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Syracuse University Libraries

Business Information Guide

Starting point for business research resources.

Questions You Should Ask of Every Source You Find

Currency

  • What is the publication/creation date?
  • Does this time period meet your information need?
  • When was the last update?
  • Are all the links up-to-date (for web resources)?

Authority

  • Who is the author? What are the author's credentials?
  • Has the author been cited in other sources?
  • Who is publishing this information (individual, non-profit organization, commercial entity)?

Validity/Accuracy

  • Do other sources contain the same information?
  • Is evidence given to support the information?
  • Are other sources cited?
  • Is the site edited, or does it contain typographical errors (for web resources)?

Audience

  • Who is the intended audience (students, researchers, trades people, children, adults)?
  • Is this source appropriate for your needs and understanding of the topic?

Point of View (Bias)

  • Does the source present the information from a particular bias or single viewpoint?
  • Does the source contain assumptions not backed by research?
  • Does the sponsoring organization or site have a stake in how information is presented?
  • Does the information contain advertising?

Plagiarism Overview from the OWL at Purdue

Have questions about what plagiarism is or about how to avoid it?     

Browse the following for help:

 

The above links are made available through The OWL at Purdue, an Online Writing Lab created and maintained by the English department at Purdue University

Citation Resources and Plagiarism Prevention

APA Style Examples for Citing Business Resources

Harvard Business School Citation Guide

Harvard Business School publishes a very useful citation guide for citing business resources in HBS citation style: