Subject: Help

The Subject search option is used to retrieve records with "controlled vocabulary" (i.e. a standardized set of consistently used words or phrases) in the subject fields. The controlled vocabularys used in Orbis are the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). The results of this type of search are displayed in a Search Results list which may be browsed, forward and backward. More Info links provide Cross-References and Scope Notes as well as indicate relationships between the headings (e.g. broader and narrower terms).

If you do not use the exact subject term in its exact order, the resulting headings list will indicate "0" results for the term you entered. However, if there is a link for More Info, the "authorized" form of the heading will be provided with a hyperlink that can then be used to search for the subject without having to return to the search page. For example, if you enter byzantine art in a subject search, the result will be "0"; clicking on the More Info link will show a reference to "See: Art, Byzantine". Clicking on Art, Byzantine will then re-execute the search.

Search Strategies:

• Proper names can be used as subjects (e.g. entering bronte charlotte as a subject will retrieve materials about Charlotte Bronte).
• Commas, periods, apostrophes, and most punctuation should be omitted. (i.e., enter united states history civil war, not united states--history--civil war)
• Searches are automatically truncated (i.e., catalog records that begin with the words or phrases entered are retrieved). Do not use the question mark (?) for truncation.
• Search limits are not applicable.
• A Subject search can be done in one of the following two ways:
  1. To find the "authorized" form of the subject, consult the publication, Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), or ask a librarian for assistance. Enter the subjects in the search box, omitting punctuation.
  2. Enter a word, or the beginning of a word, that describes your topic (for example, a search on econ would return the topics econometrics, economic, economical, economist, economy, economies, etc.).
  • Review the search results and identify subjects that are relevant to your topic.
  • Select a heading in order to view a title list for that subject.
  • Select a catalog record from the title list.
  • Review the subjects assigned to the catalog record (the subjects should appear as hypertext links).
  • Click on the heading which most closely describes your topic to execute a search for that subject.

Example of Subject searches:

Example: