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Searching by Subject

Search by Subject to find information about topics, individuals, and organizations, and to find information in particular genres. For example:

  • African Americans
  • molecular biology
  • King, Martin Luther
  • United States Supreme Court
  • jazz
  • documentary films

To search for information about a person, use Subject Search, entering the last name first. To search for material by a person, use Author Search, entering the last name first.

Name Search Finds
King, Martin Luther Subject Material about Martin Luther King
King, Martin Luther Author Material by Martin Luther King

Bates College Library uses subject headings formulated by the Library of Congress. These headings are published in Library of Congress Subject Headings, located in Reference. Librarians are also available to assist you.

Four Tips for Finding Relevant Subject Headings Online

1. Use other searches, then search subjects that are used in the resulting records.

A Word Search: brain and music
finds "Music and the brain : studies in the neurology of music"
which has these subject headings:

  • Music -- Psychology
  • Music -- Physiological aspects
An Author Search: Gore, Al
leads to "Earth in the balance : ecology and the human spirit"
which has these subject headings:
  • Human ecology
  • Environmental protection
  • Environmental policy

2. Browse through lists of subject subdivisions.

For example, in the catalog under the subject Biology:

Biology -- Abstracts -- Periodicals
Biology -- Austria -- History -- 20th Century
Biology -- Authorship
Biology -- Bibliography
Biology -- Birds
Biology -- Book Reviews
Biology -- Catalogs and Collections
Biology -- Classification
Biology -- Classification -- Congresses

3. Follow see references.

Afro American Women Artists is not used in this library's catalog.

African American women artists is used instead.

SEARCH for African American women artists



4. Follow see also references.

Vietnamese Conflict 1961 1975 Atrocities -- see also --
My Lai Massacre Vietnam 1968



Contact page author: Sharon Saunders
Date:8/17/2009
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