This post graciously comes to us from Gary Perlman, a Consulting Research Scientist at OCLC who works on WorldCat searching, improving user interfaces and analyzing the overall user experience for WorldCat.org, among other sites.
The links above are for generic types not on particular subjects. Tens of thousands of WorldCat catalogers have added subject headings to millions of records, primarily using the Library of Congress Subject Headings. These are the hotlinked subject headings you see under "More Like This" and "Related Subjects". They are chosen from a controlled vocabulary by cataloging experts and ensure that items with the same focus use the same terminology.
Unlike the general keyword index, which matches terms anywhere in records, the subject headings index is much more precise, while at the same time, less forgiving.
+ Using Subject Hotlinks to Initially Find Subject Headings
+ Liming Your Search to One or More of the Many Limits (format, language, etc.)
+ Nine Example Searches to See these Capabilities in Action
+ Searching for Fiction (With Examples)
+ Refining Your Search By Using the Options in the Panel on the Left Side of a Results Page
Again, this is a very useful document that can not only be shared with searchers but also used as a quick refresher for those who have been using WorldCat for years. Plus, it was written by a person who is an expert in how to use WorldCat.
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