Research Library

Research Library Search & Inclusion Guidelines

‍

We rely on systematic review approach as outlined by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).
The literature search, conducted in 2024, provided a pool of potential products. Our systematic review approach was as follows:

• We conducted searches by different sources:
  • Journals that publish articles on early childhood care and education (ECRQ, Child Development, EED, JAMA, Pediatrics, etc)
  • Organizations that conduct and support early childhood care and education in the Chicago area (Start Early, Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative (IWERC), Center for Early Learning Funding Equity (CELFE), Illinois Action for Children, Chapin Hall, NORC, Lurie Children’s Hospital)
  • Universities in the Chicago area (University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Chicago, Northwestern, DePaul, etc.)
• We also conducted relevant google searches, such as
  • "infants Chicago"‍
  • "toddlers Chicago"‍
  • "home visiting Chicago"‍
  • "preschool Chicago"
• These search results were narrowed down by geography. Our focus was Chicago. We also included statewide research (Illinois) that covered Chicago. We included studies that were in two locations as long as one was Chicago (i.e. New York and Chicago)‍
• The results were narrowed further by age range. Our focus was early childhood (birth to 5). We included literature that included but went beyond early childhood (i.e. ages 3-8).‍
• Types of products included: journal articles and reports.‍
• Many entries are 2020 on, but we do have articles ranging back to the 1950s if they play an important part in the body of Chicago early childhood literature.

Borderline entries were discussed by the E C*REACH team to decide about inclusion. Our review process ultimately yielded 190 entries. We expect to regularly add new entries, and we welcome our Research Library users to submit additional entries for review and inclusion. Please email us at ecreach@northwestern.edu for questions, comments, and new research library entries.

‍