Scholars: Keyword Searching

If you are stuck for keywords and synonyms please use the following resources:

Google Scholar

KWmap

Synonym Finder

Thesaurus

Here is an example of how brainstorming synonymous keywords can change results:

Green Buying

Green Buying with synonymous keywords

Use Advanced Search Skills

Step 1. Brainstorm keywords on your topic. Go to scholar.google.com and use quotation marks while searching with a compound phrase. Scan the list of results and read over the titles and summaries of related works to pick up words related to your topic.

For example searching for " green buying " you see other words:

 green consumer OR green consumption OR green purchase behavior OR green buying behavior

Step 2, use the Boolean operator OR to broaden the search looking for articles with synonymous keywords.

Step 3. Now you are ready to revise the search again and add in synonymous keywords from Step 1. Your new search is below.

("green buying" OR "green consumer" OR "green consumption" OR "green purchases")

AND

(trends OR trend OR statistic OR statistics)

When the search is broad, it is best to limit these words just to the TITLE of articles-e.g. allintitle: green buying.

Step 4.The next step is to search and look for relevant articles. Click on the SUGGESTED SUBJECTS link to find more relevant articles on your topic.

 CONSUMER BEHAVIOR and GREEN MARKETING  is the closest match for a subject headings providing more results

Step 5. To find highly cited research use  scholar.google.com. Type in "green buying". Click the CITED BY link to find other articles on the topic of green buying citing the original research article.