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Start identifying keywords

Your search will only be as good as the words you use

1. Paraphrase your topic

Example: “I want to learn about how media affects an individual's body image.”

2. What do you know about your topic?

Example: “I know that photoshop is used on many images and body images seen in media may not be real.”

3. What would you like to learn?

Example: "I want to know how these altered images affect college students' self-esteem."

Building your keyword list

Make a list of the keywords you identified while focusing your topic and find synonyms for your search terms.

  • MAIN IDEA: body image
  • RELATED TERMS or SYNONYMS: body shape body perception
  • MAIN IDEA: self-esteem
  • RELATED TERMS or SYNONYMS: self-worth self-confidence
  • MAIN IDEA: media
  • RELATED TERMS or SYNONYMS: magazines TV shows
  • MAIN IDEA: altered images
  • RELATED TERMS or SYNONYMS: photoshop image manipulation