Skip to Main Content

Comp I (10-115)

But what do I put in the search box?

Brainstorming keywords


Define your research question or topic

Understand your focus to keep from getting sidetracked
by irrelevant results.

What is the impact of air quality on children with asthma?
[ Step two ]

 

Pick out 2-3 core concepts 

Avoid non-descriptive words that may not show results
relevant to your main topic.

What is the impact of air quality on children with asthma?
[ Step Three ]

 

Identify 1 or 2 synonyms for core concepts

Authors may use a different word for a concept than you identified.
 

"air quality" = "air pollution"
children = youth, adolescents
asthma = asthmatics
[ B. D. Owens Library ] B.D. Owens Library | 800 University Dr. Maryville, MO 64468 | 660.562.1193 [ TikTok ] [ Facebook ] [ Instagram ] [ Spotify ]