ECEM 721 Library Module
Your Topic
Choosing Your Topic
When choosing a topic make sure the question you are addressing is broad enough that it can be answered with available materials, but narrow enough that you won't be overwhelmed by too much information
It can be helpful to address the following questions when developing your topic:
- Why?- Why is this topic important? Why are you interested in researching this topic?
- When?- Is there a certain time frame when this topic became important or experienced change? Do you want to research the current or historical view of this topic?
- Who?- What groups or individual people were involved? Who does this topic affect?
- How?- What is the relationship between the different aspects of this topic? How does this topic affect you and others?
- Where?- Does this topic fit into a local, regional, or global scheme? Is there a particular physical environment for this topic?
Using Keywords for Searching
The Library Catalog and databases allow you to search for your topic using keywords. However, unlike some online search engines, they require you to set up your search in a specific way. These tips will help you create effective search strategies:
- Avoid entering sentences or questions into the search box
- Pick out only the main keywords from your topic to enter into the search box
- Unlike search engines which allow you to just put all your search terms on one line, databases use Boolean searching (and , or, and not) to connect your key words together:
- AND – will combine two separate concepts (crisis AND leadership). It narrows your search because both terms have to appear in the article you are searching for.
- OR –searches for two words that mean basically the same thing (crisis OR emergency). This will make your search broader.
- NOT- This will make your search smaller. Use it when you are searching for a word that can mean two very different things (China = country, china = dishes). China NOT plates will remove any articles that refer to plates. “Not” helps to get rid of the articles that don’t have anything to do with your topic.
- You can use "quotations marks" or (parenthesis) to keep phrases together.
- Remember that books will be broader so try and think of the broad aspects of your topic to enter as keywords.
- Articles will be more narrowly focused so enter keywords that are more specific when searching databases.
- Think of more than one way to say something and remember to use the jargon specific to your discipline. People use different terms to call things and if you aren't using the same words as most people in your field, your searches will not find the majority of articles on your subject.
The next section of the module will show you examples of how to set up your search.
Next: Sample Searches || Previous: Introduction
Need Help? Contact Susie, your Urban Studies Librarian