Info lit session for communication studies

1. RESEARCHING PUBLIC
COMPANIES
Asking questions, finding
sources

2. OBJECTIVES
Think of questions first
Start broad
Know the usual suspects
Connect questions to
possible sources

3. ASKING QUESTIONS FOR
RESEARCH
If your boss asked you
research this company,
what three things would
be most important to tell
him or her?

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW TO
UNDERSTAND A COMPANY'S
OPERATING ENVIRONMENT?
Take a couple of minutes to think and write.
Find a partner and share some of your questions.

5. START BROAD
NAICS codes, industry
overviews, and other
sources

6. NAICS CODES
North American Classification System
Used to classify industries for statistical
purposes by the US government
Drill down through the lookup tool
Find the NAICS code through a sample
company
Used to target specific industries in business
databases or to find government statistics

7. START BROAD WITH INDUSTRY
OVERVIEWS
1. Go to the page for industry information on the guide, “Business
Resources for Public Relations.”
2. You already found the NAICS code for the airline industry
(481111).
3. In Business Insights: Global, search with the NAICS code and
“Industry” from the drop down menu. Click on the correct industry.
4. Note the links in the left column.
5. There are two industry essays. Click into the industry overview for
the American market.
6. What kind of information can you find? How is the overview helpful
for your research?

8. WHAT ARE OTHER SOURCES FOR
BACKGROUND INFORMATION?
Company profile and history (like what you found in Mergent)
Company website
Industry statistics and market share reports
Professional association reports

9. PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
1. Found “National Air Transportation Association” homepage
URL through Business Insights: Global, industry profile page.
2. Searched related:http://www.nata.aero in Google to find
more.

10. KNOW THE USUAL
SUSPECTS
Connect questions to
possible sources

11. INFORMATION TYPES ASSIGNMENT
Find a group of three or four people. Find examples of your assigned
information type covering the airline industry or American Airlines.
Use the research guide for help.
Put together a quick presentation for the class that covers these
topics:
1. What are the titles and publication sources for your pieces of
information?
2. What kind of research questions can you answer with this type of
information?
3. Why include this kind of information in your reference list?
4. Where could you find this type of information? (Be specific.)

12. KEEP ASKING
QUESTIONS

13. FINAL TASK:
EMAIL TO
MHEUER@SMU.EDU
What are the most
important things you
learned today?
Do you have any
unanswered questions?