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Title, Abstract and Keywords

The importance of titles.

The title of your manuscript is usually the first introduction readers (and reviewers) have to your work. Therefore, you must select a title that grabs attention, accurately describes the contents of your manuscript, and makes people want to read further.

An effective title should:

• Convey the  main topics  of the study
• Highlight the  importance  of the research
• Be  concise
• Attract  readers

Writing a good title for your manuscript can be challenging. First, list the topics covered by the manuscript. Try to put all of the topics together in the title using as few words as possible. A title that is too long will seem clumsy, annoy readers, and probably not meet journal requirements.

Does Vaccinating Children and Adolescents with Inactivated Influenza Virus Inhibit the Spread of Influenza in Unimmunized Residents of Rural Communities?

This title has too many unnecessary words.

Influenza Vaccination of Children: A Randomized Trial

This title doesn’t give enough information about what makes the manuscript interesting.

Effect of Child Influenza Vaccination on Infection Rates in Rural Communities: A Randomized Trial This is an effective title. It is short, easy to understand, and conveys the important aspects of the research.

Think about why your research will be of interest to other scientists. This should be related to the reason you decided to study the topic. If your title makes this clear, it will likely attract more readers to your manuscript. TIP: Write down a few possible titles, and then select the best to refine further. Ask your colleagues their opinion. Spending the time needed to do this will result in a better title.

Abstract and Keywords

The Abstract is:

• A  summary  of the content of the journal manuscript
• A time-saving  shortcut  for busy researchers
• A guide to the most important parts of your manuscript’s written content

Many readers will only read the Abstract of your manuscript. Therefore, it has to be able to  stand alone . In most cases the abstract is the only part of your article that appears in indexing databases such as Web of Science or PubMed and so will be the most accessed part of your article; making a good impression will encourage researchers to read your full paper.

A well written abstract can also help speed up the peer-review process. During peer review, referees are usually only sent the abstract when invited to review the paper. Therefore, the abstract needs to contain enough information about the paper to allow referees to make a judgement as to whether they have enough expertise to review the paper and be engaging enough for them to want to review it.

Your Abstract should answer these questions about your manuscript:

• What was done?
• Why did you do it?
• What did you find?
• Why are these findings useful and important?

Answering these questions lets readers know the most important points about your study, and helps them decide whether they want to read the rest of the paper. Make sure you follow the proper journal manuscript formatting guidelines when preparing your abstract.

TIP: Journals often set a maximum word count for Abstracts, often 250 words, and no citations. This is to ensure that the full Abstract appears in indexing services.

Keywords  are a tool to help indexers and search engines find relevant papers. If database search engines can find your journal manuscript, readers will be able to find it too. This will increase the number of people reading your manuscript, and likely lead to more citations.

However, to be effective, Keywords must be chosen carefully. They should:

• Represent  the content of your manuscript
• Be  specific  to your field or sub-field

Manuscript title:  Direct observation of nonlinear optics in an isolated carbon nanotube

Poor keywords:  molecule, optics, lasers, energy lifetime

Better keywords:  single-molecule interaction, Kerr effect, carbon nanotubes, energy level structure

Manuscript title:  Region-specific neuronal degeneration after okadaic acid administration Poor keywords:  neuron, brain, OA (an abbreviation), regional-specific neuronal degeneration, signaling

Better keywords:  neurodegenerative diseases; CA1 region, hippocampal; okadaic acid; neurotoxins; MAP kinase signaling system; cell death

Manuscript title:  Increases in levels of sediment transport at former glacial-interglacial transitions

Poor keywords:  climate change, erosion, plant effects Better keywords:  quaternary climate change, soil erosion, bioturbation

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• Writing Tips

How to Choose the Best Keywords for Your Research Paper

6-minute read

• 29th July 2023

After writing a research paper, you will want others to find your research online. But how? Through social media? By telling your friends? You could. The only thing is that scholars and researchers typically find research through academic databases and search engines. To get your research noticed, you need to include keywords in your paper. But why do keywords matter? How can you choose the right keywords?

We’ll answer these questions in this post. You’ll learn how to choose the best keywords for a research paper . Additionally, you’ll learn:

• The importance of keywords.
• Strategies for choosing quality keywords.
• Where to include keywords in a paper.

While keywords may seem insignificant, failing to include them is a mistake when writing research papers . Quality keywords accurately represent the content of your research, allowing scholars in your field to find it in an online search quickly.

Why Are Keywords Important?

Keywords make it easy for others to find your research in search engines and academic databases. Finding relevant research papers can be arduous, so readers circumvent this by using specific phrases and terms to find research that aligns with their interests. Therefore, you need to include keywords to match those phrases and terms. Without quality keywords, your research will end up in the academic abyss.

In short, keywords:

●  Produce precise search results.

●  Save researchers time and effort as they search for material.

●  Enhance discoverability (i.e., help others find your research fast).

●  Ensure that your paper is properly categorized in databases.

As a rule, you should choose five keywords maximum for research papers.

Strategies for Choosing Robust Keywords

1. avoid long phrases and ambiguity.

For keywords in research papers, most journals request phrases that are one to four words in length, meaning no complete sentences. Try using nouns whenever possible, and avoid using conjunctions such as and . It’s also worth mentioning that you should avoid using terms that are in your paper’s title.

Use distinct keywords that are directly related to your research. Generic terms don’t reflect specific terms that potential readers use during their search.

2. Consider Your Audience

Who is your targeted audience? Educators? Engineers? Consider potential terms or phrases your audience would use to search for your research, then modify chosen keywords to match your audience’s terminology. Understanding your audience is vital for creating quality keywords.

3. Identify Core Concepts

What are the core concepts, topics, and themes of your research? These are the main ideas that the paper addresses, which can be found in the abstract section. Make a list of these items.

Let’s say your paper is about cyberbullying in high schools. Examples of core concepts/terms related to the research include:

●  Digital harassment

●  Exclusion

●  Trolling

●  Anonymity (the state of being nameless)

●  Impact on student mental health

●  Prevention and education

Core concepts, topics, and themes can be a few words or phrases. Once you’ve identified them, consider how to turn them into specific keywords.

4. Consult Similar Research

Consulting research papers on your topic is a great way to find keywords. As you research them, examine the keywords they use to describe their content. This can provide insight into commonly accepted terms and terminology within your field. We suggest researching at least three related papers.

5. Use Synonyms and Variations

Readers interested in your field will use different terminology in their online search. Therefore, you need to use synonyms and variations of your chosen keywords. Synonyms are words that have the same meaning as another word.

To illustrate this, let’s take the previous example of the paper about cyberbullying in high schools. You could use the following keywords for this research:

●  Cyberbullying awareness

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●  Online safety

●  Cyberbullying education

●  Student online behavior

What synonyms could you use for these keywords? Let’s try this:

●  Cyberbullying perception

●  Virtual security

●  Online harassment education

●  Student online conduct

You can play around with synonyms until you find ones that resonate with you. Using an online thesaurus, such as Word Hippo , can make finding synonyms a breeze.

6. Include Acronyms and Abbreviations

Does your paper contain commonly used acronyms and abbreviations , such as DNA and AI? If so, consider including them as keywords, as readers often use acronyms and abbreviations to find relevant research. This will significantly increase the chances of readers finding your work.

However, we don’t recommend using acronyms or abbreviations that are only known within your field. A general audience will likely be unfamiliar with them. We suggest spelling them out in full if you think they would be strong keywords. You should also spell the definition as a keyword if the abbreviation or acronym appears in the paper’s title.

7. Test Your Keywords for Optimal Results

Once you’ve compiled your best keywords, test them in search engines and academic databases to see if they produce the right results. Think of it as testing a tent in your backyard before going out into the woods for an overnight camping trip. If there are problems with the tent during the backyard test, you can at least retreat into your house. Likewise, if the chosen keywords don’t generate positive results in a test, you can refine them before submitting the paper.

Where Are Keywords Included in a Paper?

Some sources insist that you include keywords in the title, while others say subheadings are better. Most academic journals require paying a subscription to access full articles. However, one can easily access a paper’s abstract in academic search engines like Google Scholar.

Therefore, we recommend including keywords in the abstract section. Additionally, it provides an overall summary of your paper, making it the ideal spot for keywords.

Let’s summarize what we’ve learned:

●  Keywords help readers find your research in search engines.

●  Aim for five keywords.

●  Keywords should be one to four words in length.

●  Identify a potential audience before selecting keywords.

●  Consult similar research for samples of appropriate keywords.

●  Use word variations (synonyms).

●  Include abbreviations and acronyms.

●  Test keywords before submitting the paper.

Finally, for our visual readers, we recommend this video on choosing the best keywords for a paper.

As with any writing, we strongly recommend proofreading your research paper before submission. It needs to be checked for common errors such as typos and extra spacing. We understand the challenges of proofreading, which is why we recommend asking us to proofread and review your writing . We can check that the paper is clear and concise. Additionally, we will ensure perfect grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Consider submitting a 500-word document for free!

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How to Choose Keywords for a Research Paper

With the ever-increasing volume of information available digitally, finding relevant sources has become quite the challenge! To hunt down the articles we want, we use search engines and type in keywords that narrow down results.

Keywords, therefore, are essential for filtering the overwhelming amount of resources available. When we use these parameters in a database or a search engine, we receive a list of results ranked according to relevancy. The more the content of an article reflects the keywords used, the higher it will appear on the results page.

So, what are the best research paper keywords?

How, then, can we make sure that our published articles and academic papers rank higher on search results and not drown in the sea of publications? The answer, of course, is choosing the best keywords! However, there are some pitfalls with using keywords, so the following is a quick guide on how to carefully choose keywords for a research paper and what mistakes to avoid.

Follow any instructions your target journal provides regarding keywords

The journal rules of the specific publication trump all others! For example, most clinical papers use terms from the US National Library of Medicine’s Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) . Many journals request five to eight terms. However, some restrict the nature of the words that can be used. For instance, some journals want single words instead of phrases. Again, double-check journal requirements!

Think about what terms you would use to search for papers related to your topic

Chances are the phrases you choose are going to be similar to what other researchers may use when searching for literature.

Note that in rule #2 we used the term “phrases” instead of “words.” In truth, “keywords” is a misnomer. These days, we search databases using phrases or complete sentences. This is because single-term searches yield a broader list of results than desired. For example, let’s imagine that I want to know the specifics of Jupiter’s air composition. If I type in “Jupiter,” I’ll receive a list containing any document related to Jupiter, but most of them might not be relevant. Therefore,  choose keyword phrases that comprise two to four words .

Avoid using terms already present in your research paper’s title

This is particularly true if your journal says not to include them . Why? Your research paper title is searchable and will be weighted (marked to have greater weight by a programming code), so keywords should contain a list of words that  supplement  your title’s content. Even if your journal doesn’t restrict title word use in keywords, we recommend using this valuable real estate for alternate terms (see rule #7).

Keywords should indicate the general subject matter; however,  they should not be too broad . For instance, if you are writing a paper on a newly-discovered epigenetic regulator, you might not want to use general keywords such as “cell biology” or “genetics.” These terms do little to reflect the specificity with which your potential readers search for source materials. Instead, focus on key concepts covered in your abstract.

If your research involves a key method or technique, put the term either in your title or your keywords

On that note, be careful with spelling/capitalization. While search engines, by default, ignore capitalization rules, hyphenation could be an issue.  Make sure you are using the officially recognized written form of each key term . Failure to do so might result in less hits for your paper. Google Scholar can help with finding the official, correct, and/or mostly used versions of field-specific terms.

Think of generally used alternate terms to the ones found in your title

That is, include significant abbreviations, acronyms, and other short-form or substitute names for your topic. Be careful, however, of using acronyms that could have other meanings. For example, HIV would be a safe abbreviation since most hits would relate to the disease. The term, ARC, on the other hand, has significance in many fields: computer programming, engineering, math, and biology, just to name a few. Therefore, if we mean the ARC file format, then we should use the phrase, “ARC file format,” as a keyword.

Test your keywords before submitting your paper

When you enter your keywords into various journal and academic databases like Google Scholar, do the results include papers similar to your topic? If not, revise the terms until they do.

Use keyword generators with caution

Some sites such as the one offered by the University of Texas provide keyword generators or keyword planners to help you think of other terms you could include. However, make sure that those words actually relate to your paper’s topic. You can double-check relevancy by using the terms as explained in rule #8.

We hope these quick tips help you choose the best research paper and abstract keywords. Remember, the point of these terms is to help your paper gain visibility among your target audience. So, make sure that your search terms are ones that your desired readers would use!

Wordvice Resources

If you need more general advice on writing the abstract or the Introduction, Results, Methods, and Discussion sections of your manuscript, or if you want to know how to impress the editor of your target journal with a convincing cover letter, then head over to the Wordvice academic resources pages, where you’ll find hundreds of articles on how research paper writing tips and techniques.

And before submission, don’t forget to receive professional proofreading and English editing services , including manuscript editing services , from Wordvice academic experts.

How to Write a Research Paper

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• Identify Keywords
• Find Background Info
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Generate Keywords

• Keyword Generator University of Texas. Tutorial that walks you through generating keywords.

Image source: Powernowllc. CC0 1.0.  Wikimedia Commons.

What Are Keywords?

Keywords are important words/concepts found in your research question or thesis. 

A quick and dirty way to pull keywords from a research question/thesis is to choose the most important nouns ; all other words are irrelevant.

Using keywords to search will always retrieve more results than phrases or sentences.

Image source:  Producer.  CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia Commons

Find Keywords

• within your research question or thesis
• in encyclopedias used in background research
• in bibliographies found at the end of books and  articles
• in a thesaurus (or in Word's thesaurus under the Review tab)
• by asking a librarian

Image source:  Evan-Amos .  Public Domain.  Wikimedia Commons.

Chart Keywords

• Keyword Chart

Keywords have a profound impact on search results. Using the right words will speed up the research process, while the wrong ones can bring to it to a painfully screeching halt.

If the keywords you initially choose do not give good results, try others on your list, try search strategies , or ask a librarian for help.

Use the chart above to document keywords related to your topic.  Keep it by your side when you start your research.

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• Last Updated: Aug 21, 2024 1:53 PM
• URL: https://libguides.lvc.edu/researchpaper

Keywords in a Research Paper: The Importance of the Right Choice

Unlock the potential of your research paper by using keywords! Learn how to effectively use keywords in a research paper and make an impact.

If you are writing a research paper, you are likely familiar with the importance of a well-written title and an engaging abstract. However, have you ever considered the impact that keywords can have on the visibility and discoverability of your research paper? In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of research paper keywords and provide you with some tips on how to choose the right ones for your paper.

What are Research Paper Keywords?

Keywords are words or phrases that represent the main topics or ideas presented in a research paper. They help readers and search engines quickly identify the content of the paper and assess its relevance to their interests.

In many cases, keywords are included in the paper’s abstract, but they can also be listed separately in the paper’s metadata. These metadata keywords are often used by search engines to index and rank research papers in search results.

Importance of Keywords in a Research Paper

The selection of appropriate keywords is crucial to ensuring the visibility and discoverability of your research paper. By using the right keywords, you can attract the attention of readers who are interested in your research topic and increase the likelihood that your paper will be cited and shared.

Keywords can also impact the ranking of your paper in search results. If you choose popular or commonly used keywords, your paper may be buried among a large number of other papers on the same topic. However, if you choose unique, specific, and accurate keywords, your paper will have a better chance of ranking higher in search results.

How to Choose the Right Keywords in a Research Paper

Choosing the right keywords for your research paper requires careful consideration and attention to detail. Here are some tips to help you choose the most effective keywords for your paper:

Follow any instructions your target journal provides regarding keywords

Different journals may have different requirements for the number and type of keywords. Be sure to check the author guidelines for your target journal and follow their instructions regarding keywords.

Think about what terms you would use to search for papers related to your topic

Put yourself in the shoes of someone who is searching for papers on your topic. What terms would they use? What are the main ideas or concepts in your paper? Use these terms as keywords.

Avoid using terms already present in your research paper’s title

Using the same terms in both the title and keywords can be redundant and waste valuable keyword space. Instead, try to use related terms that expand on the main ideas of your paper.

If your research involves a key method or technique, put the term either in your title or your keywords

Including the name of a key method or technique can make your paper more discoverable to researchers interested in that method or technique.

Think of generally used alternate terms to the ones found in your title

Different researchers may use different terms to describe the same concepts. Try to include commonly used alternate terms as keywords to make your paper more discoverable.

Test your keywords before submitting your paper

Before finalizing your keywords, test them by entering them into a search engine to see what results come up. Make sure the results are relevant to your paper and that your paper is visible among them.

Use keyword generators with caution

There are many online tools that generate keywords for research papers. While these tools can be helpful, they should be used with caution. Always evaluate the suggested keywords for relevance and accuracy before using them in your paper.

Best Practices for Using Keywords in a Research Paper

In the competitive world of academia, research papers are the currency of success. But with so many papers being published every day, how can you make sure yours stands out? One crucial aspect is choosing the right research paper keywords.

Keywords are words or phrases that summarize the main themes and topics of your paper. They help search engines and databases categorize and index your work, making it easier for others to find and cite. Do you know how to choose the right keywords for your research paper? In addition, what are the best practices for using them effectively?

Include relevant keywords throughout the paper

Keywords should not only be present in your paper’s title and abstract but throughout the body of the text. This helps to reinforce the main themes and concepts of your work and improves its visibility in search results.

Be specific and concise when choosing keywords

Choose keywords that accurately reflect the specific topics and themes of your research paper. Avoid broad or generic terms that could be applied to a variety of different topics.

Choose keywords that accurately reflect the content of the paper

Keywords should be a true representation of the content of your research paper. If you use misleading or inaccurate keywords, you risk misleading readers and damaging your credibility.

Include synonyms and related terms when possible

Including synonyms and related terms can broaden the scope of your paper and help it reach a wider audience. It can also improve its ranking in search results.

Tools for Generating Keywords for Research Papers

There are several tools available for generating keywords for your research paper. These include:

• Google Keyword Planner – a free tool from Google that helps you find relevant keywords and phrases for your research paper.
• Keyword Tool – another free tool that generates keywords based on search queries from various search engines.
• Mendeley – a research management tool that automatically extracts keywords from your research papers and suggests additional keywords based on the content.

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These figures are designed to be easily customizable and can be used to enhance the visual appeal of your research paper. They cover a wide range of topics, including biology, chemistry, physics, and medicine, and are constantly updated to reflect the latest research findings.

In addition to its figures library, Mind the Graph also offers a range of other tools and resources for researchers, including customizable templates for research posters, social media graphics, and presentations. It also provides a range of tutorials and guides on scientific communication and data visualization.

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How to Choose and Use Keywords in Research Papers

Academic writing is vital for PhD student and researchers, and identifying appropriate keywords in research papers is a crucial part of the process. However, not many academics understand the importance of keywords in research papers and why you need to get this right. When used well, keywords in scientific papers ensure more accurate indexing and allow search engines to find your work from the large amounts of information available online.

With more research articles and journals available to researchers, it is important to choose and use keywords in research papers effectively to maximize the reach and impact of your research article by making it easier to discover, access, and reference by a diverse audience. In this article, we’ll discuss how to choose and effectively use keywords in research papers to improve your visibility and help you reach your intended audience.

How to choose keywords in research papers

Choosing the right keywords in research papers is critical because the quality of online search results is directly related to the quality of the keywords used. A well-chosen keyword can help your paper get discovered, while a poorly chosen keyword can lead to your paper being overlooked. Here are some simple steps to choose the right keywords for your research paper. 1

Understand the research question or topic

Know the central theme of your research paper and write down keywords that are most relevant and will capture the essence of your work. Examining your research question or topic closely can also help you identify keywords in research papers that are frequently used in your field of study.

Check standard author guidelines

Most reputed journals mention specific instructions regarding the number and length of keywords in research papers. Be sure to check the author guidelines carefully as some even suggest that authors choose from a set of predetermined keywords for scientific papers covering specific research topics.

Create a pool of relevant keywords

When shortlisting keywords in research papers, consider your target audience and keep in mind what they typically use to search for articles on topics like yours. A good idea would be to use phrases or word clusters that are used repeatedly in your manuscript as readers will also likely be using these to search online. Add synonyms and different phrases that describe your concept (avoid newly coined terms or unusual abbreviations) to increase the chances of your research being discovered. You can also ask your supervisor or consult experts in your field to identify the most relevant keywords in research paper.

Pick specific, 2-4-word phrases as keywords

Single words often lead to false matches or are misconstrued so it’s advised to choose keywords that are phrases with 2-4 words, and not longer. It’s important also to be specific when choosing keywords in research papers to ensure your work stands out. For example, if the paper is about leg pain, use alternative and more specific phrases like leg cramps, spasms in the leg, or muscular leg pain to help your work stand out from generalized online searches on pain.

Use optimized keywords in research papers

Maximize your potential visibility by using optimized keywords in research papers. For example, authors writing on medical and health-related topics can find help with keywords and terms by looking through the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) thesaurus. The MeSH thesaurus also includes effective and popular keywords and terms that are used in PubMed and other databases. 2 Similarly, online search engines also index scholarly literature across an array of disciplines.

How to include keywords in research papers

Once you have identified the most relevant keywords for your scientific papers, the next step is to include them effectively. Optimizing your academic writing with keywords is a straightforward process that requires some attention to detail. Here are some tips on how to include keywords in research paper and what to avoid.

Include keywords in title and abstract

The title and abstract are the first sections people read when searching for scholarly articles and understanding the relevance of your work. Include keywords in research paper titles and add the most important keywords in abstract of your research paper. This will help search engines and academic databases quickly identify the central theme of your research paper and categorize your work correctly. However, note that some journals do not advise using keywords that overlap with words used in your research paper title. 2

Add keywords across all sections

Try to use keywords strategically in all sections of your research paper, including the introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion. However, while adding keywords in research papers, ensure they read naturally and are in context to maintain the quality of your academic writing. Subheads are another good way to use keywords as they allow readers to quickly scan your paper. Creating descriptive subheadings that include the main keywords in research papers work well to guide readers smoothly through your article.

Use variations of main keywords

Apart from the list of shortlisted keywords for your topic, make sure you also use variations of your keywords in research papers to ensure it is easily found by readers. Using synonyms and related terms that describe the same concept can help increase the visibility of your paper in online searches while ensuring the main keywords in scientific papers don’t seem spammy and make your writing seem repetitive.

Refer to highly cited works on similar topics

Check relevant journal databases or conduct a quick online search to see how keywords have been used in previously published papers in your field. If you can find the right papers for the keywords you are searching for, you know that it has used keywords effectively. This may give you an idea not only on how and where to use keywords in research papers but may also help you formulate or add to your chosen keywords.

Avoid irrelevant keywords and overstuffing

Finally, it is important to use only relevant keywords in research papers as irrelevant keywords can mislead readers and result in your paper being excluded from relevant searches. Also make sure you are not using too many keywords in research papers. Force-fitting keywords could make your writing seem cluttered and confusing; your work may also be penalized for keyword stuffing by online search engines. It’s best to stick to a few specific, relevant keywords that accurately reflect your research and use them strategically to ensure your article is coherent and engaging for readers.

Identifying effective keywords for research papers must be a priority for researchers and not an afterthought in their manuscript writing and publishing journey. The use of right keywords not only offers readers easier access to your paper through online searches, but it also significantly increases the frequency of citations. Therefore, be sure to choose and use keywords in your research paper with care. All the best!

Keywords are specific terms or phrases that encapsulate the essence of a research paper’s content. They represent the main ideas, concepts, and themes addressed in the paper. These terms aid in categorization, indexing, and searching for relevant articles in academic databases. Typically located in the abstract or article header, keywords provide a quick overview of the paper’s focus, helping researchers and readers gauge its relevance to their interests.

Identifying keywords is vital for effective research because it enhances discoverability. Researchers use keywords to navigate vast databases efficiently, ensuring they find relevant papers on their topic. Precise keywords ensure that articles align closely with a researcher’s needs, saving time and effort. Well-chosen keywords improve a paper’s visibility, increasing its chances of being found and cited. Accurate keyword selection improves the dissemination of knowledge and facilitates collaboration among scholars by facilitating access to related works.

Keywords serve several key purposes in research papers. Firstly, they aid in information retrieval. By including relevant terms, researchers make their work easily discoverable by peers. Secondly, keywords enhance the paper’s visibility, increasing its chances of being cited and referenced. Thirdly, keywords establish a common language for researchers within a particular field, facilitating communication. Lastly, they offer a concise snapshot of the paper’s core themes, assisting readers in quickly determining the paper’s applicability to their own work or interests.

References:

• George, E. Identifying keywords for scientific papers: A simple 5-step guide. Researcher.Life Blog. Available online at https://researcher.life/blog/article/identifying-keywords-for-scientific-papers-a-simple-5-step-guide/
• Herron, C. How to Choose the Best Keywords for Your Research Manuscript. Redwood Ink. Available online at https://redwoodink.com/resources/how-to-choose-the-best-keywords-for-your-research-manuscript

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Research Paper Keyword Generator + Tips

• 🤩 Pros of Our Keyword Generator
• 🗝️ What Are Keywords?
• ️🔍 How to Choose Keywords
• 💡 4 Best Tips for Writing Keywords

🔗 References

🤩 pros of our free research paper keyword generator.

Our tool will present you with a list of keywords and phrases from any text you paste. There are several features that make it stand out from similar instruments:

🗝️ What Are Keywords in a Research Paper?

Keywords are phrases and words that reflect a research papers’ main ideas and topics . They help search engines and readers alike to quickly understand what the work is about. Such terms and phrases also allow researchers interested in your subject to promptly find your paper, share it, and cite it. Depending on the format of your work, keywords can be placed in its metadata or the abstract .

Why Are Keywords Important?

Oftentimes, students and professionals alike don’t take the time to choose the keywords for their research papers. They might be under the impression that if the work is good enough, others will find it anyway. In reality, that is not the case.

Choosing the most appropriate keywords has the following advantages:

• More precise search results . It ensures that your papers will be quickly found in search engines and academic registries. This way, researchers and other people interested in the topic have a better chance of coming across your work.
• Showing the paper’s relevance . Key words and phrases get across the main subject of the paper, summarize the main ideas , and make it easier for people to determine if they may be interested in the research.
• Quick communication with evaluators . Having keywords in your work lets your professors quickly comprehend the content and subject of your study.

🔍 How to Choose Keywords in Research Papers

This section will give you an understanding of the general rules about choosing keywords for academic works. There are several things we advise keeping in mind:

• Check the instructions . Before adding keywords, carefully read manuals provided by your professors or scientific journals. These materials should contain the volume of allowed keywords (3–5 on average, up to 10 in rare cases) and explain whether these should be picked from a pre-selected list.
• Choose specific words and phrases . When selecting your keywords, it is best not to use generic phrases. You should avoid abstract concepts or common words, since they can cause your paper to get lost in the search results. Instead, it is best to stay specific to the subject matter. For example, if you write about heart disease, use keys such as “ peripheral arterial disease ” or “acute coronary heart disease.”
• Search for optimized terms . Maximize the paper’s reach by optimizing terms. Google Scholar is a great way to discover the proper terminology for research in different fields.
• Include the methodology . Additionally, it’s essential to name the methodology used in the study. For example, regarding medicine, clinical trial types or experimental techniques are a perfect choice for papers on this subject.

Keywords Format: APA Style

APA is currently one of the most used formats for academic research papers. There are several things students should be aware of when writing works that follow its guidelines.

• Recommended fonts . In the APA style , it’s possible to use 10-point Computer Modern, 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, 11-point Arial, 11-point Calibri, 11-point Georgia, or 12-point Times New Roman fonts.
• Placement . Students should place the keywords list on the research’s second page, one line below the abstract.
• Label . These words and phrases must be labeled as “Keywords,” intended like a regular paragraph, and put in italics.
• Text . In the APA format, keywords are on the same line and one space after the label. They are written in the lowercase, with capitalized proper nouns. Don’t use bold or italic and remember to separate them with commas. There’s no ending punctuation after the final keyword. Students can list them in any order and use double-space if the keywords run onto the second line.

💡 4 Best Tips for Writing Keywords for Your Research

Finding and incorporating the right keywords in research studies takes time and effort to perfect. We’ve decided to give several tips that will help you hone your research and article-writing skills .

• Avoid keywords that are too narrow or too broad . This is one of the trickiest things to pull off while looking for the perfect keywords. Make them excessively precise, and you will narrow your audience significantly. Make them too broad, and the article will be lost in search results.
• Steer clear of obscure search terms . If you want the work to appear in academic directories, don’t use terms people rarely seek. For example, people rarely search for Latin animal or plant species names, so keep things closer to plain English.
• Don’t mislead readers . Don’t use keys unrelated to your topic to get into the search results. Such things remove credibility from your writing and add unnecessary difficulties for people trying to find it.
• Use the appropriate format . When choosing your keywords, it is best to remember several general rules. For example, you should try avoiding abbreviations where possible. Additionally, it is best to use short phrases rather than singular words.

Our research paper generator will become a valuable tool for your academic pursuits. Also, we recommend you try our effective plagiarism checker ! If you have any questions, check out our FAQ section.

❓ Research Paper Keyword Generator – FAQ

• Consider words and phrases that expand or narrow the paper’s scope.
• Use phrases instead of single words without context.
• Avoid abbreviations.
• Check the guidelines.
• Find short phrases.
• Use general terms.
• Stay specific.
• Mention the methodology.

Updated: Oct 30th, 2023

• How to Write a Research Paper. – Lebanon Valley College
• Keyword Searching: Finding Articles on Your Topic: Select Keywords. – Walden University
• Research Foundations: Choose Keywords. – Seminole State College Library
• Guidelines for Selecting Keywords. – Kansas State University
• A Guide to Writing an Effective Abstract / Selecting Keywords for Discovery. – Cambridge University Press & Assessment

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Research Tips and Tricks

• Getting Started
• Understanding the Assignment
• Topic Selection Tips
• Narrowing Your Topic Tips

Major Terms

Keywords example, tools to help, videos about keywords.

• Developing A Search Strategy
• Scholarly vs Popular Sources
• What Are Primary Sources?
• Finding Scholarly Articles
• Finding Scholarly Books
• Finding Primary Sources
• Citing My Sources This link opens in a new window

When searching for resources,  DO NOT  enter the whole research question. 

Unlike a Google search, a journal article database cannot sort through all the words, and the results will be all over the place, or you will get no results.

The best method is to create a search strategy using keywords.

Begin by examining your research question to determine the major concepts or words with a specific meaning. These terms will form the basis of your search. 

When picking keywords avoid all minor words ("a," "an," or "the"), and prepositions or verb phrases ("on," "in," or "going to").

Also, use verbs (action words) and adjectives (descriptive words) sparingly.

For example, if your research question is:   

Does playing video games increase the chance that children will be violent?  

Words such as (does, the, that, chance, will, and be) don't have a specific meaning, so we can cross them out.  

Does playing video games increase the chance that children will be violent?

"Playing" is an action verb to describe what someone does with the game, and since there aren't other options, we can also cross this word off.  

Does   playing video games increase  the chance that  children  will be  violent?

While "increase" is getting at the relationship between violence and video games, if you include it, you will prejudice the results because you will be excluding results that talk about video games decreasing violence. 

Does   playing  video games increase  the chance that  children  will be  violent?

In the end, we are left with three major concepts in the sentence are:   

Video Games

Children  

Now you can develop these concepts into search terms that you can use do develop your search strategy.

A variety of words may describe your keywords, so you should brainstorm possible synonyms for them.  For example, children and youth are two different words used to describe a similar concept (human beings under the age of 18).  If you only entered the term "children" into a search of a database, then you would miss all the articles that deal with "youth."  To maximize the number of results you will get in a search, you need to include synonyms. Here is a list of possible synonyms of the keywords we identified:

If you need help generating synonyms for your keywords, try a few searches and look at the language the papers use or look at a thesaurus.

Source  and Source

• Worksheet This worksheet will help you generate keywords.
• Choosing and Using Keywords
• Selecting & Using Keywords
• One Perfect Source?

• << Previous: Narrowing Your Topic Tips
• Next: Developing A Search Strategy >>
• Last Updated: Jul 18, 2024 9:17 AM
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Research Process :: Step by Step

• Introduction
• Select Topic
• Identify Keywords
• Background Information
• Develop Research Questions
• Refine Topic
• Search Strategy
• Popular Databases
• Evaluate Sources
• Types of Periodicals
• Reading Scholarly Articles
• Primary & Secondary Sources
• Organize / Take Notes
• Writing & Grammar Resources
• Annotated Bibliography
• Literature Review
• Citation Styles
• Paraphrasing
• Privacy / Confidentiality

Mind Mapping

Created by Joshua Vossler

Make a list of keywords relevant to your topic.  Be sure to list similar, broader, narrower, and related terms . Keep the list by your side when you start your research and continue to add to it as you come across useful terms.

Identifying Keywords

Before searching for information, you need to identify keywords related to your topic. The keywords you use have an impact on the results of your research. 

If the keywords you choose do not give you the results you need, try the others on your list or use the  search strategies  listed under Step 2.

Keywords and phrases can easily be found by scanning . . .

• your initial research questions
• encyclopedia and other articles used when conducting background research
• bibliographies found at the end of books and articles

If you are still struggling, try these suggestions:

• Use a thesaurus to identify synonyms
• Find pictures related to your topic, then describe the picture
• Brainstorm keywords with a librarian, your instructor, or a friend

Combining Keywords

When researching, we are like detectives trying to combine the right terms in the right place to find the information we need. This information will help you combine search terms to find relevant sources.

Broad Search

Search for information using the single most important term related to your topic. Use this type of search when looking for basic background information.

Specific Search

Search for information by combining key concepts using the words you have brainstormed. Each concept/word should be separated by the word "AND" . Use this kind of search when looking for specific evidence related to your claim or thesis.

Getting Too Many Irrelevant Results?

Add more search terms.

Getting Too Few Relevant Results?

Change or remove some search terms.

Using a Concept Map

A concept map is a graphical tool used to organize and structure knowledge. 

https://bubbl.us/

http://popplet.com/

• Concept Map Worksheet
• Concept Map Example
• << Previous: Select Topic
• Next: Background Information >>
• Last Updated: Sep 5, 2024 1:38 PM
• URL: https://libguides.uta.edu/researchprocess

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Understanding Research

• Information Sources
• Choose a Topic
• Identify Keywords
• Search the Databases
• Evaluate Sources
• Cite Sources This link opens in a new window
• Write and Review This link opens in a new window
• Test Your Knowledge

Can't think of any synonyms? Try using the internet to help! ​

Basic Google Search

Thesaurus.com

Merriam Webster Thesaurus

You can also ask a librarian through email, text, phone, or chat!

What are keywords?

Unlike Google and other web searches, databases work best when you enter keywords instead of full phrases or questions. Each database has its own set of recognized vocabulary, so having a variety of keywords can help you avoid frustration while searching.

• Keywords represent the major concepts of your topic
• Try variations of a keyword, or synonyms.
• Add new vocabulary or keywords from your initial search results
• Get additional keywords from the title, abstract, and subject headings of articles.

Identifying main concepts within your research question/topic

Research Question:  How does lack of access to food affect child development?

Main Concepts:  lack of access to food, child development (words like how, does, and, to, etc. are not important)

There are a few types of keywords that you can work with, depending on your topic.

• Narrow - can you use a more focused word or idea? (ex. brain development, physical health)
• Broad - what is the big picture idea behind your topic? (ex. Wellness, Health)
• Related - are there concepts that closely relate to your topic? (ex. hunger, nutrition)
• Similar - are there synonyms for your topic/concepts? (ex. hunger, food insecurity, food security, food desert)

Identifying Keywords (Video)

• << Previous: Choose a Topic
• Next: Search the Databases >>
• Last Updated: Sep 5, 2024 12:10 PM
• URL: https://resources.nu.edu/research
• Report a Problem

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Educational resources and simple solutions for your research journey

How to Choose Keywords for Research Paper Writing

You may think that after drafting an article targeted for submission to a specific journal, figuring out how to write keywords in research paper will be the easiest part. But that is not true, in fact, p ublishing an article requires a lot of work, not only research based, but for the preparation of the manuscript itself. You need to deal with formatting, follow guidelines, and make sure that all the basic requirements are met, and finally decide which journal is the best fit and how to choose keywords in research papers to make sure your article is found by the appropriate audience. And l et me tell you that as a reviewer and editor with way too many years of experience, more than 90% of authors slip up when writ ing keywords in research papers and find this a challenging task . And I will tell you why this mistake is so common and how to write keywords in a research paper effectively .  

Table of Contents

What are keywords in a research paper ?

Keywords   in research papers are words that help online search engines and indexes tag papers in the most relevant manner . The purpose of keywords in research paper is to ensure these database s and search engines quickly identify and show your manuscript to users looking for related topics , thereby enabling readers to find your work easily .   

The importance of keywords in research papers

Let us put this into context by starting with the definition of keywords in research papers . Keywords are words that define the research field or topic and are used to make your paper more discoverable to others. Perhaps this is more related to semantics, but keywords are different from key words. All journals will tell you that these are used for indexing purposes. So, what’s indexing? It refers to the process used to make articles discoverable in databases so that more readers can find, read, and cite your article. Considering that most search engines, online research databases , and journal websites organize information in a manner that enables a super-fast response to a query, adding keywords in research papers and indexing are essential to identify your work . Now that you understand the importance of keywords in research paper s, you will realize that keywords are not just a list of key words.  

How to select keywords for research paper s correctly  

To get this process right, you can follow these steps and tips to understand how to find keywords for your research paper s.  

• First, try that not all keywords are used in the title. Concise titles will attract more readers. But most importantly, the title is the main indexing source because it is the main input to databases. Adding alternative keywords to the title will increase your searchability.  
• Think of the research field or subfield covered in your article, readers will search for these. Also, focus on key terms that are most relevant to your work and not something that was barely covered in your article.  
• Use synonyms but do it effectively. If the title uses degradation of a pollutant using microorganisms, then you can use bioremediation as the keyword in research papers ; even chemical elements can be used whether the symbol or name has been used in the title. If you are discussing genes (or their protein counterpart) and it is an essential part of your research, chances are you will mention the gene symbol in the title, then provide the full name as a keyword in research papers . Species names can be replaced by their common name.  
• As you may know, most journals require a subscription to access the full content of articles. Yet most abstracts of publications are easily accessible when you use various search engines such as Google Scholar. So, if you use keywords in the abstract of your research paper, it will also improve the chances of readers finding and reading the full manuscript, even citing it in their own work.  
• Be specific by avoiding long phrases. Most journals would ask that keywords in research papers remain between one to three words. Avoiding conjunctions such as “and” is also recommended.  
• Only use abbreviations or acronyms that are quite common and well-known. By common abbreviations I mean not only those known by your field of expertise but also to the general audience, such as hplc, qPCR, CCTV, DNA or RNA, AI, etc. But if the abbreviation is used in the title, then use the definition as a keyword.  
• Finally, avoid using vague terms/expressions such as “treatment” or “technology” as a keyword in research papers ; this will not send your article to page one when others are conducting a search on the same topic. You can for example use “cancer treatment” or even better, add the cancer type “liver cancer treatment” or the approach “cancer nanotechnology” or “nanotechnology medical applications.”  

Now that you know the importance of keywords in research paper , go ahead and create keywords that will give your article a major boost!  

Researcher.Life is a subscription-based platform that unifies the best AI tools and services designed to speed up, simplify, and streamline every step of a researcher’s journey. The Researcher.Life All Access Pack is a one-of-a-kind subscription that unlocks full access to an AI writing assistant, literature recommender, journal finder, scientific illustration tool, and exclusive discounts on professional publication services from Editage.  

Based on 21+ years of experience in academia, Researcher.Life All Access empowers researchers to put their best research forward and move closer to success. Explore our top AI Tools pack, AI Tools + Publication Services pack, or Build Your Own Plan. Find everything a researcher needs to succeed, all in one place –  Get All Access now starting at just $17 a month !    

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How to Generate Search Terms

Create a research topic.

Enter your research topic below. Try to limit the topic to one sentence that fully describes your research. Here are a few examples:

• Effects of media on women's body image
• Trends in information technology in the workplace
• Fast food causes health risks for children

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How to Choose Keywords for a Manuscript?

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Table of Contents

Do you feel your article is being unnoticed? It can sometimes feel as if your work is sunk, in an ocean of millions of others, and not being found and read as often as you imagined. If this is the case, you are not alone. Unfortunately, in the internet era, just good research is hardly enough. A quality text edition of your manuscript and stunning presentations may be the next step for calling some attention, but making your work pop out from millions of others is a challenge that is often under thought by many researchers.

Actually, there are a few things in your power to help an article climb up search engine rankings. It all comes down to two concepts that you probably have heard a thousand times before: SEO and Keywords.

• Working with SEO (search engine optimization): Basically, this means helping search engines find your article relevant for certain search terms on the internet. This is done by choosing strategic keywords that correspond to words in the internet user’s search. This way your article has the best chance to appear in a higher position within a probably (very) long list of other related research.
• Choosing keywords for manuscripts: Keywords are words that capture the essence of your paper. They make your paper searchable (and findable!) and ensure that you get more citations. Therefore, it is important to include relevant keywords to help others find your paper. Don’t forget these simple tips, outlined below.

How to Select the Best Keywords for a Manuscript

The secret to choosing the best keywords for your manuscript is a matter of fine balance. On one hand, we recommend avoiding too many single-words (unless it is completely necessary) so that the search doesn’t render too unspecific. On the other hand, too many words may over-filter your article, making it more difficult to find.

There is also the tendency to add credibility to an article by selecting a lot of specialized keywords. However, that may actually dim the chances of your article being found. Rather than reducing your search chances to a specialized niche of experts, try to use more general terms used in literature to open your work to a more heterogeneous population.

Avoiding the duplication of words already in the article’s title is strongly recommended by journals. It is preferable to choose keywords that compliment the main topic of your research, including related words and/or methodology-specific terms.

Always remember to test your selected keywords. Do you think your article is difficult to find? Does the search pull up very similar articles to your own? Testing gives you the chance to tailor your keyword selection even further and, also very importantly, it can give you a valuable perspective of your “competitors.”

Making your article stand out is the ultimate challenge for its consumption. It might be daunting for researchers who feel overwhelmed by the digital world. However, don’t worry. Elsevier offers text editing services that not only provide excellent quality text for your manuscript, but also help you make the necessary amendments to fit it into your journal’s guidelines. This way, you are also ensuring that the keywords you chose as relevant line up with the journal’s requirements, making the whole process much easier.

Language Editing Services by Elsevier Author Services:

We know that, as an academic researcher, you have many things to do to stay relevant. Writing a manuscript is a crucial part of your endeavors.

That’s why we, at Elsevier Author Services, support you throughout your publication journey with a suite of products and services that help improve your manuscript before submission and beyond.

Check our video Reach the highest standard with Elsevier Author Services to learn more about Author Services.

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Keywords for Research Article: an Effective Guide

Table of Contents

With the myriad of online resources, it can be challenging to find relevant information.

Keywords are a way we can cut through the clutter and discover what we are looking for quickly. This is why incorporating the right keywords into articles, blogs, and websites is crucial. Identifying relevant  keywords for research articles  and incorporating them into your paper is the best way to ensure a top search engine ranking. 

The more an article aligns with the keywords a user searches for, the higher it will rank on SERPs. Optimizing your content with relevant keywords that match users’ search terms improves the visibility of your research paper.

This post details how to choose relevant keywords for your research article.

What Are Keywords in a Research Paper?

Keywords are words or phrases searchers type into search engines to find specific information .

In research papers, keywords are the terms that define a given topic and make it easier for searchers to find the content. Keywords help search engines match relevant search results with search queries, providing users with the most relevant and valuable information. 

Importance of Keywords in Research Papers

Keyword helps search engines decide which research article is most relevant to a search query.

When an Internet user wants to find something online, they typically enter a keyword that describes what they’re looking for. Search engine algorithm scans webpages to find those with similar or the exact keywords searched for. The more matches a content has with the user’s keywords, the more likely the article will appear in search engine results. 

The goal of every researcher is to get their article on the first page of the search engine results page (SERP). Discovering and incorporating the relevant keywords into your paper will improve your chances of higher rankings on search engines.

How to Choose the Best Keywords for Research Article

Choosing relevant keywords will improve your search engine rankings and ensure your research paper is found . Here are some tips for selecting the right keywords for your research paper.

1. Follow the Guidelines of Your Target Journal

Every journal has specifications when it comes to selecting keywords. Take the time to learn and follow your target journal’s instructions on keywords. For example, most clinical papers use terms drawn from the  US National Library of Medicine’s Medical Subject Headings (MeSH).  Other fields have their guidelines and requirements.

Most journals ask authors to present 5-8 terms. Some journals request only  single-word  keywords, making it easy for publishers and databases to organize the article, while others request phrases . Ensure you understand the guidelines for your target journal and follow them appropriately.

2. Identify Terms Related to Your Topic

Consider the terms researchers may use to search for papers related to your topic. For example, if your research article is on climate change , your keywords may include climate , global warming , earth , and biosphere . Target these keywords in your manuscript to ensure your research paper appears in the results of relevant searches.

3. Identify Terms That Summarize Your Work As a Whole

Identify and use keywords that represent and summarize your article as a whole. Some of these terms may be the main features of your paper, like population, setting, or variables.

Remember to keep an eye on the bigger picture as well. Identify the theories, processes, or concepts your paper covers, even if the specific names do not appear in your manuscript.

4. Include Your Techniques or Methodology

You may use key methods or experimental techniques your research revolves around as keywords. Be careful with spelling and capitalization, and also ensure that you use the officially recognized form of each key term. This is so your paper isn’t left out of searches for that keyword.

You can find the official, correct, and most commonly used versions of field-specific terms using Google Scholar.

5. Include Both Generic and Specific Terms

Avoid single-word keywords that are too general and vague. Make sure your keywords aren’t too long and not too short. Too short keywords will make the search unspecific. On the other hand, too-long keywords may filter your article to the point where it will be unindexed in search engines.

Use specific and general terms your potential readers will look for. For instance, if your article is on climate change , you may use general terms like “Global Warming” and “Earth.” And also more specific long-tail keywords relevant to your study.

6. Perform a Search to Test Your Keywords

Search Google and academic databases like Google Scholar for the keywords you want to submit. Do the keywords bring up articles similar to yours? If not, you may need to make some changes. 

This technique will also give you an idea of who your competition is. Examine the keywords they target to get ideas on how to refine your keyword list.

Keywords are an integral part of every research paper. They’re the means through which search engines determine which content is most relevant to a search query.

Choosing the most relevant keywords for your research topic is critical. The wrong choice of keywords can be detrimental to your article and even cost you opportunities to get read! On the other hand, the right keywords can improve your search engine rankings.

When choosing keywords, follow the instructions of your target journal. Identify terms related to your topic, including those that summarize your work as a whole. Also, consider using the techniques or methodology your research revolves around as keywords. Avoid only single-word keywords; instead, use both generic and specific terms. Finally, perform a search to test your keywords and refine your keyword list if necessary.

Alexander De Ridder

Co-Founder of INK, Alexander crafts magical tools for web marketing. SEO and AI expert. He is a smart creative, a builder of amazing things. He loves to study “how” and “why” humans and AI make decisions.

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Keyword research has remained a constant in a rapidly changing search landscape. If you’re an inbound marketer looking to optimize your website, understanding how to do keyword research is a must.

In this post, we’ll define what keyword research is, why it’s important, how to conduct your research for your SEO strategy , and how to choose the right keywords for your website.

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Why is keyword research important, elements of keyword research, how to research keywords for your seo strategy, how to find and choose keywords for your website, best keywords for seo.

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Keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing search terms that people enter into search engines with the goal of using that data for a specific purpose, often for search engine optimization (SEO) or general marketing. Keyword research can uncover queries to target, the popularity of these queries, their ranking difficulty, and more.

Keyword research helps you find your SEO sweet spot — the overlap of keywords that aren’t too hard to rank for and keywords that you can confidently produce excellent content on. It also identifies the queries that your target audience is actually searching on Google.

I talked to HubSpot Growth Manager Amal Kalepp , who says that keyword research “determines who your competitors are and which area of the search landscape you can rank for. Doing keyword research and understanding where your blog or website sweet spot is — that’s what gives you rankability.”

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Drill down into your website’s traffic sources and sift through your organic search traffic bucket to identify the keywords people use to arrive at your site.

Repeat this exercise for as many topic buckets as you have.

Remember, if you’re having trouble brainstorming with relevant search terms, you can always head on over to your customer-facing colleagues in sales or service. Ask them what types of terms their prospects or customers have questions about.

Those are often great starting points for keyword research.

Here at HubSpot, we use the Search Insights Report. This template is designed to help you do the same and bucket your keywords into topic clusters, analyze MSV, and inform your editorial calendar and strategy.

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Step 3. Understand how intent affects keyword research and analyze accordingly.

User intent is now one of the most pivotal factors in your ability to rank well on search engines like Google.

That means it’s vital that your web page addresses the problem a searcher wants to solve rather than simply including the keyword the searcher used.

So, how does this affect your keyword research?

It’s tempting to take keywords at face value, but they can have many different meanings.

And because the intent behind a search is so important to your ranking potential, you need to be extra careful about how you interpret the keywords you target.

Let’s say you’re researching the keyword “how to start a blog” for an article you want to create. “Blog” can mean a blog post or the blog website itself, and the searcher’s intent behind that keyword will influence the direction of your article.

Does the searcher want to learn how to start an individual blog post ? Or do they want to know how to launch a website domain for a new blog?

If your content strategy only targets people interested in the latter, you’ll need to determine the keyword’s intent before using it.

To verify a user’s intent, it’s a good idea to simply enter this keyword into a search engine yourself and see what types of results come up.

I did a quick search for “how to start a blog,” and it looks like most users are searching for info on how to start a website with a blog, not an individual blog post:

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WRIT 0020-307 202430 Critical Writing Seminar: Craft Of Prose: Keywords

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As you read and search, keep track of the vocabulary you encounter.

Terms and definitions vary by field. You will likely find your repertoire of key words expanding as you get deeper into your search. Keep track of synonyms, technical vocabulary, discipline specific terms--they often come in handy, particularly if, as sometimes happens in this course, you go on to do more advanced research on the topic in future classes. 

For example: 

This document suggests a good method of crafting effective keyword searches:

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JCHS State of the Nation’s Housing Report

Keywords: affordability, cost burden, homeownership, climate change, adaptation.

JCHS State of the Nation's Housing Report

The Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) of Harvard University released “ The State of the Nation’s Housing 2024 ,” which presents insight and data on how high housing costs are affecting households and housing markets. On June 20, 2024, JCHS held a virtual event to present the report’s findings and host a panel discussion. Chris Herbert, managing director of JCHS, opened the event, and Daniel McCue, senior research associate at JCHS, presented a high-level summary of the report. McCue’s presentation was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Jennifer Ludden, National Desk correspondent at National Public Radio. The panelists included Priya Jayachandran, chief executive officer of the National Housing Trust; Chrystal Kornegay, chief executive officer of MassHousing; and Sheryl Palmer, chairman and chief executive officer of Taylor Morrison.

Cost Burdened Renters Have Increased Across Various Income Levels

As rents have continued to rise, the number of renters that are cost burdened — those spending more than 30 percent of income on rent — has reached an all-time high. McCue shared findings from the report, which reveals that more than 22 million renter households were cost burdened in 2022. These numbers include middle-income households earning between $45,000 and $75,000 annually, the fastest-growing group to experience housing cost burdens. Herbert explained that 10 to 15 years ago, affordability pressure was broadly attributed to very low-income people experiencing difficulty paying their rent. Today, 41 percent of middle-income renter households are cost burdened. The number of cost burdened households becoming more widespread across various income brackets has attracted attention from policymakers at the state and local level. Herbert emphasized that, with the lack of subsidy money available to directly support middle-income households, solutions such as regulatory reform and streamlining private-sector production of low-cost housing are needed.

Even so, Herbert stressed that policymakers must remain focused on expanding the housing safety net for the lower-income households, who experience the greatest financial stress that more severely affects well-being. While high housing costs may limit middle-income households' ability to save or spend on groceries and dining out, very low-income households face tougher tradeoffs. These households are more likely to face choices that exacerbate existing threats to health and financial stability, such as missing meals or relocating to substandard housing.

Expanding the Housing Safety Net

The report attributes decreased rental affordability to a combination of strong rental demand — fueled by Generation Z population growth and the growing number of higher-income renter households — and a decreasing stock of low-cost rental units. Between 2012 and 2022, the rental market lost 6.1 million units with monthly rents of less than $1,000. Although additional affordable housing was built during the same period, these new construction units tend to come with higher rents, and preserving low-rent housing is critical. Preserving these affordable units does not come without challenges, however, and Jayachandran stated that the existing low-rent units are "vulnerable to [pressures ranging from] high operating costs and no ability to reinvest in the properties… to pressures to convert from affordable housing to market rate… to physical obsolescence."

In addition to preserving low-rent housing, the panelists agreed that increasing the amount of federal assistance is crucial to expanding the housing safety net. HUD's measure of worst case housing needs, which is defined as the number of very low-income households that are not receiving federal assistance despite living in severely inadequate housing or paying more than half of their income for rent, has increased from 5 million to 8.5 million over the past 20 years. At the same time, for decades, federal subsidies have fallen short in serving those who are inadequately housed. The report states that as of 2022, rental assistance currently serves 5.1 million households, but the nation has 22.4 million cost burdened renter households. Jayachandran suggested that these demographic changes show that the affordable housing problem is not only a supply-side deficiency but also a demand-side issue that requires federal rental assistance to be "massively readjusted."

Homeownership Gap Disparities Persist

The report also shed light on how the housing market has affected homeowners and potential homebuyers. Rapid price appreciation has increased aggregate homeowner equity by 37 percent over the past 4 years. At the same time, the inventory of homes for sale is at a record low, a result of the "lock-in" effect in which homeowners are disincentivized to sell because they do not want to lose the low mortgage interest rates they have for their current homes. Unfortunately, high home prices have put homeownership out of reach for all but the highest-income households. According to the report, rising home prices and high interest rates require a minimum income of at least $100,000 to afford the median-priced home in nearly half of all metropolitan areas. Still, the low-downpayment mortgages that first-time homebuyers often pursue come with the tradeoff of slightly more than $3,000 in monthly payments after taxes and insurance for a median-priced home. Palmer states that with increased co-signing and rate buydowns, Taylor Morrison staff are seeing "the Bank of Mom and Dad in our sales and our closings at a higher rate than we've ever seen before."

The report states that households of color experience disadvantages that include "a lack of access to the intergenerational transfers of wealth that serve as a downpayment for many white homebuyers." Kornegay expanded on these disadvantages to highlight how historic institutional racism has created barriers to homeownership and that income inequality should not be conflated with racial inequality. For example, Kornegay stated that in Massachusetts, Black households are more likely to be denied a mortgage even if their income is greater than $75,000 annually. This acknowledgment has led MassHousing to consider where people of color live and purchase homes to create more targeted solutions for homeownership production and downpayment assistance. Kornegay also explains that special-purpose credit programs, which acknowledge the existence of barriers outside of income and credit, are necessary for reducing the racial homeownership gap.

Housing and Climate Resiliency

The panelists discussed the growing threat of climate change and strategies for resiliency for rental units and single-family owned homes. Billion-dollar disaster events related to climate change have become 9 times more frequent since the 1980s, with 28 such events occurring in 2023 alone. As the number of climate-related disasters continues to rise, the costs to cover housing damage have also risen. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index, more than 60 million units are in areas of at least moderate risk. Jayachandran focused on the existing stock of affordable housing that is vulnerable to extreme weather events. She said that because affordable housing historically has been intentionally relegated to vulnerable areas, policymakers need to exercise "equal intentionality" to relocate this housing to safer areas.

The report also discussed the challenges associated with reducing the residential carbon footprint, which amounts to 18 percent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. One key strategy — retrofitting older housing — also lowers energy costs in the long run; however, Kornegay explained that the costs of retrofits are a barrier for low-income homeowners. Recognizing this burden for these households, the federal government allocated $9 billion under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to rebate programs for energy-efficient technologies for single-family residences. The act also supports affordable multifamily housing by expanding existing tax credit programs and allocates an additional $1 billion for the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program to fund sustainability improvements in HUD-assisted housing.

A Crisis of Multiple Players

The report underscored how the housing affordability crisis impacts households across all income levels and demographics, and the panelists emphasized the need for expanded federal assistance and equitable homeownership opportunities. Furthermore, the effects of climate change and the contribution of residential areas to the country's carbon footprint require resilient housing with targeted assistance at various income levels. The panelists agreed that the solutions are multifaceted and require multiple stakeholders to expand the housing safety net for renters and homeowners.

This article was written by Sage Computing Inc, under contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The contents of this article are the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the U.S. Government.

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