... Keywords

 

In library catalogs and databases, you often encounter keywords. In English, these are usually called keywords or subject headings. They are added to the description of a publication to increase the chance that you will find it. For example, if the title of a book does not accurately describe what it is about, a keyword can help you find the book anyway.

Example from CataloguePlus

Voorbeeld trefwoord

 

Conversely, you can also use this knowledge when looking for synonyms and related search terms. If you don't have good search terms yet, but already have a publication that covers the subject matter well, take a look at the publication's keywords in a database so you can use that information to improve your search. Many databases have a keyword list or index where you can find all the keywords used.

Some databases have a thesaurus. In it you can also see the interrelationships between keywords and topics.