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Knowledge Centre · Guide

How to Choose Keywords for a Research Paper

Practical advice on selecting keywords that improve discoverability in databases and search engines.

Last updated: May 2026 · 4 min read · Audience: Authors, students, early-career researchers · Reading level: Introductory

This guide is part of the Knowledge Centre maintained by EP Journals Group, an open access publisher of six peer-reviewed academic journals covering engineering and technology, economics and finance, management, natural sciences, social sciences, and education and finance. All journals operate under documented double-blind peer review with two independent reviewers, assign CrossRef DOIs on acceptance, and publish under a CC BY 4.0 licence.

Key points

  • Keywords are used by databases and search engines to index and surface your article in relevant searches.
  • Use 4–8 keywords; most journals specify the exact number in their Author Guidelines.
  • Include terms that searchers actually use — check Google Scholar or PubMed for common terminology in your field.
  • Avoid duplicating words already in your title; keywords should extend discoverability, not repeat it.
  • Use controlled vocabulary where your field has it: MeSH for medicine, JEL codes for economics.

Why keywords matter for discoverability

When a researcher searches Google Scholar, PubMed, or a university library database, the system matches their query against the title, abstract, and keywords of indexed articles. Well-chosen keywords mean your paper appears in more relevant searches.

How to select effective keywords

  1. Start with your core concepts: List the 3–4 main ideas your paper addresses.
  2. Check what searchers use: Go to Google Scholar and search for papers similar to yours. What terms appear in their titles and keywords?
  3. Use controlled vocabulary where available: Medicine uses MeSH; Economics uses JEL codes; Computer Science uses the ACM Computing Classification System.
  4. Avoid overly broad terms: management or health alone will not differentiate your paper from thousands of others.
  5. Avoid terms already in your title: Keywords should expand discoverability, not repeat it.
  6. Include your geographic or demographic focus: Researchers with the same focus will find you.
Test your keywords before submission: enter them into Google Scholar and check whether the results are papers in your field.

Number of keywords

Most journals ask for 4–8 keywords. Use the full allocation. Each additional relevant keyword is another route by which a reader can discover your paper.

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Related reading and next steps

  • How to write a research abstract
  • How to submit a manuscript
  • Submit to EP Journals Group

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    Last site update: April 2026