This document provides guidance on conducting secondary research for an assignment. It outlines steps for developing a research strategy, including defining the assignment, focusing the topic, identifying keywords, and finding relevant resources. Potential information sources discussed are library databases, catalogs, and websites. The document stresses the importance of evaluating sources for currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose. It also notes that library resources can provide scholarly information not easily found through public search engines.

2. Objectives
0 How you can plan your
research
0 What research
resources you can use

3. What is Secondary Research?
“Research using information that has already
been compiled and formatted. It is different
from primary research, which is also known as
original research . . . In research, it is important to
assess the secondary information that exists
before time and money is spent to conduct new
research” (Secondary research, n.d.).

4. Research Strategy
0 Define your
assignment/project
0 Focus your research
0 Develop your keywords
0 Identify your resources 1
Tip: planning and following a strategy
saves you time and frustration

5. Define Your Assignment
0 What do you need to do?
0 What is being asked of you?
0 Look for command words: Research, analyze, discuss
0 What are the most important concepts
in your assignment/project?
0 Describe the assignment in your own
words
0 Solidifies your understanding
Example: Fortis Inc.

6. Focus Your Research
1. Introduction
0 what does this company do?
0 how competitive is the industry?
2. Plans
0 what competitive forces does the company face?
3. Controls
0 what control systems are in place to monitor
company performance?
4. Organizes
0 what is the organizational structure?
5. Leads
0 what leadership style is utilized by the CEO?

7. Develop Your Keywords
0 Industry
0 power, utilities, electricity, gas, natural gas, energy, hydro
0 Leadership
0 leader, CEO, board of directors, management,
administration, human resources, awards
0 Company name
0 Fortis Inc., FortisBC, FortisOntario, Fortis Generation,
Teresan, etc.
Tip: search tools only search the words you give them; using
a variety of keywords can give you more results

8. Combine Your Keywords
• Combine similar words (synonyms) with OR
• Combine different concepts with AND
Example:
(Fortis Inc) AND (power or energy or utilities or electricity or
hydro)

9. Identify Your Resources
Who would collect/research/write about this
topic?
• Company/market/industry researchers
• Scholars
• Government
• Associations Where is this information
• Journalists published?
• articles
• reports
How can I access this • books
information? • websites, etc.
• Internet
• Okanagan College Library!

10. What’s a Database?
• Also called an index
• A searchable collection of electronic data
• Use a database to find citations and full-text
copies of articles, reports, data, and other
information

12. What’s a Library Catalogue?
• A type of database
• Online
• A list of all materials (books, reports, audiovisual
materials, maps etc.) in a library’s collection (not articles!)
• Used to find and locate materials

14. What is OCtopus?
• Library’s search engine
• Good place to start, “one-stop shopping”
• Simultaneous search for books, audio-visual
materials (DVDs, etc.), journal articles, journals,
reports, and other resources
• Enhancement, not a replacement (does not include
ALL material)

16. Find Resources Without the
Internet!?
0 Use Other People’s References
0 Use bibliographies, works cited lists, references, and
citations in papers to find more related information
0 Type article titles into OCtopus
0 Call Number Browsing
0 Books on shelf organized by subject area, those in
close proximity will be related
0 Known Authors
0 Find a good book or article? Maybe they have written
more on the topic

17. Evaluate Your Resources
urrency: Timeliness of the information.
elevance: Importance of the information for
your needs.
uthority: Credibility of the source of the
information.
ccuracy: Reliability, truthfulness and
correctness of the information.
urpose: Reason the information exists.

18. “Why Should I Use Library Resources
When I Can Use Google?”
Google Library
Coverage Publicly Scholarly resources including
accessible web journals & ebooks as well as
newspaper, magazine articles,
data, and more
Access Public Restricted to use at OC;
remote use for OC community
Authority ? Scholarly & vetted resources
Accuracy ? Scholarly & vetted resources

19. Evaluating Websites: As
Easy as it Looks?
0 Bisphenol-A: http://www.bisphenol-a.org
0 Controversial chemical used to make hard, clear plastic known as
polycarbonate, which is used in many consumer products such as
water and baby bottles
0 Mixed research available, chemical currently under review by
Government of Canada
0 Martin Luther King Jr.: http://www.martinlutherking.org
0 “The truth about Martin Luther King: Includes historical trivia,
articles and pictures. A valuable resource for teachers and students
alike.”

20. Research… Woo!
0 Library Website
0 Articles
0 Catalogue
0 OCtopus
0 Guides by Course & Subject > BUAD 123
0 OCtopus, specific to business-related research

21. Assignment
0 Introduction
0 Background Information?
0 Resource?
0 Search type?
0 Planning & Controlling
0 Resource?
0 Regulatory Controls?
0 Organization & Leadership
0 Anything in their industry affecting their structure?

22. Remember…
0 Research takes time
0 Be flexible and open to new information
and strategies
0 Ask for help
0 Help Resources: Research/Course Guides
0 AskAway Chat Reference
0 E-mail & Reference Desks
Tip:When looking for information, you may have to
Tip: Share any resources you how with your group
think beyond the question of find does X company
members. Many of the resources the research
plan, organize, lead, control. Use you find will
answer questions in some orassignment to look for
questions presented in your all areas of
Planning, Controlling, Organization, and
evidence of how X company plans, organizes, etc.
Leadership.

23. Notes
1. Concept for Research Strategy adapted from University of B.C.’s David Lam Management
Research Library’s Jump-Starting My Research (Undergraduate) guide
http://www.library.ubc.ca/lam/Reference%20Template_Aug09_undergraduate.doc and
Research Rescue’s Jump start Your Research guide
http://blogs.ubc.ca/researchrescue/files/2010/03/RRJumpStart.pdf
References
"secondary research" In A Dictionary of Marketing. Retrieved from http://www.oxfordreference.com
LJ 09/10/2012