BUAD 478: Field Projects in Marketing

Welcome! This research guide was created to support your work in BUAD 478: Field Projects in Marketing. In this project students usually will collect:

• Primary data on clients using methods like surveys, interviews etc.
• Secondary data on clients using library resources such as business databases

Use the menu tabs to explore recommended library databases and online sources for finding business information, including articles, news, data, and reports.

Search Tips

When searching most library databases, try using keywords or short phrases instead of full sentences.

Example: You are looking for information about a brand’s social media strategy.

DO search: 

• Ulta AND "social media strategy"
• TikTok AND "beauty marketing"

DO NOT search (unless using an AI tool): 

• How is Ulta using social media to reach Gen Z shoppers?

• What TikTok marketing strategies work best for beauty companies?

If you want to keep a phrase together, place it in quotation marks. You can also use connectors like AND, OR, and NOT to help the database understand what you’re looking for.

AI Searches: Some databases now offer AI search features, where you can use natural language or ask full questions. These tools are usually labeled clearly (often with an AI chat box, sparkle, or robot icon). It is okay to use longer questions/sentences when you see these features.

Need help or more information?

Please reach out! You can contact me using the Send me a message link or chat with any librarian through Ask the Library. For more assistance from the Library or UD, please visit the Help section of this guide.

New to using library resources?

Here are some basic terms that will hopefully help as you get started!

• Library Catalog - The online search tool for books, ebooks, and other materials the library owns.
  • I like to think of the catalog like Google, but just for the library’s collection. It searches nearly everything the library has access to.
    • Example: DELCAT
• Database -  An online collection of information you can search.
  • I like to think of databases as a massive Google Drive with many folders and files.
    • Example: Business Source Premier, where you can find articles, reports, and case studies about companies and industries.
• Journal - A publication that comes out regularly, like a magazine, but for research or professional news.
  • I like to think of it like one folder in Google Drive with many files inside.
    • Examples: Harvard Business Review (professional/trade), Journal of Marketing (scholarly).
• Article - A single piece of writing published in a journal, magazine, or newspaper.
  • I like to think of it like a single Google Doc or Sheet in a folder.
    • Example: An article in Harvard Business Review about business strategies.
• Keyword - The main word or phrase you use when searching.
  • It kind of reminds me of a hashtag or trending topic link that helps find what you’re looking for.
    • Examples: “Starbucks” (one word keyword), “fast food industry” (keyword phrase).
    • If you are searching for a phrase, put it in quotation marks, otherwise the platform you are using might break up the phrase into single words
• Citation - The details that tell you where an article, report, or other material came from (so it will share the author, title, journal name, date, etc.).
  • It is like an academic version of a credit line or byline, or like when you hit the share button online and it shows the original source/creator.
    • Guide to citing sources