Keywords are words or phrases that best describe the information we are looking for. They are the most essential parts of the question.
So, before you begin your search pick the words that define your topic. By using keywords rather than whole sentences, your search results will be more specific to your topic.
Keep it simple. You can always go back to the search after evaluating your results and tweak the keywords by using synonyms
Say you picked the topic "video games." Now you need to focus on your topic. To do this, ask the 4 W's:
So say you choose:
Form this information into a question:
Are children who play video games more likely to be violent?
Source: Morningside College
Take a close look at your research question and eliminate any "filler" words:
Are children who play video games more likely to be violent?
Choose words from within your question that are the most important to your search. So, in this example, you would choose "children," "video games," and "violent."
Source: Morningside College
Synonyms or alternative keywords can make a huge difference in the quality and quantity of your search.
Here is an example:
Source: Morningside College