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 harsh environments
Next, come up with as many words that words that:
For example:
| causes | consequences | harsh | environments |
| sources | effects | severe | habitat |
| origin | result | extreme | conditions |
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.) |