*	Library Home

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Suggested Research Strategy

See also: Other Library Resources for Business Students

• Write down your research topic in the form of a sentence or question.
• What do you already know about the topic? If you are searching for some ideas, consider the following options:

1. Scan titles of magazine articles for something of interest using Academic Search Elite. Use an appropriate article as your starting point.

   Useful subject headings include: consumers, consumer behavior, consumer preferences, consumer survey, consumer research, target marketing.

2. Look for articles in professional and trade journals, scholarly journals, and newspapers in one of the library's business databases such as ABI/INFORM, LexisNexis Academic, or Factiva.
3. Look for articles of interest in Advances in Consumer Research online (or in print in the Library: HF 5415.3 .A846). Check any references or footnotes at the end of each article for additional leads.
4. Search for books in the University Library using Library Catalog, the library's online catalog. Books in libraries around the nation are listed in WorldCat, and may be borrowed via Interlibrary Loan.

   Useful subject headings include: Consumers, Consumer Behavior, Consumers' Preference, Ma rketing Research, Market Survey, etc.

   Search also for books about specific groups of consumers, for example aged consumers, te enage consumers, young adults as consumers, etc.

• Are there terms or phrases you do not understand?

  Use one of the dictionaries of marketing, such as Dictionary of Marketing Terms (Ref HF 5415 .D4874 1995) or International Dictionary of Marketing & Communication (Ref HF 5412 .J4x 1987).

• Write down any other synonyms, phrases, acronyms that also express your topic.
• What other kinds of information do you need?

1. Statistics?

   Demographics and Population: Use the Statistical Abstract of the U.S. online (or in print in the Library:  Ref U.S. Docs C3 .134:)

   Consumer markets by city and region:

   The Lifestyle Market Analyst (Ref HF 5415.33 .U6L54)

   Demographics USA. County Edition - including Survey of Buying Power data. (RESERVE: HF5415 .S84x)

   For more statistical sources, visit the Statistics page on the Library Web Site.

2. Market shares by product?

   Use the Market Share Reporter (RESERVE: HF 5410 M35).

3. Sample marketing surveys and questionnaires?

   Try the Handbook of Marketing Scales (Ref HF 5415.3 .B323 1999).

4. Company information?

   Try some of the links on the Finding Company Information page.

5. Case Studies?

   See the library's guide on researching and building a case study.

6. Research Journals?

   Can you tell whether or not a publication is "scholarly" just by looking at it? If not, see Scholarly vs. Popular Periodicals for some quick tips.

• Estimate the amount of time you can afford to spend searching in the Library or on the Web. Do not depend exclusively on the Web for all your research needs. Use print resources, Web resources, and other electronic resources as appropriate.
• Evaluate your sources. There are five criteria that can help you determine the credibility and validity of the information you have. Whether you are using a Web resource or print resource, the criteria are the same. Please see Evaluation of Web Resources.
• Do you know how to cite your references--even the Internet ones? If not, see How To Cite Sources or ask a reference librarian for assistance.
• Need help? Ask a reference librarian or check our library help guides online.
• For general information on choosing a career, go to the class page for MDIS 1000. For careers and job opportunities in marketing, try the Web site of the American Marketing Association.
• Be sure to visit Dr. Kaylene Williams' Web site.

Library Catalog | Contact Us | Quick Links | What's New | Help

Page compiled by Paula Crawford, Carl Bengston, and John Brandt.

This document is maintained by: the CSUS Library(wwwlibrary@wwwlibrary.csustan.edu)
Page updated: 10/31/2008