Build a keyword set
Use the Keyword Tool to move from an initial topic idea to a search query that can be defended and reproduced.
Start narrow
Begin with the clearest terms for the construct. Add synonyms, phrases, and plural forms after checking whether they match the intended concept in earnings-call language.
For example, a first pass might separate general terms from phrase variants:
inflation OR pricing OR "margin pressure"
Validate suggestions
Suggested related terms still need review. Keep terms that capture the intended concept, and reject terms that create false positives or ambiguous matches.
Use matched sentences where available to check how terms appear in context. A keyword set is not validated just because it returns many matches.
For a suggested term whose relevance is unclear, use the Keyword Tool's example-sentence review where available. Read the randomly selected sentences and track whether each sentence uses the term in the intended sense. If most examples use the term correctly for the construct, the term is a better candidate for the final query.
Rejecting a suggestion means it will not join the accepted keyword list and should not be shown again. It does not train the Keyword Tool beyond that.
Use settings deliberately
Keyword Tool settings can change which suggestions you see:
- Length controls whether suggestions include one-word, two-word, three-word, or mixed-length phrases.
- Number of keywords controls how many suggestions are returned.
- Model selection changes the earnings-call period used for similarity suggestions.
- Capitalization is respected by default and can be turned off in the tool settings.
Record non-default settings when they affect the final keyword set.
Balance precision and recall
Precision means the matched sentences usually describe the intended concept. Recall means the query captures more of the relevant language.
To improve precision, use exact phrases or exclusions:
silicon AND NOT valley
To improve recall, add variants manually:
company OR companies
Record the query
Save the exact query string outside the product workflow you are using for analysis. Also record the date range, selected options, and any later refinements.
Where available, save the Keyword Tool search protocol. Keep it with the final query definition so accepted terms, rejected terms, and example-sentence review can be audited later.