Understanding Reference Sources and Reference Entries
Reference resources help you choose, explore and develop your topic! Reference sources such as encyclopedias and dictionaries contain overviews and background information. They sometimes contain statistics, definitions and lists of resources for further study. When you have a better understanding of your topic, it will be easier to come up with the search terms you'll use to find the books and articles you need.
Wikipedia is a reference source because it is an encyclopedia. You can use it to discover ideas and links to additional resources -- but never cite it as a source in your papers! This rule exists because Wikipedia entries can be edited at any time, by anyone, and so its accuracy can never be relied upon at any given moment.
Where to Search for Background Information: Business
Search these online reference databases using basic keywords. For example, if you are starting to research sustainability, input that word into the database and review the results for topic overviews and terms to know.
Online Reference Databases
- Gale EBOOKSUse the Basic Search with a topic or keyword. On the right side, select "Subject" and choose subjects related to Business to narrow your results.
- Credo ReferenceUse the basic search box with a keyword and add "business" or other related subjects. For example, sustainability and business.
- Opposing Viewpoints (Gale in Context)Use the basic search with topic or keyword.
- CQ ResearcherUse the basic search with a keyword or use "Browse Topics" and look at Business and Economics, Employment and Labor, or related subjects.
Reference Books
Books in the Reference collection are available in the library building only. They cannot be checked out. You can scan or copy pages as needed. Any other books or materials can be checked out or viewed online using the link.
Business Plans Handbook by Call Number: 658.4012 B979, 2001 (REFERENCE COLLECTION IN LIBRARY)ISBN: 9780787634216Publication Date: 2001-06-22Actual business plans compiled by, and aimed at, entrepreneurs seeking funding for small businesses. Presents sample plans taken from businesses in the manufacturing, retail and service industries which serve as examples of how to approach, structure and compose business plans.
The AMA Handbook of Business Writing by Call Number: ONLINE BOOKISBN: 9780814415900Publication Date: 2010-08-04With more than 800 alphabetical entries and nearly 100 sample documents, The AMA Handbook of Business Writing gives you quick, accessible guidelines to the entire writing process, from using correct grammar and style to formatting your document for clarity to writing effectively for a target audience.
Business : the ultimate resource by Call Number: ONLINE BOOKISBN: 9781408156469Publication Date: 2011This reference guide provides insight and information for executives and managers, entrepreneurs, administrators, educators, and students alike.
Business Statistics of the United States, 2017 by Call Number: ONLINE BOOKISBN: 9781598889499Publication Date: 2017-12-01Business Statistics of the United States is a comprehensive and practical collection of data from as early as 1913 that reflects the nation's economic performance.
Practical Financial Management by Call Number: ONLINE BOOKISBN: 9780749462673Publication Date: 2011-03-03Practical Financial Management is intended to help those who find business finance confusing. Beginning with an introduction to the key financial statements, it moves on to look at the tools of financial analysis - the keys to controlling a business successfully.
U. S. Trade Issues: a Reference Handbook by Call Number: ONLINE BOOKISBN: 9781598842005Publication Date: 2009-10-13What is the proper balance between free trade and protecting the American economy? U.S. Trade Issues: A Reference Handbook is a timely exploration of this vital and politically sensitive question, one that emerged as a crucial issue in the 2008 presidential election. Written by a former chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission, it provides an authoritative, accessible, and unbiased review of the defining events, principal players, and key controversies in U.S. trade policy. U.S. Trade Issues describes American trade policies from the days of the republic to the present, focusing most intently on the post-World War II era. It explores a number of current issues, including the Doha Round of Multilateral Negotiations, NAFTA, and the president's trade authority. In addition, the handbook looks at American trade policy in the context of an increasingly globalized world economy.
