The document discusses identifying effective search terms for research. It advises readers to carefully consider their research topic and question, breaking it down into key concepts. Readers should then brainstorm synonyms, related terms, and abbreviations for each concept to ensure a comprehensive search. The document provides examples of how to identify search terms for sample research questions about hand washing in healthcare and detention of asylum seekers.

1. Identifying search terms
RDF
InformationLiteracy
http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/

2. Your search
In order to find the most relevant and
useful information for your research you
need to think carefully about the terms you
use to search.
RDF
InformationLiteracy
http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/

3. Your search
• Have a clear idea of your topic
• Make sure your research question is
focussed
• Think about how broad your search
needs to be:
• Are you just looking for some background
information?
• Are you doing a detailed literature review?
RDF
InformationLiteracy
http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/

4. Identify key concepts
Example 1
Does hand washing among healthcare
workers reduce hospital acquired
infections?
RDF
InformationLiteracy
http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/

5. Identify key concepts
Example 1
Does hand washing among healthcare
workers reduce hospital acquired
infections?
The key concepts would be:
• Hand washing
• Healthcare workers
• Hospital acquired infections
RDF
InformationLiteracy
http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/

6. Identify key concepts
Example 2
Human rights and the long term detention
of asylum seekers
RDF
InformationLiteracy
http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/

7. Identify key concepts
Example 2
Human rights and the long term detention
of asylum seekers
The key concepts would be:
• Asylum seekers
• Detention
• Human rights
RDF
InformationLiteracy
http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/

8. Identify search terms
RDF
InformationLiteracy
http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/
For each concept of your research question:
• Think of possible synonyms, related
terms, abbreviations or acronyms
• Look at any articles that you know are
relevant to the topic:
• What language do they use to describe their
research?
• Do they give their search strategy? If so, what terms
did they use?
• If the article is indexed in a database, what are the
indexing terms used?

9. Identify search terms
Example 1 – some possible terms
Does hand washing among healthcare workers
reduce hospital acquired infections?
RDF
InformationLiteracy
http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/
Hand washing Healthcare workers Hospital acquired infections
Hand disinfection Health personnel Cross infection
Hand sanitisation Doctors Clostridium difficile
Surgical scrubbing Nurses C. diffiicle
Allied health
professionals
Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
MRSA

10. Identify search terms
Example 2 – some possible terms
Human rights and the long term detention of
asylum seekers
RDF
InformationLiteracy
http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/
Asylum seekers Detention Human rights
Immigration Imprisonment Civil rights
Refugees Detainment Civil liberties
Migrants Custody

11. Summary
RDF
InformationLiteracy
http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/
• Think carefully about your research
question
• Break your question down into
components
• Identify keywords for each component
• Start searching!