Getting Started| Finding books & media | Finding articles| Citing sources | Avoiding plagiarism | Additional resources | McIntyre Library home

Business Information

Getting started	It's a good idea to begin your research by getting a working knowledge of your topic, which is a basic understanding of the concepts, vocabulary and issues surrounding your topic. Once you have a working knowledge of your topic, you will be better prepared to dig a little deeper. The library has specialized encyclopedias, dictionaries and handbooks in the Reference collection, which are good sources of background information. They can also be excellent resources to browse when you are choosing a topic to research. McIntyre Online Catalog: limit your search to the Reference collection or include the word "encyclopedias" in a keyword search. Use broad or general terms under which your specific topic may be included. For example, if you are researching the ethics of marketing to children, consider broad terms such as marketing, business ethics or even business when searching the catalog for background information. Subject dictionaries Subject encyclopedias	Additional resources: Preparing a business plan Marketing information: the situation analysis Distance Education Library Services
Finding books & media	McIntyre Online Catalog: search the catalog for books, government documents, videos/DVDs/CDs Books and media are arranged by the Library of Congress call numbers, which use an alphanumeric system for arranging materials by subject. Many of the business-related materials can be found in the following call number ranges: H: Social Sciences HB: Economic theory, demography (including consumption) HC: Economic history and conditions HD: Industries, land use, labor, management HE: Transportation & communications HF: Commerce HG: Finance HJ: Public finance BF637 Applied psychology (leadership, negotiation...) (For a more detailed breakdown of call numbers, see the Library of Congress)
Finding articles	Business databases: Find articles from thousands of business journals News databases: Find articles on companies, industries, issues, etc., in regional, national and international newspapers Scholarly vs. popular journals: How to tell the difference Periodical list: find out what journals/magazines/newspapers McIntyre Library has (online or in print) PsycInfo: Psychology database that is useful for finding articles on interpersonal communication, leadership, organizational behavior
Citing Sources	Formatting Citations: MLA & APA examples Documenting Sources: Diana Hacker, Bedford St. Martin's MLA APA Chicago Noodlebib Express and Easybib: generate citations online (APA and MLA)
Avoiding Plagiarism	Plagiarism is the failure--intentional or unintentional--to give someone else credit for his/her words, ideas or creative work. It can range from improperly documenting a source in a paper to downloading an entire paper from the Web and turning it in as your own work. Find out more: In Your Own Words (UW Eau Claire, McIntyre Library) Web Competency and Information Literacy (San Mateo Community College) Avoiding plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and other questionable writing practices: A guide to ethical writing (Miguel Roig, St. John's Univ.)

McIntyre Library, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Jill Markgraf | Updated: September 5, 2007