A note from Kathy Herrlich, Sciences Librarian: I’m the library liaison for Applied Behavior Analysis, available to answer your questions and to help you to navigate the library's resources. I enjoy helping contribute to student success! The resources you see on this page have been recommended faculty in Northeastern’s ABA program.
I meet with students to help them to find high quality research articles and answer questions about evaluating resources, search strategies, and anything else you can think of. If you are struggling, please don't hesitate to contact me. To send an email or schedule a research consultation, look for the link in my profile box.
One strategy is to look for a review article first. Review articles attempt to summarize the state of research on a scientific topic. Review articles are a great way to get a handle on an unfamiliar topic. Review articles can be found in PsycInfo and PubMed, for example. In these two databases, you can search for a topic and select a box to view only review articles. Note that review articles have distinctive titles. Often you will see the phrase "Literature review" or "Review of the literature" in the article title. What does "review of the literature" mean? This phrase signals a specific type of search in academia. First, it denotes an in-depth search. Second, it is a search for original articles; these are research articles, published in scholarly journals, and they are the first instance of publishing the results of a study. An original article is written about a research study by the researchers who did that research. Third, the search is done across a very large body of literature in that discipline or on that topic.
Some sections of an article are the most useful for beginners. Those are labelled as Abstract, Introduction, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Pay special attention to them. Also scan the bibliography. The bibliography is the reference list, which is the literature cited at the end of a review article. Some people gloss over this section, but it can be a gold mine of information. Classic and seminal articles may be cited here, and it gives clues about the key discoveries and main researchers in the field.
See lists of core databases, and recommended journals and books, under Resources. To dive deeper into understanding what a review article is and does, see this author submission page from Taylor & Francis.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Behavior Analyst (new title: Perspectives on Behavior Science)
Applied behavior analysis advanced guidebook : a manual for professional practice --ebook, Second edition (Luiselli 2023)
Behavior analysis of child development ebook, unlimited users (Bijou and Baer 1995)
A behavior analytic view of child development --print only, Remote Annex (Schlinger 1995)
Behavioral foundations of effective autism treatment --print only, Remote Annex (Mayville and Mulick 2010)
Behavioral intervention for young children with autism --print only, Remote Annex (Maurice, Green and Luce 1996)
Clinical and organizational applications of applied behavior analysis. – ebook (Roane, Ringdahl, and Falcomata, Eds. 2015).
Effective practices for children with autism educational and behavioral support interventions that work. ebook (Luiselli 2008)
Handbook of applied behavior analysis --ebook (Second edition). Fisher and Piazza, Eds. 2021).
Handbook of applied behavior analysis --ebook (Austin, Carr, and Sulzer-Azaroff 2000).
Learning and behavior -- print only, Remote Annex (Mazur 1986)
Science and human behavior --print only, Stacks (Skinner [1953])
A scientific framework for compassion and social justice : lessons in applied behavior analysis --ebook (1st edition) (Sadavoy and Zube, Eds. 2021)
Teaching children with autism: strategies for initiating positive interactions and improving learning opportunities -- print only, Remote Annex (Koegel and Koegel 1995)
Understanding ethics in applied behavior analysis : practical applications --ebook (Second edition) Beirne and Sadavoy, Eds. 2022)
Verbal behavior --print only, Remote Annex (Skinner 1957)
A workbook of ethical case scenarios in applied behavior analysis --ebook (Second edition) (Sush & Najdowski 2022)
--8/22/24 Newly updated list, with several books added published 2021-present
ERIC, PsycInfo and Medline are three core databases, covering education, psychology, and medical literature, respectively. ScienceDirect is a smaller collection of scholarly journals in full text from the scientific publisher Elsevier.
Want to go one step further? Try these to broaden your scope even more
Donnelly, M. G., & Karsten, A. (2024). Resolving barriers to continence for children with disabilities: Steps toward evidence-based practice. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 17, 157-175. doi:10.1007/s40617-023-00891-0
Twyman, J., Pinkelman, S., Kenyon, S., Heward, W. L., Lattal, K. A., & Critchfield, T. S. (2024). Ronnie Detrich (1946–2023): A versatile behavior analyst who demanded more of behavior analysis and education. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 57(1), 32–38. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.1043
Plattner, C., & Anderson, C. (2023). Therapeutic relationships in applied behavior analysis: Current status and future directions. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 16(4), 1222–1230. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1007/s40617-023-00819-8
Kornack, J., Unumb, D. R., & Williams, A. L. (2023). Preventing insurance denials of applied behavior analysis treatment based on misuse of medically unlikely edits (MUEs). Behavior Analysis in Practice. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-023-00877-y
Gatzunis, K. S., Weiss, M. J., Ala’i-Rosales, S., Fahmie, T. A., & Syed, N. Y. (2023). Using Behavioral Skills Training to Teach Functional Assessment Interviewing, Cultural Responsiveness, and Empathic and Compassionate Care to Students of Applied Behavior Analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-023-00794-0
Thompson, R. L., Belokas, J., Johnson, K., & Williams, A. L. (2023). The Public Policy Advocacy Actions Checklist: Success Stories from Three States. Behavior Analysis in Practice. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-023-00874-1
Nohelty, K., Hahs, A. D., Rodriguez, K. A., Rue, H., Cameron, M. J., & Dixon, D. R. (2023). Assessing the social validity of telehealth-based applied behavior analysis services for autism spectrum disorder. Behavioral Interventions, 38(3), 590–610. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1002/bin.1938
Keesey-Phelan, S. H., Axe, J. B., & Williams, A. L. (2022). The effects of teaching a problem-solving strategy on recalling past events with a child with autism. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 38(2), 190–198. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40616-022-00176-7
Gatzunis, K. S., Edwards, K. Y., Rodriguez Diaz, A., Conners, B. M., & Weiss, M. J. (2022). Cultural Responsiveness Framework in BCBA® Supervision. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 15(4), 1373–1382. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-022-00688-7
Farros, J. N., Shawler, L. A., Gatzunis, K. S., & Weiss, M. J. (2022). The effect of synchronous discussion sessions in an asynchronous course. Journal of Behavioral Education, 31(4), 718–730. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-020-09421-2
Palmer, S. K., Maguire, R. W., Lionello‐DeNolf, K. M., & Braga‐Kenyon, P. (2021). Expansion of Sidman’s theory: The inclusion of prompt stimuli in equivalence classes. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 115(1), 255–271. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.655
Hilton, J., Syed, N., Weiss, M. J., Tereshko, L., Marya, V., Marshall, K., Gatzunis, K., Russell, C., & Driscoll, N. (2021). Initiatives to Address Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Within a Higher Education ABA Department. Behavior and Social Issues, 30(1), 58–81. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-021-00082-y
Coffey, A. L., Shawler, L. A., Jessel, J., Bain, T., Nye, M., & Dorsey, M. F. (2021). Generality of the practical functional assessment and skill‐based treatment among individuals with autism and mental health disorders. Behavioral Interventions, 36(1), 298–314. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1755
Coffey, A. L., Shawler, L. A., Jessel, J., Bain, T., Nye, M., & Dorsey, M. F. (2021). Generality of the practical functional assessment and skill‐based treatment among individuals with autism and mental health disorders. Behavioral Interventions, 36(1), 298–314. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1755
Lambert, J. M., Colton, C. D., Braga-Kenyon, P. R., & Boyle, M. A. (2020). Evaluation of transferability of persistence-enhancing effects of reinforcement through stimulus equivalence. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, 20(4), 236–251. https://doi.org/10.1037/bar0000196
Kornack, J., Williams, A. L., Johnson, K. A., & Mendes, E. M. (2020). Reopening the doors to center-based ABA services: Clinical and safety protocols during COVID-19. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 13(3), 543–549. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00462-7
Johnson, C., Iversen, I., Kenyon, P., Holth, P., & Souza, D. G. (2020). Murray Sidman: A life of giving. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(3), 1290–1298. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.718
Shawler, L. A., Russo, S. R., Hilton, J. L., Kahng, S., Davis, C. J., & Dorsey, M. F. (2019). Behavioral Treatment of Self-Injury: 2001 to 2016. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 124(5), 450–469. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-124.5.450
Mahoney, A., Li, A., Curiel, H., Plattner, C., & Poling, A. (2019). Self‐ and cross‐citations in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior: 2004‐2018. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 52(4), 1130–1139.
Chaffee, R.K.*, Briesch, A.M., Volpe, R.J., Johnson, A.H., & Dudley, L. (2019). Effects of a class-wide positive peer reporting intervention on middle school student behavior. Behavioral Disorders, 45(5), https://doi.org/10.1177/0198742919881112
Blair, B. J., Tarbox, J., Albright, L., MacDonald, J. M., Shawler, L. A., Russo, S. R., & Dorsey, M. F. (2019). Using equivalence‐based instruction to teach the visual analysis of graphs. Behavioral Interventions, 34(3), 405–418. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1669
Dudley, L. L., Axe, J. B., Allen, R. F., & Sweeney‐Kerwin, E. J. (2019). Establishing praise as a conditioned reinforcer: Pairing with one versus multiple reinforcers. Behavioral Interventions, 34(4), 534–552. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1690
Forte, S., Dorsey, M. F., Weiss, M. J., Palmieri, M. J., & Powers, M. D. (2018). Exploring issues of generalization and maintenance in training instructional aides in a public school setting. Journal of Behavioral Education, 27(4), 435–460. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-018-9304-0
Beaulieu, L., Van Nostrand, M. E., Williams, A. L., & Herscovitch, B. (2018). Incorporating interview-informed functional analyses into practice. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 11(4), 385–389. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-018-0247-7
Blair, B. J., Shawler, L. A., Debacher, E. A., Harper, J. M., & Dorsey, M. F. (2018). Ranking graduate programs based on research productivity of faculty: A replication and extension. Education & Treatment of Children, 41(3), 299–318. https://doi.org/10.1353/etc.2018.0015
Dorsey, M. F., & Harper, J. M. (2018). Toward the scientist practitioner model in applied behavior analysis: Examples of a science-based practice. Education & Treatment of Children, 41(3), 273–276. https://doi.org/10.1353/etc.2018.0013
Cohen, S., Fulcher, B. D., Rajaratnam, S. M. W., Conduit, R., Sullivan, J. P., St Hilaire, M. A., Phillips, A. J. K., Loddenkemper, T., Kothare, S. V., McConnell, K., Braga‐Kenyon, P., Ahearn, W., Shlesinger, A., Potter, J., Bird, F., Cornish, K. M., & Lockley, S. W. (2018). Sleep patterns predictive of daytime challenging behavior in individuals with low‐functioning autism. Autism Research, 11(2), 391–403. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.1899
Donnelly, M. G., & Karsten, A. M. (2017). Effects of programmed teaching errors on acquisition and durability of self-care skills. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 50, 511-528. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.390
Kornack, J., Herscovitch, B., & Williams, A. L. (2017). A response to Papatola and Lustig’s paper on navigating a managed care peer review: Guidance for clinicians using applied behavior analysis in the treatment of children on the autism spectrum. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 10(4), 386–394. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-017-0192-x
Braga-Kenyon, P., Guilhardi, P., Lionello-Denolf, K. M., & Dube, W. V. (2017). Teaching visual conditional discriminations using errorless learning: The role of prompts requiring simple and conditional discriminative control. European Journal of Behavior Analysis, 18(2), 180–194. https://doi.org/10.1080/15021149.2017.1309624
Cohen, S., Fulcher, B. D., Rajaratnam, S. M. W., Conduit, R., Sullivan, J. P., Hilaire, M. A. S., Phillips, A. J., Loddenkemper, T., Kothare, S. V., McConnell, K., Ahearn, W., Braga-Kenyon, P., Shlesinger, A., Potter, J., Bird, F., Cornish, K. M., & Lockley, S. W. (2017). Behaviorally-determined sleep phenotypes are robustly associated with adaptive functioning in individuals with low functioning autism. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 14228–8. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-14611-6
Axe, J. B., & Laprime, A. P. (2017). The effects of contingent pairing on establishing praise as a reinforcer with children with autism. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 29(2), 325–340. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1007/s10882-016-9526-9
Laprime, A. P., & Dittrich, G. A. (2014). An evaluation of a treatment package consisting of discrimination training and differential reinforcement with response cost and a social story on vocal stereotypy for a preschooler with autism in a preschool classroom. Education & Treatment of Children, 37(3), 407–430. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1353/etc.2014.0028
Lionello-DeNolf, K. M., & Braga-Kenyon, P. (2013). Membership of defined responses in stimulus classes. The Psychological Record, 63(4), 769–784. https://doi.org/10.11133/j.tpr.2013.63.4.005
Rue, H. C., & Knox, M. (2013). Capacity building: Evidence‐based practice and adolescents on the autism spectrum. Psychology in the Schools, 50(9), 947–956. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1002/pits.21712
Schmidt, J. D., Luiselli, J. K., Rue, H., & Whalley, K. (2013). Graduated exposure and positive reinforcement to overcome setting and activity avoidance in an adolescent with autism. Behavior Modification, 37(1), 128–142. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1177/0145445512456547
Karsten, A. M., Andrade, M., Cividini-Motta, C., Conde, K. A., Donnelly, M. G., McConnell, K., Moore, K., Peters, L., Roberts, K., Stocco, C., Sveinbjornsdottir, B., & Vanselow, N. (2012). A review of “Behavioral Foundations of Effective Autism Treatment.” Behavior Analysis in Practice, 5, 47-51. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391817
Knox, M., Rue, H. C., Wildenger, L., Lamb, K., & Luiselli, J. K. (2012). Intervention for food selectivity in a specialized school setting: Teacher implemented prompting, reinforcement, and demand fading for an adolescent student with autism. Education & Treatment of Children, 35(3), 407–417. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1353/etc.2012.0016
Pelletier, K., McNamara, B., Braga-Kenyon, P., & Ahearn, W. H. (2010). Effect of video self-monitoring on procedural integrity. Behavioral Interventions, 25(4), 261–274. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.316
Luiselli, J. K., DiGennaro Reed, F. D., Christian, W. P., Markowski, A., Rue, H. C., St. Amand, C., & Ryan, C. J. (2009). Effects of an informational brochure, lottery-based financial incentive, and public posting on absenteeism of direct-care human services employees. Behavior Modification, 33(2), 175–181. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1177/0145445508320624
Reed, D. D., Luiselli, J. K., Magnuson, J. D., Fillers, S., Vieira, S., & Rue, H. C. (2009). A comparison between traditional economical and demand curve analyses of relative reinforcer efficacy in the validation of preference assessment predictions. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 12(3), 164–169. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1080/17518420902858983
Carlson, J. I., Luiselli, J. K., Slyman, A., & Markowski, A. (2008). Choice-making as intervention for public disrobing in children with developmental disabilities. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 10(2), 86–90. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300707312544
Meany, M.G., Roscoe, E.M., Bourret, J.C., & Ahearn, W.H. (2007). A comparison of momentary time sampling and partial interval recording for evaluating functional relations. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40, 501-514. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2007.40-501
Lyons, E. A., Rue, H. C., Luiselli, J. K., & DiGennaro, F. D. (2007). Brief functional analysis and supplemental feeding for postmeal rumination in children with developmental disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40(4), 743–747. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1901/jaba.2007.743-747
Dudley, L., Johnson, C., & Barnes, S. (2002). Decreasing rumination using a starch satiation procedure. Behavioral Interventions, 17, 21-28. DOI:10.1002/bin.104
Weatherly, J. N., Stout, J. E., Rue, H. C., & Melville, C. L. (2000). The effect of second-half reinforcer type on responding for sucrose in the first half of the session. Behavioural Processes, 49(1), 43–60. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1016/S0376-6357(00)00072-3
Weatherly, J. N., Rue, H. C., Davis, C. S., & Melville, C. L. (2000). Delivering different reinforcers in each half of the session: Effect of reinforcement rate. The Psychological Record, 50(3), 543–556.
Weatherly, J. N., Stout, J. E., Rue, H. C., & Melville, C. L. (2000). Effect of unsignaled delay to reinforcement on within-session responding. The Psychological Record, 50(2), 355–371.
Weatherly, J. N., Stout, J. E., McMurry, A. S., Rue, H. C., & Melville, C. L. (1999). Within-session responding when different reinforcers are delivered in each half of the session. Behavioural Processes, 46(3), 227–243. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1016/S0376-6357(99)00046-7
Carr, E. G., Levin, L., McConnachie, G., Carlson, J. I., Kemp, D. C., Smith, C. E., & McLaughlin, D. M. (1999). Comprehensive multisituational intervention for problem behavior in the community: Long-term maintenance and social validation. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 1(1), 5–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/109830079900100103
Melville, C. L., Rue, H. C., Rybiski, L. R., & Weatherly, J. N. (1997). Altering reinforcer variety or intensity changes the within-session decrease in responding. Learning and Motivation, 28(4), 609–621. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1006/lmot.1997.0984
Iwata, B. A., Dorsey, M. F., Slifer, K. J., Bauman, K. E., & Richman, G. S. (1994). Toward a functional analysis of self-injury. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27(2), 197–209. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1994.27-197
Carr, E. G., & Carlson, J. I. (1993). Reduction of severe behavior problems in the community using a multicomponent treatment approach. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26(2), 157–172. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1993.26-157
Let's use this article as an example.
Beaulieu, Lauren, and Jaime L. Povinelli. "Improving solitary play with a typically developing preschooler." Behavioral Interventions 33, no. 2 (April 2018): 212-218.
Some articles can be found quickly and easily; others cannot. It may take some patience.
Prefer to watch a video? See this tutorial: Using a citation to find the full article (video link)
Copy and paste the article title, Improving solitary play with a typically developing preschooler, into the Scholar OneSearch search box (big search box on the library's main page). Choose location from the drop-down (e.g., Boston).
If an exact title match is found, it will be the first item in the results list. Click on the article title and click on any one of these "Download PDF," "View online," or "View Issue Contents in Browzine." The full text of the article should appear.
If an exact match is not found or the link doesn't go to the full text, try Option 2.
Go to the ejournal finder. From the library homepage, look for Journals and E-Journals, below Scholar OneSearch, to search for your journal, magazine or newspaper. It contains all the journals to which the Northeastern University Library subscribes.
Enter the source (journal) title for example, Behavioral Interventions, into the search box.
If an exact match is found, it will be the first item in the Ejournal results list. Click on the "View Online" link and look for the blue links. These are the options for full text.
Choose the blue link with the range of dates that best matches the year of the article publication. (Note: "Available from 2005" generally means the library has a subscription that includes issues from 2005 to the current year.)
If the title doesn't appear in the search results, it means that it is not a journal in the Northeastern University Library's subscriptions. Your next option is Interlibrary Loan.
Go to Interlibrary Loan (also can be found on the right-hand side of the Library home page).
Create an ILLIAD account. Log into ILLIAD, click on "New Requests" and then "Article."
Enter all the information you have available to you about the article-- Article Title, Author, Journal Name (source title), etc.
Submit your request and wait a day or two. You will receive either the PDF or a message with an update on the status of your request.
Ask a Librarian if you have questions about how to find an article or make an ILLIAD request.
To see this process visually, see:
A PowerPoint version of these slides is also available. See example citation with identified components in an alternate format.
What is Peer Review?
Peer review is a form of quality control for scholarly information.
Peer review is a process by which a scholar's peers (other scholars in the same field) read, evaluate, and decide whether a new article is ready for publication. The article could be accepted, rejected, or returned for rewriting and revision. Most articles in scholarly journals (except for the editorials, commentary, letters and other short sections) have been through the peer review process. They have passed a test for quality before they reach the reader.
Why is Peer Review important?
Peer Review is a way to ensure quality of writing and research. Without a Peer Review process, readers would have to spend a lot more time evaluating every part of an article to determine its quality. They would have to spend hours reading poorly written articles to get to the good ones. Peer review saves time for scholars and students so that they can focus on learning about the results of a research study.
Learn more about Peer Review from the videos below!
Accessibility Note: Closed captioning is included in these videos. The same information can be viewed via videos or slides.
How do I find peer-reviewed articles? [Slide version (opens in new window)] Is this article peer-reviewed? [Slide version (opens in new window)]
Students in the ABA program will be expected to cite their sources in APA style. Follow your instructor's guidelines.
APA style is a standardized way of 1) creating reference lists (bibliographies) and 2) formatting and writing of manuscripts (the issues associated with headings, spacing, font, tables and figures, clarity of writing, avoiding bias, and more).
The official APA style guidelines exist in a book entitled Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (aka the "APA Style Guide"). The APA Style Blog is the official companion to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition. For citing tricky formats, the APA Style Blog can be a great help. It has a conversational tone and helps to demystify citing of odd and unusual items.
Need an introduction to APA Style? See the APA Style Workshop website (Purdue University Online Writing Lab) for a clear and concise introduction. It covers: what is APA style, why use APA, general rules for APA style for manuscripts, what to avoid, basic rules for reference lists and in-text citations.
For specific APA Style examples, see Reference List: Electronic Sources (also from Purdue OWL). Use the left navigation on that page to find examples of citing books, articles, and other materials.
To see the big picture, view an entire sample paper in APA Style.
Always follow the guidelines of your instructor if they differ from the examples shown in the websites above.
For information about the BACB exam, visit the BACB website:
Students may find the following resources helpful when studying for the BACB exam:
A summary of a research article that appears at the beginning of the document. Reading the abstract may help you decide if you want to read the full article.
A note, comment, or explanation. Can be added to citations to create annotated bibliographies.
A geographic information system (GIS) software developed by Esri. ArcGIS enables you to analyze, visualize, and interpret spatial data for better decision-making.
Written content on a narrow subject and published in a periodical or website. In some contexts, academics may use article as a shortened form of journal article.
A detailed list of resources cited in an article, book, or other publication. Also called a List of References.
A group of libraries in New England that work together to share resources with students, faculty, and staff of member libraries. Northeastern University is a member of this group. Requesting a consortium library card is free to Northeastern students.
A free library available to people who work, live or attend school in Massachusetts. Boston Public Library's collection includes physical and digital access to books, journals, and films.
A label of letters and/or numbers that tell you where the resource can be found in the library. Call numbers are displayed on print books and physical resources and correspond with a topic or subject area.
A list of all the items in a library's physical collection. Modern catalogs are searchable databases. Catalogs include information about the item's:
Also called a catalogue, OPAC. Historically a card catalog.
Software that can help you collect, organize, and cite sources. The library provides training on five specific citation managers: BibTeX, EndNote, Mendeley, RefWorks, and Zotero. Also called citation management software, citation management tool or reference manager.
Physical materials assigned by an instructor and held at the library. These materials are generally restricted to in-building use for a limited period. At faculty discretion, some materials may be checked out overnight or for a few days.
A searchable collection of similar items. Library databases include resources for research. Examples include: a newspaper database, such as Access World News, or a humanities scholarly journal database, such as JSTOR.
A searchable online storage space for video files, images, and documents. Specialized digital repositories collect materials related to a theme or institution.
Northeastern University Library manages the Digital Repository Service (DRS). The DRS collects digital material related to Northeastern University's history and academic work.
The conversion of print or analog material to a digital format. Examples of digitization include:
A paper written to fulfill requirements for a degree containing original research on a narrow topic. Also called a thesis.
A unique number assigned to some digital content. DOIs do not change even if the online location or ownership of the resource changes.
A digital version of a thesis or dissertation produced by a master's or Ph.D. student. Most theses and dissertations written by Northeastern University students are ETDs. Interested researchers can find Northeastern ETDs in the Digital Repository Service. Theses and dissertations written before 2007 are only available in print format in the Northeastern University Archives.
A broad category of research in which existing research is reviewed to clarify what is known. Evidence synthesis uses explicit and reproducible methods. Common types of evidence synthesis include systematic reviews, scoping reviews, integrative reviews, and umbrella reviews.
A computer-based means of storing, analyzing, and displaying geographic data. Researchers use Geographic Information Systems to create maps and charts.
A way of examining and interpreting data about geographic locations, or spatial data. Geospatial analysis examines spatial data to gain insights and identify patterns or trends. Also called geospacial analysis.
A government document shared to inform and start discussion about proposed policy.
Research or reports circulated outside of a traditional publication process. Types of grey literature include:
Also called gray literature.
The system Northeastern’s library uses for interlibrary loan requests. The first time you request materials, you’ll need to set up your account.
A library service that allows you to request resources your library does not have. At Northeastern University, this service is free. Materials are delivered electronically when possible.
A unique number used to identify books. Many databases and search engines allow you to search for a book using an ISBN.
An ongoing publication focused on current developments in a field. Journal issues are released on a regular schedule.
A unit of Northeastern’s library with responsibility for services or systems. Some departments are referred to by their acronyms:
A search setting that removes search results based on source attributes. Limiters vary by database but often include publication date, material type, and language. Also called: filter or facet.
Notes, comments, annotations, sketches, added to the margins of a text. These can be typed or hand-written. Marginalia can include headers, footnotes, and sidenotes. In some cases, marginalia are written by the author of a text, but is often notes made by a reader.
Information associated with a resource, usually organized in a specific way. The word metadata means "data about data".
Metadata varies but often includes title, creator, and format. Descriptive metadata makes it possible to find and identify resources in a collection. When the metadata in a collection is standardized, the predefined structure is called a metadata schema.
Research or data available for free. Open access resources are sometimes labeled with an unlocked padlock symbol. These resources often have permissive licenses that support re-use and sharing.
What is Open Access?
Words used to connect multiple search terms to bring back targeted results. Operators can be used to reduce or expand the number of search results. Operators include:
Also called: Boolean Operator.
Well-regarded review process used by some academic journals. Relevant experts review articles for quality and originality before publication. Articles reviewed using this process are called peer reviewed articles. Less often, these articles are called refereed articles.
A newspaper, magazine or journal that is published on a regular schedule.
A free and open-source Geographic Information System (GIS) application. This tool set enables you to capture, analyze, visualize, and share geographic data. QGIS is a Mac-friendly alternative to ArcGIS.
Data defined by a grid of equally sized cells, akin to pixels.
To transfer information from one format to another. Example: Scanning a paper newspaper to create an online or PDF version. Reformatting includes digitization.
A webpage or pages created by librarians to guide your research in a field or course. Research guides include links to resources, tutorials, and other information.
The removal of a published article from a journal. A journal’s editors or editorial board can decide to retract an article when it has serious errors. Errors that can result in retraction include:
A book or article written by academic researchers and published by an academic press or journal. Scholarly sources contain original research and commentary.
Common filetype (.shp) for points, lines, or polygons. This filetype is widely used in Geographic Information Systems, specifically ArcGIS. Various free shapefiles are available online.
A library database that searches a broad range of resources. Material in Scholar OneSearch includes:
Scholar OneSearch also includes information about material held at Northeastern’s libraries. Researchers can use ScholarOne Search to organize their research and manage borrowed items. To best serve Northeastern University's widespread community, ScholarOne Search has different views:
Appropriate views for each global campus are included on their Global Campus Portal.
Information tied to specific geographic locations or positions on the Earth's surface. Also known as “geospatial data”, GeoData, or spacial data.
Library staff who have expertise in an academic subject. A subject librarian can offer advice on:
Subject librarians are available to work with individuals and small groups. They create guides and tutorials and teach workshops.
A source focused on sharing news and information of interest to an industry. Trade publications are often published by industry associations. Periodicals related to an industry are called trade journals.
An unrepeated string of numbers and letters used to recognize and differentiate material. Also called an identification number. Examples include American citizen's’ social security numbers or published books' ISBNs. A persistent identifier (PID) is a long-lasting type of unique identifier. Persistent identifiers allow you to locate a resource with a URL. Examples include electronic articles' Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) and digital materials' handles.
The precise address for a webpage. URL stands for the words uniform resource locator.
A spatial model using coordinates for representing points, lines, and polygons.
A concise, researched report about a complex issue. Readers should gain enough understanding to solve a related problem or make a choice.
An article or conference proposal draft shared to invite feedback.