You can use subject headings to:
- Determine the subject of an article or book
- Search more efficiently for books and articles on topics
- Discover other items on the same subject – the subject headings are linked
There are several kinds of subject headings used in library databases. They can be subject-specific like the Medical Subject Headings used in Medline or more general like the Library of Congress Subject Headings used in the library catalogue.
Not all databases use subject headings.
- JSTOR, Web of Science, Summon, Google Scholar, and Scopus all don't use them.
Where to find them
- In the item record's detailed description – See example below for subjects for the book Ethics of Consumption in LibrarySearch
Other places
- In a sidebar of the search results screen – usually on the left – as a way to refine your search
- In a THESAURUS or INDEX TERMS link on the advanced search page of a database
Synonyms
- Index terms
- Thesaurus terms
- Subject terms
- Descriptors
(Source - UofT Libraries FAQ - How can I use subject headings to improve my searching?)