Determining Keywords

Once you have identified the concepts relevant to your topic, you will need to translate these into specific keywords to use as search terms. The concepts you identified may themselves serve as good keywords; however, some concepts will require adaptation to yield effective keywords. Potential keywords may include synonyms for, and examples of, each concept. For example, consider how the identified concepts can lead to potential keywords for the following:

“Discuss the impact of physical activity on the academic performance of children”

Concept #1

physical activity

Keywords

physical activity
sports
exercise

Concept #2

academic performance

Keywords

academic performance

grades
marks

Concept #3

children

Keywords

children
kids
students

Use the Search Strategy Worksheet located in Resources to help you identify your concepts and determine possible keywords.