LibGuides: AP Capstone: Seminar & Research: How to Search

Keyword Search Process

Identify the main concepts of your topic.
Brainstorm synonyms, related terms, and antonyms that could be used to describe your topic.
Avoid using terms that are:
- Abbreviations - spell them out instead or use both the abbreviation and the full word connected with the word OR
- Relationship words - like compare, contrast, correlation, causation, relationship
- Judgment words - best, worst, pro, con, advantages, disadvantages
Using the Advanced Search feature of the online databases, combine your keywords together using Boolean operators, AND OR and NOT
Use quotation marks around phrases - "heart rate" (will not find the use of heart or rate separately, only together)
Use an asterisk after word stems - educat* (will find all words with that root - educate, educator, education, etc.)

Topic into Search Worksheet
Each time you conduct research, use this worksheet to help you determine which search terms to use in the databases when searching.