Gail Strachan, Campus LibrarianMarkham Campus LibraryFall 2012

MRK 510– Applied Research

AgendaSecondary Research

Where to begin1. Subject Guides2. Databases

Library Databases:1. Marketing – Marketline, PMB Product Data2. News & Trends – CBCA Business; ABI/Inform; Business

Source Premier3. Statistics – CANSIM

Research1. Identify the need for information.

2. Nature of information required. [format / type]

3. Searching for or accessing information.

4. Evaluating the information. CRAAP

Where to BeginDatabasesSubject Guides

Subject Guides

Company Reports

Business Description

History

Key Employees

SWOT Analysis

Key Competitors

Major Products & Services

Exercise #11. Locate a company using the ‘Company

Information’ resources on the Company and Industry Research Subject Guide.

2. Locate a company report in Marketline for that selected company. [Alternatively search for a report on The Gap]

PMB

Exercise #21. Using the company you selected from the

first exercise, or using The Gap, locate Canadian consumer data on a product or service associated with that company

For example: Select “Men’s clothing” from the Apparel category, look at the category for Jeans and where the clothing has been purchased.

a) In the past 12 months where are men buying their clothing?

b) How is The Gap doing?

News and TrendsMagazinesTrade JournalsTrade NewsNewspapers

Current News and analysis

Sample Search

Exercise #31. Using the company you selected from the

first exercise, or using The Gap, search for company news using one of the business news databases:

CBCA BusinessBusiness Source PremierABI Inform

Make sure you use limiters: company fields, date limits, etc.

CANSIM

Exercise #41. Using the company you selected from the

first exercise, or using The Gap, locate Canadian statistical data from CANSIM on an industry associated with that company

For example: Select “Retail and Wholesale” from the subject categories, look at the category for ‘retail sales by type of product’.

a) How much was spent on clothing, footwear, accessories in August 2012?

RecapSecondary Research

Databases Business and Marketing [Directories, Marketline, PMB] News [CBCA Business, ABI Inform, Business Source] Statistics [CANSIM]

Always evaluate information! Use the CRAAP test. (Currency, Reliability, Authority, Accuracy and Position)

Always cite your research!

Research Help AvailableOnline:Email:gail.strachan@senecacollege.ca answer within 24 hours

Twitter: @gailseneca

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