Skip to Main Content

Research: Key terms

Key terms are words and phrases that relate to your topic. 

In order to find information related to your topic, you will need to develop a list of key terms that you will use to search encyclopaedia, databases, catalogues, indexes and more. This list will include key concepts, synonyms and related terms. It may also include:

  • abbreviations
  • acronyms
  • varied spellings
  • varied terminology
  • technical terms
  • terms that have changed meaning over time
  • names of key experts, writers and theorists

As you progress through your research project, it is likely you will add to this list. 

Synonyms

A synonym is a word that has a similar meaning to another word. For example:

  • teacher - educator 
  • college - university 
  • bus - coach
  • library - media centre
  • test - exam - assessment 

Related terms

Related terms can have similar meanings to the original key term. They can be broader or narrower terms.