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DEVELOPING A SUBJECT VOCABULARY FOR YOUR RESEARCH TOPIC
Why this step is important:
It will save you great time and effort if, at the beginning of your research, you thoroughly investigate and document the subject vocabulary for your chosen topic. For example, in clinical mental health and school counseling, the ERIC and APA (found in the PsycINFO database) thesauri comprise the "official" or preferred vocabulary in these fields.
Using these, along with "uncontrolled vocabulary" comprised of words, terms, or phrases culled from your own subject knowledge and professional experience, you can build a truly comprehensive search. Keep in mind that just because a term is not an official ERIC or APA heading does not make it less valid. For example, if it is a "new" or "fringy" term it may not have been added to thesaurus yet. Both controlled and uncontrolled vocabulary can and should be used in any effective search.
This step is important to complete BEFORE you start searching the databases. Follow these steps:
Write down your topic as a sentence, phrase, question, theory, hypothesis, or a series of descriptive words.
Pull out the main concepts from your topic statement.
Proceed with brainstorming and using thesauri to identify additional subject headings/descriptors and "keyword" search terms corresponding to your main concepts.
Combine your subject headings and keyword terms using Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT, using "natural language" (just listing words one after another), or field searching/advanced search options in Ebsco.
Please note: terminology in fields such as counseling is constantly evolving. There is a lag between the time a new term comes into use and when it is captured in a subject heading.
Subject headings for clinical mental health counseling & related topics (selected examples)
counseling
group counseling
cross cultural counseling
educational counseling
marriage counseling
psychotherapeutic counseling
family counseling
family therapy
clients
psychotherapy
cognitive therapy
behavior therapy
psychological tests
Subject headings for school counseling (selected examples)
school counseling
school psychology
counseling in elementary education
counseling in secondary education
educational counseling
educational tests and measurements
vocational guidance
career development
Counseling Core Curricular Areas:
Skill and Practice Areas:
Contexts
Using Thesauri to Search for and Locate Subject Vocabulary
Thesaurus (def.) - A thesaurus is a controlled vocabulary arranged in a known order and structured so that the various relationships-equivalence, homographic, hierarchical, and associative-among terms are displayed clearly and identified by standardized relationship indicators. A thesaurus is not a dictionary with definitions, though it may have Scope Notes that specify the parameters for use of a chosen term; nor is it a kind of synonym dictionary like Roget's Thesaurus or the MS Word thesaurus, with mere equivalences.
Why is a thesaurus useful for you?
Online thesauri are excellent sources of "official" subject vocabulary for education and related fields. Subject databases contain subject heading indexes that are a goldmine of subject vocabulary. In Ebsco, look for the "Thesaurus" button in the top left section of your screen.
As you conduct research and scan the professional literature, note down any words, terms, or concepts that relate to your topic.
Keeping a record of terms you've already searched will make your work more efficient.
Try to always use the subject vocabulary that matches the one used in the database you choose.
For example, when searching WestSearch, our online discovery system, always use Library of Congress subject headings.
When using the ERIC database, use ERIC descriptors and identifiers.
When using PsycARTICLES or PsycINFO, try to use APA subject vocabulary.
Search Tips (Can be used when searching Ebscohost and many other systems)
Boolean Operators
And - combines search terms so that each search result contains all of the terms. For example, counseling and ethics finds articles that contain both terms.
Or - combines search terms so that each search result contains at least one of the terms. For example, counseling or therapy finds results that contain either term.
Not - excludes terms so that each search result does not contain any of the terms that follow it. For example, counseling not career finds results that contain
the term counseling but not the term career.
Wildcard (?) and Truncation (*) Symbols
Use the wildcard and truncation symbols to create searches where there are unknown characters, multiple spellings or various endings. Neither the wildcard nor the truncation symbol can be used as the first character in a search term.
Wildcards
The wildcard is represented by a question mark ? or a pound sign #.
To use the ? wildcard, enter your search terms and replace each unknown character with a ?. EBSCOhost finds all citations of that word with the ? replaced by a letter.
For example, type ne?t to find all citations containing neat, nest or next. EBSCOhost does not find net because the wildcard replaces a single character.
Note: When searching for a title that ends in a question mark, the symbol should be removed from the search in order to ensure results will be returned.
To use the # wildcard, enter your search terms, adding the # in places where an alternate spelling may contain an extra character. EBSCOhost finds all citations of the word that appear with or without the extra character.
For example, type colo#r to find all citations containing color or colour.
Truncation
Truncation is represented by an asterisk (*). To use truncation, enter the root of a search term and replace the ending with an *. EBSCOhost finds all forms of that word.
For example, type comput* to find the words computer or computing.
Note: The Truncation symbol (*) may also be used between words to match any word.
For example, a midsummer * dream will return results that contain the exact phrase, a midsummer night’s dream.
Proximity
You can use a proximity search to search for two or more words that occur within a specified number of words (or fewer) of each other in the databases. Proximity searching is used with a keyword or Boolean search.
The proximity operators are composed of a letter (N or W) and a number (to specify the number of words). The proximity operator is placed between the words that are to be searched, as follows:
Near Operator (N) - N5 finds the words if they are within five words of one another regardless of the order in which they appear.
For example, type tax N5 reform to find results that would match tax reform as well as reform of income tax.
Within Operator (W) - In the following example, W8 finds the words if they are within eight words of one another and in the order in which you entered them.
For example, type tax W8 reform to find results that would match tax reform but would not match reform of income tax.
Grouping Terms Together Using Parentheses
Parentheses also may be used to control a search query. Without parentheses, a search is executed from left to right. Words that you enclose in parentheses are searched first. Why is this important? Parentheses allow you to control and define the way the search will be executed. The left phrase in parentheses is searched first; then, based upon those results, the second phrase in parentheses is searched.
Generalized Search: dog or cat and show or parade
Focused Search: (dog or cat) and (show or parade)
In the first example, the search will retrieve everything on dogs, as well as cat shows as well as everything on parades.
In the second example, we have used the parentheses to control our query to only find articles about shows or parades that reference dogs or cats.
Using Quotation Marks
Typically, when a phrase is enclosed by double quotations marks, the exact phrase is searched. This is not true of phrases containing stop words. A stop word will never be searched for in an EBSCOhost database, even if it is enclosed in double quotation marks. A search query with stop words only (i.e. no other terms) yields no results. You might consider using quotation marks when searching such phrases as:
"addiction counseling"
"cognitive behavioral therapy"
"internet addiction"
"generalized anxiety disorder"
SEARCH VOCABULARY/SUBJECT HEADINGS
Become familiar with Boolean operators - AND, OR, NOT - to ensure a focused, successful search! Many systems recognize use of quotation marks to ensure that a phrase is searched.
Ex1. (depression) AND ("cognitive behavioral therapy"): AND narrows your search
Ex2: (teenagers OR adolescents), ("career counseling" OR "vocational guidance"), ("mood disorder" OR "anxiety disorder"), ("support groups" OR "self-help groups"): OR broadens your search
Ex. 3: (anorexia or bulimia or "eating disorder") AND ("support group") not adults: NOT narrows your search (use with care)
FINDING YOUR SEARCH "STYLE"
Everyone naturally gravitates toward one or two search styles. Different research scenarios often call for different search styles. The variables are:
Consider these approaches, taught by Dr. Carol Tenopir, Professor of Information Sciences and recognized expert searcher. Remember, It is often useful to apply two or three in your research process!
Building Blocks--Here, you build a search strategy by combining concepts using Boolean logic. This strategy is best to use when concepts are of equal value/importance.
Citation pearl growing--Here, the citation is your "key" for unlocking more "good stuff." Find one good citation and see what subject heading terms have been assigned to it; continue to search using those subject headings. Scan the citation for a list of references, and look at those. This is a "center spiralling outward" process, like a pearl that starts out as a grain of sand, slowly growing to create a pearl. The "More like this" feature of some databases works the same way.
Hedge trimming/successive fractions--start with a big hunk of information, then chip away at it, until you get to manageable size. Use limts such as date, format, peer-reviewed etc. to create a focused set of results. Good to use when you have a lot of non-subject restrictions.
Berry picking--retrieving just the right ones until you have enough. Works well when you are familiar with your topic, prominent scholars, and appropriate publications.
