Subject terms are controlled (preferred) vocabulary similar to tagging, they are assigned by professionals. Searching using subject terms help you find all of the documents about a topic even if the document doesn't contain the words you're searching for.* For example, if you were looking for articles about "cats" using just keywords, you might not find an article that only used the word "feline". Searching with subject terms retrieves any article about that subject regardless of the specific words authors use.
*Because of variations in indexing (assigning subject headings), your search may still miss some articles on your topic.
Using subject terms usually improves the relevance of search results.
The tool for finding subject terms varies by database:
- Thesaurus (PsycINFO)
- Subject heading
- MeSH (in PubMed)
- Emtree (in Embase)
The tool for finding subject terms varies by database: Thesaurus (PsycINFO) | MeSH (in PubMed) | Emtree (in Embase)
Tips for AOM research: AOM terms are not always well indexed; use subject headings to help you identify the pool of research on the particular condition or disease. Conditions and diseases tend to be well indexed. You can then use keywords to help you refine your search if the available subject terms aren't specific enough.
Note, in PubMed - some subject terms to know about include:
- Acupuncture: The occupational discipline of the traditional Chinese methods of ACUPUNCTURE THERAPY for treating disease by inserting needles along specific pathways or meridians.
- Acupuncture Therapy: Treatment of disease by inserting needles along specific pathways or meridians. The placement varies with the disease being treated. It is sometimes used in conjunction with heat, moxibustion, acupressure, or electric stimulation.
- Acupuncture, Ear: Acupuncture therapy by inserting needles in the ear. It is used to control pain and for treating various ailments.
- Acupuncture Points: Designated locations along nerves or organ meridians for inserting acupuncture needles.
- Acupuncture Analgesia: Analgesia produced by the insertion of ACUPUNCTURE needles at certain ACUPUNCTURE POINTS on the body. This activates small myelinated nerve fibers in the muscle which transmit impulses to the spinal cord and then activate three centers - the spinal cord, midbrain and pituitary/hypothalamus - to produce analgesia.
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