Keywords are the main words or phrases that outline what your topic is about.They represent the important concepts or ideas in your research question.
To find information for your assignment in OneSearch, databases, or on the internet, you will need to decide which words you are going to use in your search.
To be able to do a good search, you need to analyse your assignment question and identify what keywords best describe your assignment topic.
Words like discuss and outline are not keywords. They describe what you must do in your assignment.
Discuss the impact of multiculturalism on Australian society
The keywords in the above example are:
•Multicultralism
•Australia
•Society
Synonyms can be:
• Different spellings of same word eg. colour OR color
• Similar meanings/concepts eg. greenhouse effect OR global warming
To identify synonyms use:
• Thesauri and lists in a database
• Dictionaries (online dictionary available via Credo)
• Encyclopaedias
• Discussions with other people (lecturers, tutors, peer groups)
Discuss the impact of multiculturalism on Australian society
| Keyword 1 synonyms | Keyword 2 synonyms | Keyword 3 synonyms |
| Multiculturalism | Australia | Society |
| immigration | Australian | Culture |
| diversity | Australia's | Identity |
Here is a Search strategy work sheet to help you think through your keywords and synonyms, and record your search strategies.
We acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and acknowledge Traditional Owners of the lands where our staff and students, live, learn and work.