Business Writing Toolkit

Want a brief overview of the resources? 

Check out this Business Research Handout.

Need help with creating literature reviews, discovering related research, and visualizing content? Then, check out the AI tools below designed for researchers. 

• Research Rabbit - Literature search, alerts, and more
• Litmaps - Joining the dots between scientific papers.

Two Types of Research Assignments

The sections below address the two types of research assignments. For further guidance, check out this online tutorial, Business Research Assignments or contact your librarian. 

Writing on a Topic

Essentially there are three sections in this type of research paper.

• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Conclusion

Below describes a method you can take when writing a research paper but keep in mind that your goal is to define your topic based on the perspective you take. 

• Understand Your Topic – Build your background knowledge, narrow your perspective of the phenomenon, and develop a research question on your topic
• Gather Material – Make a list of search terms and begin your search with the library databases or catalog using the search box on our landing page
• Analyze and Utilize your Research – View the short film, Understanding the Sections of a Peer Reviewed Article. Once you collect enough material to introduce your topic/perspective, details that support your perspective, and your conclusion, start writing, but be sure you cite the resources correctly

Below is a list of databases that include books and articles. Read over their descriptions and select which source is best for you. If you are asked to login, use your U credentials.

When searching for articles, try starting with Business Source Premier. Use the Advance Search option to enter your search terms and apply any necessary limits like date of publication. Once you hit enter, you will be taken to a results list. Read over the descriptions of the articles, but pay close attention to the Subjects Line. The Subjects Line details what topics are discussed in the article and is a great source for improving upon your search term list. 

Want to avoid getting overwhelmed by peer reviewed articles? Check out this film, Understanding the Sections of a Peer Reviewed Article. Once you access the link, you will be taken to Kaltura the video platform for the University of Utah.

Problem Based Reports

At times, research assignments are problem based. These assignments often come with a scenario asking you to complete

• Tasks
• Objectives
• Goals

These reports are often formatted with sections and bullet points.

• Introduction of problem including all perspectives involved
• Issues involved 
• Conclusion detailing problem solving approach

First, start thinking of an action plan for your research by deciding what information is necessary; like, will you need books, articles, company details, industry information, or market data? Then, start thinking about how you want to present what you've learned. 

Below are databases that provide company, industry and market information. Read over the descriptions to decide which option is best for you. If you are asked to login, use your U credentials.

Need to gather company, industry, and market information but need help using the databases? 

Check out this online tutorial titled, Company, Industry & Market Research!

Company Information 

For pointers on how to conduct a company analysis, check out this Strategic Analysis of Starbucks Corporation.

Industry Reports

Market Data