Langsdale Library, University of Baltimore

ACCT 720
Lourdes White
Spring 2005

Individual course index / ACCT720_white_sp05

Introduction | Research Tips |Subject-specific databases | General databases
Book catalogs | Suggested Websites | Additional Websites | General Reference Tools
Other helpful information | Powerpoint

Introduction:
This guide provides information on conducting a literature review through resources from Langsdale Library.

For questions,email us at langref@ubalt.edu or phone us at (410) 837-4274.


Research Tips:

  • Literature reviews should be comprehensive, including articles, books and appropriate reports but do not need to include every item with one of your keywords.
  • Try to focus your search with the use of subject terms or special limiters in a database
  • The more terms in your search, the fewer hits you will get, but if the search is constructed correctly, you will retrieve more material that is relevant.
  • If necessary, expand your search by switching from a subject search to a keyword search (aka any words, default fields, etc.)
  • Don't be concerned if your first search retrieves few records. Often one key item with references will lead you to much more material.
  • Be critical. Evaluate your sources. Ask yourself:
    • Who wrote this? What are his/her credentials? (e.g. Ph.D from Harvard vs. AA degree from community college)
    • Is this opinion or analysis supported by facts and research?
    • Where was it published, e.g. a news publication or a peer-reviewed journal?


Subject-specific databases (this only includes selected databases based on topics; for more, see full list of Electronic Databases):

ABI Inform [on-campus] [help]
Coverage: 1970 - present. Indexes more than 1,300 journals on business, management, with 75% full-text.

Business and Company Resource Center [on-campus] [help]
Coverage: 1979 - present. Profiles 400,000 companies. Provides company histories, business articles, industry rankings and analyses for selected public companies.

Business Source Premier [on-campus] [help]
Coverage: Varies– present. Business Source Premier provides full text for nearly 8,350 scholarly business journals and other sources, including full text for more than 1,100 scholarly business publications. Coverage includes virtually all subject areas related to business. This database provides full text (PDF) for more than 350 of the top scholarly journals dating as far back as 1922. Funded by the Maryland Digital Library (MDL). Includes company profiles, many of which contain SWOT analyses.

Mintel Market Reports [on-campus]
Mintel provides access to hundreds of reports on a variety of European, UK-specific and US consumer markets. Each report that Mintel publishes provides a unique overview of a market including its dynamics and prospects. Visitors to the website can search by keyword or browse for relevant publications by 'category'.
Note that academic users of this site must first agree to the academic conditions of use. Then you must create and sign in using a profile consisting of an email address and a password before you can see the reports that are available.

Wall Street Journal [on-campus]
Coverage: 1984 - present. Includes full text of Eastern edition of Wall Street Journal newspaper.

General/Multidisciplinary databases:
Use these to find full text periodical articles and/or citations to articles. Click here to see how these databases are different from the Internet.

Academic Search Premier  [on-campus] [help]
Coverage: 1990 - present. Provides full-text for over 3,400 scholarly journals covering the social sciences, humanities, education, sciences, and more. Funded by the Maryland Digital Library (MDL). Need help? Read the Academic Search Premier Visual Guide.

Lexis-Nexis Academic [on-campus] [help]
Coverage: 1970 - present. Features full text of many newspapers and periodicals.  Also offers business news, legal materials such as federal & state codes, case law and legal journals.

Book catalogs:
Use these to locate books, journals (not individual articles), videos, and government documents.

Catalog USMAI [help]
Books, journals, government documents and other materials in the University System of Maryland, including UB.

The Conference Board’s Research Collection [on-campus]
TCB research is a searchable Collection of full-text research reports on the latest issues in business management and US and global economics. Proprietary, nonbiased research includes studies of F500 companies on business trends, leadership decisions, performance excellence, corporate governance, HR, productivity, CRM and more. Full-text coverage from 1998 to date. Economics material includes topline US and global economic indicators and analysis and forecasts of regional, national, and international economic conditions.

Digital Dissertations (Dissertation Abstracts from Proquest) [on-campus]
Coverage 1861 – present. Indexes U.S., Canadian, British, and other European dissertations and theses; dissertations abstracted since 1980, theses abstracted since 1988. A 24 page preview of dissertations published since 1997 is available. The full text of dissertations may be obtained by clicking the free download button.

NetLibrary [on-campus] [help]
Coverage: Varies. A collection of E-texts covering specifically chosen by Maryland Academic Libraries. Funded by the Maryland Digital Library (MDL).

WorldCat [on-campus] [help]
Coverage: Varies. International database of collections (including books, journals , dissertations, documents, and other materials) held by libraries worldwide. Maryland libraries that own copies of the items display at the top of the list of libraries so you can easily determine if local libraries own the material needed. Records of any type of material cataloged by OCLC member libraries. Includes manuscripts written as early as the 12th century.

Suggested websites:
These may provide useful information or agencies or organizations who may be sources of information.

Accounting Research Links - Langsdale Library

Additional websites by subject:

Langsdale web resources
A listing of valuable internet sites by subject area.

General reference tools:
These may assist you in your search for material or in evaluating and citing material found.

Full-text Periodical List
Provides a listing of database locations for print and online periodicals accessible through Langsdale Library.

Help Series
Series of subject bibliographies and tutorials

Evaluating Web Resources
Guide to evaluating material obtained via the Internet

Citation Styles
Guides to MLA, APA, and other citation styles.

Other helpful information:

Accessing materials from home (Researchport)

Library barcodes and UB computer accounts

For more information email langref@ubalt.edu, call 410-837-4274 or Caht with a Librarian at http://langsdale.ubalt.edu/info_services/contact.htm