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Writing 100 (Spring 2025, Block)

What are Keywords?

Keywords

Keywords are the words you use to tell the database what to find. For example, if you want to find information about medical conspiracy theories, you would enter these words into the database:

"conspiracy theory" AND medicine

You might also look for other keywords that are more tailored to what you are interested in. With the example above, for instance, you might say something like:

ivermectin AND "fda approval"

It is a good idea to try both BROAD and NARROW keywords to see which ones give you better results.

Activity

What are some keywords you might use in your search? Share them here.

Keywords

Sample Keywords

These are potential keywords.

  • conspiracy theory
  • alien abduction
  • victimization

Your research question likely includes one or more concepts in addition to conspiracy theories. Here are some possible themes.

  • victimization, sense of aggrievement
  • American Dream
  • television, media, accuracy