Social Sciences - An Introduction to Library Research

STEPS TO PREPARE A SEARCH

1. Identify key concepts

2. Find synonyms

3. Use search operators

STEP 1 - Identify key concepts

Once you have defined your focused topic, you need to identify the key concepts to prepare a search strategy to use in different search tools.

Here are a few examples:

 TOPIC  KEY CONCEPTS

The effects of beauty product advertisements on teenage girls' self-esteem.

 beauty product advertisements
 teenage girls
 self-esteem

The impact of media coverage and public opinion polling on election campaigns.

 media coverage
 public opinion polling
 election campaigns

The success of environmental groups in shaping the public policy agenda in Canada.

  environmental groups
 public policy agenda
 Canada

STEP 2 - Find synonyms

For each key concept, find synonyms that will be useful when performing keyword searches.

 TOPIC  The effects of beauty product advertisements on teenage girls' self-esteem
 KEY CONCEPTS  beauty products  advertisements  teenage girls  self-esteem

 SYNONYMS

  cosmetics
 skin care
 make-up		  advertising
 marketing
 commercials		  teenagers
 adolescents
 youth		  self-confidence
 self-respect
 self-perception


To help find synonyms, consider using a thesaurus:

STEP 3 - Use search operators

To find relevant information, you need to translate your topic into a search strategy.

Here is a list of the most common search operators:

OPERATOR  USE EXAMPLE
AND AND is used between keywords to find
results that contain all of the keywords		 propaganda AND china
OR  OR is used between keywords that are synonymous to find results that contain either keyword violence OR aggression
NOT NOT is used to exclude a keyword from the results cloning NOT sheep
" " Quotation marks - " " - are used to find results for exact phrases or expressions "human rights"
* The asterisk - * - is used to truncate a word to find results with various endings environment*
 will find environments,
 environmental, environmentally, etc.
( ) Parentheses - ( ) - are used to group keywords by concept (teenage* OR adolescen*) AND (cigarette* OR nicotine OR tobacco)


Operators may vary from tool to tool. Consult specific help pages within the catalogues and databases for more information.

Search strategy
worksheet

Use this worksheet to help you prepare your search: