It is important for this initial step of the research process that you be able to articulate your topic as a question. With this question in mind, you will be able to find more relevant sources that will provide you with answers to it. This helps you focus. It also helps when you know that you have enough sources for your research.
Imagine you are interested in the effects of legalization of drugs, for example. A possible question might be "Can legalization of drugs reduce drugs related crime in Bulgaria?"
Your topic doesn't have to be neither too broad, nor too narrow.
Keywords are words related to your topic that you use to search in catalogs, databases, and search engines to find information on your topic.
Usually keywords are words that are included in the title of the research question (but not always). Also, most of the time these words are not enough.
You will have to brainstorm for synonyms of these words, other spellings of the words, other forms of the words, and even words that are not in the title at all.
The keywords are usually nouns and adjectives. These could be places, names, things, etc.
The easiest way to come up with keywords is to go to reference sources (check the next tab of this guide).
