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WRITING 322W Advanced Business Writing Karas

This guide provides tips for researching your topic and for finding industry graphics for your assignment in Advanced Business Writing.

Sources of Industry Graphics

 

Database Articles

Library databases are searchable collections of articles, reports, graphics, etc. 

Click on "Montana Tech Business Databases" above to find a complete list of library databases that you can use to search for industry data, including graphics.

 

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Mission Statement: The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures labor market activity, working conditions, price changes, and productivity in the U.S. economy to support public and private decision making.

The BLS is the agency within the United States Department of Labor that provides private citizens with industry data, including a wealth of industry graphics. 

 

Annual Reports

Annual reports are published by companies and are often freely available to the public. Annual reports are created for the purpose of educating stockholders, so they usually contain abundant graphics that provide easy-to-read financial data. Annual reports are specific to companies, but might be used for this assignment if company data is reflective of industry data. Search for annual reports in library databases and on company websites.

 

Grey Literature

Grey literature is information produced outside of traditional publishing and distribution channels and it's a rich source of industry graphics. There are no standards or processes set for publishing grey literature. It can provide very current information, but when using grey literature, you are responsible for carefully evaluating the quality of the content. 

A lot of grey literature relates to industry and business. Types of grey literature include:

  • Reports, including Annual Reports
  • Press Releases 
  • Policies 
  • White Papers
  • Newsletters