Subject headings are "controlled vocabulary" words. These words have been carefully
identified and defined by subject indexers. They are used to describe the specific content of the materials listed in online catalogs, print,
and electronic indexes. Frequently, subject headings are published in a thesaurus. Some examples of subject heading
thesauri are:
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Library of Congress Subject Headings-usually kept at library reference desks
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ERIC thesaurus-terminology for the broad field of education
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CAB thesaurus-terminology for the broad field of agriculture
In online catalogs and electronic indexes subject headings (sometimes called descriptors, identifiers, or subject terms) are always found in the subject or descriptor fields of the bibliographic record.
In print indexes subject headings are used as the main headings and sub-divisions under which relevant items are listed
In online catalogs or electronic indexes, a subject search scans only the subject or descriptor fields of the bibliographic records. This allows you to retrieve items whose content is directly relevant to the specific subject you are looking for. It also reduces the total number of items you will retrieve. The trick is to identify the right subject headings for your topic. If you have trouble identifying the best subject headings for your topic,
ASK A LIBRARIAN.
