Brainstorming Keywords

1.Define your research question or topic

Why? Understanding your topic before you dive into searching keeps you focused on your topic and less likely to get sidetracked by irrelevant material.

2.Break it down – Pick out the core concepts (usually nouns or noun phrases)

TIPS: Try just 2-4 keywords. Avoid “fluff” words like impact and effect

Why? Words such as impact are used often and in multiple contexts, so you are not likely to get relevant results.

3.Identify 1 or 2 synonyms for each core concept

Why? Search engines and some databases can guess what you mean, but they may only return what you put in the search box.

EXAMPLE:

1. What is the effect of Spanish colonialism on indigenous languages in Mexico?

2. What is the ~~effect~~ of Spanish colonialism on Indigenous languages in Mexico?

3. “Spanish colonialism” = colonization, Spain, conquista

“Indigenous languages” = “autochthonous languages,” Nahuatl, Náhuatl, “Yucatec Maya,” “mayaʼ tʼàan”

Mexico = “United Mexican States,” EUM, Yucatán

TIP: Search exact phrases by using quotation marks