Most of us just start typing when we encounter a search box. However, understanding the differences between
keywords - words anywhere in a record or text and
subject headings or descriptors - phrases assigned to a catalog record by a human being who has assessed the content
can help you to focus or to expand your search. Using subject headings will pull together related records with terminology you may have not considered in your keyword search.
Below are some examples of keyword searches and related subject headings.
| Keywords |
Subject Headings |
| european explorers and missionaries |
africa, east--discovery and exploration |
| european colonies in africa |
africa--colonization--history |
| territorial conflict and wars |
zulu war, 1879 |
| apartheid and race |
south africa--race relations |
| decolonization and independence |
africa--history--autonomy and independence movements |
The Library of Congress Subject Headings use standard subdivisions under place names (countries, states, counties, cities, and other geographic divisions) to classify works. These are some of our favorites for history, most can be further subdivided by time period:
| Subject Terms | Used For |
|---|---|
| --history |
Any work of history. Can be divided by time period; each place has its own unique set of time period divisions. Example: arkansas--history--19th century Catalogers will assign the most specific time period that applies to the entire work. |
| --civilization |
cultural studies and characteristics |
| --economic conditions |
trade and business, income and distribution of wealth |
| --foreign relations |
diplomatic relations between countries or regions |
| --intellectual life |
literature, philosophy, political thought, public discourse |
| --personal narratives* |
first-hand accounts of historical events |
| --politics and government |
elections, campaigns, parties, legislative process |
| --social conditions |
poverty or affluence, housing, labor, educational attainment, social classes |
| --social life and customs |
folkways, popular culture |
| --sources* |
collections of original source documents |