ATWP 250 - Genres of Business Communication

Key databases:

Start your search with these databases: 

Discipline specific (environment) and multidisciplinary (broad) databases: 

Additional databases for finding news articles: 

• Ask questions about your topic
• Identify key terms that describe your research concepts
• Identify synonyms & related words for each key concept
  • regenerative design, regenerative economy, circular economy, restorative, resilient, healing, sustainable, etc. 
• Combine different sets of keywords
• Use filters/limits in databases and search tools
• Start with the most recent material and work backwards 
• Use citation chaining (forwards and backwards) to find more relevant literature
• Refine & revise your search as you go

Case studies provide examples of fictitious or real life situations faced by management, companies, and industries and are designed to be analyzed by a learner and provide a framework for problem solving. There are two ways to find case studies across article databases. 

1. Include the words (case study OR case studies OR cases) as part of your search terms.
   • You can use this method in Library Search, Google Scholar, or any other databases.
      
2. Search by document type for case studies in business databases.

• In Business Source Complete: Choose Advanced Search, enter your search terms in the box(es) at the top and scroll down. On the left under Limit your results select Full Text and under Document type: choose Case Study. Scroll down to click Search.
  • Example: case study search on circular economy 
  • Results include case studies published in academic journals (including a partial collection of cases published in Harvard Business Review) 
• In Canadian Business and Current Affairs: Choose Advanced Search, enter your search terms in the box(es) at the top and scroll down. Under Document type: choose Case Study. Scroll up to click Search.
  • Example: case study search on zero waste
  • Results include case studies published in Canadian academic journals, magazines, and trade publications.

Browse government websites for overviews of sustainable business initiatives, legislation, policies, news, data, statistics, reports and more.

You can use Google to limit your search to government websites:

• Example: "sustainable business" site:gov.bc.ca

  (adding site:gov.bc.ca searches only BC government websites)

Search for associations and research centre websites as another source for sustainable business practices, these may include overviews, legislation, policies, case studies, recent news, reports and more.

• Example: Network for Business Sustainability is a Canadian non-profit which provides free, evidence-based research (conducted by academics) on sustainability priorities. 

Check out tabs on the general business guide for databases and tips for researching companies and industries:

With any resource, be sure to approach it with a critical eye and consider its authority, purpose, content, and currency.

Authority:

• Who is the author? Are they qualified to write on this topic? Do they have valid credentials?
• Are the affiliated with an institution? Does it display any bias?
• Who is the publisher? Does it display any bias?
• What types of resources do they typically publish?

Purpose:

• What is the purpose of this information? To inform, teach, sell, entertain, persuade?
• Do the authors make their intentions or biases clear?
• Does the purpose suit your research?

Content:

• How well does the resource relate to your topic?
• Is it at an appropriate level?
• Is it supported by evidence?
• Does it have footnotes or references?
• Has the information been reviewed by other experts (peer-review?)

Currency:

• When was the work published?
• Has it been revised or updated?
• Is currency necessary for your research?

Learn how to cite ChatGPT and other AI tools using the following guide: