Before you start your research, take a few minutes to generate keywords related to your topic. As defined above, a keyword is a word or phrase that tells a search engine what you’re looking for. You will create a list of keywords by brainstorming similar terms and subtopics that will help you find resources for your topic. For example, if you are writing a paper on global warming, keywords may include climate change, greenhouse effect, ozone layer, smog, and pollution. These are just a few examples; there are dozens more. Research is essentially trying different combinations of keywords and analyzing the results. You will use keywords whether you’re looking for books, articles, or blogs.
Work Together
Do you ever use Wikipedia as a resource? Why or why not? Think of a topic that you and other students in your class know well. Work together to write and upload an entry to Wikipedia. Check back in a month to see if anyone else has “edited” your entry.
If you are having trouble coming up with keywords, consult an encyclopedia. Encyclopedias provide general overviews of topics and can help you understand the basics of a concept or event, but you will need resources beyond encyclopedias for most college-level research projects. An encyclopedia is a great place to start but not a good place to end your research. You have probably used an encyclopedia recently and may use one all the time without thinking about it. One of the most popular encyclopedias is Wikipedia. The “wiki” part of Wikipedia refers to a type of Web site that allows many different people to edit its content. Information on wikis is constantly evolving. Wikipedia is controversial in college settings. Many people believe that the information on Wikipedia cannot be guaranteed to be reliable because anyone can change it. Some instructors prefer that students use encyclopedias that have gone through a formal editing and reviewing process like those available in print or online through your library. These instructors might forbid Wikipedia, and if any of yours do, don’t use it. Using sources that you were told to avoid will jeopardize your grade. Always cite information that you take from an outside source; if you do not, you are in danger of plagiarizing. The most important thing to remember is that no matter which encyclopedia you use, encyclopedias are a helpful first step in providing general information about your topic to help you generate keywords. Librarians are another great resource to help you with keywords. Once you have your list of works started, you’re on your way to finding sources.