STEP 1: BRAINSTORM KEY WORDS on your topic.

This example focuses on food, but the same logic applies to celebrations, fashion, music, teams, hobbies, and other cultural topics.

Think about:

• a special food, for example:
  • hoppin' john, baklava, muhallebi, etc.
• a cuisine, for example:
  • Chinese food, Chinese American food, Italian, etc.
• an ethnic, racial, or geographic culture, for example:
  • Jewish American, Southern Black, Filipino, midwestern, etc.
• a country, for example:
  • Ethiopia, Thailand, etc.
• an influential food person, for example:
  • Alice Waters, Kristi Brown
• words that capture the complex relationship between national cuisines, border crossings, families, and identity. for example :
  • Chinese American, diaspora, heritage, globalization, local food, vegetarianism, Americanization, origin, history, popularity, immigration, emigration, assimilation, foodways, social history, memory, belonging, psychology, etc.

STEP 2: Use the Holman Library One Search to explore, test, & refine a topic and search terms

1. Type in a few starting search terms and browse the results list.
   • Look for ideas and language you can add to your search term list.
   • Get ideas from what journalists and researchers are writing about on your topic.
2. To learn more about a source & to find useful search words, click on the title and scroll down to find Subject Terms and a description of what the source is about.
   • Tip: Subject Terms are great for capturing major concepts.
3. Add the additional key words and Subject Terms you find and like to your list of search terms.
4. Use the limiters on the left to sort by books, reference articles, scholarship, news, and videos.
5. Email yourself any sources you might want to return to later!