Keyword Search Strategies
When books and articles were written and cataloged in the past, terms were used that we now would consider somewhat outdated. Remember, to make certain you are searching comprehensively, it is sometimes necessary to use terms that were commonplace in the past. Below are some examples of keywords to search when using the library catalog or the research databases.
You may want to consider combining keywords to narrow your search. Below are some examples:
|
Blacks |
African Americans |
Negroes |
Harlem |
|
Black Americans |
Afro-Americans | Black Power |
Afro-American Studies |
| Black Studies | African American Studies | Africana Studies |
African Dispora Studies |
| Africology | Afrocentricity | Civil Rights Movement |
Black Panthers |
You may want to consider combining keywords to narrow your search.
You can also broaden your search by adding OR between the keywords or phrases:
Searching by Subject
Once you find a book, check out the subject terms associated on the library catalog record. These subject terms are another good way to find additional sources.
For example, looking at the catalog record below, you can click on any of the subject terms to locate more resources.
BOOK: Black history: more than just a month
CALL NUMBER: E185 .H495 2013
AUTHOR: Mike Henry 1952-
PUBLICATION INFO & DATE: Lanham, Maryland : Rowman & Littlefield Education, A division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.