Another tool ERIC provides on its toolbar is the Thesaurus feature. ERIC has a standardized list, or “controlled vocabulary,” of education-related terms called Descriptors. Descriptors are used to organize ERIC records by subject. Using Descriptors in your search can help you locate materials of greater relevance to your topic.
![](http://lgimages.s3.amazonaws.com/data/imagemanager/9364/capturethesaurus2.png)
Planning your search using the ERIC thesaurus:
- Describe your topic
- Divide the topic into major concepts
- Use the Thesaurus to find Descriptors for each concept
- Search using Descriptors
Executing your search using the ERIC EBSCOhost thesaurus:
- Type your search term in the Browsing Eric box
- Click Browse
- Select the term that best matches your criteria from the list below (if you do not find a term, try browsing another term)
- Select your connector (AND, OR, or NOT) and click ADD
- Your term will appear in the Main Search box. Either continue adding terms (using steps 1-4) or select Search.