Locating and Selecting Information: A Guide for Adult Educators. ERIC Digest No. 102.

No matter what their role, knowing how to identify, select, and evaluate information resources are important processes for adult educators. Two of the main sources of information related to adult education are information databases and clearinghouses or resource centers. Two comprehensive references that can be used to select the most appropriate database are the "Encyclopedia of Information Systems and Services, 10th Edition" (1990) and "Datapro Directory of On-Line Services" (1990). The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) database is considered to be the primary source for adult education due both to its purpose and its history of service to the field. National and state-level clearinghouses and resource centers disseminate information about adult education to a variety of audiences. "The Directory of National Clearinghouses: Resource Centers and Clearinghouses Serving Adult Educators and Learners" (1990) provides information about national clearinghouses and resource centers. Two common strategies used to identify information resources are asking other people and searching information databases. Most information databases can be accessed both manually and by computer, and many are available in CD-ROM format. Guidelines to evaluate and select resources based on their content include authority of source, timeliness, relevance, depth, accuracy, and replicability. (Seven references are listed.) (YLB)