DEVELOPING YOUR SEARCH STRATEGY--some TIPS
Keywords vs. Subject Headings
- Some keywords have assigned subject headings while others do not.
- To find if your keyword(s) have a suggested subject heading, look for a link to the Thesaurus, Subject Terms, MeSH, CINAHL Headings (names varies depending on database).
- Some databases do not allow subject searching (that is, they don't have a thesaurus). One example is JSTOR.
Spell out acronyms. For example, "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act" in quotes for HIPAA
Using an asterisk and quotation marks can improve your search.
Research support from subject specialist/liaison librarians. Librarians can help you with...