Using Databases

In the event Google or other search engines do not yield quality sources, you may find yourself requiring higher-level library access. This brings us to two other areas for secondary source material:

1. Google Scholar
2. Library databases

Google Scholar

Google Scholar is an excellent and more specific version of Google that focuses on professional and academic content. One of the things that Google Scholar does very well is tell you what type of source it is right away, like a book or article. While you can use Google Scholar for free, the results will likely be behind a paywall, so you will need a library or a subscription for access. Some public libraries offer free access to subscription materials to their members. If you are a faculty or student at a college or university, you also can gain immediate access to paid content through your institutional library.

What Google Scholar can help you gather free of charge is awareness about what type of data may exist. This is important for your business report writing. If data exists, but only behind a paywall, then you may consider conducting your own primary source development (i.e., your own fieldwork such as surveys or interviews) depending on how detailed and comprehensive your report needs to be.