Summaries are major publications that provide overviews of the literature and research on topics of current interest. For example, encyclopedias such as the Encylopedia of Educational Research (Alkin,1992) are useful. Another type of summary is the handbook. Handbooks provide a comprehensive overview of research in a specific topic area. Examples of handbooks include the Handbook of Research and Policy in Art Education (Eisner & Day. 2004) and the Handbook of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning (Grouws. 1992), Summaries are usually written by a group of leading specialists in the field. They are a good place to turn to first learn about a topic. They can introduce you to a new problem area and help you identify important issues. Since they represent major publications, they lake time to be produced and usually will not reflect the most recent research findings. Also, they tend to be expensive and therefore can be difficult to obtain unless available in a local library