COMM 331 (Jeppeson)

Identify the keywords that best describe your topic. These can be used as search terms in the various search tools you might use to conduct your research, such as individual library databases, OneSearch, and Google.

Start with your main concepts.

• Cooperative AND Games

Keep it simple. It's better to enter a few well-chosen words than a long description of your topic.

Do some brainstorming and come up with synonyms for your keywords. Note: You may have to work on each concept separately.

List some synonyms for "Cooperative Games"

• "Group Games"
• "Social Group Games"

Notice the quotation marks around the phrases, such as Group Games. This will search for only those two words next to each other (in that order).

Can you think of some Broader, Narrower, and Related keywords for Cooperative Games?

Broader Search Terms

• Cooperation
• Games
• Team Building

Narrower Search Terms

• "Mystery Games"
• "New Games"

Related Search Terms

• "Team Building Activities"
• Icebreakers

What are some others?

Remember...

• Keep your list of keywords handy as you work with OneSearch or a library database.
• If a particular search doesn't give you the results you need, go back to your list and try another approach.
• As you are searching, you may come across new keywords that would work well with your search strategy.
• Stay flexible!