A SUBJECT TERM is a manually added descriptive term: a librarian takes a book in hand, and determines what the book is about. They then add a subject term that says: this book is mostly about the following topic: Latinx, for example. Similar to tags on platforms like Instagram, Amazon and Netflix, which allow you to pull together similar results.
However, classification can carry bias, so using KEYWORDS in addition to subject terms can help with identifying divers materials.
For instance, "Latinx" encompasses many identities, ethnicities, nationalities, races, and experiences. Design your search strings by combining two to three specific terms.
The Advanced Search in the Duke BOOKS & MEDIA catalog allows you to combine "subject terms"/ terms about topics with authors, identities, and geographies. Combine SUBJECT TERMS and KEYWORDS. Subject Terms are TAGS that pull together materials on a topic, and therefor help in finding related materials.
Example: the Subject Term Hispanic-Americans pulls together over 7,000 books on the subject.
Start with a single SUBJECT TERM, and then use filters in the left-hand menu to explore your topics.
The subject term Hispanic-Americans pulls together nearly 3,000 items on topics that you can explore in the left hand ABOUT TOPIC menu:
