The library has a number of general and subject specific databases that you may want to use to search for specific details about your research topic. In addition to pulling information from different source material, each database may organize information using different subject terms and keywords. Most databases also allow patrons to use filters to narrow down search their search results even further.
If you are getting too many search results, or too few, please consider setting up a research appointment for help. You can email me to request an appointment.
The library has numerous business databases. Here are a few that will be helpful for your marketing assignments:
ABI/INFORM and Business Source Complete are also two other business databases that may be useful to keep in mind if you are researching a particular industry or a country. Factiva is another database that GSU offers that has excellent access to current news sources.
Business and psychology often overlap when it comes to marketing. Here is a database that may also be useful to use for articles about the psychology behind buyer behavior:
Knowing what kind of database you're using can help you know how to search for information in it. General databases cover a wide variety of topics, resources and subject materials. They can be a good place to start your research or to search for information when your topic is multi-disciplinary. Subject-specific databases, like ABI/INFORM, Business Source Complete and others cover articles, news, legal information, statistics, etc. related to their particular subject or discipline.
If you're not sure what is covered in a database, you can check the publications that it includes.
Searching a library database is different that searching Google, which is a search engine that has been optimized for "natural language" searches. Most library databases use what's called a "controlled vocabulary" to make the information that they include more findable. Examples of controlled vocabularies can include index terms, subject headings, or a thesaurus that the database uses to group items so that patrons can search for them.
When you are searching a library database you will also want to keep in mind that different vendors may use different terms for the same thing. To make sure that you are effectively searching the database, you can check the "subject terms" or "thesaurus" to learn how the database organizes its information and how to search for items on your topic.
MRI-Simmons Catalyst (formerly called MRI-Simmons Insights) is a database that provides access to consumer demographic, psychographic, brand preference, and media data surveys of US citizens randomly sampled to represent the US population and its variations. These surveys provide access to over 60,000 data elements, including:
You can use this database to create Quick Reports and Crosstabs to:
GSU subscribes to the following MRI-Simmons studies:
MRI-Simmons Insights can be accessed on and off campus. Access to the database is limited to 10 concurrent users. Please logout when you are done using the database so that others can access it.
For in-depth instructions on using MRI-Simmons, see the Research Guide from the Bentley University Library here.
Passport is a market research database that includes detailed statistics and research analysis of global markets and consumers. It offers industry reports that cover consumer products and services markets in over 200 countries and 70 regions. These reports include market size, company shares, brand shares, distribution channels and profiles of leading companies and their brands. It is a helpful database for those wishing to conduct research on consumer goods related to food, beverage, beauty and personal care, home appliances, pet care, finance and more.
Passport can be accessed on and off campus. There is no user limit for the Passport database. The GSU subscription covers the industries, channels, and companies reports. GSU does not have access to the reports for products, consumers and economies.
For in-depth instructions on using Passport, see here.
