Why look beyond Google?  A Google search is a great starting place for research.  But a Google search will miss many relevant and high quality sources only available in the deep web.  Library databases house many deep web resources (e.g., journal and magazine articles, news, statistics) and often specialize in a type of resource or discipline (like business).  On this page you will find recommended databases for business research.  These are not sources in and of themselves, but are landing pages to continue and expand your search.  To learn more about library databases, watch this short video.

Watch a video about finding articles.  Also check out the rest of  the HBLL Business Database Research Videos. (Five short videos (2mins each) on choosing a topic, Evaluating websites, Finding Articles, Publication Types, and Search Strategies).

Below is an explanation and examples of the types of sources we recommend for you to use in your paper. To find articles go to the tab FINDING ARTICLES  and search using  ProQuest One Business and/or Business Source Ultimate (EBSCO) limit your searches (left tab) to the following types of sources 

Peer-Reviewed Sources

Peer-reviewed sources are sometimes referred to as scholarly or academic in library databases. Researchers or experts write these sources in a particular field and are often grounded in research; these sources have been analyzed and substantiated by experts in the field. This makes this type of secondary source the most credible. Scholarly articles use specialized vocabulary, have extensive citations, and are often peer-reviewed. Most articles found through library databases have been peer-reviewed, but to filter out non-reviewed sources, you can check the “peer-reviewed” box during your search.  Google Scholar Metrics lets authors view journal rankings and ratings using various h-indices.

How to Read a Peer-Reviewed Article

1. Read the Abstract.
2. Read the Introduction.
3. Skim the body of the paper, including the research methodology, sample sizes, statistical methods, etc.
4. Skim the Discussion.
5. Read the Conclusion.

Non-Peer-Reviewed Sources

• TRADE MAGAZINES - Experts in a particular industry may write trade publications. Still, they are not considered scholarly, as they share general news, trends, and opinions rather than advanced research and are not peer-reviewed.  Wikipedia provides a nice list of trade sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_trade_magazines
• POPULAR MAGAZINES - Journalists typically write popular magazine articles to entertain or inform a general audience. Here is a list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_magazines_by_circulation#United_States
• INTERNET SOURCES - Sources published online (websites, blogs, magazines, news articles, etc.) are primarily unmonitored; their information may be inaccurate or unverifiable. Use the SIFT method to evaluate these sources. Use the advanced search to limit your search to the following: 
  • Date - Limit to the last year; an old date may mean the source is not current or accurate.
  • The site domain on a website (sites ending in “.edu,” “.org,” or “.gov” are generally more credible than “.com” websites.) After initially scanning the source, look closer at the content. The person or organization responsible for the source (well-respected organizations would be more reliable than casual bloggers.   

Here is a selective  list of free data sources:

• American Economic Association - Data Sources 

• Economic Policy Institute 

• General Social Survey (GSS)

• NBER - Data 

• Pew Research Center 

• Population Reference Bureau 

• Survey Center on American Life