Library Guides: Marian Library: Searching Our Collections

Identifying Keywords

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 associated with your topic/field of study
Related, broader, and narrower terms connected to each of the key concepts
Subject terms assigned to relevant 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.

Where To Search

UDiscover
A search tool with a Google-like relevancy ranking to help you retrieve all types of scholarly research sources with one search. Updated June 25. Learn more here.
This search tool lets you retrieve all types of research sources with one search, simultaneously searching the UD catalog, OhioLINK catalog, and many of the online resources available through the University Libraries, in addition to institutional repositories and open-access resources. With UDiscover, you can access millions of journal articles, e-books, dissertations, conference proceedings, newspaper articles, videos, and primary sources. If you're looking for a variety of sources on your topic, or you're just getting started, UDiscover can help you access more information at once than ever before. It has a Google-like relevancy ranking, but helps you locate scholarly resources.
University of Dayton Libraries Archives & Special Collections
Access archival materials from the Marian Library, U.S. Catholic Special Collection, and University of Dayton Archives and Special Collections.
This resource provides access to archival materials from the Marian Library (related to the study of, and devotion to, the Blessed Virgin Mary), U.S. Catholic Special Collection (documenting Catholic life in the United States), and University of Dayton Archives and Special Collections (chronicling UD's development into a top Catholic and Marianist institution of higher learning). Collections include holy cards, photographs, manuscripts, devotional materials, information about relics, records of student organizations, faculty and alumni papers, student theses and dissertations, University publications, and audiovisual recordings.