Keywords are synonyms or related words that are devised from the essential question or thesis statement. Use keywords to search for books and database articles.
By identifying key concepts and what other words or phrases describe those concepts you will get more meaningful results. With the question "In what ways do humans contribute to the destruction and conservation of the Caribbean coral reef?" the keywords/phrases are human, destruction, conservation, and Caribbean coral reef. Here is an example of what words could be used instead:
| Original Phrase | Related words or ideas |
|---|---|
| humans | human-caused, anthropogenic, people |
| destruction | threats, damage, degradation, kill, decline |
| conservation | preservation, protection, recovery, restoration |
| Caribbean coral reef | West Indies, Caribbean Sea, Antilles, Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System |
