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Research Excellence Series - Business

York University Libraries has launched a new approach to teaching information and digital literacy to students in business disciplines. The business information landscape can at times seem difficult to navigate and comprehend, but these two interactive classes are designed to help students achieve the business information competencies needed for success both at university and for their careers beyond it.

Series Description

Each of our two 90-minute classes will be offered synchronously on Zoom with a choice of different time slots in fall and winter terms. They will integrate learning activities, discussion, and time for critical reflection. The classes are open to any student registered at York but anticipated to be of particular value to those enrolled in business programs.

Enrollment & Completion 

Course instructors, we invite you to share this registration link (coming soon!) with your students. Students can be asked to complete a quiz associated with each workshop which business librarians have prepared to test their knowledge acquisition from the workshops. At the discretion of the instructor a credit can be awarded for completion of these quizzes. We can provide a certificate of attendance for each of the classes your students attend which can be uploaded to your class at your discretion and for your records.

Please let your students know they can see more information about the two-class titles under the Curriculum section below.

If you are interested in this series and would like to incorporate it into your course, please email us at yul_slas@yorku.ca

Curriculum

You will come away from this interactive class with the know-how to get started with business research, including navigating key library guides and websites. The following areas form a focus for this class:  

  • The ABCs of the business information landscape, especially library subscription sources, with a focus on how to identify and search for business articles (scholarly, trade, popular and news) and company information sources 
  • Considerations when using free web sources and generative AI for business research for assignments and projects including an overview of key benefits and risks  
  • Tips and frameworks to help you grasp the fundamentals of evaluating business information sources drawing on business articles and company sources as examples 
  • The how and why of citing business information sources which can vary greatly in format and type with a focus on APA style 

This class will include opportunities to practice skills taught and engage with concepts taught through polls and short activities

Learning Outcomes 

Learners will be able to  

  1. Identify types of information available for business research, including key differences between free and library-subscription sources and why this matters for business studies at university and for careers beyond it 
  1. Navigate YorkU Libraries’ website, business guides and Omni to navigate business research materials effectively  
  1. Navigate and search business library databases and recommended web sites to retrieve articles and company research sources that are fit for purpose 
  1. Critically evaluate business article types and company information sources to assess their credibility, purpose, strengths and limitations. 
  2. Apply a critical framework to using mainstream GenAI chatbots in business research including understanding their legitimate uses and appreciating risks and limitations associated with their use 

This interactive class will give you practical skills you can use right away in your business assignments. We’ll focus on three main things: 

  1. Choosing a researchable business topic – how to narrow down big ideas into something you can actually work with. 
  1. Finding industry and market information – using tools like IBISWorld, Statista, MarketLine, and SimplyAnalytics to get reliable data. 
  1. Exploring ESG (environmental, social, and governance) info – where to look for ESG and sustainability insights in company reports, analyst research, and the news. 

Along the way, you’ll practice smart search strategies (using keywords, synonyms, filters, etc.) so you don’t waste time on random Google results. We’ll finish with a short activity where you’ll put everything together to create a quick “market + ESG snapshot” — something you can actually use in class assignments, case studies, or even pitch competitions. 

Learning Outcomes

Learners will be able to  

  1. Refine broad ideas into focused questions for industry/market and sustainability research
  1. Design and execute strategic searches in industry/market tools (e.g., IBISWorld, Statista) and ESG sources.
  1. Navigate specialized business databases to retrieve industry, market, and ESG information
  2. Synthesize findings into a concise market + ESG snapshot and cite appropriate
  3. Compare search experiences across databases to understand their strengths, limitations, and contexts