Subject searching, or searching for a specific subject heading in a database, can help you find resources on a specific topic. The easiest way to do this is also the simplest. Search for 1 good article on your topic, open its Abstract/Details page, and then click on the corresponding subject heading.
This is great as a starting point if you aren't sure what subject headings a specific database uses.
Thesaurus searching is a more in-depth way of combing through the search terms and subjects unique to a database to optimize your research.
Thesaurus Searches are built into most ProQuest databases and some EBSCO databases (often under the name "Subject Terms"), and a select few others. Look for a link that says “thesaurus,” “topics,” “subjects,” “descriptors” or “related terms” if you can't find a Thesaurus tool clearly marked.
After you look up a term in the Thesaurus, it will show a list of related Subject Terms, which you can explore in more detail or use to build out a new search:
More specific information about Thesaurus searching in ProQuest is provided in the ProQuest Thesaurus Search Guide linked below:
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