1d. Identify Keywords

When you have a general idea of your research topic, begin the following steps:

1. Consider what you already know about your topic and brainstorm ideas.

2. Write a list of simple and general search terms to use in the catalog or a research database. Then add complexity, focus, and specifics.

3. Construct a search strategy:

   1. Circle two or three of the most important concepts or keywords you have chosen for your search.

   2. If a thesaurus or subject list is available in the database you are using, you can use terms from it as well.

   Now write each keyword down and list synonymous or related terms:

   First Concept	Second Concept	Third Concept
   First Term	Second Term	Third Term
   Or First Synonym	Or Second Synonym	Or Third Synonym
   Or First Synonym	Or Second Synonym	Or Third Synonym
   Or First Synonym	Or Second Synonym	Or Third Synonym

4. Insert connectors and, or, and not between the terms you’ve chosen to combine them into a search statement.

   • A search using and narrows your topic.

     Example: beer and health and college students.

   • A search using or broadens your topic.

     Example: alcoholic beverages or beer or wine or liquor.

   • A search using not can eliminate unrelated topics.

     Example: Proliferation not nuclear.

5. Write out the search statements you’ve created:

   1. First Search Statement

   2. Second Search Statement

   3. Third Search Statement

   4. Fourth Search Statement

6. Input these statements into the catalog or a research database to get your first set of results.

Use this catalog widget to perform your first search.