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G07: I&S What Price Progress: Process

Exploration of culture in the Middle Ages

Keywords

Before you start searching for information (sources), you need to choose good keywords for your search. Keywords are common words (but not words such as: of, and, the) that describe the main idea of your topic or question. Three or 4 keywords are usually most helpful.  

It doesn't take too much time to choose good keywords. Plus, it will save you heaps of time and frustration later in your research process. The right combination of keywords can be the difference between finding good information and finding nothing. 

The easiest way to choose keywords is to write out your topic sentance or research question and select only the words that describe your topic/question: 

What are the causes and consequences of a harsh environment?

For example:

What are the causes and consequences of harsh environments?

The words that are left are:

causes consequences in harsh environments

Next, come up with as many words that words that:

  • mean the same thing (synonyms) (Hint: Try using a thesaurus) or

  • are similar words or

  • are related words

For example:

causes

consequences

harsh

environments

sources

effects

severe

habitat

origin

result

extreme

conditions

Ask good questions

Video - Outlines (from BrainPop)

This video from BrainPop explains how to make outlines.  

When you're done, try the BrainPop quiz.

CILIP Research a dynamic process

Video - Notetaking (from BrainPop)

This video from BrainPop explains how to take good notes.  

When you're done, try the BrainPop quiz.

 

Search Tips

Build your search string slowly and adjust your terms as you go along.
What do you want to do?
This is how you do it:
For example:
Search within a specific domain (ex: .gov, .edu)
keyword site:.domain
football site:.gov (This will give you results from government sites that include the word football)
Find recent results
Select "Search Tools" & then the range of time
Search for an exact phrase 
Use quotes around the phrase
"Mary had a little lamb" (All results will have the exact wording of "Mary had a little lamb")
Not include a specific word
Use - before the word you don't want
football -soccer (This will give you results for football but NOT soccer.)
Search for one of several words
Use OR between the words you are looking for
football OR soccer (This will give you results for football or soccer.)