Create A Keyword List
The right keywords help to effectively search catalogs, databases, and the Internet.
| -- Start by compiling a list of keywords that represent each concept of your topic. |
| -- Try the Search Generator from Northwest Missouri State University to create a keyword list. |
| -- Use more specific terms when searching databases versus catalogs. |
| -- Look for more terms in your search results. Add these to your list. |
| -- Search Google Books for keywords in the title, table of contents, subject headings, and text of books. |
| -- Use the Library of Congress Authorities and Vocabularies thesaurus to find variations of keywords and subject headings. |
Keyword Searching
Use the Search Generator from Northwest Missouri State University to help you create a keyword search.
Using AND/OR/NOT (Boolean Search Operators)
AND |
Use AND to focus search and combine different aspects of your topic. Example: vegetarianism and environment |
OR |
Use OR to expand your search and find synonyms/related terms. Example: global warming or climate change |
NOT |
Use NOT to exclude a word or phrase from your search Example: emissions trading not United States |
Additional Search Tips
|
"Phrase search" - Use quotation marks (" ") to search for a particular phrase. Example: "greenhouse gas emissions" |
|
Truncation * - Use an asterisk to find variations of a word. Put an asterisk following the root of the word to find all variations of that word, including singular and plural. Example: environment* (finds environments, environmental, environmentalist, etc.) |
|
(Grouping/Nesting Keywords) - Use parentheses ( ) as a way to group all your search terms together. Example: (climate change or global warming) and population growth |
Keyword Thesaurus
Use keyword variations.
Words change over time. Today we say Civil War but, in the past, it has been called the
- American Civil War
- War between the States
- War of Secession
- War of the Rebellion
If you searched only the term Civil War, you might miss valuable documents written during a different era.
The Library of Congress Authorities and Vocabularies thesaurus will help you find variations of keywords and subject headings.