1. When planning your search, try to think of the main concepts of your topic and what keywords you might use when searching. You generally cannot search effectively by typing in a question or sentence
Keywords are the main ideas or concepts of your topic question. Keep a list of these words because you will use them when searching for information on your topic. You will also want to come up with related terms in order to expand your searching.
Example topic question: Does playing violent video games lead to violent behavior in adolescents?
Keywords |
video games |
violent behavior |
adolescents |
Related terms |
media violence popular culture |
psychological aspects social aspects |
youth teenagers |
When searching, string your keywords together with “and” rather than entering the entire research question. Mix and match terms depending on results.
Example: media violence and social aspects and adolescents
See the links below for more examples of how to find keywords. Modify your search strategy after you begin searching. Use the power of the databases (limiters, suggested subjects, and more) to further develop your search. Use broader concepts when searching the online catalog for books.
2. You should also determine what kind of information you need. Follow your instructor's syllabus carefully. Ask yourself the following questions:
• How many sources do I need? (Did your instructor give you a number?)
• What types of sources do I need? (Books? Articles? Web sites?)
3. Get background information on your topic. Use our online reference databases, listed below, to gather information on the broader context of your topic. This preliminary research will also help identify more keywords for searching.
TIP: Start early! You can try using this Assignment Calendar from the University of Minnesota.
Use reference books or search the references databases for encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, and more. Great for background material! If you read articles from encyclopedis before you read scholarly journal articles, you will have a better chance of understanding the specialized vocabulary that is often used. Start with this kind of background information also helps you:
This video is from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Once you have decided on a topic, you need to think about the best sources to get your information. Answering the questions below will help you decide what kind of strategy you need.
Do you need books?
If you answered yes to many of these questions, you need Books.
Do you need magazine or journal articles?
If you answered yes to many of these questions, you need Magazine and Journal Articles, to be found in databases such as Academic Search Premier and MasterFile Premier.
Do you need newspaper articles?
If you answered yes to either of these questions, you need Newspaper Articles.