What if... Your topic is new to you and you don't know it very well? OR English is your second language and your English vocabulary is still developing?

In both cases, brainstorming for keywords might be a challenge for you. Here are some tips to help you:

Tips for Brainstorming

• Before you begin, look in an encyclopedia such as Wikipedia.  Many of the important keywords will be included in the encyclopedia article on your topic.

• Use a subject guide like ipl2 to find an introduction to your topic.  Like the encyclopedia article, many of the most useful keywords will probably be included here.

• Use a thesaurus.  It's best to check the words from the thesaurus with your teacher however, because thesaurus words are sometimes out of date (and not used much), too technical, or even unrelated to the meaning you are seeking.

• When you begin your search, keep track of the words that are used to describe your topic (in the databases, the library catalogue, books, and on the Internet): 
  • Look for words that best describe your topic.
  • Find synonyms, broader and narrower terms for each keyword you find in order to expand your search abilities.
  • Keep a list of these words to use as keywords later as you search in other sources. 
  • Pay attention to any new words you find that will be useful for getting more information.