Use the advanced search feature to form a smarter search. Separating out your concepts helps the database understand what you mean.
Using advanced search also makes it easier to set other requirements for your research, like the date range during which it was published or what type of material it is.
The button for advanced search will look different on each database platform, but it's worth finding it.
Identify keywords for your topic and brainstorm narrower, broader, and related terms.
Example: Factors that affect academic performance in first-generation college students.
| Academic Performance | College | First-Generation Students |
| Student Success | Higher Education | Children of Immigrants |
| Student Achievement | University | Minority Students |
| Learning Outcomes | Community College | Nontraditional Students |
Boolean Operators AND, OR, and NOT allow you to broaden or narrow your results in the library catalog and databases. You can easily use these to clarify what you need by choosing the advanced search option.
Add more keywords.
Adding additional keywords to your search can help to further narrow your topic.
Example: college AND first-generation students AND academic performance
Use a filter
Look on the left side for ways you can filter your materials. Here are a few to consider, depending on your needs.
Try different search terms.
What other words could you use to describe this concept? Brainstorm related terms, synonyms, and slightly different forms of your word or phrase. Also brainstorm broader categories or concepts it belongs to, as well as narrower elements or examples. (See the keywords section above for examples.)
It may also be useful to consider the official, academic, or formal way to write that term. This is more likely to be used in academic writing.
Use fewer search terms.
Sometimes less is more! The more words, phrases, or subjects you ask the database to find, the fewer sources will meet the criteria.
Use OR.
Broaden your search by using the boolean operator OR to link your terms.
Example: (college OR higher education OR university) AND first-generation students AND (academic performance OR student success)
To begin, take out a blank sheet of paper or open a document:
If you're having trouble creating a list of topics use a current events database which provides background information on many topics.
CQ Researcher provides comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news. Each single-themed report is researched, footnoted and fact checked, and contains an introductory overview; a background and chronology on the topic; an assessment of the current situation; tables and maps; a pro/con debate by representatives of opposing positions; and bibliographies of key sources.
Some topics are too broad to be a successful paper topic, especially if you are only writing a 5 to 8 page paper. For example, tackling a topic like Healthcare or Fashion without choosing a more specific focus will leave you with a large pile of relevant research to sort through. Let's narrow these topics by focusing on a specific area of interest.
| Narrowing Concept | Healthcare | Fashion |
|
People - Is there a particular group of people within this topic that interests you? Consider age, race, gender, political affliation, educational background, etc. |
Pregnant Women | Men |
| Place - Consider geographic elements such as countries, regions, etc, or explore situational elements such as hospitals or affluent neighborhoods. | Western World | Italy |
| Time Period - Are you interested in modern or historic issues? Can you name a specific time period? | Last 500 Years | 1600s |
| Point of View - There are many different ways to consider a topic. Some examples include Legal, Psychological, Historical, Religious, Political and Scientific. | Historical | Religious |
Final Topics: Western childbirth rituals in the last 500 years AND Men's religious apparel in 17th century Italy.