Last Chance! Citing Sources Workshops This Week

Liz

Reminder! The Library and Writing Center are joining forces this week to offer two sessions of a workshop on Citing Sources: Why, When, and How. Get a leg up on research and on your classmates! RSVP to library@bentley.edu to attend.

Citing Sources Workshop (presented jointly with the Writing Center)

Why do your professors spend so much time talking about citations? Does it feel like busywork? Come learn how to cite sources for any format. We’ll show you how to do it, where to find resources, and why you should care.

Have sources or a bibliography you need help with? Bring it with you!

Two sessions:

  • Monday, March 28, 2:15 to 3:15 (during activity period)
  • Tuesday, March 29 from 5:00 to 6:00

(The workshop will take place in the Research Instruction Center (Room 11) on the library’s lower level)

Database of the Month: Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS)

Macee

Looking to advertise your product, or learn more about potential target markets? Need marketing data for a class assignment? Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS) delivers the information you need to help with researching these questions:

  • Local Market Audience Analyst (LMAA): Datasets and analyses related to demographics, consumer behavior and market segmentation, using variables including the industry-standard DMA (Designated Market Area; a geographical area that roughly corresponds to the federal Statistical Metropolitan Area)
  • Advertising Source databases: Directories, current advertising rates and market analysis for domestic and international media types including print, digital, broadcast, newspaper and direct marketing
  • Tools for media campaign planning

Local Market Audience Analyst (LMAA)

LMAA replaces the printed book Lifestyle Market Analyst and is a powerful tool that can be explored by DMA/County, Lifestyle Category, Lifestyle Behavior, Demographic characteristic, PRIZM Social Group, and PRIZM Lifestage Group.

These data, combined into detailed statistical reports including Count, Index, and % Penetration columns (among others), can be useful for such pursuits as: targeting new markets for existing products, customizing advertising and sales for individual markets, developing opportunities for cross-sales, and targeting specific geographic markets based on their penetration for specific PRIZM Social or Lifestage groups.

  • Market Profile Reports: Search by DMA or County for a Demographic Overview of your selected area, or combine a DMA with a Lifestyle Category operator to view a Lifestyle Ranking Index.
  • Lifestyle Analysis Reports: Select a single Lifestyle Behavior and combine with a Lifestyle Category to view a Lifestyle Ranking Index in light of an entire category, or choose a single Lifestyle Behavior and view its Market Potential within individual DMAs.
  • Demographics Report: Choose a 2010 demographic variable to view Demographic Concentration DMA data by count, market penetration and index.
  • PRIZM Reports: View this segmentation data by Social Group (urbanicity and wealth traits) and/or Lifestage Group (family composition and wealth traits). Choose one of these targets to view the PRIZM Target Group Concentration using DMA data, or choose a Social or Lifestage group, combine it with a Lifestyle category, and view aggregate lifestyle behaviors via the PRIZM Target Group Lifestyle Report.

Reports can be sorted by column heading, and printed or pasted into spreadsheets. Step-by-step and interpretive help pages are available for each report. In addition, profile maps of the selected data are available for download.

Advertising Source databases

Five databases, separated by media type, provide information about advertising rates and procedures: Business Media, Consumer Media, Newspaper, Radio, and TV/Cable.

Business Media and Consumer Media contain information about domestic and international print sources (and related Web sites, if any). Searching by keyword, title, or industry classification code yields advertising information including ad rates, publication closing dates, special feature issues and circulation figures. Direct marketing opportunities are also included.

Newspaper, Radio, and TV/Cable are searchable in various ways depending on the environment in which each operates. These databases also offer Market Analysis reports that combine demographic data with proprietary data gathered by Claritas, Inc. and Nielsen Media Research to rank geographic markets. DMA factsheets are available in PDF format and can be downloaded from the rankings table.

Other Tools

SRDS also offers other helpful tools: the Tablet Media Library, a directory of mobile applications (apps) for various publications; Media Planning & Buying Calculators; and a collection of advertising and marketing industry/trade association links.

For further information on this resource, please consult the links to written help guides and video tutorials displayed here.

Please view the SRDS database here. A complete listing of the Bentley Library’s databases is available here.

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Database of the Month provides a very brief introduction to an important research database, highlighting key features of the database that you should know about. If you would like more information about this database (or any of the library’s databases) please contact the Reference Desk.  If you would like a demonstration of this database for a class, please contact our Coordinator of User Education, Elizabeth Galoozis.

Get Help! Upcoming Library Workshops

Liz

Now that you’re back from spring break, you may be staring down that research paper due at the end of the semester. The library has your back with a series of workshops on different parts of the research process. Keep reading to see which one may be right for you. (You can also view all our workshops at once in our events calendar.) All workshops will take place in the Research Instruction Center (Room 11) on the library’s lower level.

Wondering why it matters if you cite your sources? Come to:

Citing Sources Workshop (presented jointly with the Writing Center)

Why do your professors spend so much time talking about citations? Does it feel like busywork? Come learn how to cite sources for any format. We’ll show you how to do it, where to find resources, and why you should care.

Have sources or a bibliography you need help with? Bring it with you!

Two sessions:

  • Monday, March 28, 2:15 to 3:15 (during activity period)
  • Tuesday, March 29 from 5:00 to 6:00

(Please RSVP to library@bentley.edu for this workshop)

Having trouble keeping track of those sources you’re supposed to cite? Victim of a second-rate citation generator? Come to:

RefWorks Workshops for Students

These workshops for students will provide an introduction to RefWorks, an online bibliographic management tool. Learn to export citations, create bibliographies, and save and organize sources for all your research papers and projects – all in one place. Have sources you’re not sure how to cite? Bring them with you and we’ll help you get them right.

Three sessions:

  • Wednesday, March 23, 12:45 to 1:45 (during activity period)
  • Thursday, April 7, 1:00 to 2:00
  • Tuesday, April 12, 11:00 to 12:00

(Please RSVP to library@bentley.edu for this workshop. We also strongly recommend that you create a RefWorks account before attending, at RefWorks’ website. This works best when you are on campus.)

Have a paper or project due soon, and need information to complete it? Drop in to:

“I Just Need 3 Sources By Tomorrow!” Drop-In Research Help

Bring whatever you are working on to a reference librarian and get immediate expert assistance in finding the information you need, whether it be articles, statistics, company information, or books. You will walk away with the source or two (or three) that you need!

Four sessions:

  • Monday, April 4, 2:00 to 3:00 (during activity period)
  • Tuesday, April 5, 5:00 to 6:00
  • Wednesday, April 6, 1:00 to 2:00 (during activity period) AND 5:00 to 6:00

(No RSVP necessary; come in anytime during the hour)

Following the Impact of the Japanese Earthquake: Using Global Insight and Factiva

Colleen 1 Comment

On March 11, the northeastern region of Japan was devastated by one of the largest earthquakes on record. The resulting tsunami, with its 30 foot waves, wiped out whole coastal areas and currently a difficult search and rescue mission is underway in towns made isolated and nearly inaccessible by the path of destruction.  Meanwhile, the world is watching as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which was hit by the 9.0 earthquake, struggles to avoid a nuclear meltdown after numerous emergency failures resulted in structural damage to the reactors and left spent fuel rods exposed.

In light of the unfolding crisis in Japan, the library is featuring two databases to track and monitor the events in Japan and their impact.  Use Factiva to track global news stories and Global Insight for analysis and forecasting of how Japan’s crisis may impact the global economic and political scene.

Factiva

A major provider of news with over 28,000 sources from more than 200 countries in 23 languages and nearly 600 continuously updated newswires, Factiva provides a diverse offering of news content.

To read news stories about Japan in Factiva try the following search from the Search > Search Builder menu at the top left corner of the database home page:

  1. Click on Region.
  2. Click on the + icon next to Asian Pacific Countries/Regions.
  3. Click on the + icon next to Eastern Asian Countries/Regions.
  4. Click on the + icon next to Japan .

The above search will find articles about Japan from all Factiva’s news sources; however, it is also possible to search individual news sources and Factiva provides some Japanese news sources of interest:  

  • ACN Newswire (English language – daily real-time updates from Tokyo)
  • Akita Sakigake Shimpo (Japanese language)
  • Electric Daily News (English language – articles on the Japanese energy and electricity industries)
  • Japan Energy Scan (weekly publication in English -articles on energy scene in Japan and renewable energy; includes statistical data on imports and consumption)
  • Japan Times (English language Japanese daily newspaper)
  • Japanese World (English language continually updated text feed of news and fundamental data primarily about companies listed on the Tokyo and other Japanese Stock Exchanges)
  • M Data TV Watch-Tokyo (covers nine major programs of Japanese TV )
  • Nikkin (weekly publication with comprehensive financial news Japanese language)
  • Yamagata Shimbun (Japanese language daily)

Global Insight

Use Global Insight to read analysis on the disruption, risks and outlook following the earthquake.   The database contains a special In Focus report which provides ongoing analysis of the operational situation, the implications for economic growth, the political consequences, and the dangers of a major nuclear disaster.  Below are some tips to get started.

  1. The database is currently featuring quick access to its In Focus report on Japan.  From the database homepage, look for the link to Japan’s Post-Quake Recovery: In Depth on the right side of the page.
  2. Additionally, there is a comprehensive report about Japan in the list of Country Reports on the left side of the page. The country report provides a summary of key issues to watch and outlines the six-factor country risk.

For additional information about using Global Insight, please refer to our earlier article on this database.  A complete listing of the Bentley Library’s databases is available here.

Spring Break Hours & Closing Information: March 12- 20

Lisa

At long last, Spring Break has arrived!  The library hours during the break will be:

Saturday, March 12 & Sunday, March 13:
CLOSED

Monday, March 14 — Thursday, March 17:
8:00am to 6:00pm

Friday, March 18:
8:00am to 4:30pm

Saturday, March 19:
CLOSED

Sunday, March 20:
1:00pm to 2:00am

Please note: The Deloitte Cafe will be closed Saturday, March 12 through Sunday, March 20.

The library and cafe will resume regular hours on Monday, March 21, 2011. To view more information about our hours please check our online hours calendar.   Have a wonderful Spring Break!

Hold that DVD!

Amy

Have you been anxiously checking our shelves for the latest season of Dexter or Mad Men every time you visit the library? Current Bentley University students, faculty and staff may now place holds on DVDs from both our Popular Video (popular/award-winning films and TV shows) and Faculty Video (non-feature films/course material) collections!

You may place holds on DVDs yourself, using our online catalog. When you find a DVD that you want to borrow, click on the “Requests” button and follow the prompts to log-in to “My Library Account.” You will receive an email notification from the Library Services desk when the DVD is ready to check out.

Some guidelines on our new service:

  • Popular DVD requests must be picked up within three days.
  • Faculty DVD requests must be picked up within one week.
  • DVDs cannot be renewed.
  • The loan period for Popular DVDs is one week.
  • The loan period for Faculty DVDs is three days.
  • Holds cannot be places on Course Reserve materials.

Have any questions? Feel free to contact the Library Services staff! Looking for a new movie or television series to check out? Browse our list of recent DVD acquisitions.

February Acquisitions: New Books, Bestsellers, DVDs & Audiobooks

Lisa

Check out our book, popular reading, DVD and audiobook (including Playaway) acquisitions for the month of February. Go to our New Books & DVDs page or use the links in the left hand column.

Reception in the Art Gallery Today 4:30-6:30pm

Lisa

Please join us at the Caturano and Company Art Gallery later today for a reception for artist Maggie Connors.  The reception runs from 4:30pm – 6:30pm and light refreshments will be served.

You can learn more about the artist, and view more of her work, by visiting her web site at http://maggieconnors.com/.

Located on the main floor of the Bentley Library, the Caturano and Company Art Gallery is free and open to the public. Check the online hours calendar for information about the Library’s hours.