ReferenceUSA —
Business Database
|
| ReferenceUSA’s Business
Database is an online directory of approximately 14 million U.S. businesses. The
information in the database comes from Yellow Page and White Page telephone directories;
annual reports; 10-Ks and other SEC filings; government data; industry publications and
directories; and U.S. postal records. Information on each business is verified by
telephone at least once a year. |
| Connect to ReferenceUSA by selecting it from
the alphabetical list of databases at http://www.uri.edu/reference_databases/title.html.
Then select the Business Database from the opening screen. You will see the “Quick
Search” screen, where you can enter any combination of Company Name, City,
and State; or you can enter a Phone number.
|
| Alternately, select the “Custom
Search” tab from the menu bar at the top of the Quick Search screen. With
“Custom Search,” you can select search criteria from a menu of choices. After
selecting your search criteria, click on the “Create Search Form” button, then
enter your data and search.
|
| When doing a Custom Search, the database may
require you to select from a list of possible search terms to further refine or clarify
your search. For example, if you search for a town in Rhode Island that the database does
not recognize, such as South Kingstown (it recognizes U.S. Post Office locations like
Kingston and Wakefield rather than municipalities) it will give you a list of every town
in Rhode Island from which you can choose. Similarly, searching for “pizza“ as a
“Yellow Page Heading” will allow you to select from many choices related to the
restaurant industry, including “FOODS - CARRY OUT - LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA,”
”RESTAURANTS - CUISINE BREW PUB,” and “RESTAURANTS - CUISINE CHINESE,”
etc. Add desired search terms to the “Selected Choices” box by
clicking on them.
|
| The results of your search will be displayed
in alphabetical order by Company Name. At the top of the screen, you will see the total
number of records found, the number of pages needed to display the records, and a number
of navigation tools. The right-hand column labeled “Linkage” indicates that the
company listed is owned by another company (arrow up) or itself owns a company (arrow
down). Clicking on the arrow will take you to information about the related company.
Individual records may be marked by clicking in the box to the left of the Company Name.
Once marked, records can be batch printed or downloaded, and the Detailed Listings for
marked records can be viewed on one screen.
|
| Detailed information on a particular listing
may be viewed by clicking on the Company Name from the search results screen.
A. Rathemacher • 6/03 |
