HOW TO DO RESEARCH: Business

GET READY, SET, GO

GET READY

Choose a topic

List keywords, synonyms and concepts

Search the library catalog

Read background information

Choose a Topic

Of interest to you

Manageable

Specific

Brainstorm

List keywords, concepts, synonyms

Formulate a question or hypothesis

Search the Library Catalog

Library Catalog

Search the Library Catalog

Find books and media: new titles, encyclopedias and reference books

Read for background information

Note sources in bibliographies

Check dates for recency

Check for availability in catalog

Get Set: Construct a Search Strategy

Questions

How is strategic planning applied to businesses, nonprofits and government agencies?

What are the effects of market/competitive environments?

Identify strategic improvements related to performance trends, financial data and macroeconomic factors.

Concepts/Keywords

strategic planning market environments performance trends

Related terms

organizational data

Use Advanced Searching Techniques

quotations “ “ to search for multiple terms as a complete phrase “strategic planning” “market environment”

truncation * to include all variant endings: competit* (competition, competitive, competitiveness)

Parentheses ( ) Sets the order of search. Terms in parentheses are searched first:

“market environments” AND (competitive environments)

If more than one set is used the one on the left is searched first

Boolean Operators: AND, OR, NOT

Combine search terms for a narrow result: “strategic planning” AND “strategic management”

Combine synonyms or closely related terms for a wider search: “financial data” OR “organizational data”

Excludes terms from the search result: “nonprofit organizations” NOT “businesses”

Use Research Port

Select Databases

General Databases

Academic Search Premier

JSTOR

Master File Premier

Subject Related Databases

Business Source Complete

Hoovers Company Information

Factiva

RDS Business Reference Suite

Regional Business News

Mintel

Business Source Complete

Business Source Complete

Business Source Complete

Business Source Complete

Searching on the Internet

Search in Google but evaluate the site before using the information

Information is written by anyone

It is not authoritative or peer reviewed by experts in the field

It is not organized and is difficult to find. Popular items come up first.

Is flexible with search terms and recognizes phrases or natural languagae

Go

Read sources, take notes

Organize ideas

Make an outline

Write first draft

Document sources (footnotes or endnotes)

Write a bibliography

Revise first draft

Proofread final draft

APA CITATION FORMAT

Citing Sources Using the APA Publication Manual http://www.lib.umd.edu/guides/citing_apa.html

APA Style Help http://www.apastyle.org/apa-style-help.aspx

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography http://www.umuc.edu/library/tutorials/bibliography/bibliography-text.shtml