Research Guides: Tutorials A-Z: Prepare to search

Prepare to search

Before jumping into a search tool, students should be able to:

develop keywords (search terms) based on their research topic
describe different types of information and their uses
differentiate between popular and scholarly sources
develop an initial understanding of credibility and expertise within the context of the information need

Save time and frustration by doing some prep work before you jump into your favorite search tool.

Format	Title
	Brainstorming Keywords
	Identify keywords
	Identify keywords (worksheet) Collaborate keyword brainstorming (worksheet)

Tutorial	Outcomes	Additional Information
Brainstorming Keywords (5m32s)	Identify keywords after a topic is determined. Develop search terms.	URL: https://youtu.be/SDZWoy4Lbnc?list=PLiUBVVM0qG0ytlWechrowrXktojQPB7pY Content updated May 2024
Additional content if needed	Additional Content if needed	Additional Content if needed

Identify keywords
Follow four steps to identify the best keywords (search terms) for finding information about your topic.
https://libguides.clackamas.edu/research-help/searchterms

Identify keywords (PDF)
This worksheet will guide you through translating your topic into keywords and keyword phrases. Last updated Feb. 2025.
Collaborative keywords generation
Collaborative active learning strategy with student-generated keywords compiled in rounds.

Format	Title
	Gecko Toes: The Information Timeline
	Identify types of sources - in progress Peer-reviewed articles - revision coming soon
	Reading peer-reviewed journal articles (handout)

Tutorial	Outcomes	Additional Information
Gecko Toes - The Information Timeline (7m28s)	Describe the information timeline Understand that different types of information are published at different times, and for different audiences, along the information timeline Differentiate between scholarly and popular sources	URL: https://youtu.be/mcxVveJQuqA?si=VGvaaTe03zobymip Last updated October 2020 Internal note: Update priority- not WCAG compliant.

Identify types of sources
Describes characteristics and purposes of popular and scholarly sources. Explains website domain suffixes.
https://libguides.clackamas.edu/research-help/types
Peer-reviewed articles
Describes characteristics of peer-reviewing articles and offers tips for reading and taking notes.
https://libguides.clackamas.edu/research-help/peer-reviewed

Reading peer-reviewed journal articles
How to recognize characteristics of and efficiently read peer-reviewed journal articles. Last updated Jan. 2017.

How would you define "credible information" and "expertise"? Figuring these concepts out ahead of time helps you search for and evaluate information.

Format	Title
	Credibility in the context of your topic - coming soon What is "expertise"? - coming soon