What types of material does ERIC index?

ERIC indexes education research found in journal articles, books, and grey literature. See the ERIC Selection Policy or our video to find out the specific types of materials that we will and will not index.

What is the selection policy?

The ERIC Selection Policy establishes the standard and criteria for acquiring materials for ERIC’s online bibliographic and full-text library of education research. The policy is revised periodically. See the ERIC Selection Policy infographic for a summary of the policy and the recorded webinar below for details on the most recent policy update.

When did ERIC begin indexing content?

ERIC’s core collection spans the years from ERIC’s inception in 1966 to present. ERIC also includes some works published prior to 1966 and a growing digitized collection of historical materials held by the National Library of Education. The historical collection is comprised of reports and bulletins from the predecessor offices of the Department of Education. Historical textbooks and other materials are in the process of being indexed.

Who contributes content to ERIC?

ERIC obtains content from journal publishers, grey literature and book sources, and grantees and individuals submitting materials through ERIC's Online Submission System. See the infographic Who Contributes Content to ERIC which shows metrics related to ERIC’s content providers. Twice a year ERIC conducts a review cycle to add providers and remove existing providers that are no longer publishing or no longer publish education research. The numbers of publishers, grey literature sources, and journals are subject to change.

I found a document in ERIC that contains material I find offensive. Can you flag this and similar materials as a warning to users, or remove the PDF from ERIC?

As noted in ERIC's content disclaimer and the Preservation Policy in the ERIC Selection Policy, the opinions and positions expressed in the content in ERIC are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions and positions of the Institute of Education Sciences or the U.S. Department of Education or an endorsement of the U. S. Government. ERIC is a historical repository, and the collection includes materials that date back more than a century along with current research. The works in ERIC should be viewed within the context of the era in which they were written and used according to the specific needs of the researcher. ERIC does not flag, censure, or remove content from the collection for outdated language or the research contained therein. This is not grounds for the removal of an ERIC record or full text.

What journals and non-journal sources are indexed in ERIC?

The lists of currently indexed sources are available on the ERIC website in two formats: alphabetical lists of journal and non-journal sources and the lists of sources categorized by education topic area. Use the links below to browse the source lists:

• Alphabetical Journals List: https://eric.ed.gov/?journals
• Alphabetical Non-Journals List: https://eric.ed.gov/?nonjournals
• Journal and Non-Journal Lists by topic area: https://eric.ed.gov/?journaltopics

ERIC retains the records created since ERIC was founded; however, the source name is removed from the list of currently indexed sources if ERIC stops indexing it.

This infographic provides insights into content views and downloads by education topic area for the year 2021: How Do Searchers Use ERIC?

For a look at the ERIC sources classified by topic area, see this infographic ERIC Collection Snapshot.

What topic areas are covered in ERIC?

ERIC indexes a wide variety of sources that cover the full spectrum of research in the field of education. The sources are categorized by 16 topic areas that are based on the IES authorizing legislation. For a brief definition of each topic area, see Appendix A of the ERIC Selection Policy or the Journal and Non-Journal Lists by topic area.

How can I get my journal or non-journal materials indexed in ERIC?

ERIC conducts formal reviews twice per year to consider sources of journal articles, reports, conference papers, and other materials for indexing. ERIC reviews new potential sources against the ERIC Selection Policy. Before nominating a source, please review the policy to see if your material satisfies the requirements. If so, send an email to ERICRequests@ed.gov. Please include the journal title, publisher, and ISSN (if applicable), or your association or organization name, and a link to sample content, if possible. Once new sources have been selected, ERIC seeks an agreement with the publisher that permits regular indexing of the content.

For more information on ERIC’s source selection policies and processes, see our video and recorded webinar.

What is the process for getting materials indexed in ERIC?

When ERIC and a publisher have an agreement in place, the ERIC team acquires the content and creates a bibliographic record with an abstract for each document or journal article. Records for newly indexed content are regularly added to the collection.

The infographic How Research Becomes an ERIC Recordand the recorded webinar below walk through the steps for content to get indexed in ERIC.

How do I submit my paper, report, or article to be indexed in ERIC?

Authors may use the ERIC Online Submission System found at https://eric.ed.gov/submit. The ERIC journal and non-journal source lists should be checked first to make sure the author’s work is not from a source regularly indexed by ERIC. Publishers or editors should not use the Online

Submission System. If they are interested in having their source indexed in ERIC, they should email ERICRequests@ed.gov.

Can publishers get metrics on the usage of their content in ERIC?

Yes. ERIC provides publishers with a metrics report showing how often the bibliographic record for their content has been viewed and the full text downloaded (if full-text display has been permitted) on the ERIC website. The report covers activity for a six-month period and is sent to publishers in January and July. See our video for more information.

I am a publisher with content indexed in ERIC but I did not receive a metrics report. Why?

The most likely reason for not receiving a report is that your content did not have any views or downloads during the reporting period. This happens frequently for new sources whose records are recently added to ERIC. You may contact us at ERICRequests@ed.gov and we will be happy to investigate the cause.