Keywords are specific words or short phrases which capture the main ideas of your topic. They are an integral part of searching for information, whether you are using Google, exploring the library's digital collections or browsing the index of a print book.
Choosing the right keywords is an essential part of your search. The words you use directly shape the results you find.
Watch this video to help you get started with thinking about your keywords.
When you start your research for an assignment you can't just type your whole essay title into google and expect to find great resources. To research successfully you need to break your topic down into keywords.
Your first keywords will be the main ideas from your title so if your title is discuss alter theory in relation to Francis Ford Coppola then your main ideas are going to be auteur theory and Francis Ford Coppola. Words like discuss and in relation to aren't really useful for your search.
First of all jot down your keywords and some alternative terms and by that I mean other ways of describing your topic along with any relevant ideas that spring to mind. In this example I'd write down Apocalypse Now and The Godfather as these are films that Francis Ford Coppola directed. To to generate some more keywords I'd type auteur theory into google and then see what wikipedia has to say, adding names and dates of prominent theorists to my list of keywords.
Credo Reference and Oxford Reference Online are also great online encyclopedias which are linked from your subject guides so i'd repeat my search at each of these and add the results to my keywords.By the time you've got a decent list of keywords you'll have also done some great background reading.
So now you're ready to take your keywords to the library search and track down some really good quality resources
You'll already use keywords in everyday life. For example, if you want to know when the Maritime Museum opens, you might search Google for:
If you don't specify Falmouth (or Cornwall), your results would include information about similar museums in Liverpool, Plymouth, Greenwich, or Hull. You may retrieve more results, but your search will be less effective.
Academic research works in the same way. You need to choose precise keywords that best reflect the central concepts of your topic or research questions. For instance, if you wanted to explore the influence of jazz on modern dance, you might search for:
Searching for both terms suggests a relationship between them so don't need to include words such as 'influence'. Avoid using ambiguous words as these could restrict your search unnecessarily.
To broaden your search, you could also add synonyms or related terms, such as contemporary dance or performance. You may even include key movements or figures in the genre, such as Jack Cole or Bob Fosse. Using different combinations of these keywords will help you to find a range of information relevant to your topic.
Your research topic is the first place to look for keywords.
Encyclopaedias can provide general overviews of topics. Note key concepts, definitions, and related topics mentioned.
Example: An encyclopedia entry on "Climate Change" might include keywords like greenhouse gases, global warming, carbon emissions, IPCC, etc.
Background reading can help you understand the context and scope of a topic.
Pay attention to repeated terms and technical vocabulary. Highlight important names, events, theories, or frameworks.
Example: A background article on "Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare" might reveal keywords and terms such as "machine learning", "diagnostic tools", "data privacy", and "clinical decision support".
Using a thesaurus can help you to expand or refine keywords by finding synonyms and related terms.
Can be useful for finding alternative search terms or discipline-specific language. Look up synonyms, antonyms, or related words.
Example: For the keyword education, a thesaurus might suggest 'instruction', 'learning', 'pedagogy', or 'schooling'.
AI can help brainstorm, refine, and expand keyword lists.
You can use it to generate keywords based on a topic or research question.
Example prompt: Can you suggest some keywords to help me research the following topic ...
You can be specific about the level and scope of your topic to generate more relevant keywords.
