Building a Search Strategy: Developing Your Topic
Planning your search strategy.
Formulating your topic prior to beginning your search can be a good time saver in the end.
Following a process such as the one suggested below will jumpstart your thinking about your
topic and provide you with varying terminology, keywords, and perspectives that will save you time
and lead to better results as you begin to search for information.
What is your topic?
- Briefly describe your topic in a broad sentence or question.
Do video games cause violent behavior in
children?
What questions do you need answered as you begin your research?
- Identify the main words and concepts in each question. (These are known as your
keywords.)
video games
violent behavior children
-
Research is an inquiry process. Questions play an important role in inquiry!
Identify alternative words and concepts for your keywords.
video games
|
violent behavior
|
children
|
electronic games
|
aggression
|
youth
|
Grand Theft Auto
|
violence
|
juveniles
|
-
Use reference sources to help you identify keywords, terminology, people, places, dates,
and events associated with your topic. Ask for assistance in identifying good sources about
your topic at the Research Desk. Identify those subject areas where you are most likely to find
articles about your topic.
Identify subject areas relevant to your topic.
-
Think about who is likely to write and read about your topic. Will there be people from more
than one discipline be interested? For example, is your topic of interest to
scientists, sociologists, historians, health professionals?
Topic: Do video games cause violent behavior in
children?
Possible subject areas include: psychology,
sociology, education
-
Information about the same topic retrieved from resources in different disciplines or
subject areas will present you with different viewpoints on your topic, ultimately adding depth to
your paper.
Updated: 12/16/08
SKA
University Library