Sometimes, you find exactly what you need with your first search. But it often doesn't work out that way! Try this step-by-step brainstorm before you search the library catalog or databases.
1. Save time, prepare to research!
- Break your research question into key concepts (you'll connect these in your paper to make an original argument)
- For each of these concepts, brainstorm multiple keywords. Stick to one- or two-word nouns, simple concrete terms, and avoid long phrases.
|
Sample Topic:
|
Women mages in the Wheel of Time series
|
|
Key Concepts
|
women
|
mage
|
Wheel of Time
|
|
Related Keywords
|
wom*
female*
femenin*
gender*
|
Aes Sedai
magic*
wizard
witch
|
Robert Jordan
Brandon Sanderson
Amazon Prime
|
- Try this keyword tool to brainstorm online and send the results to yourself.
2. Combine keywords using AND and OR:
- Too many results? Try using quotation marks around an exact phrase. Ex: "Wheel of Time"
- Still too many results? Narrow using AND. Ex: wom*n AND magic*
- Too few results? Broaden using OR. Ex: (wom*n OR female*) AND (magic* OR wizard OR witch)
- Put parentheses around synonyms.
- The asterisk finds multiple endings from a root word. Ex: magic* will bring back magic, magician, magical, etc.
3. Brush up on the search tools available:
