1. Briefly and clearly describe your research question/problem in a sentence or two.

2. Identify key concepts for your research question/problem and list them. (Research topics will have 2-3 concepts)

3. Identify alternative keywords to describe your key concepts. (Broader, narrower, and synonyms)

·What are more general terms that might be included in my topic? Or narrower terms?

·Identify major concepts on the topic and then attach synonyms that also describe the concept

·Are there categories I'd like to exclude?

4. Use all the keywords found to construct at least 2 keyword search statements using AND, OR, NOT

Scholarly/peer reviewed articles:

• Research is an analyzation, review and/or interpretation of primary sources or other secondary sources 
• A formal process in journal publishing
•  A group of reviewers and editor evaluate the article for quality and accuracy
• What to look for: author affiliations, abstract, methodology, results, bibliography

Trade Journals:

• fall between the category of magazines and journals, the focus is on industry, a product, or business. Written by experts in the field or a member of an society or organization. Architectural trade journals publish building/project plans, drawings, etc. Ex. Architectural Record. Architect’s Journal

Popular magazines

• opinion based - ex. Time magazine, Buffalo News