Resources by Type: Dictionaries
(includes thesauri)

Description

• Restrict the search to two or three words that define your topic. If you include too many terms you may get fewer results
• Think of alternate search terms, both synonyms and antonyms, that could retrieve relevant results
• Use geographic descriptions to more clearly define the search
• Use personal names as search terms to limit results when relevant
• Consider how language has changed with time.  A term commonly used in the 1940's may have different implications today.

Here are some examples of terms that could lead to similar search results:

• Diplomacy / Diplomatic or Negotiate / Negotiation
• Nuclear Proliferation or Nuclear Nonproliferation
• Protest / Protester(s) or Demonstrate /Demonstration or Dissent

Be judicious in your use of AI search tools. You will be able to use more of a natural language search (like asking AI a question), but you will want to attempt to figure out the sources being used to answer your question. You may get sources that are not real (i.e. made up). There is also research demonstrating that users are getting responses that validate their point of view, rather than getting new ideas.