Keywords are the terms that you type into the search box in a library database. They are the essential terms for your idea, the most important words describing your topic.
Before you can begin searching for information in a resource, you need to identify keywords related to your topic.
Key terminology can be be found by scanning:
Your initial research questions
In-class readings
Background research articles from encyclopedias, news articles, popular magazines, etc.
Bibliographies found at the end of books and articles
Specialized vocabulary or terms authors in the field of study are using
Think of related, broader, and narrower terms connected to each of the key concepts.
Use subject terms assigned to works in library catalogs or research databases.
TIP: Make a list or use a chart to keep track of keywords related to your topic. Keep it by your side when you start your research. Make note of which keywords return the most relevant results. It's a dynamic process and you may have to experiment with several synonyms.
Once you have identified keywords, use the following techniques to build search strings for searching in library catalogs, databases, and search engines to quickly find more relevant sources to use in your research:
Boolean Operators | Search Modifiers |
---|---|
AND combines different ideas (concepts). Narrows the search. Example: theatre AND history Results will contain both the words theatre and history |
Phrase Searching allows adjacent words to be kept together. Example: “contemporary theatre” Results will contain words contemporary and theatre together as an exact phrase. |
OR is used when adding synonyms, different spellings, similar concepts, etc. Increases the number of results. Example: theatre OR theater Results will contain one or more of the words theatre and theater |
Truncation broadens search to include various word endings and spellings. Example: histor* Results will contain terms that begin with histor, e.g., history, histories, historical |
NOT excludes terms to make the search more specific. Reduces the number of results. Example: musical theatre NOT university Results will not contain the word university |
Nesting utilizes parentheses to control the logical order in which words are interpreted by the system. Example: (theatre or theater) AND set design Results will include the word set design and either or both the words theatre and theater |