Pull out the most important aspects of your research question
Use different keywords / synonyms / alternate terms
Brainstorm a list or create a word web
Use a thesaurus to help you think of alternate words
Example:
Does crime spike during public emergencies?
Crime: felony, criminal offense, lawlessness, misdemeanor, wrongdoing, unlawful act, violation of law
Spike: increase, raise, boost, upsurge, escalate, intensify, amplify
Public emergency: natural disaster, public disaster, public crisis, hurricane, tornado, wild fire, state of emergency