HUM/SSC 237 Hite/Severson

The first step to identifying keywords (search terms) is having an initial topic or research question to work with. Not there yet? Spend five minutes choosing a focused topic, then come back here.

Ready?

Step 1. Write down your research topic.

Example:

Step 2. Circle or highlight the most important individual ideas that make up your topic.

Hint: Look for the nouns.

Example:

Hint: Avoid these keywords, and why: 

• impacting, effectively, address, effect - don't use these words in your initial searches about a topic. Adjectives and words that indicate a relationship between two ideas will greatly reduce the number of search results you get. That isn't helpful right at the beginning of doing research. If you retrieve lots of search results, then feel free to add these types of words into your search queries.
• pro, con, for, against - rather than using words that convey opinions about topics, use nouns that help you learn about your topic(s) from every angle. Examples of more inclusive nouns include outcomes, impacts, or results.
• it, to, and, of, about - these are "filler words" that search engines and databases ignore anyway.

Step 3. Brainstorm related terms and synonyms.

Hint: Think about words or phrases that have similar meanings to each idea, or that are closely related to the overall topic.

Example:

How to identify related terms and synonyms:

• Look online with a search like other ways to say _____.
• Search with your main idea. Skim the results and see how that idea is talked about or referred to by others.
• Pop your whole research question into your favorite search engine. Skim the results and see what related issues and ideas show up.

Synonyms need to make contextual sense:

• Synonyms are words that mean the same thing. But synonyms won't always make sense in the context of your topic. 
• Example: Climate crisis.
  • Emergency is a synonym of crisis. "Climate emergency" makes sense in the context of this research topic. 
  • Pickle is a synonym of crisis. "Climate pickle" sort of makes sense, but researchers, environmentalists, and authors don't use this term. 

DONE! You've identified keywords.

Now you can apply basic search strategies to those keywords.

Find almost everything CCC Library has to offer to you - items in CCC Library, Summit partner libraries, and most article databases. Then refine your search results to identify the best resources.

1. Enter your search terms.
   
    
2. Select Search (the magnifying glass icon or hit Enter on your keyboard).
    
3. Select Sign in and log in using your myClackamas email and password.
   
    
4. Refine and filter your results using any of the options listed under Refine my results
   
   Highlights include:
   • Availability
     • Peer-reviewed Journals - online articles published in peer-reviewed journals
     • On Library Shelves - print books in CCC Library on the Oregon City campus
     • Full Text Online - resources you can access online using your CCC username and password
     • Open Access - resources you can freely access online
   • Resource Type
     • Read - articles, print books, eBooks, magazine articles, book chapters, newspaper articles, encyclopedias
     • Watch - eVideo, DVD videos
     • Think about what type of resources make sense for your topic, your time frame, and your instructor's expectations.
        
5. Results page. The images, icons, and text on the results page tells you about each resource and how to access its full text. 
   

Use these tips when you search in CCC Library databases. Your search results will be more focused and relevant to your topic!

1. Use quotation marks around phrases and search terms to search for the words in the exact order you would like, instead of separately.
   
2. Use different search boxes for each different idea that makes up your overall topic.
   

Need help with too many or too few results? Call, email, chat with, or stop by and see a librarian!

We all use it - now let's learn to use it better! Improving your Googling skills will save you time and make it easier to identify better sources of information. Tips and tricks are explained below.

1. Use quotation marks around your search terms to search for the words in the exact order you would like, instead of separately.

1. Use intitle: to retrieve webpages with your keywords in the title of the webpage

1. Use site:. to retrieve webpages from URLs in the domain (.gov, .edu, .org) you specify.  

1. Use - (a hyphen or minus sign) in front of words to exclude them from your search results.

1. Use OR in between words to have either or both of the words included in your search results. OR must be capitalized. This is a good way to search for synonyms.

In the above example, Google will find results that include (election AND fraud) and (voter AND fraud).

1. Use filetype: to retrieve specific types of files (instead of html webpages). Works for finding most file types.

1. Use several strategies at once for very specific results.

If you decide to use Google, you will need to answer the question: is this a quality source?

Well, it depends on what "it" is, and the context in which you're using it. Think about the type of information (e.g., a tweet, a painting) and what you expect of it in terms of quality and in terms of your intended use of it. We'll do this together in class.

Also, I find that asking myself these questions helps me decide if information is good to use:

1. Is there thoughtful substance to this information?
2. Can I identify an author?
3. Does this information seem trustworthy to me?
4. Do I trust the publisher of this information (could be a website, blog, magazine, corporation)?
5. If this is an opinion piece, is it fact-based or totally coming out of left field?
6. How old is this information and does that matter?
7. Could you talk about this topic around the water cooler?
8. Does this source ask questions? Is it philosophical?
9. Is the source long enough to actually share good, meaty information?