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Research Strategies

Manage your research strategy, use databases more effectively, and understand how the library is organized -- it's all here.

Getting Started

We've created this guide to help you get started with research. Use the tabs for suggestions of different types of resources.

If you need help during your research process, come in and talk to the library staff. We are always here to help!

Research Process

 

Determine Keywords

After determining a topic or research question, generate a selection of keywords to use in your search.

Search

Use your keywords in either a database search, or using the Search All library search to find relevant items. Too many results? Try using the limiters on the left-hand side of the results page. Too few results? Check to make sure you are using the correct spelling and industry standard terms for your subject.

Evaluate Your Results

Look at your results and determine which items your would like to use. Are articles from a reputable, peer-reviewed source? Do the items fit with your research question? If not, try some new or alternative keywords and try again - that's an integral part of researching!

About Keywords & Boolean Operators 

 

You cannot type your research question into a library search engine and get a list of appropriate articles for your studies. Databases do NOT use full sentence structures in their search algorithms. You must use individual keywords or short phrases.

Keywords are important words and concepts found in your research question or thesis. Keywords have a profound impact on search results. Using the right words will enable you to more effectively and efficiently execute a research process.

Developing Keywords 

 

Example Research Question: Does watching reality TV have an impact on teenagers in the audience?

Keyword ONE Keyword TWO Keyword THREE
reality tv teenagers audience
  • reality television
  • reality TV
  • reality programming
  • reality show
  • teens
  • adolescents
  • young adults
  • teenager
  • minor
  • immature
  • youth
  • public
  • viewers
  • spectators
  • listeners

The words you might use are not the ones used by researchers and scholars.  As you conduct your research, note different wordings that are associated with your topic.

Database searching is much more selective and will be most effective if you can narrow your topic into concepts.

One method you can use is organizing your topic into concepts, see below:

(Concept 1) _______________ OR ________________(Synonymous terms dealing with Concept 1)

You can break up your research topic into basic concepts such as:

(Concept 1) "speech impairment*" OR "articulation impairment*"
(Concept 2) sibling* OR brother* OR sister*