For more precise searching in the catalog use these index labels.
Author Search
Exact search Au= author name
Non exact search Au: author name
Title Search
Exact search Ti= title
Non exact search Ti: title
Personal Name
Exact search Pn= name
Non exact search Pn: name
Library of Congress Subject Descriptor
Exact search De= subject
Non exact search De: subject
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Exact search Hm= MeSH
Non exact search Hm: MeSH
Example:
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| Keywords | Subjects |
| Natural language words that describe your topic | Pre-defined "controlled vocabulary" that describe what an item is about |
| More flexible search - looks for anywhere the words appear in the record | Less flexible search - only the subject fields will be searched |
| Broader search, but may yield irrelevant results | Targeted search; results are usually more relevant to the topic, but may miss some variations |
Keyword searching is how we normally start a search. Pull out important words or phrases from your topic.
Subject Terms and/or Headings are pre-defined terms that are used to describe the content of an item. These terms are a controlled vocabulary and function similarly to hashtags on social media.
We are indebted to the MIT What are subject headings and keywords? box for some concepts displayed here.
In the Catalog, subject headings are displayed under "Description" in the record of an item. Click on the arrow to the left of "Description" and then scroll down to the section called "Subjects."
In the Databases, subject headings may be listed as Descriptors, Subjects and/or Subject Headings and are typically located in the Abstract and/or Details of an article.
Be sure to use commands, called Boolean Operators, to further specify your search.