BUSN - Citing Business Sources

How do I know if I am on the corporate website or if I am using an outside recruiter (careers page)?

You need to look at the link in the address bar.  Does it change when you move to the career page? If so, this is not your corporate website and it needs to be a reference list entry on its own.

 

Do I use the copyright date on a corporate website?

No.  If there is a date associated with one of your pages (blog post, media release, etc.) you can use that.  If you do not see a date, assume it is n.d.

 

How do I determine the actual legal name of my company?  When do I use: Limited, Ltd, Inc, etc.?

If you go to SEDAR (Canadian Companies) or EDGAR (US Companies), you can look up a recent filing.  Those will indicate the actual legal name.

 

How do I cite specific online reviews versus an overview of the page?

Specific reviews from sources such as LinkedIn, Indeed, etc. can be cited as online reviews (found under the website, social media tab of this guide).  If you are discussing general information from the website, you can use the employee review page example. 

 

What is a DOI and how do I find them?

A DOI is a digital object identifier and serves to act as a unique numerical string that guides the reader to the specific item, removing the need for a link.  They can be found on the front page of an article, or the article information on the database. Look for a string of numbers that includes: https:///doi.org/######.  If the database gives you a ucalgary ezproxy link, just delete the ucalgary.exproxy information.  For more information see: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/dois-urls 

 

Do I need to cite after every sentence if I am using the same source?

No you don't. You should introduce the source, paraphrase as needed, and then add the source at the end. Basically your reader should know where your ideas start and end and where the ideas of others start and end. For more information see: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/appropriate-citation 

 

How do I know if I'm citing from a webpage or open access magazine/trade article?

You can look at the About Us section of the website to determine if it is a publisher of information or a general website.

 

Is it OK to use encyclopedias in academic work?

While there is no rule against it, generally encyclopedias are not often used in academic writing. They can be great sources for context and background, but you can usually find similar information in other academic sources. If you aren't sure, reach out to your librarian. They can help you find other sources that are more suitable for academic work.

 

I have multiple sources with no date. How do I format that?

You must use a, b, c, d, etc. to differentiate. When using n.d. to indicate no date, you can format like this:

Imagine Canada. (n.d.-a). About the sector. https://www.imaginecanada.ca/en/About-the-sector

Imagine Canada. (n.d.-b). Caring company program. https://www.imaginecanada.ca/our-programs/caring-company-program

Remember that your in-text citations must reflect this. (Imagine Canada, n.d.-a)