Break it into key concepts and identify terms for each concept. Start with fewer words. Less yields more.
Think about which individuals or groups of people or organizations are associated with your topic. These might be additional terms to search.
Consider what type of information you need and where you might find it.
Use Boolean connectors like and, or, and not to connect keywords. Many databases search the words as a phrase otherwise.
Truncation characters such as an * (asterisk) can expand your search by retrieving various forms of a word, e.g., comput* retrieves computer, computers, computing, computation, etc.
Evaluate Article Relevance
Look at subject terms applied to relevant articles. Did you find additional articles by searching these subject headings?
Which terms or search strategies yielded the best results?
Look at the abstract. Are there additional keyword terms you might search?
Don't be too narrow in your search, especially initially.
How long is the article?
Who is the author of the article?
In which journal or periodical was this article published?
Journals List
Looking for a specific journal, magazine, or newspaper?
Use Journals List to search for the title of a journal, magazines, or newspaper and determine if the library offers online access or print access to that publication.
The MLA Directory of Periodicals provides detailed information on over 25,000 journals and book series that cover literature, literary theory, dramatic arts, folklore, language, linguistics, pedagogy, rhetoric and composition, and the history of printing and publishing. The directory is a valuable resource for scholars seeking outlets to publish their work.
Who Uses the Directory
Scholars and students seeking to submit their work for publication use the Directory of Periodicals to identify the journals and series most likely to consider their work. The directory includes essential information such as topics covered, editorial policies, contact information, and submission guidelines. As they explore new areas of interest, researchers can uncover relevant publications by subject searching in the directory. Scholars and students also use the directory to find more information about unfamiliar resources they discover in their libraries or see cited by fellow students or researchers. Librarians use the MLA Directory of Periodicals to identify materials that best support their faculty members, students, and curricula.
Learn more at https://www.mla.org/Publications/MLA-International-Bibliography/About-the-MLA-International-Bibliography/MLA-Directory-of-Periodicals
Each journal or series entry provides detailed information, including:
Publication details, such as publisher, sponsoring organization, ISSN, frequency, and year of first publication
Editorial policies, such as scope, including subject terms assigned by the directory editor; peer review; average number of readers per manuscript; publication language or languages; acceptance of book reviews, brief notes, abstracts, and advertising; copyright policy; and charges associated with publication
Contact details for editors, including e-mail addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, and mailing addresses for manuscripts
Submission requirements, including recommended style and format for article submission, article length, and blind-submission requirements
Electronic availability, including URLs for article submission and links to open-access online content where available
Subscription information with full subscription contact information, distributors, subscription rates, and circulation numbers
Useful statistics, such as the average number of manuscripts of various types submitted to a journal each year and the number published, time from submission to decision, and time from decision to publication