Before starting this tutorial, take a moment and reflect on your previous experience with research. Have you used Google to search for information on an unfamiliar topic? Searched for information on events or destinations for a vacation? Or, have you searched for reviews before buying a product?
These are just a few examples of research activities. You've likely done a lot of research before, for school projects or personal interest.
This tutorial will build on your previous experience with research, and introduce business-specific research skills. You will learn how to find newspaper and magazine articles to learn about current topics in the business world.
This tutorial will focus on how to find newspaper articles and magazine articles. First, a few definitions:
Newspaper articles provide you with an account of current events locally, nationally, or internationally. Articles are usually authored by journalists, and are mainly written for the general public.
Newspaper articles may be based on information from interviews, reports, news releases, or other sources. For example, a journalist writing a news article may refer to sources like Statistics Canada, mention key points from a company’s annual report, or report on an interview with a person relevant to a story.
Articles range from brief updates on a current topic to lengthier investigative articles. Newspapers also contain letters to the editor and editorials, which are more opinion-based. While these can be informative, they are not objective presentations of facts and will require further research.
Business magazines can provide you with background and current information on business topics. Magazine articles may be written to entertain, inform, or present a viewpoint. The articles are often written by a staff writer or journalist.
Sometimes, you may find magazine articles that include sponsored content. These articles are often provided by advertising companies to promote products or services and may be written in the format of an article. Refer to the evaluating information section on the Finding Business Articles page of this tutorial to help you distinguish between these sources.
This tutorial only covers newspaper and magazine articles. However, there are other types of materials available through the Seneca Libraries collections, which may be helpful for other assignments throughout your studies. For example:
Professional / Trade Magazines
Trade articles provide practical information related to a profession or trade, and are aimed at people working in a particular field, to help them stay up to date on current topics. The content focuses on information about working in the profession, trends, and news related to that field or trade. Articles are often written by authors who work in or have expertise in the trade/profession.
Journal articles are highly credible sources which are written by professors, researchers, or scholars. These articles usually report on results of original research and discuss very specific topics.
Journal articles are often referred to as scholarly or peer-reviewed sources. Peer-review refers to a form of quality control where subject experts first review and approve the article before it gets published. This process increases the credibility and quality of information presented in a journal article.
Books provide overviews, background, history, and introductions to topics, as well as in-depth examinations of topics. They are useful when you are looking for in-depth information on a topic, or background overview of a subject area.
Press releases are official statements written and released by a company or organization intended to notify the public of new products, services, events, or statements. While these releases may appear on news websites or databases, they should not be mistaken for news articles.
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