Northwest Missouri State University B.D. Owens Library



[ Steps in the Research Process ]

[ one ] Develop a topic sentence and write it below:

 

 

 

[ two ] Brainstorm for keywords from the topic sentence and list them in the boxes below:

Keyword: Keyword: Keyword:
Keyword: Keyword: Keyword:
Keyword: Keyword: Keyword:

[ three ] Think of synonyms and variant endings for the keywords and list them below:

Keyword:

Synonym:

Synonym:
Keyword:

Synonym:

Synonym:
Keyword:

Synonym:

Synonym:
Keyword:

Synonym:

Synonym:
Keyword:

Synonym:

Synonym:
Keyword:

Synonym:

Synonym:
Keyword:

Synonym:

Synonym:
Keyword:

Synonym:

Synonym:
Keyword:

Synonym:

Synonym:

[ four ] Create a search combining keywords & synonyms using Boolean Operators & truncation

Connect synonyms with or and enclose them in parentheses
Connect ideas with and

 

 

 

[ five ] Try your search!
If your search retrieves too few results, add another idea to your search
If your search retrieves too many results, delete an idea or synonym from your search

 

 

 

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Revised (February 10, 2009)
Created (June 2003)
Current Author: Connie Ury
Links Verified (November 2008)
Graphics courtesy of: ClipArt.com