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Search Smarter: Finding information for the Health Sciences: Step 2: Synonyms

A guide on how to find information for assignments and research in the Health arena.

What are synonyms?

Synonyms can be:

• Different spellings of same word eg. pediatrics OR paediatrics

• Similar meanings/concepts eg. Cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR neoplasm

 

To identify synonyms use:

• Thesauri and lists in a database

• Dictionaries (online dictionary available via credo)

• Encyclopaedias

• Talk to other people (lecturers, tutors, peer groups)

Example

Synonyms for the keywords identified from the short example in Step One:

Keyword 1 Keyword 2 Keyword 3
Hand hygiene Infection Control Hospitals
Handwashing Infection Protection Hospice
Hand Disinfection Cross infection control Health Care Centres
Surgical Scrub Communicable disease control Health facility

Worksheet

Here is a Search strategy work sheet to help you think through your keywords and synonyms, and record your search strategies.

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Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International License. Content from this Guide should be attributed to James Cook University Library. This does not apply to images, third party material (seek permission from the original owner) or any logos or insignia belonging to JCU or other bodies, which remain All Rights Reserved.

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