Welcome
Hi. I'm Tabitha, your embedded librarian and I've created this guide to help you with your research for ACC393.
Each section introduces the steps you should take when researching for an assessment. You'll find links to videos and resources that will give you the tools to find great information. Use the activities on the test your knowledge tab to see what you need to revise. Use the Five Forces Analysis tab to see more information around the Five Forces Analysis process and related databases.
Getting started with your assessment
The first thing is to make sure you clearly understand the task and what topic you are seeking information for; this is called topic analysis. Check your assessment task details in your Subject Outline.
With an understanding of your task you then need to plan how you will search for information. This starts with identifying and brainstorming keywords.
From your assessment task:
Keywords | Synonyms or related terms |
Strategic Management | strategic planning, innovation management, strategy |
Sustainability | sustainable development, corporate sustainability |
Performance Measurement | performance management, performance evaluation |
Does your task place any limits? These might be "in the last 5 years" or Australian content.
For guidance in topic analysis check out:
Choose the right place to search
Before you start searching, think about what types of information you need and where you can search to find those types of resources.
Primo Search
Primo Search is a good place to start as it allows you to use one search box to bring back results from most of our Library collection including books, eBooks, journal articles, newspaper articles and more. You may get a large number of results and some of these will be from outside your subject/discipline area. Check the content is relevant to your assessment task before you use it.
Library databases
Databases will help you find academic resources and are often subject specific. You will get fewer results than Primo, but they will be more relevant to your subject/discipline.
I recommend trying the following databases:
- EBSCOhost (Business) This link opens in a new windowA package of five EBSCOhost databases, all of which include Business-related material and a considerable amount of full-text content. Includes the important business database, Business Source Complete.
- ProQuest Business Databases This link opens in a new windowA package of ProQuest databases all with business-, economics-, and management-related material. These databases can also be searched individually or in any combination.
The Business, Management, Marketing &WHS list has more databases you can search.
Learn how to search efficiently in Primo and Library databases:
If you are looking specifically for newspaper articles, use these databases:
- Factiva This link opens in a new windowA global news and business information service, with most material available in full-text. It covers science, health, education, the humanities, and other subjects but has a focus on business, including business news, and company and industry research.
- ANZ Newsstream This link opens in a new windowA ProQuest database featuring the full-text of Australian and New Zealand newspapers. Previously called ANZ Newsstand
Other Sources
The following guide and video on Company information may also be useful:
Create a search strategy
When you search using Primo Search or a library database use the keywords and limits you identified above to create your search. Combine the keywords with search operators, rather than searching with a whole sentence or question. Search operators tell Primo or the database how to search with your keywords.
For your assessment topic potential search strings could include:
- business advancement OR business strategy AND leadership
- (strategy OR strategic) AND "Porters Five Forces Model"
- "Temple and Webster" AND strategy
Remember: you will need to try a range of searches. Don't stop after just one.
To understand how search operators work check out:
Evaluate
Using credible information will improve the quality of your assessment and may result in better marks, but how can you tell whether the resources you've found are credible and suitable for your assessment? Have you been asked to use peer reviewed, academic or refereed articles? Are you using authoritative websites?
The information below will help you evaluate the information you find, in books, journal articles, or online to make sure it’s reliable.
Keen for more?
If you're interested in finding out more, check out the following:
Reading, writing and referencing
The Academic Skills team can help you to build your writing, referencing and reading skills to be successful at Charles Sturt.
Explore resources from the Academic Skills team in the Learning Skills section of the Student Portal.
Here are some pages to get you started:
Your textbook
Good news!
Your textbook is available online through the library!
However access to your textbook is limited. Follow the best practice in the video below to ensure you have access to what you need without disadvantaging other students in your subject.
- Management Accounting: Information for Managing and Creating Value byPublication Date: 20223 Concurrent users
Using AI
Have you been asked to use Generative AI Tools (GAITs) in your assessment? Or are you thinking of using GAITs for research and study?
Make sure you are aware of the risks associated with using GAITs:
- Academic integrity
- Plagiarism
- Inaccurate content
- Intellectual property
- Privacy concerns.
For more information see:
Microsoft Copilot
You have access to Microsoft Copilot's secure enterprise version while studying at Charles Sturt. This means your data is protected when using the secure version of Copilot via a student account, hence your data isn't retained or used for training the genAI. To find out how to access, head over to Charles Sturt's Microsoft Copilot page.
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