One common issue you might experience is that your first search results yield little to no results. When this happens, you'll want to take a closer look at your search strategy. What terms have you entered? Did you enter an entire sentence? Useful keywords are specific and descriptive, and librarians generally recommend using 2-4 terms at a time.

For more information on keyword searching, check out the Forming a Search Strategy guide.

If you're using 2-4 specific terms and still finding little to no information, your topic may be too narrow. This will require you to broaden your scope (or size and scale). In these cases you should look for broader topics and ideas.

• One easy way to do this is by broadening the components of your topic. Think about the broad aspects of your topic, such as the issues or key players.
• Can you generalize the issue, or find related issues or industries or locations?
• Another way to find more information is to develop additional keywords related to your topic. Ask yourself "What are some synonyms to the terms you were already using?"
• Are there databases or indexes you haven’t searched in yet?
• Keep in mind, some topics are so new (especially current events), books may be scarce, so you might want to look at newspapers, web pages, government reports, and other sources.

Again, you can ask a librarian for assistance in broadening and expanding the search criteria.

Let's walk through the process of broadening your topic using this example: gentrification of Lincoln Park, Duluth.

For context, gentrification is "a process of urban change that displaces low-income and minority communities with wealthier newcomers and real estate development" (National Geographic, "Gentrification," 2023).

One easy way to do this is by broadening the components of your topic. Think about the broad aspects of your topic, such as the issues or key players. Can you generalize the issue, or find related issues or industries or locations?

• Look for information about the Twin Ports more generally.
• Consider larger cities in the state or country (like Minneapolis).
• Consider doing general background research on gentrification.
• Identify involved industries like real estate.

Another way to find more information is to develop additional keywords related to your topic. Ask yourself "What are some synonyms to the terms you were already using?"

• Consider the different viewpoints involved and the language used. For example, real estate investors and governments might use the term "neighborhood revitalization" instead of "gentrification."
• Identify the impacts of gentrification, such as displacement, social change, and loss of community, and use those impacts as search terms.

Are there databases or indexes you haven’t searched in yet?

• Consider where you're searching and try different search terms in various databases.
• On the library's databases page, use the subject filter to find subject-specific databases related to urban development. Go beyond your tried and true, try a database that's new to you!

Keep in mind, some topics are so new (especially current events), books may be scarce, so you might want to look at newspapers, web pages, government reports, and other sources.

• Search local papers like the Duluth News Tribune or the Star Tribune.
• Identify relevant non-profits and see what information they have, like One Roof Community Housing.
• Consider government reports and policy recommendations, such as the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.