2.3.1 Keyword or subject searching?

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Keyword searching

Keyword searching is the default search in most search tools. A keyword search finds the keywords anywhere in the record.

Most searches begin with a keyword search.

Keyword searching is usually less precise than subject searching and often returns irrelevant results.

Use keyword searching to help you identify appropriate subject terms.

Keyword searching is good for searching on new terminology and jargon.

Subject searching

Many (but not all) search tools allow subject searching.

A subject search only searches the subject field of the record. Subject terms are also called subject headings, descriptors and index terms.

A person called an indexer or cataloguer reviews the content of an item and assigns relevant subject terms to the record for that item.

For example:

The subject terms assigned to this item are:

The subject terms are chosen from a list of set terms called a thesaurus or subject index.

Note: Different search tools use different subject terms. For example, library catalogues use Library of Congress Subject Headings, while the PsycINFO database uses a specialised psychology thesaurus. You need to determine the subject terms used by the search tool to describe your topic before you perform your search.

Once you have identified some appropriate subjects, start using subject searches.

Subject searching helps you find relevant information regardless of the varying terminology used by different authors.

Keyword and subject terms can be combined using Boolean operators.