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Searching the Subject Descriptors Field

This field allows you to search for the following types of terms.

  • Subject Descriptors
  • Taxonomic Data (includes Taxa Notes and Super Taxa terms)
  • Web of Science Category

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Using the Search Aid

Click the Select from Index link to search for Super Taxa and Taxa Notes in the Data Citation Index Thesaurus. You can select terms from the thesaurus and automatically transfer them to the Search page.

Because most terms are arranged in hierarchies, you will often find additional relevant terms for your search by browsing the thesaurus.

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Find Option

  1. Enter a word or phrase in the text box. Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) and wildcards (* ? $) are permitted.

  2. Click the Find button to go to a list of terms that contain the characters that you entered. For example, if you enter organ* as the search term, the product finds every item in the index that contains the Thesaurus Term. For example: Actinomycetes and Related Organisms.

  3. Click the Add button to select an item from the list. The selected item is added to the text box at the bottom of the page.

  4. Click OK to transfer the selected item(s) to the Subject Descriptors field on the Search page.

    If you are performing an Advanced Search, the product transfers the selected title(s) to the field box on the Advanced Search page along with the correct field tag. For example: DE=(Actinomycetes and Related Organisms)

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Browsing for Super Taxa and Taxa Notes Terms

  • Click the View in Hierarchy View in Hierarchy icon icon to browse the Super Taxa or Taxa Notes hierarchy subsection for the selected term.

  • Click the View Thesaurus Details View Thesaurus Details icon icon to view broader and narrower terms.

  • Click the Expand Term Expand Term icon icon to display narrower terms.

  • Click the Collapse Term Collapse Term icon icon.

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Thesaurus Index Terms

Broader Term

Broader terms are known to be wider in scope than the one selected from the thesaurus hierarchy. Only the terms one level wider are given. If a term has multiple broader terms, then more than one hierarchy will appear.

Narrower Term

Narrower terms are generally terms that are more focused in scope. Only the terms one level narrower are given. If a term has multiple broader terms, all narrower terms may not necessarily be in the same branch of the hierarchy.

Related Term

Controlled terms related to the preferred term.

Scope Notes

Scope notes generally describe how a term or code is used and/or provide historical information about its use.

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Subject Descriptors

Descriptors include search terms such as:

  • Demographics
  • Data Type
  • Gene Name
  • Geospatial
  • Miscellaneous
  • Named Person
  • Method
  • Time
  • Taxonomic Data

See Descriptors: Field Tags and Descriptions for a complete list of descriptors along with a definition of each descriptor.

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Web of Science Categories

The traditional category assigned to a record by Web of Science. In the Data Citation Index, we are matching data to traditional Web of Science categories such as:

  • Biophysics
  • Business
  • Communication
  • Cultural Studies
  • Immunology
  • And more ...

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Subject Descriptors Examples

The term chord* will find:

  • Chordata,
  • Chordates

The term rodentia will find:

  • Rodent
  • Rodentia