For each of these ideas, there may be several interchangeable words (or synonyms) that people can use when discussing them. When you are searching for information on a topic, it is these words that you will use, and combine, to find relevant sources.
After you chose your topic, but before you begin searching, try to:
- Identify the three or four core ideas that make up your topic, then
- List all of the terms or phrases that might be used in a discussion about those ideas
To help you keep track of the terms you uncover, try plotting them in a table like the one below.
| What is the media’s contribution to eating disorders in teenagers? | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Ideas | Media | Eating Disorders | Teenagers |
| Keywords |
Media Mass media Magazines Television Internet |
Anorexia Bulimia Eating disorders Body image Self-image |
Teens Teenagers Adolescents Youth |
(Download a Research Planner to save yourself time.)
Once you’ve defined your main ideas, and generated a group search terms (keywords), the next challenge is to figure out how to enter them in a database’s search field(s).
A thorough search for information will make effective use of Truncation, Boolean Operators (AND, OR and NOT), and other tools/strategies for limiting or expanding your search.