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Student Guide 2021: Getting Started: Finding a Topic and Keyword Searching

Picking a Research Topic

This video was developed by a team at North Carolina State University Libraries. This video is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States license.

 

 

What are Key Words or Key Concepts?

Words or phrases that describe your research topic and retrieve records containing those terms are search terms. When you do a search using key words or key concepts in your topic in a library catalog or a database, you can type in words that describe your research topic in any order and retrieve results, usually in the form of catalog or database records. 

It is important to note when searching a library catalog or a database that the meaning of the words used as search terms are not taken into account. So if a term has more than one meaning (such as "mouse" - computer hardware or rodent?), irrelevant records may be retrieved. Topic searching using key words or key concepts along with synonyms and related terms is just one way of searching the online catalog and other databases.

Key Word Searching

Keyword Search Rules for the Library Catalog and Databases


Using AND/OR/NOT (Boolean Search Operators)
AND
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Use AND to focus search and combine different aspects of your topic.

Example: vegetarianism and environment
OR
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Use OR to expand your search and find synonyms/related terms.

Example: global warming or climate change
NOT
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Use NOT to exclude a word or phrase from your search

Example: emissions trading not United States

 


Additional Search Tips

Phrase search  - Use quotation marks (" ") to search for a particular phrase.

Example:"greenhouse gas emissions"

    Truncation * - Use an asterisk to find variations of a word. Put an asterisk following the root of the word to find all variations of that word, including singular and plural.

    Example:environment* (finds environments, environmental, environmentalist, etc.)

       

      Researching a Topic: News, Current Affairs and Issues-Related Databases

      Where can I get ideas about a topic?

      Topic ideas can come from class or lecture notes, from textbooks or other course readings, from conversations or discussions with classmates or the class instructor, or from your own interests and ideas so long as they are pertinent to your assignment. 

      News, current affairs or issues-related databases can help you uncover the research-worthy topic within your own interests and ideas. You may wish to discuss your topic choice with your class instructor to make sure s/he agrees it is appropriate for the course.

      Remember to use your CSU username and password to access electronic materials off-campus.

      Researching a Topic: Reference Resources

      Use reference resources such as dictionaries, encyclopedias or handbooks to deepen your understanding of or uncover background information on a  potential topic. Remember to use your CSU username and password to access electronic materials off-campus.