Jane McKenna – Librarian

Research Question and Keywords

Choose Subject

• Something that interests you

• Browse textbook, lecture notes, magazines, and newspapers for ideas

• Ask your instructor or a librarian for help

Gain an Overview of Subject

• Gain background knowledge by doing a preliminary search in resources such as the Library catalog, reference books, and article databases.

• Key events, issues, history, controversial questions, key thinkers, key publications, quantity of info. available, etc.

• Determine keywords for your subject using resources listed above

Narrow to a Specific Question• A research question focuses on one particular aspect, event,

controversy, issue or dilemma within a larger subject.• Question should be appropriately narrow for a college level

research paper.– Entire book on topic means it is too broad

• Clearly worded and grammatically correct• Question should be open-ended and in the form of a question. • Question should be academically challenging. Avoid bland

questions that fail to provoke thoughtful debate or overused questions.

• Question should be grounded and be based on evidence rather than beliefs.

• Allows you to take a stance, make a judgment based on analysis of research, allows you to bring insight to the question.

Example:

Broad Subject: violence

Research Question:Too Broad: What makes children violent?

Too Narrow: How many children have committed violent crimes in the last year?

Not Open: Why does playing video games make children so violent?

Good Question: Does playing video games make children violent?

Main Concepts of Question

What is the effect of _____ on ____ ?

What is the role of _____ on ____?

How has the use of ____ affected ___?

Why has ___ led to ____?

Example:

Broad Subject: Smoking

Research Question: What is the role of depression in smoking behavior?

Identifying Concepts and Keywords

Question: What is the role of depression in smoking behavior?

Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3

Search Statements:

Identifying Concepts and Keywords

Question: What is the role of depression in smoking behavior?

Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3

smoking depression

tobacco depressed

nicotine

Search Statements:

smoking and depression

tobacco and depression

smoking and depressed

nicotine and depression

Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3

Search Statements:

Question:

How has the use of performance enhancing drugs changed professional baseball?

Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3

Search Statements:

QUESTION: Should violence and nudity in wrestling be more regulated?

Question:

How is computer hardware and software made?

Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3

Search Statements:

Overview of Keywords Worksheet Assignment

Determine what the main concepts are for your assigned question and write them on the first line of the Keywords Worksheet.

Brainstorm related keywords for each concept and place them underneath that concept on the Worksheet.

Use the databases to locate new keywords for the worksheet.

Test and write out successful search statements (using AND to combine concepts).