The Assignment Question: Search the educational literature for information about intelligence testing for preschool children. Locate journal articles published after 1983.

Steps to follow: (Use scroll arrows at right)

1. Check to see that the box next to 'Check keywords in thesaurus' is marked. If not, click on the box to mark it.

2.  Click inside the search box next to 'Keyword or Phrase'.

3.  Inside the search box, enter intelligence testing. Then click on the search button

4. On the next screen, headed 'Searching on INTELLIGENCE TESTING$,' we get the message "No subjects in the thesaurus match the term INTELLIGENCE TESTING."

5. Click on 'Get suggested terms from the thesaurus'

6. On the next screen, entitled 'Suggested Subject Headings for INTELLIGENCE TESTING', we find a list of the most common subjects assigned to records that include "intelligence testing" as a keyword.

7. In looking over the list, we will assume that Intelligence Tests is closest to the concept we are looking for. Click on the View Thesaurus option following this subject heading to view its thesaurus entry.

   
   Note: As a general rule, always select the View Thesaurus option. The thesaurus entry is a cognitive tool that helps us to clarify our thinking and to choose the most appropriate subject headings for our search. It displays broader, narrower, and related subject headings as well as scope notes when they are available. If another subject heading from the thesaurus entry were to seem more appropriate, you could click on it to see the thesaurus entry for that heading.
    

8. For this search, click on the focus option following INTELLIGENCE TESTS to find records where this term is listed as a major subject heading.

9. The next screen presents us with the message 'You searched for INTELLIGENCE-TESTS.MAJT', tells us that more than 2000 records match the search, and gives us the first 8 records from the list.

10. Good Work!

11. Now click on the Search Menu option on the right hand side of the ERIC screen. NOTE that the results of your first search have been saved as a set (s1) in a box at the top of the search screen.

12. Now, you will do the same steps for Preschool Children that you did for Intelligence Testing.

13. Make sure the box next to 'Check keywords in thesaurus' is checked and that you have clicked inside the search box next to 'keyword or phrase'.

14. Inside the search box, enter preschool children and then click on the search button.

15. On the 'Searching on PRESCHOOL CHILDREN$' screen we see that preschool children is a valid subject heading. Click on the View Thesaurus option to view its thesaurus entry.

16. Click on the focus option following PRESCHOOL CHILDREN to find records where this term is listed as a major subject heading.

17. The next screen presents us with the message 'You searched for You searched for PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN.MAJT, tells us that more than 6000 records match the search, and gives us the first 8 records from the list.

18. Click on the Search Menu option on the top right hand of the ERIC screen. NOTE that the results of this second search have been added as a set (s2) in the box at the top of the search screen.

19. To form a new set of records for items that combine both concepts, click in the check boxes in the Combine column to the right of both s1 and s2. Make sure the pulldown box following 'Combine marked sets with' is set to AND (rather than OR) and then click on the Combine Sets button.

20. The next screen tells us that more than 50 records match our search and lists brief citations for the first 8 items. We will now limit this set to items that are journal articles published after 1983.

21. Scroll down and click on the Limit Search Results link near the bottom of the page.

22. Scroll down the Search Limits screen and mark CIJE (Journal Articles) to limit the search to journal articles.

    
    Note: Mark 'RIE (ERIC Documents)' to limit search to ERIC documents. For both articles and documents, leave the default choice, '[No Limit]', marked.
     

23. In the box next to After under year, type 1983.

24. Click on the Limit Results Now button near the bottom of the screen.

25. The Title List screen that comes up next shows that there are over 10 records for the Subject Headings and Limits listed. The first 8 results are listed in reverse chronological order.

26. The brief citation for a journal article (CIJE) includes: Article Title, Author, Source, Volume, Issue, Pages, and Date. Brief citations for ERIC documents (RIE) include: Title, Author, and (sometimes) Date.

27. For both journal articles (CIJE) and ERIC documents (RIE) each citation also gives the option to view the Full Citation by clicking on the title.

28. Click on the title of the first record. In addition to the brief citation information the Full Citation displays an abstract, a summary of the information contained in the actual document. A list of the subject headings assigned to the record is also included. Clicking on one of them will search for and display records for all items that have been assigned that subject heading.It will also add the set to the search history where it can be combined with other sets.

    
    Note: If you were interested in other titles by this author you could click on the author's name to retrieve a set of other articles by that author.

    SPECIAL NOTE: The Full Citation is NOT the full text of the article or document.
     

29. To obtain a full-text copy of the article or document, you will first need to get a copy of the citations to which you can refer, so that you can seek or order the item at the library.

30. Note: a 'store record' button appears in the right hand column on the full citation screen. Click on the title list link in the right hand column. Note: a check box appears to the left of each record in the list and that "store marked records' and 'store all on page' button appear at the bottom of the page. These are used to select and store one or more items for outputting (printing, saving, or emailing).

31. You will pick two citations for outputting (printing, saving, or emailing).

32. Click in the selection checkboxes to mark the records for the article by Harrington, Robert G. and the article by Carvajal, Howard H. Each of the citations refer to the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence - Revised.

33. After marking the two selections, click on the 'store marked records' button at the bottom of page.

    Note: If you are moving from page to page to mark records, always click the store marked records button on that page before moving to the next.

34. Click on the View Stored Records link that has now been added to the right column.

35. The 'output to' pulldown menu (click, hold, and pull down to your choice) on the 'Saved Records' page that comes up gives you the following choices:
    • Choose 'my browser' if you want to display or print the records.

    • Choose 'file download' if you want to save them to a text file. (you will need a floppy disk if you are doing this in the library)

    • Choose 'E-mail (enter address below)' if you want to send a list ofthe records to your e-mail account.

36. Scroll down the page and select 'citation + abstract' for the format appropriate to the output method you have chosen. (HTML formats if you have chosen 'my browser' or plain text formats if you have chosen file download or e-mail.)

    Note: if you chose the e-mail option, make sure you have entered your e-mail address in the entry box near the top of the page.
     

37. Click on the output now button near the bottom of the page

38. If you chose output to My Browser, the records will appear on the screen and you can then choose your browser's print command to print them.

39. If you chose File Download, you will be prompted through the steps to download the files to your disk.

40. If you chose E-Mail (enter address below), the results will be sent to the address you entered.

41. You are now ready to locate the journal articles at your library.

    
    Note: If you searched for ERIC documents (RIE), most are available in microfiche format. Check with a Librarian.
     

42. Good Work! Please click on the logout button at the bottom of the ERIC screen to end your search.

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    To find additional information about the test (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence - Revised) you selected, go to the next tutorial on Tests in Print (TIP) and Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY)