other styles are also available.

You can learn to use RefWorks citation software by contacting a CLIC librarian at 434-924-7040. RefWorks automatically generates, for example, APA formatted citations. You can also elect to write the citations in the style you have been assigned to use, In either case, the links below should prove useful.

Need help finding information for a research project or have questions about borrowing library books?  Contact us.  We are happy to help with any questions about research or library services.

CALL: Kay Buchanan 434-982-2664
CALL: Carole Lohman 434-924-7040
EMAIL: Email the Curry Librarians   

The librarians have created many research guides to help you find resources for your research papers, journal articles you are writing, etc.

This guide was developed by the CLIC librarians to support Higher Education classes at the U.Va. Curry School of Education.

Updated 1/18/2013

Please give us suggestions to improve this guide!