Search Databases Using Subject Terms

Introduction

Library research databases include a subject terms or thesaurus feature to help the researcher find information effectively. Knowing how subject terms or thesaurus features are structured will lead to effective use and retrieval of information.

Task

The goal of this Webquest is to show you how to search databases by using subject terms. These terms will be found in the subject terms or thesaurus feature of a database. You should complete the Exploring Search Terms form below with the subject terms you've found.

Process

After going through this section, your search of databases should improve because you know

• that relationships among subject terms are established when listed in a hierarchy
• a hierarchical structure includes terms that are broader and narrower in meaning
• exploration of terms should lead you to one which is a right for the topic you are researching

Use of Subject terms within a research database

Databases consist of a large number of item records that can be found using specific criteria. The structure of many databases includes a directory of Subject Terms. Item records in these databases include Subject Terms. For example in the item record shown in figure 1, subject terms are BIOSECURITY, MARINE organisms, MARINE resources, and AWARENESS.

Figure 1 ______________________________________________________________________________________

To find subject terms to include in your search open the Subject Terms directory which is located on the top of the opening page of Academic Search Complete.

Figure 2 - Subject Terms directory in Academic Search Complete

Let’s say that you want to begin a search on the topic of aquatic resources. According to the Scope Note, aquatic resources is a term that concerns "water-based resources in general." A Broader term is Natural Resources and a Narrower term is Algae.

Figure 3 Aquatic Resources Heading

 

Search terms related to the topic conservation of aquatic life were filled in below.  

1. To add subject terms to the search field, you can mark one or more terms and click the ADD button.

Figure 4 Subject Terms Browse Feature

2. By marking the term and clicking the Add button, the term Aquatic resources conservation is

pasted into the search field.

 Figure 5 Search Term Aquatic resources conservation is Pasted into Search Field

Take a minute to test your understanding of hierarchical subject lists of terms. Choose the term with a broader meaning in the following groups.

Which term has a broader meaning?

a. lakes b. bodies of water

a. water resources b. ground water resources

a. fresh water resources b. streams

The Subject Terms feature in Academic Search Complete uses the Subject Tree Hierarchy which is a way to show relationships between one subject term and other related terms. Understanding a Subject Tree Hierarchy will be helpful in other areas of library research.

A Subject Tree Hierarchy is a list of terms presented so that the relationship of terms is visually shown. The broad term is listed on top and terms underneath that term are less broad in definition. Each level is indented. This structure is known as a hierarchy.

Conservation of Natural Resources (Term = broad)

          Water Conservation (Term = Second level less broad)

                      Water Conservation Projects (Term = Third level less broad)

Retrieval of search results

Choosing a subject term such as aquatic resources conservation and clicking on SU Subject Terms in the drop down menu will narrow the focus of your search. 

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Figure 6 Aquatic Resources Conservation subject term

A search by subject of Aquatic Resources Conservation brought back 243 full text items. 

Figure 7 Search results for Aquatic Resources Conservation subject term

Figure 8 Item record with Subject of Aquatic Resources Conservation

Find Equivalent Subjects Feature

To ease the discovery of articles, databases designed by EBSCO including Academic Search Complete have integrated a feature called “Find equivalent subjects” into the search engine. If you choose Advanced Search and choose Smart Text searching, you will see that “Find equivalent subjects” is checked by default. Say the search term you enter is “restore streams.” Follow some steps to see how many results in full text are found.

1. Click on advanced search and check Find all my search terms

Figure 9 Advanced Search form

2. Enter a keyword like restore streams

 

Figure 10 keyword entry in Advanced Search form

3. Results in full text include 212 articles

Figure 11 Search results 

By marking Find All My Search Terms, the example above delivered 212 results. These results are likely to have a broader subject range, which is still helpful part of the research process.

Evaluation

• You should be able to correctly arrange subject terms in a subject tree hierarchy.
• You should be able to browse the subject headings and paste a subject heading into the search field.
• You should evaluate the usefulness of a specific subject term in obtaining the results that will be useful in your research.
• You should use the hierarchies of broader and narrower terms and state how such exploration helped you obtain relevant results.

Assessment of concepts covered in Subject Terms Searching Lecture

1. If a subject term is used in a search rather than a keyword, the results returned will be

a. more broad b. less broad

2. In a hierarchy of subject terms, the broadest term is listed above other terms

a. true b. false

3. When a search term is entered into a database and a search performed, the database chooses items at random to include in the results list

a. true b. false

4. Which of the two terms below has a broader meaning?

a. fresh water resources b. streams

Conclusion

Use of subject terms to search databases increases knowledge of how a database retrieves relevant articles. Through a process of exploring the relationships of subject terms to other terms, the researcher develops skill in the choice of subject terms on which to perform searches of the database. There are built-in features of databases such as Academic Search Complete that enhance discovery of articles. Enhancements in the advanced search of the database include checkboxes to “Find all my search terms” and “Apply equivalent subject terms.” These enhancements are helpful to speed the discovery of articles and provide an alternative method to intensely explore subject terms.

Searching as Strategic Exploration is one Frame within Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education addressed by this WebQuest.

Knowledge Practices in this frame inform learners to: 

• understand how information systems (i.e., collections of recorded information) are organized in order to access relevant information;
• use different types of searching language (e.g., controlled vocabulary, keywords, natural language) appropriately.

WebQuest developed in 2017 by Steve Thompson, Outreach Librarian, Rock Valley College, Rockford, Illinois USA