Keyword versus Subject Searches
| Keyword | Subject Search |
|---|---|
| Broadens a search | Narrows a search |
| Searches terms anywhere in record | Search only for term in subject field |
| Use any term or phrase you want | Assigned subject (controlled vocabulary) |
| Use to narrow a topic when you don’t know specific subject headings | Use to find all books or articles on a given subject heading |
What in the world is controlled vocabulary?
Have you ever looked something up in the yellow pages only to be sent somewhere else? For instance, you looked for piano lessons under P only to read “see Music Instruction.” You’ve just encountered controlled vocabulary.
Controlled vocabulary is used to organize information so that it can easily be retrieved. Instead of looking for piano lessons under P, flute lessons under F, and trumpet lessons under T, all of these similar topics are listed under one subject heading— Music Instruction.
Milne Library uses controlled vocabulary developed by the Library of Congress (LC). You can see a list of subject headings for an item in GLOCAT by looking at the full record of the item: