Identifying Keywords
Objective: Students will be able to
identify keywords from a research
question.
Before beginning your search for information,
you must determine which words in your
research question are the most important.
Keywords are used to find information on your
question when searching library catalogs,
article databases, web search engines, and
book indexes.
You must first start with an effective
research question.
Then it is easy to identify the keywords
in the question.
These keywords are then connected together using
Boolean operators to create search statements.
These statements are then used to search library
catalogs, article databases, and web search engines.
Example Search Statement:
Relationships AND (children OR stepchildren)
AND “Blended Family”
Let’s look at some examples of effective
research questions and the keywords found
in each question and how you would use
them to search for information. Keep in mind
that verbs are usually not good keywords.
Research Question:
What effect did tomb robbers have
on archaeological excavations of
King Tut’s tomb?
Keywords:
tomb robbers, archaeological
excavations, King Tut, tomb
Example search using the keywords in SIRS database.
Image from:
http://faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/gaddis/hst210/sep
t9/default.htm
Research Question:
What is the relationship between gender, race,
and class in a graphic novel?
Keywords:
gender, race, class, graphic novel
Example search using some of the keywords in the Academic Search Premier database.
Image from:
http://www.stanford.edu/gro
up/cwstudents/shakegirl/
Research Question:
What changes were made to the space shuttle
program following the Columbia disaster in 2003?
Keywords:
changes, space shuttle, program, Columbia, disaster
Example search using the keywords in Google.
Different authors may use different terms to
describe the same information. When
searching, consider using synonyms or related
words to describe your research question.
This will expand your search.
Synonyms or related words to use when
searching can be found in a variety of
different places including thesaurus websites
such as Visuwords and Thesaurus.com.
You can also use
Wikipedia or the index of
a general encyclopedia
such as World Book to
find related words and
phrases.
Example:
Keyword Phrase –
“Global Warming”
Related Terms –
Deforestation, Greenhouse
Gases, Climate
Change, Species
Extinction
Synonyms/Related Words Example
Research Question:
How has the internet changed the way teenagers communicate?
Keywords: Internet, Teenagers, Communicate
Keywords in
Question
Internet
Teenagers
Communicate
Synonyms or
Related Words
WWW
Teens
Relate
World Wide Web
Adolescents
Interact
The Web
Youth
Example search using keywords and related words in Academic Search Premier.
Synonyms/Related Words Example
Research Question:
How do relationships between children in a blended family develop?
Keywords:
Relationships, Children, “Blended Family”
Keyword in
Question
Relationships
Children
Blended
Family
Synonyms/
Related Words
bonds
Step children
Step family
connections
Step siblings
Example search using keywords and related words in Google.
Summing Up
Keywords represent the important ideas found in your
research question.
You can use keywords to find information about your
research question by searching:
• search engines
• article databases
• library catalogs
It is also important to identify synonyms or related words
to search because different authors may use different
terms.