If you are performing a literature review, or perhaps are just looking for more precise information, it can help to have a search ‘cheat sheet’ to help. Whilst the Academic Phrasebank offers some insight into the examples of generalised academic writing, it does not help too much when it comes to finding knowledge. Here, I provide some general suggestions for synonymic searching depending on what you might be looking for. Hopefully, this collection of search terminology may help organise your searching. This article will be continually updated as more ideas come to light. If you yourself have any suggestions, then please use this form to let us know.
I have provided examples further down to demonstrate. Each example uses links to Google Scholar for ease of access.
X = [insert relevant subject term here]
Causes of Something
- Catalyst(s) of
- Causative effects
- Causatively affects
- Cause(s) of X
- Compelling force
- Contributes to
- Contributors to
- Contributory reason
- Impelling cause
- Initiating cause
- Pull factors
- Push factors
Descriptions of Something
- Delineates between
- Depicts X as / to be
- Describes X as
- Descriptions of X
- Expounds X
- Outlines X
- Portrays X as / to be
- Recounts X
Definitions of Something
- Defines X
- Defined X as
- Definitions of X
- Definitional
- Definitionally, X
- Classifies X
- Categorises X
- Explicates X
- The term X
- X refer(s) to
- X can be understood as / to be
- X is defined as
- X is understood as / to be
- Understands X as / to be
Outcomes of Something
- Adverse effects of X
- Adverse effects on X
- Determinants of X
- Effect(s) on / of X
- Impact of / on X
- Outcomes of X
- Results of X
- X affected X
- X effected X
What People Think of Something
- Attitude(s) to X (e.g., attitudes to students)
- Attitude(s) toward(s) X (e.g., attitudes towards students with disabilities)
- Attitudes based on X (e.g., attitudes based on feelings)
- Belief(s) of / in / towards (e.g., belief in climate change)
- Conception(s) of (e.g., conceptions of education)
- Discriminatory opinions (e.g., discriminatory opinions of gender)
- Discriminatory views (e.g., discriminatory views of women)
- Negative attitude(s) of / to / towards (e.g., negative attitudes to disability)
- Negative conception(s) of / towards (e.g., negative conceptions of men)
- Opinions on / of (e.g., opinions on abortion)
- Perceptions of X (e.g., perceptions of Jews)
- Positive attitudes (e.g., positive attitudes towards disability)
- Positive conceptions (e.g., Positive conceptions of gender)
- Views about X (e.g., views about education)
- Views on X (e.g., views on schooling)
Why Somebody Does Something
- Activating mechanism(s)
- Catalyst(s) of / for
- Compelling force(s)
- Drivers of
- Driving force(s)
- Driving motive(s)
- Driving reason(s)
- Initiating cause(s)
- Motivating factor(s)
- Motivation factor(s)
- Motivations
- Pull factor(s)
- Push factor(s)
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