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Database Selection Chart |
| Where can I get help selecting databases for my specific research topic? |
Take a look at the Business Database Selection Chart at the bottom of this page.
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Most Frequently Asked Business Research Questions |
| 1. Where do I locate industry-based ratios? |
Select
D & B Ratios. Select Report tab. Select SIC code for
your industry and view your results.
Select
Factiva. Select Companies/Markets tab. Select
Company sub-tab. Type in ticker symbol of the
company or name of the company. Select Reports and then
Ratio Comparison Report.
Use these print sources at the Ready Reference Desk, 1st Floor, Library North: Robert Morris Associates
Annual Statement Studies [ask for HF5681.B2 R6], and Troy's Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios [ask for HF5681.R25 T68].
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| 2. Where do I locate company-based financial ratios? |
Select
Factiva. Select Companies/Markets tab. Select
Company sub-tab. Type in ticker symbol of the
company or name of the company. Select Reports and then Financial Snapshot Plus Profile.
Select Mergent Online.
Enter company name or ticker symbol and Search. Select company name. From tabs at top, select Company Financials or TearSheets. View ratios.
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| 3. Where do I find industry-based marketing studies and data? |
Select
ABI/Inform. Select within
ABI/INFORM database drop down menu and change menu to read Snapshots
North America. Type in name of your industry, e.g., "bottled water."
Select
ABI/Inform. Type: (name of your industry) and (market
research OR market planning OR market potential OR market strategies OR
market*) and click search.
Select
Business Source Premier. Type: (name of your industry) and
(market research OR market planning OR market potential OR market
strategies OR market*) and click search.
Select
Lexis/Nexis. Select Business Library. Select Market & Industry
sub-library. Select the name of your industry from industry drop menu.
Select the last two years from date drop menu. Type: (market research OR
market planning OR market potential OR market strateg! OR market*) and click search.
Use these print sources on the 1st Floor, Library North (the most current volumes are located at Reserves; older volumes
are located at the Reference Desk, or in the Reference Collection):
Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys [ask or look for HC106.6 .S74],
Market Share Reporter [ask or look for HF5410 .M37], and
S & P Statistical Service. Current Statistics [ask or look for HG4915.S77].
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| 4. Where do I locate a SWOT analysis? [SWOT=Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats] |
Select
Business Source Premier.
Select from the green banner/ribbon the phrase Company Profiles. Type in
the name of your company at Browse for, and click on Browse.
Select
Factiva. Select the tab titled Search and type your company name
and the phrase SWOT Analysis.
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| 5. How do I find information on
private companies? |
A “ private company” can be
defined as a for-profit company that raises no money through the
sale of securities to the general public. Generally, private
company information can be found in sources such as trade
journals, newsletters and directories, local newspapers, city
related business magazines, etc.
The best databases for
locating information from local newspapers or city business
magazines are
ABI Inform/Dateline and
Regional Business News.
Additional information from trade journals may be found in
Factiva and
Lexis/Nexis Academic. For further assistance,
please consult with a
reference librarian.
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| 6. Where do I locate psychographic/ demographic studies? |
Ask for the CD-ROM database titled
Choices 3 located in the Mullins Center of the University Library (3rd Floor, Library North).
Select
ABI/Inform. Select from the first drop menu the
field Publication Title. In the first box type the publication title
Advertising age [for information after 2004], and/or American Demographics [for information prior to 2004]; and in the second box your product or service.
Select
Business Source Premier. Select from the first drop menu
the field Source. In the first box type the publication title Advertising age [for information after 2004], and/or American Demographics [for information prior to 2004]; and in the second box your product or service.
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| 7. Where do I locate
business and economic statistics including international data? |
Select
Stat-USA, and follow onscreen instructions.
Select
Statistical Abstract of the United States and follow onscreen
instructions.
Use the print source S & P Statistical Service. Current
Statistics at Reserves, 1st Floor, Library North [ask for
HG4915.S77].
Use these print periodicals:
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| 8. Where do I locate the SEC forms titled 10K and 10Q? |
Select Mergent Online. Click on the EDGAR tab. Locate at the
bottom of screen the drop down menu titled Filing Type and choose 10K & 10Q. Type in ticker symbol for your company. Follow onscreen instructions.
Select Lexis/Nexis. Click on the Business Library.
Click on SEC Filing & Reports. Select Source and highlight appropriate
document. Type in your company's ticker symbol. Follow onscreen
instructions.
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| 9. Where do I locate tax research? |
Select CCH.
Click on the word Enter. Select the tab that has the word Federal.
Scroll down to the heading CCH Explanations and Analysis and check the Select All box. Enter your topic in the box at the top of the screen, and click search. Follow onscreen instructions.
Select Lexis/Nexis. Click on the Legal Research
Library. Under the Codes and Regulations heading, click on the Tax Law link. Choose the appropriate source from the drop down menu of tax sources. Change the date to read last ten years or all dates, and follow onscreen instructions.
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| 10. Where do I locate accounting standards and guidelines? |
For FASB standards visit http://www.fasb.org/st.
For FASB standards you may also select CCH.
Click on the tab Accounting & Audit. Scroll to the category Original Pronouncements and there find the link for Financial Accounting Standards (FASB).
For all other standards use the Library Catalog.
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| 11. Where do I locate company addresses, phone/fax numbers, key
personnel names, salaries, & similar information? |
Select ABI/Inform. Select within
ABI/INFORM database drop down menu and change menu to read Hoover's
Company Records. Type in your company name.
Select Factiva. Select Companies/Markets tab. Type in ticker symbol of
your company. Select Financial Snapshot Plus Profile. Search for
relevant company and personnel details throughout various screens.
For excellent print sources, consult the several books on Investment
Index Table (5).
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