Search Strategies

It’s now time to think about gathering information to support your ideas. But before you start using your various research tools, take a moment to think about your search strategy.

With a strong research strategy, you will find relevant information work with great efficiency. Lack of a good strategy, on the other hand, can lead to frustration and loss of valuable time.

  • Start by looking closely at your topic to determine its main ideas.
  • Then, brainstorm a list of keywords using the main words related to your research topic.
  • These keywords are what you will be using to create your search statement during the next steps.
  • Once your statement is prepared, you will be ready to use the various research tools available to you.

Remember that researching a paper is not a linear process. Be ready to modify your search statement if it is not yielding good results and write down new keywords you encounter during your research. Redo your search using new terms if you aren’t happy with the amount of information retrieved.

 

Tip: If at any time you’re stuck, don’t hesitate ask a librarian for help, either in person during library opening hours or with a message (scroll down for contact information).

 

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