10 Locating Good Sources
For business professionals, much research is accomplished by searching for sources online using one of many tools like Google Scholar and library databases. If you are a student, you are likley expected to use a combination of primary and secondary sources to help support your thesis, proposal, or argument.
Primary Sources
Using first-hand accounts of events such as reporting, footage, correspondence, as well as tangible artifacts are considered primary. Journalistic articles and interviews are also good primary sources.
Secondary Sources
Sources that interprets, analyzes, or critiques primary sources are referred to as secondary. Textbooks and academic journals are also examples of secondary sources that you should be familiar with.
Industrial and trade publications, which focus on issues, events, and trends in specific professions, are also good secondary sources as well as excellent ways to stay on top of your profession. Some excellent examples include those for:
- Marketers: Adweek*, Ad Age*, and Campaign*
- Accountants: The CPA Journal, Accounting Today*, and Accountancy Age
- Supply chain managers: Industry Week, Supply and Demand Chain Executive, and Logistics Management*
- Business owners: Be sure to check for trade publications that are relevant to your business. There are also several publications that cover entrepreneurship including, Entrepreneur, Inc*., and Fortune Small Business
- Financial Wizards: In addition to venerable news publications like the Wall Street Journal*, financiers should also consult with Barron’s*, and Financial Times*
- Human Resource personnel: SHRM is the published by the Society for Human Resource Management – both are excellent sources as well as Human Resource Executive.
*Note: these publications offer student-rate subscriptions. Highly recommended!
For more information on primary and secondary sources, check out the UWGB Resource Guide.
