Choosing keywords can make or break your search. Follow these steps to really think about your keyword strategy. At the bottom of this page are screenshots of how you can use the keywords you brainstormed to execute an effective keyword strategy.
Step 1: Search for essays, reference and encyclopedia articles in Opposing Viewpoints and Gale. Write down what terms you used to search - which terms were effective? Remember you may need to start off broad since these resources only have broad overviews.
Step 2: What are the controversies surrounding your topic? What are people arguing about? What are some related terms? Write those down.
Step 3: Who cares about your topic? Who is a stakeholder? This could be an individual person, or a group of people defined by profession or interest or concern or identity.
Now link up these thoughts in a database search:
This advanced search in JSTOR brought me back 500K results! Yikes.
The same search in academic search complete brought me back more manageable results - I can also "choose databases' and search PsychInfo at the same time:
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