Keywords
Our library databases have great resources, including thousands of peer-reviewed articles. However, the databases are much more particular about the words you enter. The results will contain the words exactly how you spelled them.
Also, sometimes the words researchers use are not words that we would use in our everyday life. That is why it is really important to brainstorm possible keywords before you start searching.
For example, possible keywords may be: redlining, "covenant laws," racial discrimination, racial disparities, ethnic*, segregation, restrictive zoning, gentrification, gated communities, "white flight," Jim Crow, migration, etc.
Introduction
When you search library resources, you will use keywords related to your research topic. Watch the video below to see how to break down your topic into lists of usable keywords. We call these your "search terms."
When you have a list of keywords, you'll need to combine them. The rest of the information on this page gives examples and tips for combining search terms in order to narrow down your search results.
Remember that the database can't interpret what you mean, so you have to be clear and specific with your searches in order to control the results.
Narrow Down Your Topic
You can narrow down a topic through the 5 questions:
- Who?
- What?
- When?
- Where?
- Why?