Contact info

If you need help, please contact Adena Brons, Education Librarian at 778 782 7419 or abrons@sfu.ca or Ask a librarian

Doing research off campus? Use the browser extension Libkey Nomad to get instant links to the SFU Library's full-text content for articles and e-books as you do research on the web.

  Where to start your research

Generally, it’s best to start broad with sources that provide a summary or overview of the topic. 

Encyclopedias

Encyclopedia articles summarize the issues, perspectives and history related to a topic, giving you the “big picture.”

Find encyclopedia articles in the Library Catalogue, filtering by resource type: Reference Entries.

Example reference entries relevant to Educational Leadership:

• "Educational Leadership" in Encyclopedia of Curriculum Studies 
• "Educational Leadership" in The SAGE Encyclopedia of Online Education: A-E
• "Teacher Leadership" in International Encyclopedia of Social & Behavioral Sciences
• "Women in Educational Leadership" in Encyclopedia of Educational Reform and Dissent
• "Minorities in Educational Leadership" in Encyclopedia of Educational Reform and Dissent
• "Educational Leadership: Philosophical Issues" in International Encyclopedia of Education
• "Leadership in Early Childhood Education" in the SAGE Encyclopedia of Contemporary Early Childhood Education: E-O

For more suggested encyclopedias, see Background information: Education resources.

Handbooks

Handbooks provide "how to" information about research methods and professional topics. 

Find handbooks in the Library Catalogue by adding AND handbook to your search.

Example handbooks relevant to Educational Leadership:

• The SAGE Handbook of Educational Leadership
• The Wiley International Handbook of Educational Leadership
• Handbook of Ethical Educational Leadership
• Handbook of Leadership and Administration for Special Education
• International Handbook of Educational Leadership and Social (In)Justice
• The Wiley Handbook of Educational Supervision
• Handbook of Research on Educational Leadership for Equity and Diversity
• The SAGE Handbook of Educational Leadership Advances in Theory, Research, and Practice

Books

All of SFU's books, both online and print, are listed in the Library Catalogue. Want general search tips? See our Catalogue search guide.

Example titles related to Educational Leadership:

For more, search the Library Catalogue and limit by Resource Type: Books. Try searching keywords like:

• Educational leadership
• Educational management
• Education administration
• School leader
• School management
• Teacher leader

Journal articles

Want some search tips? See How to find journal articles.

Search for articles by database

Education Source [search tips]
A comprehensive Education database, covering all levels of education from early childhood to higher education as well as multilingual education, health education and testing. Includes journals, books, conference papers, book reviews and educational tests.

ERIC (EBSCO) [search tips] 
A comprehensive Education database, covering education research and practice. Includes journal articles, conference papers, curriculum guides, lesson plans, theses and dissertations and more.

PsycINFO [search tips | quick reference guide]
A comprehensive Psychology research database, covering psychology and the psychological aspects of other disciplines such as education, health, sociology, anthropology, linguistics, business and law. Includes journal articles, books, book chapters, technical reports, theses and dissertations

Find articles by browsing journals

Browse our journals about Educational Leadership. Search within the journal or browse its table of contents.

Examples:

• Educational Management Administration & Leadership: EMAL
• Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership
• International Journal of Educational Organization and Leadership
• Journal of Special Education Leadership
• Journal of Research on Leadership Education
• Leadership and Policy in Schools
• Journal of Business and Educational Leadership

Did you know you can browse our journal collection using BrowZine? Create a virtual bookshelf of key journals, browse the current table of contents from your favourite scholarly peer-reviewed journals, and receive notification alerts when a new issue is published.

Associations & organizations

Notable professional associations and organizations dedicated to Educational Leadership:

• BC Education Leadership Council
• BC Principals' & Vice-Principals' Association
• Canadian Association of School System Administrators
• Canadian Student Leadership Association