Q. How do I use keywords to search for my topic?
Definition
A Keyword search looks for words anywhere in the record. Keyword searches are a good substitute for a subject search when you do not know the standard subject heading. Keywords may also be used as a substitute for a title or author search when you have an incomplete title or author information.
When doing a keyword search it's a good idea to try a number of different search terms and phrases. Don't be discouraged if your initial keyword search brings back too many, too few, or irrelevant results--you'll want to try multiple keywords, synonyms for your keywords, different combinations of keywords, etc. to bring back the best results.
For example, if you are searching for information about “What is the relationship between United States intelligence operations and counter-terrorism?”
You may want to try:
terrorism, United States, intelligence and counter-terrorism, etc.
You might also try:
violence, anti-terrorist measures, domestic terrorism, etc.
Or, you can combine keywords to get stronger and more thorough results:
terrorism and United States and violence
Most Useful For
- Finding resources using common language that describes your topic.
- Very flexible--can easily be combined with other searching techniques
Cautions
- May bring back too many, too few, or irrelevant results if keywords are not carefully selected
- Users should try multiple keywords, combinations of keywords, etc. to bring back the best results
Feel free to check out Strategic Searching Module or Narrowing the Topic for more information.