Essays: library tips for smart researching Starting a research project can seem a daunting task. However, researching efficiently and effectively is a skill: in this booklet, we want to share our tried and tested tips on how to make your research project more efficient and less stressful for you. STEP 1: Find the right keywords ( i.e. start to think and use the language/terminology that academics use because this is where the most authoritative information is) Finding the right keywords means that you can find the most relevant information sources more quickly. A lot of students just start with typing their keywords on Google without a clear keywords strategy: this is by far the most time-consuming way of researching. You can make this process less time-consuming and more effective by planning and organising your keywords. Your Librarians’ recommendations:
Find a book which is about your research subject and use the index and table of contents to collect useful keywords, alternative terminology, any acronyms, etc. Books are written by academics and already use the most appropriate and relevant terminology for that subject.
The majority of our academic databases (JSTOR, Questia, EBSCO) automatically suggest alternative words or associated concepts linked to your keywords (Ask the Librarian for a demonstration)
Collect and keep track of all these keywords in one place, especially if you are using Google or other search engines: a lot of students forget what combination of keywords they have used in the past and they cannot find it anymore when needed again. Keywords tracker Relevant people, places, dates Keywords/phrases possible variations Collect these as you read your sources Remember variations such as alternative spellings, acroand then combine dates, peoples’ name nyms & foreign language versions Possible bias / Contrasting points of Search notes: record search engine + keywords used esp. if you use Advanced Search. Tips for view Advanced Search include: Does this topic/subject have authors/ academics with contrasting points of PHRASES IN QUOTATION MARKS view? BOOLEAN (AND/OR/NOT) Bias: is the information source objective WILDCARD (substitute letters with * or ? for flexibility or does it present just a one side of an – globali?ation)