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Advanced Searching Techniques: Thesaurus

What is a thesaurus?

Using a database thesaurus allows you to find the controlled vocabulary terms which will make for more effectively searching. The thesaurus is great as a starting point if you are struggling with finding keywords and need to learn about the terms that the database uses.

Subject terms are assigned based on article content, allowing you to create a targeted search, as they are assigned based on the articles content. 

For more information about subject terms click here. 

How to use

Not all databases have thesaurus, but the following ones do...

  • Academic Search Ultimate (see thesaurus tab)

  • Alt HealthWatch  (see thesaurus tab)

  • Atla Religion Database with AtlaSerials (see thesaurus tab)

  • Business Source Complete  (see thesaurus tab)

  •  Canadian Reference Centre (see thesaurus tab)

  • CHINAL 

  • Education Research Complete (see thesaurus tab)

  • Environment Complete (see thesaurus tab)

  • ERIC (see thesaurus tab)

  • GreenFile (see thesaurus tab)

  • Health Source - Consumer Edition (see thesaurus tab)

  • MasterFILE Premier  (see thesaurus tab)

  • MEDLINE 

  •  MLA International Bibliography (see thesaurus tab)

  • PsycINFO (see thesaurus tab)

  • Science Reference Center (see thesaurus tab)

  • SocINDEX (see thesaurus tab)

 

  1. To browse a thesaurus of terms available in the database, click the Thesaurus/Subjects link at the top of the EBSCOhost screen. 

    Visual representative of above instructions
     
  2. Enter your search terms in the Browse field, and then select from: Term Begins With or Term Contains radio buttons and click Browse.
    Visual representative of above instructions
     
  3. A list of headings is displayed and your search terms are retained in the Browse field.
    Visual representative of above instructions

     
  4. Mark the headings that you want to use, combine your selections with AND, OR, or NOT if needed, and click Add.



     
  5. Click the Search button. A Result List is displayed.

To browse thesaurus hierarchies:

  1. To browse the hierarchy of a subject term and see its broader, narrower, and related terms, click the hyperlinked term from the result list shown above.

  2. In addition to the hierarchy, a scope note is presented that defines the scope of the term’s coverage.

    Visual representative of above instructions

  3. The terms within this view can be used to access content in the same way mentioned above.

Major Concept

When you select Major Concept for a term, you create a search query that finds only records for which the subject heading is a major point of the article. Searches are limited with specific qualifiers (subheadings) to improve the precision of the search, and limited to major subject headings indicate the main concept of an article.

Explode

When you Explode a term, you create a search query that “explodes” the subject heading. The headings are exploded to retrieve all references indexed to that term as well as all references indexed to any narrower subject terms.

For example, if you exploded the term "happiness" it would add all the terms index under "emotional states". Which includes all of the following terms

Happiness, Emotional States, Affection, Agitation, Alienation, Ambivalence, Anger, Anxiety, Apathy, Aversion, Belonging, Bereavement, Boredom, Catastrophizing, Contentment, pression (Emotion), Disappointment, Disgust, Dissatisfaction, Distress, Doubt, Embarrassment, Emotional Exhaustion, Emotional Trauma, Enthusiasm, Euphoria, Euthymia, Fear, Frustration, Gratitude, Greed, Grief, Guilt, Happiness, Helplessness, Homesickness, Hope, Hopelessness, Jealousy, Loneliness, Love, Mania, Mental Confusion, Morale, Optimism, Passion, Pessimism, Pleasure, Pride Psychological Capital, Psychological Engagement, Regret, Restlessness, Sadness, Shame, Solidarity, Suffering, Suspicion, Sympathy

Many of the above terms are not really related to the idea of "happiness" so be very careful when using the explode option. 
 

Source

Source

  1. To browse a thesaurus of terms available in the database, click the Subject Headings/Mesh link at the top of the EBSCOhost screen. 



     
  2. Enter your search terms in the Browse field, and then select from: Term Begins With or Term Contains radio buttons and click search.



     
  3. A result list of related terms is displayed. Click on the word you want to add to your search/explore more. 




     
  4. Check boxes of desired subheadings to add them to your search.
    • Terms are added to the Search Term Builder box on the right.




       
  5. On the bottom of blue box, there are "related headings."


     
  6. Click on the words to add them to your search. 


     
  7. Once you have added all the terms you want choose how you want the terms to be combined (OR AND) and click Search Database to execute the search.

  8. A result list is displayed.

 

Using Explode and Major Concept


Explode

When you Explode a term, you create a search query that “explodes” the subject heading. The headings are exploded to retrieve all references indexed to that term as well as all references indexed to any narrower subject terms.

In a database with a tree, such as MeSH or CINAHL Subject Headings, exploding retrieves all documents containing any of the subject terms below the term you selected. In other databases, exploding retrieves all documents containing the selected term, as well as any of its first level of narrower terms. If a plus sign (+) appears next to a narrower or related term, there are narrower terms below it.

Major Concept

When you select Major Concept for a term, you create a search query that finds only records for which the subject heading is a major point of the article. Searches are limited with specific qualifiers (subheadings) to improve the precision of the search, and limited to major subject headings indicate the main concept of an article.

Combining Explode and Major Concept

If you select both Explode and Major Concept, you retrieve all references indexed to your term (and its narrower terms) and all articles for which the subject heading is a major point of the article.

Scope Notes

Click on the Scope link and view the entire Scope Note.

 

 

 

 

Explode and Major Concept

Major Concept

When you select Major Concept for a term, you create a search query that finds only records for which the subject heading is a major point of the article. 

 

Explode

When you Explode a term, you create a search query that “explodes” the subject heading. The headings are exploded to retrieve all references indexed to that term as well as all references indexed to any narrower subject terms.

For example, if you exploded the term "happiness" it would add all the terms index under "emotional states". Which includes all of the following terms

Happiness, Emotional States, Affection, Agitation, Alienation, Ambivalence, Anger, Anxiety, Apathy, Aversion, Belonging, Bereavement, Boredom, Catastrophizing, Contentment, pression (Emotion), Disappointment, Disgust, Dissatisfaction, Distress, Doubt, Embarrassment, Emotional Exhaustion, Emotional Trauma, Enthusiasm, Euphoria, Euthymia, Fear, Frustration, Gratitude, Greed, Grief, Guilt, Happiness, Helplessness, Homesickness, Hope, Hopelessness, Jealousy, Loneliness, Love, Mania, Mental Confusion, Morale, Optimism, Passion, Pessimism, Pleasure, Pride Psychological Capital, Psychological Engagement, Regret, Restlessness, Sadness, Shame, Solidarity, Suffering, Suspicion, Sympathy

Many of the above terms are not really related to the idea of "happiness" so be very careful when using the explode option. 
 

Source

 

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