Sociology Summer Workshop: Evidence Synthesis

Identify your topic and possibly even your thesis statement.  Unlike in Google, in our databases, you need to search by using keywords.  Keywords are the words that describe your topic.  So, start brainstorming about what words you can use to describe your topic.  

Here is a sample topic:  I am trying to find studies or articles about services, trainings, or education on intimate partner violence prevention specific to LGBTQ+ teenagers.

Right away you can identify some key concepts:

• Intimate partner violence
• LGBTQ+ 
• Teenagers
• Prevention

Now that you have identified your key concepts, you need to flesh these out to include all the various forms of these concepts - this allows for your search to be as inclusive as possible.  Go to Academic Search Premier with your terms, like those above.  Start typing your terms in the search bar - it will start to generate suggested forms of the search it recommends.  The database will help you find synonyms so your search can be more inclusive and precise:

• intimate partner violence or domestic violence or partner abuse or intimate partner aggression
• lgbtq or lesbian or gay or homosexual or bisexual or transgender or homosexual or queer or sexual minority or sexual orientation
• teenagers or adolescents or young adults or teens or youth
• prevention or intervention or treatment or program or education

You're now ready to begin searching!  See Find Journal Articles for the next step.