MKT 310: Marketing Research: Search Examples [3:30pm]

Search tip: for very recent insight into issues in higher education -- including, for example, how colleges and universities are dealing with the interaction of pandemic problems with the topic that your group has chosen -- search for articles in The Chronicle of Higher Education (TCNJ Library database) and Inside Higher Ed (free online).

---

Search tip: for any topic that seeks to consider the effects of COVID-19 (such as the effect of COVID on shopping habits and other consumer behaviors; resuming on-campus operations at TCNJ; or athletic events and COVID compliance; etc.) be sure to consult the TCNJ LibGuide: COVID-19 and the Coronavirus Pandemic Information Resources.

---

Search tip: for any public company that may be relevant to your topic (including Sodexo, Planet Fitness, Barnes & Noble; Panera; Apple; etc.)

Several other business LibGuides include guidance for finding information about a company, or information about the overall industry in which a company operates.  See, for example, the Find Company/Industry Information tab from the ACC498 LibGuide.

---

Note: All of the article databases operate on the same principles, although each have a slightly different search interface, and some will be better suited to your topic than others.

---

Search example: Campus food service (including the 1855 Room, Traditions / Brower Student Center / The Lions Den, T-Dubs, Eickhoff / Sodexo, the Library Cafe; and Campus Town and other off-campus dining options)

ABI / Inform Global https://library.tcnj.edu/search-tools/databases-a-z/abiinform-global/

• Go to the Advanced Search screen
• Try "college" and "food service"
• Look at Related Searches for suggested terms to refine the search
• Sort results by type: scholarly journals, newspapers, trade publications, etc.
• Sort results by relevance (or by date).

From the results list:

Liang, X., & Zhang, S. (2009). Investigation of customer satisfaction in student food service. International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, 1(1), 113-124. 

Theodore S. Glickman, Jennifer Holm, Devlin Keating, Claudia Pannait, and Susan C. White. "Outsourcing on American campuses: National developments and the food service experience at GWU." The International Journal of Educational Management  21, no. 5 (July 30, 2007): 440-452. 

Search tip
Colleges & universities is a subject term in ABI / Inform. By selecting these words as a subject of an article, rather than as a phrase that appears anywhere in the article text, your results are likely to be more on point. You can combine this term with the concept or service that defines your project (e.g. "food service", which in this case is also a subject term in the database). Use the Advanced Search form and the Recent searches function to combine these terms with others related to your project:

Examples:
colleges & universities (subject) AND food service (subject) AND . . .

 . . . market* (finds market or marketing) OR 
 . . . satisfaction OR
 . . . survey OR
 . . . study  OR
 . . . students OR
 . . . undergraduates OR
 . . . off-campus dining OR
 . . . polls & surveys OR
 . . . entertainment

From the results list:

Porter, J., Conner, D., Kolodinsky, J., & Trubek, A. (2017). Get real: An analysis of student preference for real food. Agriculture and Human Values, 34(4), 921-932. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10460-017-9785-9

Holligan, S., Yi, S., Kanetkar, V., Haines, J., Dergham, J., Royall, D., & Brauer, P. (2019). Preferences for vegetables among university foodservice users. British Food Journal, 121(12), 3338-3349. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-09-2018-0597
[Note that the full text of this article is not available from  TCNJ; make an interlibrary loan (ILL) request to receive a copy.]

---

Search example: Campus bookstore

Business Source Premier
https://library.tcnj.edu/search-tools/databases-a-z/business-source-premier/

• Go to the Advanced Search screen
• Try "college" and "bookstore"
• Use the features at the left side of the results list to limit your results and refine the search
• Select results by type: academic journals, newspapers, SWOT analyses, etc.
• Sort results by relevance or by date

Search tip
For some projects, searching for results that specifically focus on college campuses may be unnecessarily limiting.  The important issues in book retailing, for example, are not limited to book sales on college campuses.  If you expand your search to cover topics in bookselling (e.g. consumer behavior, ebooks, online book sales, etc.) irrespective of location, you may expand the number of results that are useful for your analysis.

• Search "bookstore" and "consumer behavior"

From the results list:

Rosen, J. (2018). Rethinking College Stores. Publishers Weekly, 265(9), 4–6.

Lin, H. (2007). Predicting consumer intentions to shop online: An empirical test of competing theories. Electronic Commerce Research & Applications, 6(4), 433-442. doi:10.1016/j.elerap.2007.02.002

For the above citation, the full text is not available in Business Source Premier; follow the Search for Full Text link to find the full article in another online database.

From the results list of a similar search in ABI / Inform:

Marjerison, R. K., Yiwen, G., & Jin, H. (2021). The dilemma of brick and mortar bookstores: An exploration of trends, consumer motives and perceptions, and possible paths to sustainability. Review of Integrative Business and Economics Research, 10(3), 39-67.

Hall, W., & Gupta, A. (2010). Barnes & noble, inc.: Maintaining A competitive edge in an ever-changing industry. Journal of Business Case Studies, 6(4), 9-22.

Wu, S. (2006). A comparison of the behavior of different customer clusters towards internet bookstores. Information & Management, 43(8), 986. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/237012511?accountid=1021

---

Search example:  Library [includes library study rooms; student use of library resources]

Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text (LISTA)
https://library.tcnj.edu/search-tools/databases-a-z/library-information-science-technology-abstracts-lista/

• Try "college students" and "marketing"
• refine results with suggested topics accompanying the results list [e.g. Subject: "college students"; "academic libraries"; "social marketing"; etc.]

From the results list:

Jameson, J., Natal, G., & Napp, J. (2019). Evolving and Enduring Patterns Surrounding Student Usage and Perceptions of Academic Library Reference Services. College & Research Libraries, 80(3), 366–385.

Dresselhaus, A., & Shrode, F. (2012). Mobile Technologies & Academics: Do Students Use Mobile Technologies in Their Academic Lives and are Librarians Ready to Meet this Challenge? Information Technology & Libraries, 31(2), 82–101.

O’Connor, L., & Lundstrom, K. (2011). The Impact of Social Marketing Strategies on the Information Seeking Behaviors of College Students. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50(4), 351–365.

Datig, I. (2014). What is a Library?: International College Students’ Perceptions of Libraries. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40(3/4), 350–356.

Scarletto, E. A., Burhanna, K. J., & Richardson, E. (2013). Wide Awake at 4 AM: A Study of Late Night User Behavior, Perceptions and Performance at an Academic Library. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 39(5), 371–377.

Bonus! The results from the TCNJ Library 2011 LibQual Survey have been published. The 102-page document is here. [This survey is now a bit dated, but the range of questions (and responses) could provide some useful context for your project.]

---

Search example: Parking Services

ABI / Inform Global
https://library.tcnj.edu/search-tools/databases-a-z/abiinform-global/

• Go to the Advanced Search screen
• Try "parking" and "campus"
• Look at Suggested Topics to refine the search
• Example [Subject] "Colleges & universities" and "parking facilities"

From the results list: [Follow the link in the database to Search for Full Text]

Lipscomb, C. A., & Koford, B. C. (2011). Conservative dichotomous choice responses in the active policy setting: The case of university parking. Applied Economics Letters, 18(1), 39. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/822926099?accountid=10216

Klassen, K. J., Kumar, A., & Trybus, E. K. (2002). Parking needs analysis for multiple facilities using multiple lots. The Service Industries Journal, 22(4), 73-92. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/203354034?accountid=10216

[Follow link to "search for full text"]

ERIC
https://library.tcnj.edu/search-tools/databases-a-z/eric/

• Use the Thesaurus to find precise search descriptors (e.g. find descriptors related to "parking" and "college") [(DE "Facilities" AND DE "Motor Vehicles") AND ("parking")]
• Use the features at the left side of the results list to limit your results by date, type of publication, and possibly subject term
• Sort results by relevance or by date

From the results list:

Klavon, P. (2005). The Business Case for Commuter Benefits at Colleges and Universities. CUPA-HR Journal, 56(2), 2-7. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ798777&site=ehost-live

Millard-Ball, A., Siegman, P., & Tumlin, J. (2004). Solving Campus Parking Shortages: New Solutions for an Old Problem. Planning For Higher Education, 33(1), 30-43. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ847964&site=ehost-live

[Note that the first result listed above is not available at TCNJ. Use interlibrary loan (ILL) to request copies of articles that TCNJ does not have: http://libguides.tcnj.edu/ILLiad

---

Search example: Health Services

ABI / Inform Global
https://library.tcnj.edu/search-tools/databases-a-z/abiinform-global/

• Go to the Advanced Search screen
• Try "health services" and "college"
• Look at Related Topics to refine the search
• Select "Colleges & universities AND Health services"
• Try additional relevant terms such as "marketing," "outreach," "studies," etc.

From the results list [Scholarly articles]:

Anderson, E. A. (1995). Measuring service quality at a university health clinic. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 8(2), 32. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/229690842?accountid=10216

Canel, C., & Anderson Fletcher, E.,A. (2001). An analysis of service quality at a student health center. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 14(6), 260-267. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/229693426?accountid=10216

Russell, J., Thomson, G., & Rosenthal, D. (2008). International student use of university health and counseling services. Higher Education, 56(1), 59-75. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10734-007-9089-x

---

Search example: Spiritual Center

ERIC
https://library.tcnj.edu/research-help/search-tools/databases-a-z/eric/

• Go to the Advanced Search screen
• Try "college students" and "spiritual center"
• Use the Refine Results feature on the results page to limit the publication date and select specific subjects (such as student attitudes)
• Example: college students AND spirituality  +  [Subject] "student attitudes"

From the results list: [Follow the link in the database to Search for Full Text]

Klassen, B. J., & Grekin, E. R. (2017). Different Forms of Spirituality and Heavy Episodic Drinking among College Students. Journal of American College Health, 65(2), 131–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2016.1262866

Betts, M., Grabsch, D. K., Davis, V. D., Bell, L. M., & Sheedy, F. A. (2023). Exploring the Motivations of Students to Engage in Their Spiritual, Religious, or Faith Lives in College. Journal of Beliefs & Values, 44(3), 441–454. https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2022.2147684

Cereola, S. J., Snyder, C. S., Cereola, R. J., & Horton, B. W. (2014). Holistic Wellness and Its Impact on First-Semester Grades. Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, 26(2), 89–106. https://login.tcnj.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1047355&site=ehost-live

Caton, M. T., & Watters, P. (2023). Spirituality’s Effect on Academic Resilience among Race and Ethnicity Groups. Journal of Religious Education, 71(2), 139–154. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40839-023-00200-5

Johnson, C. V., & Hayes, J. A. (2003). Troubled Spirits: Prevalence and Predictors of Religious and Spiritual Concerns among University Students and Counseling Center Clients. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 50(4), 409–419. https://login.tcnj.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ775302&site=ehost-live

---

Search example: Financial Aid (more generally, Admissions and Financial Aid)

Business Source Premier
https://library.tcnj.edu/search-tools/databases-a-z/business-source-premier/

• Go to the Advanced Search screen
• Try "college" and "admissions" | or "college" and "financial aid"
• Use the features at the left side of the results list to limit your results and refine the search
• Select results by type: academic journals, newspapers, etc.
• Refine your search with specific subject terms from relevant results [for example: College applications; University & college admission; Student financial aid; Psychology of students; behavior]

From the results list:

Carter, A., Gutierrez, S., & Pulido, M. (2021). College Completion Rates: Does the type of financial aid received influence student college completion? Issues in Political Economy, 30(1), 4–17.

Bowman, D. C., & Messinger, J. (2021). How to Think...About College Planning in a Pandemic. Journal of Financial Planning, 34(1), 32–36.

Dearden, J. A., Li, S., Meyerhoefer, C. D., & Yang, M. (2017). Demonstrated Interest: Signaling Behavior in College Admissions. Contemporary Economic Policy, 35(4), 630–657. https://ezproxy.tcnj.edu:2083/10.1111/coep.12216

Clotfelter, C. T., Hemelt, S. W., & Ladd, H. F. (2018). Multifaceted Aid for Low-Income Students and College Outcomes: Evidence from North Carolina. Economic Inquiry, 56(1), 278–303.

Goldrick-Rab, S., Kelchen, R., Harris, D. N., & Benson, J. (2016). Reducing Income Inequality in Educational Attainment: Experimental Evidence on the Impact of Financial Aid on College Completion. American Journal of Sociology, 121(6), 1762–1817.

---

Search example: CampusTown Stores

IBISWorld Industry Reports
https://library.tcnj.edu/research-help/search-tools/databases-a-z/ibisworld/

• Search for industry reports related to CampusTown commerce, such as Hair & Nail Salons in the US; Athletic Shoe Stores in the US; or Blood & Organ Banks in the US.
• These comprehensive reports offer an industry overview, outlook, performance measures, market share, industry benchmarking statistics, and more.

ABI / Inform Global
https://library.tcnj.edu/search-tools/databases-a-z/abiinform-global/

• Go to the Advanced Search screen
• Try "retail stores" [Subject] and "college campuses" [Subject]
• From the left side of the results page, move the date "slider" to omit non-recent articles, and select "Trade journals" under Source Type

From the results list: [Follow the link in the database to Search for Full Text]