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English 101 A (Rajaram): Search Terms

NGOs, Non-governmental Organizations

Subject Headings

Library of Congress Subject Headings books

These are the official Library of Congress Subject Headings that you can use for many of your searches in our databases. You would find subject headings such as these by browsing through the Library of Congress Subject Headings books or browsing the "Catalog Record" of every title found in our Library Catalog.  SPELL OUT ALL ACRONYMS.

 

EXAMPLES

Non-governmental Organizations

Nongovernmental Organizations

Nonprofit Organizations

Social Enterprises

Charities

Civil Rights

Equality

Social Justice

Environment

   

Keywords

While not official subject headings, these keywords can be very fruitful for your research. Try to also think of other terms such as these. Keyword searches look at all the information in the book or article record including title, author, abstract, table of contents, etc. It always helps to think of synonyms, as the way one person would describe something is not the same way another would

NGO's

Doctors Without Borders

What "search terms" to use?

Using the correct words to search will help you find relevant information. Different authors and search tools use different words to describe the same concepts, so it is useful to have a list of similar and related terms in your arsenal when you set out to search for relevant information. The process of creating these alternative terms is called brainstorming terms or concept mapping.

EXAMPLE

Non-governmental Organizations AND Social Justice

Nonprofit AND Program for Appropriate Technology in Health