To get the best search results, it helps to break down your research topic into its core ideas – these are your main keywords. Think about different words that describe these ideas. If your database has a thesaurus or index, it can be super helpful to check for the best official terms. Your instructor or a librarian can also give you great keyword suggestions!
A keyword search looks for matching words in titles, descriptions, abstracts, and other descriptive information. Sometimes the author provides keywords; the database will also assign subject headings (a controlled list of terms) to aid in searching.
Some ideas to get you brainstorming keywords:
Using Boolean Operators to Focus Your Search
Using Truncation, Wildcards, Exact Phrase, and Other Limiters
Plan a search strategy
Test and refine your search
Film
When searching for film critiques in a database, it's important to check the Source Type or Subjects listing and choose Motion Picture, Film, or Video; otherwise, you may find articles analyzing the book, rather than the film version of the work. Rather than selecting Reviews as a source type, you'll want to choose academic journals to find scholarly approaches.
The following databases offer comprehensive coverage and serve as a valuable starting point for academic critiques of modern and classic films.
Short Story
Short stories can be searched by title in SuperSearch, to find if they are included in larger collections, if you're looking for the work itself. To find criticism on a short story, search by the title of the work in databases like MLA, Literature Resource Center, and JSTOR.
Poetry and Creative Writing
In terms of searching for poetry and creative writing, as with other literary genres, searching the title of a poem in SuperSearch may bring you a collection with the work itself, and articles about the work if you expand your search to include articles. Similarly, search the literary criticism databases by named work to find secondary sources.
The CSU Pueblo English and World Languages department is home to a vibrant program that publishes both online and print journals. Through a collaboration between students and local Pueblo writers, the department produces the SoCo Reading Series, which invites local and guest poets and writers to read their work. Additionally, CSU Pueblo students' work is featured in the university's literary magazine, Tempered Steel.