Subject
Keyword
Subject
Subject Headings- SEARCH STRATEGIES
The Subject Headings search uses Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). These are specific terms that have been created to standardize the vast range of research topics. A Subject Headings search is therefore different from a keyword search, in which you use your own terms. For example, "motion pictures" is a Library of Congress Subject Heading, but "film" is not.
1. Subject Searching from a heading you don't know
2. Subject Searching from a heading you know
1. Subject Searching from a heading you don't know
Library of Congress headings are often difficult to determine. When you are doing a subject search from a heading you don't know, try the following:
- Click on the radio button beside Subject Heading
- Try typing what you believe to be the subject heading. You will get a list of terms. If they are in blue, they are accepted LCSH.
- If this doesn't work you might get an oval "See Also" button
to the right of each result. Clicking on this button will give you the relevant subject headings.
- If this doesn't work, repeat you search using the KEYWORD option. Click on a relevant title, and do further searches using the subject heading assigned to that title.
2. Subject Searching from a heading you know
- Click on the radio button beside Subject Heading
- Enter the words in the correct Subject Heading order. Remembering to omit dashes and other punctuation, enter:
women abolitionists United States history - Click
- You will see a list of Subject Headings
- You will see your term in the list of subject headings
- Click on the term to see a list of titles
- To get the details of a book, click on the title
- In the book record, you will see a list of further Subject Headings for this book. You may click on any of these to find more books on these topics
