Search databases using keywords, such as concepts or subject phrases, that are linked together by and, or, not used to identify articles and sources. Before we can begin searching, we need to identify the keywords we'll use within the library's research tools.
Example:
in Héctor Tobar’s The Tattooed Soldier. How does the novel portray refugees in the US? What does the novel establish as the connection between refugee status and homelessness?
​refugee, home, homeless, migration, United States, Central America
Brainstorm for synonyms and related terms.
You will need to translate these terms to keywords later when you are searching databases for articles and sources. Even if a combination of words works well in one database, you may have to change keywords to find results in another database.
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Example concepts: |
refugee |
home |
migration |
United States |
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related terms: |
displaced person |
shelter or household |
resettlement |
America |
|
asylum- seeker |
institution |
removal |
Western |