Add keywords or keyword phrases you want to use to describe the project. 

• Examples of words: Corn, Maze, Bioenergy
• Examples of phrases: Native Plants, Climate Change, Food Safety

The purpose of assigning keywords and key phrases to your project is to improve the retrieval capacity of project information on certain topic areas. 

The keywords you choose should be as all-encompassing for your project's topic area as possible so that different keywords searched by various queries will still pull up your project information.

For example, if your project is aimed at researching new wheat varieties, you will want to include more than the word "wheat" as a keyword. More helpful words and phrases may include: wheat, wheat varieties, cultivar, grain.

HINT: If there are specific words or phrases that you have used repeatedly in other sections of your project initiation (i.e. in the non-technical summary, goals, products, etc.), then those same words or phrases should be in your keywords section.

Another way to think of keywords is that they should, collectively, resemble an abbreviated abstract of the project narrative. Keywords can be a word or phrase that represents a concept, and they can fit into three areas or levels: general concept, class or category of research, and specific subject/item of research.

• General Level: Refers to overall objectives in the major fields of interest or disciplines. It is best to include at least two general level keywords. Examples: HARVESTING, MECHANIZATION.
• Class Level: Refers to classes or categories of subjects or items, and to moderately broad concepts or areas of interest which conceptually group the specific entry keywords into like classes. It is best to enter at least 4 class level keywords/phrases. Examples are: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, HARVESTING LOSSES, CROP DAMAGE
• Specific Entry: Refers to the most specific concepts, subjects, or items under study. It includes the specific plant, animal, or microorganism; the specific equipment, processes, approach, technique, or system; and specific properties, reactions or functions. It is best to select at least 4-5 specific entry level keywords or phrase. Examples are: POTATOES, MECHANICAL HARVESTING, HARVESTING EQUIPMENT, BULK HANDLING, SKINNING, BRUISING.

 

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