Why are keywords included in a paper

The submission system has an online form asking for the manuscript title and abstract. But wait! You wonder: What do keywords do? How many should there be? Can keywords be two words, or more? Which ones should I use? This blog aims to answer those questions. What are keywords, and why are they important? How do I choose keywords?

As an author, you want people to find, read, and cite your work. Journal editors also want people to find, read, and cite their journals. Hence, journals typically ask authors to provide keywords. Keywords might also be used by the journal office for administrative purposes. A good clear match will reduce the chance of desk rejection.

Quick Aside: Keywords can be single words, but they can also be multiple-word phrases. Appropriate keyword selection is both a science and an art. Asked by Fred Dapaah on 27 Dec, Literature search is an important part of research writing.

When you conduct a literature search online, you should be able to dig out relevant published articles. The purpose of keywords in a research paper is to help other researchers find your paper when they are conducting a search on the topic. Keywords define the field, subfield, topic, research issue, etc. Most electronic search engines, databases, or journal websites use keywords to decide whether and when to display your paper to interested readers.

Keywords make your paper searchable and ensure that you get more citations. Thus, it is important to include the most relevant keywords that will help other authors find your paper. How to write an effective title and abstract and choose appropriate keywords The complete guide to writing a brilliant research paper You will also find this ebook useful - Write a compelling abstract: Practical advice for researchers.

Answered by Editage Insights on 30 Mar, Resources for authors and journals. Upvote this Answer 13 Comment. Answer: hi. Upvote this Answer 4 Comment. Answer: among us. Upvote this Answer 5 Comment. Upvote this Answer 1 Comment. Answer this question.

Ask a new question. This content belongs to the Manuscript Writing Stage Translate your research into a publication-worthy manuscript by understanding the nuances of academic writing.

No Yes. Start thinking about the terms you use to search for papers related to your topic. Possibly these are the terms used by other researchers for searching the topic of your interest. These terms can be ideal keywords for your Research Article. A good example is what happens when you do a search for security. Using the keyword phrase network security for cloud computing on the other hand, turns up a couple of research articles about network security for cloud computing.

Note that actually keywords are not simply set of words instead they are phrases. Identify the generally used alternate terms for the words written in your title.

That is, include significant abbreviations, acronyms, and other short-form or substitute names for your paper. But care should be taken while using acronyms that may have other meanings. WWW would be a abbreviation since most hits would relate to the Internet. Do not use words or phrases from the title as keywords. This is because most of the search engines and journal databases use Research Title for indexing purpose.

Keywords should contain words and phrases that suggest what the topic is about.