ID 245 - Interior Design Studio 2

Why Keywords?

• Because good keywords are essential to good research.
• The more keywords you can think of, the more likely you will find what you are looking for.

Why Synonyms?

Synonyms make your list of keywords longer. More keywords = better searching = more results. Look at the example below to get an idea of how synonyms can broaden your understanding of a given concept.:

Our Advice: 

• Make lists of keywords for the main concepts of your research topic.
• Use single words or simple phrases.
• Be prepared that this may all change as you learn more information through your research.
• Be flexible and adaptable in your thinking.
• Use a thesaurus to help generate synonyms.

Consider the following when building your list of keywords.:

• Brainstorm terms based on what words you hope to find in the perfect article.
• Consider synonyms for key terms or any terms that are interchangeable.
• What terminology suggests to you that the author knows what they're talking about?
  • Movements: Baroque, Gothic, Renaissance, Rococo
  • Name: Elsie de Wolfe, Steven Holl, Frank Lloyd Wright, Isamu Noguchi, Philippe Starck

Many library resources offer the option to combine your keywords using AND, OR, & NOT.  This can also be useful when searching online.  Use quotation marks to search for a name or phrase.

• AND = All words must be present; helps limit the search.
  • "Steven Holl" AND "Chapel of St. Ignatius"
  • Gensler AND Etsy AND Brooklyn AND sustainable
  • "Dorothy Draper" AND "Metropolitan" AND restaurant
• OR = Great for synonyms or variations of the same concept; helps broaden the search while staying within the subject area.
  • "St. Ignatius" OR "Saint Ignatius" 
  • "Château de Versailles" OR "Palace of Versailles"
  • "Seattle Central Library Branch" OR "Seattle Public Library"
• NOT = Exclude an unrelated term, or to weed out irrelevant results.
  • "Lois Weinthal" NOT "book review"
• Additional examples:
  • history AND ("universal design" OR "inclusive design")
  • "International Living Future Institute" AND ("Zero Energy" OR "Zero Carbon")