Searching with Keywords
Oftentimes, multiple keyword searches are necessary to generate great results.
Start with broad concepts related to your topic, and then consider adding more specific keywords.
For example,
| Research question: | Do active kids need sport drinks to stay hydrated? |
| Keywords: | Kids, Sport Drinks, Hydrated |
| A more specific search: | Children, Gatorade, Thirsty |
Step One: Construct a research question.
What are some of the most common causes of occupational hearing loss?
Step Two: Identify two or three main keywords or phrases.
Step Three: Identify synonyms (words that mean the same thing) or related words for each keyword.
|
Keyword 1
|
Keyword 2
|
Keyword 3
|
|
cause
|
occupational
|
"hearing loss"
|
|
root
|
employment
|
auditory
|
|
reason
|
"job related"
|
deafness
|
|
origin
|
vocational
|
"hard of hearing"
|
You can find synonyms or more keywords using a site like Thesaurus.com
Enclose phrases in quotation marks, e.g.:
Try adding an asterisk * to the root of any word to pick up other variations of the word:
When searching a library database, or Summon, search for key words only, not sentences, e.g.:
occupational hearing cause
NOT
What are some of the most common causes of occupational hearing loss?