Search & Research

Brainstorming Alternate Keywords

Language is vast and varied. The words we choose to talk about a topic may be very different from what someone else might choose to talk about the same topic. Sometimes, different words can mean the same thing. Other times, there may be small differences in meaning.

When we research, we want to design searches that will account for this variance in language. It can also be helpful to be aware of terms that are broader or more specific than our main ideas. Before searching, spend a few minutes thinking of other ways to talk about the main ideas you identified from your research question. There is likely more formal or more casual ways to talk about the topic you've picked. Write those down, too.

There's no wrong way to brainstorm. Don't worry if the lists you write aren't complete. You can always add to them as you search. If you find in your research that a term isn't doing much for you, you can leave it out of later searches.

Try it

Consider the main ideas we identified from the example research question.

What is the relationship between cell phone use and anxiety for teenagers?

For each of the main ideas from this research question, brainstorm a few alternate search terms. When you're ready to compare your keywords to the example, expand the box below. It's okay if your keywords don't match! There are many possible alternate keywords.