Before beginning to survey the literature in any field, one should find out if there are reviews of the literature that have already been done. A good literature review will provide an authoritative overview of the research done to date. It will also provide bibliographies and names of key people in the field. 

Encyclopedia of Educational Research. 5th ed. 4 vols. New York: Free, 1982.
 
A comprehensive survey of educational research, sponsored by the American Educational Research Association. Critical and evaluative synthesis of research on each topic. Includes lengthy bibliographies. New edition published about every ten years; older editions shelved in the stacks. 

Kauffman, James M. and Daniel P. Hallahan, eds. Handbook of Special Education. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1981. 
 
A compendium of research and theory. Arranged in five major divisions: introduction, conceptual foundations, service delivery systems, curriculum and methods, and child and environmental management. Individual chapters focus on specific disabilities as well as curriculum, teaching strategies, and related services. 

Mussen, Paul H., ed. Handbook of Child Psychology. 4th ed. 4 vols. New York: Wiley, 1983.
 
A descendant of the classic Manual of Child Psychology by Leonard Carmichael. Presents the current state of knowledge of child psychology. The four volumes cover: history, theory, and methods; infancy and developmental psychobiology; cognitive development; and socialization, personality, and social development. 

Pearson, P. David, ed. Handbook of Reading Research. New York: Longman, 1984. 
 
A comprehensive analysis and interpretation of current reading research. Arranged in three major divisions: methodological issues, basic processes, and instructional practices. Individual chapters focus on such topics as assessment, metacognitive skills, beginning reading, readability, and classroom instruction. 

Review of Research in Education. Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association, 1973- .Annual.
 
Annual review series which provides critical essays on the major topics of educational research. Reviews current and historical literature on each topic. 

Reynolds, Cecil R. and Terry B. Gutkin, eds. Handbook of School Psychology. New York: Wiley, 1982. 
 
Forty chapters focus on various aspects of the theory and research upon which school psychology was founded. Arranged in seven major sections, including assessment, intervention, medical problems in the schools, legal issues, and more. 

Educators' Handbook: A Research Perspective. New York: Longman, 1987.
 
Research summarized for the practicing educator. Focus is on the practical and everyday utilization of research. Chapters are arranged under such headings as "What Should I Teach?" and "How Should I Teach It?" 

Wittrock, Merlin C., ed. Handbook of Research on Teaching. 3rd ed. New York: Macmillan, 1986. 
 
A project of the American Educational Research Association. Review articles on 35 areas of teaching. Lengthy bibliographies.