I need more words!

I told my advisor that I go down to look at the black books and write down words. She looked at me funny- like I was somehow cheating, though she never said that. It would otherwise be called building your vocabulary! Besides, as a writer I find words fascinating. Though I get bored with some that I use over and over again.

As I write my portfolio I get tired of saying I explored or studied.

Here are some synonyms

explored

analyze, burrow, delve into, dig examine,go a look, hunt, iinto, inspect,

leave no unturned, look probe,prospect, question, reconnoitre, research,

scout,scrutinize, search, seek, sift, test, tour, travel,traverse, try, turn inside out

Study-

comparison, concentration, consideration,contemplation,

debate,deliberation, examination, exercise, inquiry,inspection, investigation, lesson,

meditation, muse, musing,,questioning, reading, reasoning,

reflection,research, reverie, review, scrutiny, subject, survey,

thought,trance, weighing