Business: General Business Resources

Business in Credo Reference

Looking for reference materials? Credo Reference provides extensive, reliable reference information on a variety of subjects, including business. For more detailed instructions on accessing information about business terms and concepts, famous people and corporations, and more, check out the Business in Credo LibGuide.

Database Search Tips

A few quick tips for getting the most bang for your buck from library databases:

• Keep it short and sweet. Long phrases or entire sentences don't work as well in most databases as they do in Google. For the best results, limit your search terms to just a few words.
• Break out the thesaurus! If you find yourself getting few or no useful responses, brainstorm some synonyms. For example, is there another word(s) you could use that means the same thing?
• Be specific. Although you don't want your search term to be too wordy, be sure to include specific language if you find your results are too broad. For example, you may want to include a person's full name, the name of a country, or a date in order to properly narrow your search.
• Use the search limiters provided. Most databases allow you to narrow your search in many ways (by publication date, publication type, author, subject, country/state/region, etc.). These tools are great for those times when your search gives you thousands of results, and you need to narrow things down.
• Try Boolean Operators or quotation marks. Use Boolean Operators (AND, OR and NOT) to link search terms (ex. obesity AND children, oil NOT petroleum), or try putting search terms in quotation marks (ex. "Alice in Wonderland") to limit results and search only an exact phrase.
• When all else fails, ask a librarian! Your friendly librarians at Mitchell Community College are always happy to help you. If you have a question outside library hours, use the Chat Now box on this page or visit the Library Homepage.

Business Websites

All websites were not created equal, and you definitely can't trust them all when it comes to conducting scholarly research. 

Try these trusted sources first!

Note: While the Wall Street Journal is available online, only parts of it are free without a paid subscription. Use the link listed under the Databases tab to access the full publication, ad-free, and with full bibliographic information included to make articles easy to cite.

Books & eBooks

These are just a few of the great business titles available through Mitchell Library.  If you don't see what you need, search the library catalog or our eBooks collection on the  Library homepage, or contact a librarian today!

Print Books 

eBooks

Interlibrary Loan Request

So you've looked all over the Library and you can't find what you need--now what?

Mitchell Community College Library is able to borrow items from other institutions via Community College Libraries in North Carolina (CCLINC) using Interlibrary Loan. This service is free to all Library users*!

To request an item, fill out the Interlibrary Loan Request form, found both here and on the Library Homepage. Be sure to fill out as much of the form as you can, as this will help ensure the correct item is requested. A Librarian will work to fill your request and will let you know when your item is ready for pick-up.

*Must have a valid student ID or Mitchell Community College Library card.

ILL FAQs

Q:  When will I get my book/other item? How long will it take?

A.  That depends on many factors, including how far the item is traveling from its home institution, how long it takes to get a response from the library lending the materials, etc. However, the majority of requested items arrive in a week or less.

Q:  What do I do with my ILL book when I'm done with it? Do I need to mail it back to the lending library?

A:  No. Simply drop the book off at any MCC library location, and your item(s) will be returned to the correct institution.

Q:  How long do I get to keep ILL items?

A:  Most ILL items are loaned for one month, which starts when the item is dropped into the mail by the lending institution. Your library staff will stamp your item with its due date. While all lending libraries do have the right to ask for their items back early, this rarely happens.

Q:  Can I renew ILL items?

A:  Yes. Unless another student has requested that item, you can renew ILL materials. Call or stop by any MCC library location, and our staff will be happy to assist you with renewals. Just remember, all requests for renewals must be made before the item's original due date.

Q:  How many ILL items can I get at one time?

A:  Students can check out up to five items at once, including ILL items.

Q:  There's a book that I need, but it's "non-circulating."  Can you help me?

A:  Yes. In many cases, a librarian can request scanned or photocopied pages of non-circulating books, which have been designated for library use only. These may be sent in the form of a fax if only a few pages are needed, or may be scanned and emailed, or photocopied and sent via traditional mail if more than 10 pages are required.

Q:  What about journal articles?

A:  We can ask for digital or print copies of articles from other institutions, too. If you find an article online that you cannot access, or that requires a paid subscription to view, ask you library staff to help you locate it for free.

Citations

Try these links for help citing your sources.

• Not sure what format to use? Check with your instructor!
• Prefer print citation guides over online ones? Stop by the Library and check out the APA and MLA manuals we have on reserve.
• Have other questions? Use the Contact Us tab on the top of the page to get in touch with a helpful Librarian ASAP!

The CRAAP Test

Wondering whether that article you found is "good enough" to use for your assignment? Use the CRAAP Test to check the currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose of the article before trusting it for scholarly research

• Currency - the timeliness of information.
  • When was the information created or published?
  • When, if ever, was the information revised or updated?
  • How current does your information need to be? Did your instructor provide you with specific guidelines for currency? Is the topic or field you are studying (science, for example) one that changes rapidly and requires the use of the most recent information available?
• Relevance - how well the information meets your specific needs.
  • Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • Is the information at an appropriate level (not too advanced or or elementary in nature for your needs)?
  • Do you feel, overall, that this source is appropriate for use in college-level work?
  • Have you compared information from other sources in order to find the most appropriate and useful one(s) for your research?
• Authority - the source of the information.
  • Who is the author/creator/publisher/sponsor of the work?
  • What are the author's credentials? If the source was sponsored or produced by an organization, what are the affiliations of that organization?
  • Is the author qualified to speak on this subject?
  • Is contact information for the author and/or publisher of the work available?
  • Does the URL tell you anything about the author or the source? For example:
    • .com indicates a commercially available website (anyone could purchase/own these domains).
    • .gov indicates a government website.
    • .edu indicates an educational institution.
    • .org indicates an organization of some kind, such as a non-profit or trade organization.
    • .net indicates a network website, usually used by Internet providers, web-hosting companies, or similar businesses.
• Accuracy - the reliability, correctness, and truthfulness of the information
  • Is the information provided supported by evidence/facts?
  • Has the information been reviewed or edited? Who was it reviewed/edited by?
  • Can you verify the information provided by comparing it to other trusted sources, or based on your own personal knowledge?
  • Does the source seem biased toward one particular viewpoint? Does it use emotional, inflammatory language?
  • Are there any spelling, grammar, or typographical errors? This may be a red flag that the information was not professionally edited or reviewed.
• Purpose- why the information exists.
  • Does the source seek to inform, teach, sell, entertain, or persuade? The best sources for scholarly research should aim to inform/teach readers rather than sell, entertain, or change their point of view.
  • Does the author/sponsor make his/her intentions clear?
  • Does the information include facts, opinions, propaganda, or a combination? Look for sources that stick the the facts.

The Tutoring Center

The Tutoring Center offers free peer tutoring in most courses. If you would like to utilize these academic support services at no cost, please fill out the online form (link below) and drop by a Tutoring Center location to pick up a referral form for your instructor to sign. Return with the signed form and get the help you need!

Tutoring Center Locations

Statesville Campus - (704) 978-3116
Huskins Library, First Floor (basement)

Mooresville Campus - (704) 978-5412
George Whitfield Brawley, Jr. Building, Room 093

Contact:

Teresa Jordan, Administrative Specialist
(704) 978-3116
tjordan@mitchellcc.edu