Searching with Subject Terms

Searching with subject terms is a more precise way to find articles related to your topic.

Finding Subject Terms

When you find a good article, look at the subject terms describing the article and try searching those. You'll find the subject terms by clicking on the article citation from your search results.

This clickable image (Links to an external site.) labels the important elements of a search result, including the subject terms.

As an example, the article citation below includes a list of subject terms to give me more ideas related to this topic.

Example journal article citation

Worksheet Activity

When you find relevant articles on your topic, pay close attention to the subject terms assigned and note them on item 4 of your worksheet.

Searching with Subject Terms

To search with subject terms, type a relevant subject term in one box and another relevant subject term related to a different element of your topic in the next box. Change the "Select a Field" drop down box to "SU Subject Terms."

Searching by subject

You may find more relevant articles after you complete a few subject searches. You'll get more results (and sometimes maybe better results) if you don't limit by subject terms. It's important to experiment in your searching to achieve the most relevant results.

Research is a process, and you'll likely need to continue trying different sets of terms to find relevant articles.

Worksheet Activity

When you find the combinations of keyword and/or subject terms that give you the most relevant results, note those on item 5 of your worksheet.

Now let's look at searching for books.