Subject headings are specific, predefined terms that are assigned to printed material. Because they use a "controlled vocabulary," subject headings typically do not include multi-disciplinary or complex topics.
Many items, especially books, were catalogued using outdated or biased terminology, much of which is now considered politically correct or downright offensive. Librarians are working to change this!
It's most useful to start with a keyword search in the UC Library Search, using a combination of terms that describe your topic. Once you have located a relevant item, you can look at the Subjects in the record and follow those links to find related books.
Below are examples of subject headings
Narration (Rhetoric) -- Psychological aspects
Social interaction in literature
Authors, English -- 19th century -- Biography
Sermons, American -- African American authors -- History and criticism
Unlike Subject Headings which use a precise, controlled vocabulary, Keywords are your own search terms that best express the essence of your topic.
Advantages to using keywords:
Disadvantages of using keywords: