Re[2]: CD vs. Online

[MS_HERBERT <herbert@GEORGIAN.EDU>]

I realize that we use different resources in a college library than the ones
you folks are using, but want to let you know what we have found with the ERIC
CD-ROM v. ERIC online.

There are various URLs to access ERIC online.  With these, you can enter only a
basic search with up to three terms.  You may get a message that there are
hundreds or thousands of matches, but, depending on which URL you've used, you
may only get 10-50 citations.

The CD-ROM (we have the NISC version, used as a stand-alone on one workstation)
allows us to search either at the novice, advanced or expert levels (with each
level giving you more detail options, such as years, EJ v. ED, institution,
document type, etc.).  All matches are displayed, originally in a short form
(highlighting the one you're interested in and pressing enter will bring up the
abstract).

Since our campus network does have Internet access (and many of our students
have access from home), we do tell them about the online versions of ERIC, but
advise them of the limitations.  If they only need a few citations and their
topic has only one or two descriptors/keywords, the online version will serve
their needs.

Barbara

Barbara Herbert   <herbert@georgian.edu>
Georgian Court College
Lakewood, NJ 08701-2697