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Professor Walter's Classes: Creating Search Statements

Getting Started

Once you decide which database you want to search you will need to construct a search statement. Think about your research topic.

For example if you are interested in executive compensation you might translate that to this question:

How do companies compensate their executives?

If you are interested in the subject of outsourcing you might translate that to this question:

How does outsourcing affect employees? 

Search Statements

Once you have created a research question you can now break that question into keywords. This is an important step. You will use these keywords in the database. You should think about the keywords and come up with synonyms or alternate spellings for those keywords. If one search statement doesn't work you want to be ready to use alternate words that could offer you better results. Use this table below to help you list keywords and their synonyms.

Create Your Search Statement: 

Keywords

Synonyms or Alternate Spellings