Finding good terms for your search can be a challenge, and it is important to find the words that describe your query. When you have identified the major concepts from your problem or query, these are a good starting point.

EXAMPLES!

Query: Can an expansion of public transport contribute to more sustainable cities?

Search terms: public transport, transportation, bus, buses, train, trains commute, sustainable city, cities, sustainable center, centre

If you have trouble identifying search terms or concepts, you can use:

Encyclopaedias
Synonyms
Keywords from relevant papers, course literature, and other materials

Experts on the subject, like teachers or professionals

Can’t find what you’re looking for?

Maybe you have used a search term that is too broad and you have gotten too many irrelevant results. Consider other possible words that might better describe your topic. You can also, if you find only one or a couple relevant results, look at their subject terms and try to use them in your search. See Searching in Summon@BTH to learn where you can find the subject terms.

Broad term is public transport. Narrow terms are bus, train, city bus, school bus, and high speed train.

Maybe you have used a word that is too narrow and only get a few results. Consider if there are other words that better describe your topic, or if there are other synonyms for the word. You can also, if you found any relevant results, look at their subject terms and try to use them in your search. See Search in Summon@BTH to learn where you can find the subject terms.

Too few results:

Are there other words you can use? Maybe you need to use a broader term to expand your search.

bus eng.png bus eng 2.png

A TIP!
If you still get too few results, think of the form of your search terms (singular/plural) and variations of spelling, e.g., color and colour.

Too many results:

Can you do a narrower search by adding more words? Keep in mind that in many databases you can also refine the search in different ways, for example, by type of document.

commute city eng.png commute city eng 2.png