Locating Articles/Books for Business Course Term Papers/Formal Reports
This guide was created to assist students in locating articles & books for term paper or formal report assignments by providing a step-by-step research strategy.
The guide focuses on suggested strategies and best places to begin research efforts. For information & assistance in using any of the sources, please contact library staff:
Plan Ahead (Topic Selection/Develop Search Strategy)
Topic Selection
Rather than choosing a broad topic, such as nonverbal communication, narrow the topic by including more specifics ... "what can organizations do to create an awareness of gender differences in nonverbal communication to improve the success of project teams?"
The database below, provides a way for researchers to narrow broad topics:
Business Index ASAP
- Click on ‘Subject Guide’ to the left of the screen.
- Enter the broad communication topic in the search box and click on the ‘Search’ button.
- From the results list, locate the specific topic. You can either ‘View’ the complete list of articles on that topic OR narrow by subdivision. Narrowing by subdivision is useful in locating articles that will relate to your specific need.
Develop Search Strategy
Rather than just jumping in and starting to search for articles & books, it is worth your effort to think through a search strategy.
Plan Ahead: Review Topic & Develop Search Strategy
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Search Tool: Article Databases
Using the keywords, synonyms, and phrases you selected in the development of your search strategy, search a number of the databases below for relevant articles:
Academic Search Premier (EBSCO)
This multi-disciplinary database provides full text for nearly 4,500 journals, including full text for more than 3,600 peer-reviewed titles. PDF backfiles to 1975 or further are available for well over one hundred journals, and searchable cited references are provided for 1,000 titles.
- Click on the 'Advanced Search' tab at the top of the search page.
- Try a subject OR keyword search.
- In the remaining search boxes, use 'Select a Field (optional)' and enter additional words.
- Click the 'search' button at the top of the screen.
- On the results screen, you may be able to focus your results to a specific topic area by clicking on subject terms to the left of the screen.
Business Source Premier (EBSCO)
Provides the full-text for more than 8,800 titles covering all areas of business.
- Click on the 'Advanced Search' tab at the top of the search page.
- Try a subject OR keyword search.
- In the remaining search boxes, use 'Select a Field (optional)' and enter additional words.
- Click the 'search' button at the top of the screen.
- On the results screen, you may be able to focus your results to a specific topic area by clicking on subject terms to the left of the screen.
Emerald Library
Includes the full-text for 139 journals focused on management and marketing.
- Click on ‘Advanced Search ’ to the left of the screen.
- Enter search terms in the search boxes and click on the orange search button to the top right of the screen.
- Review results and if needed click on 'modify search' or 'search within results' links at the top of the results list .
JSTOR
An archive of back issues of academic journals in the humanities, social sciences and sciences.
- Click on ‘Search' from the home page.
- Next, click on 'Advanced Search' at the top of the screen.
- Use the pull-down menu by the first search box and choose 'Abstract'. Enter a subject term or keyword. Enter additional terms in remaining search boxes.
- Review results and if needed click on 'modify search' link at the top of the results list .
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Search Tool: Google Scholar
Sample Searches:
+nonverbal +gender +differences +groups
+email +formal +organizational +communication
+online +meetings +decision +making +virtual +teams
Google Scholar is a beta test product for academic researchers. “It provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and other scholarly organizations. Google Scholar helps you identify the most relevant research across the world of scholarly research.” Researching your topic through Google Scholar allows you to utilize features of Google search technology with which you are already familiar.
Since Google Scholar is an index to scholarly literature, it may or may not provide the full-text for the secondary data sources it cites. Never purchase information from Google Scholar as you will be able to search Our Journal List OR SOUTHcat to locate materials that are available at USA.
So that you will be able to integrate the features of Our Journal List, whether you are on-campus or off-campus, remember to set Scholar Preferences and set a library preference for the University of South Alabama. Type ‘University of South Alabama’ in the library link box and click on ‘Find Library’. Once our library appears on the selection list with USA eText next to it, click in the box and at the top right of the screen select ‘Save Preferences’. You may also set preferences for English language only articles.
On the results list, anytime you see a citation with USA eText beside it, click on the link and it will search Our Journal List to see if the citation is available in full-text. If you are off-campus, you will be asked to provide your last name plus the first two letters of your first name and either your J Number, the last 4 digits of your social security number or your library barcode.
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Search Tool: Our Journal List
Usually, you find a reference/citation to an article that may fit your research needs either through Google Scholar or listed in a bibliography at the end of another article or book chapter you have read. The next step is to try to locate the full-text so you can read and evaluate it further.
Our Journal List allows you to type in the title of a journal or magazine and directs you to a list of databases the library subscribes to which may provide the full-text of an article you need. Once you click on Our Journal List, enter the name of the journal, magazine or source in the first search box. If the title is indexed in any of our databases, it will appear on a results list. Across the top of the screen, you will find the dates of ‘Online Coverage’ per database for the title, a link to ‘Full-Text Access’ as well as a link to the library’s catalog record for the print title if available.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
Although the library subscribes to a number of full-text article databases and print journals, you may find a journal article citation that you would like to incorporate in your paper and USA does not provide the full-text. The library can ask other libraries for a copy of the full-text article once you fill out an ILL request.
The first time you request an article you will need to register. Journal articles and books located in libraries in Alabama will be obtained for you at no charge—undergraduates are limited to 5 requests in process at any time. Although articles may come sooner, please allow 7-10 days. Most of the time, articles are sent as PDF attachments and are delivered to your ILL web account. When they arrive, you will be sent an email to the account you listed when you registered for the service.
Often you will be able to find additional full-text articles in databases the library subscribes to without having to utilize ILL. Contact the Service Desk in the MCOB Library if you need assistance in locating other secondary sources for your team’s research paper.
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Search Tool: SOUTHcat (Library Catalog)
In addition to articles, remember to look for books that cover your topic.
Materials, that are available in USA’s Libraries, are indexed in SOUTHcat.
- To locate materials dedicated to your topic, conduct a *Subject Heading Browse* search in the catalog and scan the list for relevant headings.
- Also, conduct keyword searches.
If you need further information on how to search the library’s catalog:
Using the SOUTHcat Catalog
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Citation Sources
[For assistance in writing your papers, contact the University Writing Center.]
American Psychological Association (APA):
American Psychological Association (APA) Format (Purdue)
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th ed.
MCOB Reference BF 76.7 .P83 2001
Modern Language Association (MLA):
Answers to frequently asked questions about MLA style
MLA Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue)
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th ed.
MCOB Reference LB 2369 .G53 2003
Chicago Manual of Style (Turabian) :
Chicago Manual of Style (Turabian) (Colorado State University)
A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, & Dissertations (7th ed.)
MCOB Reference LB 2369 .T8 2007
Other :
Online! Citation Styles
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Last Updated: 1/13/09 DLH
