Sometimes the hardest part of your research project is the part before you even start searching.  It is choosing your research topic and then narrowing that topic down to something you can use to search the library databases.

When picking your specific research topic here are some tips to keep in mind.

• Choose something that you are interested in.  Library searches take longer than searches done using a search engine so you will likely be spending a lot of time with your topic.  Make it something you enjoy!
• Your topic should fall somewhere into the Goldilocks Zone of research topics.  Not to broad that it is hard to sort through your results, or to narrow that you are unable to find any sources.

After you have selected your topic, take that broad topic, and turn it into a narrower, more defined research question.  This is the question that you hope to answer with your research.

When using your search engine to perform a search, generally we are asking a question that has a specific answer.  These questions have a single answer that can be found in a single place:

• What time does the movie start?
• Where can I get my dogs favorite food?

Questions for library databases ask complicated questions that encourage users to find multiple sources that discuss their research question.  Research questions are broad enough that there will be information available in the library databases to answer them.  They are also narrow enough that there will not be too much information.  Some examples of research questions are:

• How are academic libraries using virtual reality to augment the classroom experience?
• How did Jack the Ripper change policing in Victorian England?

Once you have your search terms and you have chosen the database, it is time to start searching!  There are certain boxes, buttons, and search assistance options you will be looking for in all the database you use.

All databases will have ways that you can narrow your search without having to add new terms.  When using a database, you should always look for the Limit to Full Text or Full Text Documents check boxes.  You want to make sure that the results you are seeing are only sources that are available in full text, instead of a source that is merely a description or abstract.

Other helpful ways to limit your search are:

• Publication Date
• Document or Source Type
  • Some professors may ask you to only use Scholarly Articles from Academic Journals

Once you have found a source you think will be useful to you, there are a few things you want to make sure to find.

• Make sure to save your source before you leave the database.  Always try to save as a PDF when possible.  This ensures you have page numbers and that you do not have to come back to the database.  To do this look for ways to:
  • Print
  • Email
  • Send
  • Save
• Look for the Cite button.  This will provide you with your starter citation in all the major citation’s styles.  While you can copy and paste this citation into your Reference or Works Cited page, be sure to double check the citations provided.  Ensure that the formatting (hanging indents, italics, capitalization, etc) matches the citation style you are using.

Choosing and Creating Strong Keywords

Choosing strong keywords is critical to getting your research off the ground and in the right direction. Different people will have different ways of choosing keywords, but we recommend trying the strategies below.

We'll use this research topic as an example: the effects of smartphone use on sleep quality. 

• Identify keywords in your topic or assignment. 

Our research topic is "the effects of smartphone use on sleep quality." If we look at the main ideas in this topic there are already several keywords we could use: effects, smartphones, sleep quality, and use.

• Combine keywords into key phrases.

If we were to search "effects of smartphone use on sleep quality" the database would search each one of those words as a separate keyword. But, for our research, it's important that we're looking at resources that talk about the quality of sleep, not the quality of the smartphone. To combine keywords, we can use double quotation marks. This will tell the database to search for these words as a phrase, rather than as separate words. For example: effects of smartphone use on "sleep quality." Remember that this strategy will only look this this exact phrase, if you misspell the terms or wanted to look for a plural the search will not find that term.

• Use synonyms or similar phrases 

Researchers may use different words to describe the same thing. For example, one author may write about smartphones, while another may use the term cellphones. When you have identified your first few keywords, make a list of possible synonyms or similar phrases to make your searching even more likely to collect all the relevant resources. 

• Go broad / Go narrow

You may find that your first keywords do not give you enough resources - or that they give you way too many. Don't be discouraged! This is where it is helpful to use keywords that are broader or narrower than your original idea. For example:

Combining Keywords into Key Phrases

You can combine keywords to make key phrases by using double quotation marks at the beginning and end of your key phrase. For example:

Combining keywords into key phrases where appropriate can make your search results more relevant to your research needs. This is particularly useful when your topic can also be an acronym: AI or "artificial intelligence, TBI or "traumatic brain injury", etc. Using key phrases to search will make sure that the words artificial and intelligence or women and detectives appear in the source next to each other and not in different sentences, paragraphs, or pages.

Putting It All Together

By adding OR between keywords or using the drop down box to the left, the database will search for sources that contain either word. This allows us to use multiple synonyms in the same search. Like using the hashtags dogs and cats when looking for cute pet videos.

By adding AND between keywords or using the drop down box to the left, the database will search for sources where both words appear. The allows us to narrow our search down using multiple keywords together. Like using the hashtags dogs and beagles when looking for cute beagle videos.

Remember to keep it simple.  Only use one or two keywords at a time in your search.  If you do not get the results you are looking for, trying using different keywords or similar words, not adding more keywords to your search.

Use our Understanding Keywords Handout to practice and create keywords for your research assignments.