BTC Library
Business Plan and Entrepreneurship Course Guide
Locations, Contact and Hours
Library Services
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Getting Started
Use multiple databases and websites to gather information to help you create a market analysis and make informed business decisions. Search within these databases and websites to find information related to your business.
Research Resources
- Statista This link opens in a new windowStatista.com consolidates statistical data on over 80,000 topics from more than 22,500 sources and is a combined provider of market research as well as research and analysis services. You can even import an infographic into your own presentation right from the site.
- Business Source Premier (BadgerLink) This link opens in a new window
Full-text journal and peer-reviewed articles covering all disciplines of business for high school, college-level, and adult researchers.
Access provided by BadgerLink, Wisconsin’s Online Library, providing Wisconsin residents with licensed educational content from multiple sources across a range of topics. - Regional Business News (BadgerLink) This link opens in a new windowFull-text regional U.S. and Canadian business publications for students and adults.
- US Newsstream (BadgerLink) This link opens in a new window
US Newsstream enables users to search the most recent premium U.S. news content, as well as archives which stretch back into the 1980s featuring newspapers, newswires, blogs, and news sites in active full-text format. US Newsstream offers exclusive access to the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and the New York Times. US Newsstream also offers one of the largest collections of local and regional newspapers.
- Pew ResearchSource social research, Pew conducts public opinion polling and demographic research in the United States, find articles on public opinions that may impact your business.
- Consumer Expenditure SurveysThese surveys provide data on expenditures, income, and demographic characteristics of consumers in the United States.
- Hedberg Public Library Research ResourcesIncludes Data Axle for research on competitors. Look under resources for Business. You can access these online with your Hedberg Public Library card number.
- American Time Use SurveyMeasures the amount of time people spend doing various activities, such as paid work, childcare, volunteering, and socializing.
US Census Sources for Target Market and Competitor Research
Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a massive collection of demographic data that attempts to collect information about every person living in the United States. The Census Bureau shares this data on their website and offers a range of tools for the discovery and use of the data. Below are links to relevant tools for your research. You can also review the below videos for help using the Census.
- Census Business BuilderThe Census Business Builder (CBB) is a suite of services that provide selected demographic and economic data from the Census Bureau tailored to specific types of users in a simple to access and use format.
- County Business Patterns (CBP)Create your own table that includes the number of establishments and employment numbers for a specific region and industry.
- Statistics of US Businesses (SUSB)SUSB is an annual series that provides national and subnational data on the distribution of economic data by enterprise size and industry.
- US Census TablesAnswer questions related to your Target Market, find population numbers and demographic data.
Useful Surveys to Search:
- Age and Sex
- Median Earnings - How to Cite Census DataDynamically generated tables, maps, and files from data.census.gov:
(Use semicolons to separate elements)
U.S. Census Bureau;
Name of the database or other data repository/source (e.g., data.census.gov), set off by quotation marks, or follow publication citation style;
The name of the person who generates the tabulation, etc., e.g., "generated by John Smith;"
The name of the software package used to generate the tabulation, if known, e.g., "using data.census.gov;"
The URL of the application software's main or first page set off by angle brackets, e.g.,
The date, within parenthesis, when the user generated the tabulation, e.g., (8 April 2020).
How do I get data from the Census Bureau?
This short tutorial demonstrates that data gathering process using US Census Tables.
Handouts and Presentation
- Search GridStrategically search wide range of resources, track your results and findings.
- Presentation WorksheetFind professional organizations and your business classification codes
Recommended Books
There are two reference titles available at the Hedberg Public Library.
- RMA Annual Statement StudiesLocated at the Hedberg Public Library (Janesville) in their Reference Material.
- Small Business SourcebookLocated at the Hedberg Public Library ( Janesville ) Reference Material
