Subject Searching:
Subject headings and
subdivisions are categories used in the Library
Catalog to classify the content of books and other materials referred
to. A
subject search can be narrowly focused and, if it is successful,
produce relevant results. If a subject search does not produce good results
try a keyword
search. Drama and theatre subjects often have several subdivisions.
Typically drama and theatre subject headings are structured as shown below.
Note that drama and theatre subject headings are arranged in a different order:
Geographic Location
drama -- Event, Time Period or Subdivision of Topic
theatre -- Geographic location -- Event, Time Period or Subdivision
of Topic
Sources about drama and
theatre in specific countries are available in the Library
Catalog under subjects like those shown below. When entering subject
headings in the library catalog search form leave off all punctuation and
capital letters. For the subject heading American drama -- 20th century
enter American drama 20th century:
American drama --
20th century -- history and criticism
theatre -- United
States -- history -- 20th century
Specific types or genres
of drama or theatre may be listed under a separate subject heading or subdivision
like the examples shown below:
Mysteries and miracle
plays
Liturgical drama
English drama --
comedy
English drama --
tragedy
Many play authors and
set designers have subject headings which can refer to books or other items
with biographical information and critical evaluations of their work. Author
subject headings appear like the examples shown below. When entering author
subject headings in the library catalog search form leave off all punctuation
and capital letters. For the subject heading of the author Eugene O'Neill
enter oneill Eugene:
O'Neill, Eugene,
1888-1953.
O'Neill, Eugene,
1888-1953 -- Bibliography.
(The subdivision Bibliography locates items with information that
list the author's own work and also critical evaluations of the author's
work.)
O'Neill, Eugene,
1888-1953 -- Criticism and interpretation.
(The subdivision Criticism and interpretation locates items with
information that critically evaluates the work of the main subject.)
For more subject and
keyword searching examples for drama and theatre topics check the Theatre
Appreciation page.
Sources about drama and
theatre topics may also be retrieved by using a keyword
search. With keyword searching, search terms can be combined with
the operators and, or, not. A sample keyword search is
shown below:
Italy and drama
and history
Truncation allows users
to stem words or retrieve root words with several endings. The truncation
symbol in the Library
Catalog is an asterisk (*). The search shown below will locate
records in the Library
Catalog that include the words theatre, theatres, theater, or theatrical.
theat*
Keyword searches may
include nesting. The nested terms within the parentheses are usually combined
with an or:
ital* and (drama*
or theat*) and hist*
Qualifying a search allows
users to look for information in a specific field of a record such as the
author, title, subject or note field. The search shown below locates the words
criticism and interpretation in the sub (subject) field only of records about
the play, Tempest. The quotations around the word and between criticism
and interpretation indicates to the library catalog search engine to treat
and as a keyword and not a connecting word.
s:criticism "and "
interpretation and tempest
For advice on how to
conduct other types of searches, check the Frequently
Asked Questions page of the Library
Catalog.
Return to Top
Other Library Catalogs:
- Use the MOBIUS
Catalog to search other university and college libraries in Missouri.
- Use WorldCat to search for books
available in other libraries outside of Missouri. Order these books through
Interlibrary
Loan.
