1. Pull out the important nouns in your research question.
2. Come up with synonyms or related words for these terms.
3. Start searching and modify your keywords as necessary.
For more information on developing keywords, check out this guide by the University of Washington Libraries.
Finding background information is an important part of the research process. It helps you:
Reviewing the literature or gaining background information on a topic is a critical first step in the research process. You might do this by conducting a Google search or going to Wikipedia and reading up on a subject. We suggest using the reference databases the library subscribes to or books found in the reference section as a scholarly alternative.
Use our newspaper databases to find newspaper articles on your topic. This is a great way to get some background information, refine your topic, develop keywords, and learn about current events or issues.
The following video is from Project Happening and briefly covers the history of cinema from 1500 to 1895.