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?