CONSUMERISM AND CONSUMPTION
Research Guide

http://library.syr.edu/instruction/class/consumerism.html


COURSE: Writing 205

COURSE INSTRUCTOR:Val Schaffner

DATE

January 31, 2008

 

LIBRARIANS: Mary DeCarlo and Elizabeth Wallace

Syracuse University Library

(315) 443-2160

LIBRARY CONTACTS: Library Web site

Ask Us!


Topics to be covered

1) Selecting databases for your topics:

2) Time to work on your topics

For your information ...


Selecting databases

From the Library home page, click "Find Articles" to access the Databases Main Menu.

There are a couple of ways to find a database --


Multidisciplinary databases

Multidisciplinary "mega-databases" are listed under Research Starting Points. These databases index a huge amount of resources across many disciplines. We'll look at Proquest Research Library.

Proquest Research Library
Abstracts, indexing, and full text articles from popular, business, and academic publications, and current coverage of articles from the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.   This database also includes the business database, ABI Inform.


Subject-specific databases

Useful resources for your topics will be found in many different subject databases depending on the topic you have chosen, but here are some likely ones:

For a social science / psychology perspective:

PsycArticles[Ebsco](full-text articles)

PsycINFO[Ebsco]

Social Sciences Full Text

For a business perspective:

Business Source Elite[Ebsco]

ABI Inform[Proquest]

For market reports:

Minitel Reports  (Research reports covering the US marketplace.  You will need to set up a user profile.)

MarketResearch.com  (Market research reports)

Warc.com  (World Advertising Research Center; articles,case studies and research reports)

CQ Researcher  (Public policy reports)

Retailing and Consumer Studies Resource Guide

Focus the Nation 2008 - Library Resources


Finding 0rganizations and individuals

Use these databases to search for organizations and/or individuals who are knowledgable in a particluar field:

Associations Unlimited

Ready Reference Shelf

Biographies Plus Illustrated

Find a Librarian - Contact a subject librarian who is knowledgable about the information resources available in a specific subject area.


Evaluating resources

Evaluate the authority, currency, validity/accuracy, audience, and point of view of information that you find. Examining each of these criteria will give you an idea of not only the reliability of the information, but also if the information is appropriate for your research. See How do I Evaluate My Sources? for more information.


Using RefWorks to cite your paper (the easy way!)

Using RefWorks to store, organize and cite your paper will make your research process much easier.   RefWorks allows you to embed your citations and create a bibliography very easily.  It will also help you keep your references sorted in folders.  Training is offered.  Click here for the schedule.


How to get research help

Contact a Subject Librarian

In person at the Reference Desk

Contact the Reference staff by phone, email, or IM


Research guide was created by Elise Calvi 4/07; Revised by M. DeCarlo 1/08

Syracuse University Library

4/11/2007; 1/31/08