Searching for Primary Research: Keywords

Keywords

Take a few minutes to think about what you are looking for before you start searching.  Identifying keywords relevant to your topic will help you find more relevant search results.  Your textbook, class notes, and websites are some good places to look for keywords on your research topic.

This short (3-pg) article on Bioremediation Links to an external site. includes keywords:

Article on bioremediation with these keywords highlighted: bioremediatino, contaminants, agricultural, microbes, pollutants, environmental, chemicals, hydrocarbon, poisons

 

Searching

Use these search tips to combine your keywords for a more effective search.

Use AND to narrow your search

boolean search using the keywords pollution AND soil

 

Use OR to broaden your search

boolean search using the keywords pollution OR contaminant

 

Use QUOTES to search for a specific phrase

Advanced search using the keywords pollution OR contaminant AND "farm land" OR "agricultural land" AND bioremediation