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MBA Research Guide: Welcome

This research guide was created by TLU librarians to support students in the Texas Lutheran University Master of Business Administration program.

Welcome

If you have any questions about locating, evaluating, incorporating, and citing sources, please feel free to ask a librarian.

Welcome to the research guide for TLU MBA students!

Woman studying

Image via Flickr by CollegeDegrees360 and licensed by a CC BY-SA 2.0 license.

1: Find background information in reference sources

Reference sources can provide background material and be a launching point for further research. 

From the library website, search PrimoDiscovery for a keyword, and use the filters on the left-hand side to limit to Reference Entries. For example, when I search for the keyword algorithms, I find reference entries in The Gale Encyclopedia of Science and Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Technology.

Reference Entries is found under Source Type

2. Need books or ebooks? Search the Library Catalog

The Library Catalog is the gateway to finding books. The library catalog is part of PrimoDiscovery, so search PrimoDiscovery for your keywords, then use the filters on the left hand side to limit to Books and Book Chapters. You can also limit to Available Online to exclude physical items held by the on-campus library. 
 

3. Need articles? Search the databases

Databases are large, searchable collections of articles, including scholarly articles. To see all of TLU's Business and Economics databases, visit Databases by Subject - Business and Economics. The Databases by Subject pages also include links to recommended websites.

For tips on conducting effective searches, visit the Research Tips guide

Here are a few key databases for business administration:

Writing in APA Style

If you have a copy of the Publication Manual of the APA book, it is an excellent resource! Use the index to find the page that addresses your question. (For example, if you want to know how to cite an article that uses an article number instead of page numbers, look up Article Number in the index.)

The APA Style website has a lot of information, too.  

The Purdue OWL APA Guide has lots of good examples. Ignore the pop-up ads and the auto-generator. 

Automatic citation generators can sometimes be handy, but you should always double-check them. If you want to use one, we recommend the citation generators built into databases or specialized tools, not the ones on the open Web (grab your citation from Business Source Complete, PrimoDiscovery, or Google Scholar, not from Citation Machine). Then check it for accuracy before including it in your work!

 

Example in-text citation: 

(Harrison, J. S., et al., 2020) 

(Harrison, J. S., et al., 2020, p. 1167) for an exact quote 

 

Example reference list entry: 

Harrison, J. S., Thurgood, G. R., Boivie, S., & Pfarrer, M. D. (2020). Perception is reality: How CEOs’ observed personality influences market perceptions of firm risk and shareholder returns. Academy of Management Journal63(4), 1166–1195. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2018.0626

Video: Library Orientation for MBA Students

Video: Understanding Boolean Operators

Ask a Librarian

Reference desk

TLU librarians offer in-depth research help.

Visit

During library open hours, ask at the main desk for help finding what you need or help setting up an appointment with a librarian. 

Email

librarian@tlu.edu

Chat

Click on the Ask a Question tab on the right side of a library web page. It will bring you either to live chat, or to a place where you can leave a message. 

Call

830-372-8100 (main desk)

Library directory (list of individual library staff and faculty)

Connect

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--Finding a particular journal--

To see if a journal or magazine is available, either online or in print, look in the Publications by Title list.

--Interlibrary Loan--

Need an item that our library doesn't own? No worries, you can email the title, author and date of what you need to ill@tlu.edu or fill out a form. We can get most (but not all) articles within 2 days and many books within 4-8 days. 

For more information, visit our interlibrary loan page.

--Using databases off-campus--

If you are using an off-campus computer, you will be prompted for your last name (Not your network username but last name only) and your 8-digit TLU number.

--Evaluate and cite sources--

Distance Learning for Students