Subject Guides: Keyword Search Generator: Home

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How to Generate Search Terms

Create a Research Topic

Enter you research topic below. Try to limit the topic to one sentence that fully describes your research. Here are a few examples:

Effects of cellphones on dating.

Stress in young people in Britain.

Factors affecting salmonella survival in low-moisture foods.

Your Topic:

Next…

How to Generate Search Terms

Your Research Topic is:

Stress in young people in Britain

Now, identify at least 2 key concepts within your research topic. Each key concept might be 1-2 words.

For example, let's say your research topic was "Stress in young people in Britain". Your key concepts might be:

Stress

"young people"

Britain

List Your Key Concepts

Key Concept 1:

Key Concept 2:

Key Concept 3:

Key Concept 4:

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How to Generate Search Terms

Your Key Concepts are:

Stress
Young people
Britain

Now, try to list at least 1 related search term for each of your key concepts. These might be synonyms, broader terms, more specific terms, etc.

Tip: to exclude a keyword click on the checkmark. You can also reverse this change by clicking on it again.

Related Search Terms for

Keyword 1:

Keyword 2:

Keyword 3:

Keyword 4:

Keyword 5:

Keyword 6:

Keyword 7:

Next…

How to Generate Search Terms

Your Search Terms

Below is the list of search terms you have generated. You can use the search terms when researching your topic.

How To Use Your Search Terms

Now that you’ve created your list of search terms, you will need to combine them using Boolean operators and and or. In your example, the combine search terms would look like this:

Automatically Search With Your Search Terms

Click any of the links below to launch a search using the search terms.

Getting too many results when you search? In the catalog or database, remove some of the search terms you brainstormed for each concept.

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