ERMA 7200 Basic Methods in Education Research - Gulley

Step 1:  Using the link below, read and respond to the tutorial on Using and Choosing Keywords.  (Note that this tutorial is not specific to the field of Education, but the concepts presented are the same when developing keywords for topic research in Education).

Step 2: Continue reading the boxes further down the page as they explain the basics behind advanced keyword searches.  If you still have questions, please contact me at: todd.shipman@auburn.edu

To build an effective search for a database it is best to use keywords instead of phrases.

1. Develop a clear topic statement
2. Draw out the concepts from the topic statement
3. Create a list of synonyms for each of the principal concepts
4. Conduct searches using the keywords and synonyms you have selected for an Advanced Keyword search
5. Add more synonyms to your list as you encounter them in your research

Advanced keyword searching uses three connectors:

AND    -restricts results; says each keyword MUST be present in each record

OR      -expands results; says keyword OR synonym(s) are in each record

NOT    -excludes keywords; says keyword(s) must NOT be in each record

This logic allows for detailed search strategies that may involve many keywords (synonyms)!

Keyword OR Synonym OR Synonym 

AND

Keyword OR Synonym OR Synonym

AND

Keyword OR Synonym OR Synonym

Looking for Keywords/Search Terms in Education and related fields? Try the ERIC Thesaurus using the link below.