When you type things into search boxes, you are, by default, doing what is known as a keyword search. When you are looking for information on certain topics it can be helpful to do a subject search instead. However, some subject headers are not as robust or descriptive, so a highly targeted keyword search might be better in some cases. Here are some key differences between the two search types of searches:
| Keyword Search | Subject Search |
|---|---|
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Identifying key concepts and what other words or phrases describe that concept you will get more meaningful results. Here is an example of how you can break down a question into concepts and their related phrases.
| Original Phrase | Related words or ideas |
|---|---|
| eyewitness testimony | eyewitness identification/misidentification, false testimony, police lineup, eyewitness errors, lineup identification, eyewitness evidence, eyewitness memory |
| wrongful conviction | innocence, false imprisonment, exoneration, false arrest, wrongful incarceration, criminal justice errors |
| how often | statistics, data, history, frequency, extent |
By identifying key concepts and what other words or phrases describe those concepts you will get more meaningful results. With the question "In what ways do humans contribute to the destruction and conservation of the Caribbean coral reef?" the keywords/phrases are human, destruction, conservation, and Caribbean coral reef. Here is an example of what words could be used instead:
| Original Phrase | Related words or ideas |
|---|---|
| humans | human-caused, anthropogenic, people |
| destruction | threats, damage, degradation, kill, decline |
| conservation | preservation, protection, recovery, restoration |
| Caribbean coral reef | West Indies, Caribbean Sea, Antilles, Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System |
