|
Keyword
Search |
Keyword
Searching within the Subject Field (Browse) |
Subject
Search |
| Explanation |
Searches for the keyword(s)
in any searchable field of the record. |
Searches the subject heading
field only by keyword. |
Searches only the subject
heading (or descriptor) field for exact
matches. |
| Advantage |
Easier to get results matching
on any searchable field. |
Allows for the identification
of subject headings. |
Produces a precise result
set where all records should be on the topic
being searched, few "false hits". |
| Disadvantage |
Often produces a large result
set with many "false hits". |
This feature is not always
an option or not easy to identify as an
option. |
Produces no results unless
the exact heading is searched. |
| How to do this type of
search |
Most databases default to
a keyword search. Type a word or words in
the search box(es). Use quotation marks
to enclose phrases. For example: "cold
war" |
Look for a "browse"
button or a thesaurus link. Type a word
in the search box that comes up. |
Look for subject or descriptor
in the drop down menu to the right of the
search box in most databases. Click to change
the index before searching. |
| Searching multiple concepts |
Search for multiple concepts
by using the Boolean operator AND. For example:
Women and "civil war" |
Keyword searching of the subject
field does not allow for searching multiple
concepts. Run the search with the first
concept, then revise the search by adding
another concept with the Boolean operator
AND. |
Subject searching does not
allow for the searching of multiple concepts
simultaneously. Identify subject headings
for each concept, then search them in combination
with the Boolean operator AND. |
| When to use this type of
search |
Use when first searching a
topic or if subject headings are not known.
Also use when having difficulty finding
information about a topic. |
When available, use to identify
subject headings. Subject searching is more
precise than keyword, so using a subject
heading is a good idea whenever possible. |
Use when the subject heading
is known or has been identified. Use to
refine a search after identifying appropriate
subject headings, identified during keyword
searching, from articles that match desired
information. |
