Design Thinking: MKT 202

• Learn about resources and search strategies that can be used to research the client's need.
• Practice using library databases to find information. 

Client:

Whitney M. Young Leadership Initiative

Business Problem:

• In what ways can the Whitney M. Young Leadership Initiative offer valuable opportunities for alumni that foster both personal growth and meaningful contributions to the organization's goals?
• What strategies can the Initiative implement to identify and engage its program alumni, encouraging them to reconnect with the organization?

Research Questions:

• What do first-generation students need to prepare for the transition to professional employment?
• What career services and support exist from universities, and where is the gap that the organization can fill?
• What professional associations or organizations have successfully created an alumni community?

Step by Step Instructions

1. Write out your research question. For example: "How does exercise affect the mental health of college students?"
2. Pull out the most important words from your research question. exercise, mental health, and college students.
3. Think of synonyms for these keywords.  Exercise: workout, fitness. College students: university students, post-secondary students.
4. Think of broader keywords. Mental health: well-being. Broader keywords are helpful if you aren't getting enough results.
5. Think of narrower keywords. Mental health: anxiety. Narrower keywords are helpful if you're getting too many results.
6. Start searching a library database with your keywords. Remember to try out different keyword combinations to get the best search results.
7. Collect additional keywords as you search.

For step-by-step guidance throughout the research process, visit Research DIY: https://library.louisville.edu/research-diy/home.