Before and during your search, consider all keywords related to your topic and common synonyms of your keywords. Often, academic writers across the world use different terms for the same concept.

Screenshot of the Global Search with the search "Death Penalty"

Start on the [UMass Library homepage](https://umassglobal.libguides.com/library) and search your term in the **Discover Books and Articles** search bar.

Screenshot of search results with Capital Punishment and Death Penalty circled

The search results page already shows a difference in search terms: Capital punishment and Death penalty.

Screenshot highlighting the search bar and the Advanced Search link

Click on **Advanced Search** under the search bar at the top of the page.

Search bar screenshot with the dropdown suggestion death penalty and capital punishment circled

In the first search bar, type your term again and look at the options that pop up. Often, the dropdown provides a clickable search option that includes all synonyms. The dropdown also shows helpful search phrases that you might find helpful to browse.

Screenshot with the term "recidivism" added to the second search box

You may also put additional terms in the second or third search bar. This way, the Advanced Search will search for the terms together. Think about any related keywords that will expand upon your topic.

Screenshot with the Subjects section circled under the resource information. Subjects include "public opinions," "capital punishment," and "death attitudes."

To find other keywords, check out the **Subjects** section under each article. This shows the search words that also would have yielded the article as a search result.

It is always a great idea to switch out different words and phrases in the search bar. Searching different words and phrases can significantly alter your search results.

What keywords should I use to search?