Using keywords: your keys to a universe of information.
Computers have made research easier than ever before. Just type a few words, and poof! Instant results...
But computers only look for word you typed, not the idea you meant. Different words can represent the same idea, so you must choose carefully. Change your words, and you change your results. For example, if you search for the word "elderly," you will find only the sources that used that term. If a source used terms like "aged," "old age," "senior citizens," "older adults," "geriatric," or "retirees," you would not find it, even though all those terms are closely related to your search topic.
Strategy Tip: Write down your research topic, then select the most important words from your statement. These are the "keywords" you'll use in your online search. For example, if your topic is, "How does drinking affect college students' performance in school?" then your most important words would be "drinking," "college students," and "performance in school."
For each keyword you select, brainstorm for alternatives, such as synonyms (words that mean the same thing). You'll need these alternatives in case your first choice doesn't produce good results. Alternatives for our keyword "drinking" might include "alcohol," "alcohol abuse," "alcoholism," or "binge drinking." An alternative for our keyword "college students" might be "university students."
Avoid using complex phrases as keywords. Try to think of a more precise term. For example, rather than the long phrase "students' performance in school," you might try "grades" or "academic achievement." By the way, most computer searches ignore small, common words such as "by," "of," "in," and "for," so using them won't improve your search.
Question: Select appropriate keywords for the topic, "How indoor pollution might affect the development of asthma in children."
A. pollution, children
B. indoor pollution, asthma
C. indoor pollution, asthma, children
D. children, breathing problems
E. indoor pollution
The correct answer is C. The other options do not have enough keywords to describe all of the topic.
Question: When you type an online search, what does the computer look for?
A. Ideas or concepts
B. All synonyms for your word
C. The word you typed, and no other words
D. Anything that might interest you
The correct answer is C.
Strategy Tip: At a loss for words? Try thinking of keywords in three categories: broader, narrower, and related. For our example "college students," a broader term would be "students." Narrower terms would be "fraternities," "student athletes," or "dorm residents." Related terms would be "young adults" or "high school students."
Question: For the topic AIDS, which keyword is broader?
A. HIV
B. sexually transmitted diseases
C. Carposi's sarcoma
D. combined drug therapy
The correct answer is B; AIDS belongs to the larger category of sexually transmitted diseases.
Question: For the topic "eating disorders," which keyword is narrower?
A. fad diets
B. body image
C. obesity
D. anorexia
The correct answer is D; anorexia is one type of eating disorder.
Always check your search results for keywords you didn't think of. Some library databases will try to suggest useful words for you.
Sample search: corrections officers
Sample results:
1. Attitudes of prison personnel...
2. Career paths for prison guards...
3. Surveying employees of correctional institutions...
Notice the different terms: "prison personnel," "prison guards," and "employees . . . correctional institutions." These are all keywords you could use to try to improve your search.
Troubleshooting: No search results at all? Check your spelling. If all words are spelled correctly, change one of your keywords. Results no good? Keep trying different keyword combinations. Or, consider searching a different database. And don't be afraid to ask a reference librarian for keyword help!
This is the end of the tutorial. You've got your keys, now get going! Want to learn more search skills? Try the OLLIE tutorial on Advanced Online Searching.