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Develop a search statement

Key Phrases and Keywords as Boolean Search Tools

Your concept map will have identified the component subtopics of your research question. Key phrases and keywords that aptly identify and define each subtopic element will appear as captions on your concept map. Another way of describing subtopic captions would be to label them as
"the big ideas"; the major aspects of your deconstructed research question / research problem.

Your initial search strategy will employ these key phrases and keywords captions as Boolean search terms.

To adequately broaden your search strategy however in order to become a comprehensive literature search you will need to brainstorm related, alternative, variant terminology. What other terms could be used to describe your research question components? Study a few common engineering terminology examples which are spelt out in the three tables below. 

You need to record your related terms and synonyms (words with the same or similar meaning) synonymous phrases with their variant spellings as they must be integrated into your search strategy. Group the keyword synonyms into your Boolean search strategy, the template for which is in Question 2 of your worksheet task; Developing a Search Statement.  Synonyms and related terms get grouped inside of a set of parenthesis with each linked by the OR search operator. 

Synonymous Phrases, Keywords, Alternatives & Variant Spellings ~ Engineering Examples

Examples of Synonymous Words and Phrases / Variant Engineering Terminology

American English British English
transportation transport
rotary, traffic circle roundabout
interstate highway motorway
transaxle differential
drive shaft transmission
truck lorry
railroad railway
subway underground (railway)
cellular network mobile network
afterburner reheater
production engineering manufacturing engineering
U.S. customary units / inch-pound measures imperial units

Variant Spelling of Engineering Terms

American English British English
color colour
behavior behaviour
harbor harbour
meter metre
kilometer kilometre
tire tyre
theater theatre
aluminum aluminium

Examples of Related Engineering Terminology

Key Term Related Term
laser sensing LIDAR
airfoil wing
bitumen asphalt
friction wear
spur gears helical gears
wireless charging inductive power transmission
telemetry data transmission
power spectrum power spectral density
Subjects: Engineering / Chemical process engineering, Engineering / Civil engineering, Engineering / Computer and software systems engineering, Engineering / Electrical engineering, Engineering / Mechanical engineering, Engineering / Mechatronics engineering, Engineering / Medical engineering
Tags: biomedical engineering, capstone engineering projects, chemical process engineering, civil engineering, EGH400, EGH408, electrical engineering, en01, ENN595, IX59, mechanical engineering