Keep Updated in Research: Using Alert Services

1. HKIEd Library 2013 http://www.lib.ied.edu.hk/instruct/workshops/materials/ Keep Updated in Research: Using Alert Services

2. Contents • Basics – What are Alert Services and Why • How to subscribe to a RSS feed using IE • Working Example 1: subscribe a predefined topics • Working Example 2: customize your own news feed • More ways to subscribe & read RSS feeds • Alerts for Academics and Researchers • Journals TOC Alerts – directly at publisher's web site or via Library-subscribed databases • Customized Search Alerts • Citation Alerts • Free Alert Services on the Web

3. Basics – What are Alert Services? And Why?

4. What are Alert Services Used For? • Alert services help you get informed on latest updates of information based on your choice of channels or pre-set criteria. • Alerts can be chosen from pre-defined channels or customized searches • Channels offered by the information provider • E.g. table of contents of the latest issues of a particular journal; statistics update from the HK Census & Statistics Department; monthly new book list of publications on special education from your favorite publisher; non-academic stuff like latest football match scores, etc. • Alerts based on your search criteria • E.g. new additions to a particular database written by a particular author; anyone citing a particular article that you have written; news articles matching certain keywords like ‘cyberbullying primary school students’; • Common forms of alerts: by email or RSS feeds

5. What is a RSS Feed? • In the good old days, news and information are often disseminated by print materials like newsletters and print catalogues. • Now, vendors want your email address so they can send all kinds of information they want you to know • Unlike email, RSS feeds provide you with the choice to choose what kinds of information to receive. Like listening to a radio, you can choose to tune in (subscribe) to the channels that you like and turn off (unsubscribe) at any time. • And unlike email, normally you don’t need to disclose your email address or even your identity when subscribing to RSS feeds • For more non-technical introduction to the nature and use of RSS: • http://www.commoncraft.com/rss_plain_english • http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/rssandlivewebfeeds/f/rss.htm

6. Subscribing a RSS Feed • Look for wordings like "Alert Services", RSS and symbols like these • You can choose and download a RSS Reader. But the easiest way to begin is to subscribe a RSS feed using your Internet browser like the Internet Explorer or Firefox.

7. Simple Task: Subscribe to Article Alerts/ News Feeds

8. (1)Subscribe to Article Alert http://www.lib.ied.edu.hk/resources/alert/index.html New Click on the RSS icon

9. Add the Feed to the "My Favorite" bar

11. (2)Subscribe to Yahoo! News RSS Feed(i) News Groups http://hk.news.yahoo.com/ Scroll to the Bottom for “網站指南”

12. Mouse over a category and youll see the option to subscribe with RSS or My Yahoo!

13. Add the Feed to the "My Favorite" bar

14. (2)Subscribe to Yahoo! News RSS Feed(ii) Customize Your Tracking Terms Note the RSS icon of IE is currently dimmed

15. When RSS Feed is available for the web page, the IE RSS Icon will be on

17. Many More RSS Feeds Available Elsewhere … simply look for • CNN News • MingpaoiNews, RTHK Express News, SCMP • Library Pressdisplay • The Guardian, The Washington Post, etc. • HK Gov't Services RSS • Virtually all blogs provide some sorts of RSS Feeds: e.g. the HKIEd Library Blog

18. Any you may already notice: RSS is just One of Many Other Web 2.0 Social Networking Features

19. Other Ways to Read RSS Feeds • Using a browser equipped with an RSS reader - Vary in different browser • RSS subscription in Internet Explorer • RSS subscription in FireFox • RSS subscription in Google Chrome • Using a dedicated RSS Reader Free RSS readers are easy to find by searching online with keywords such as "RSS reader".

20. Other Ways to Read RSS FeedsDownload a Dedicated RSS Reader • There are many free RSS Readers. E.g. RSSOwl Reader (http://www.rssowl.org/) RSS Reader can stay at the Windows Bar but pop up the headings when new feeds arrive

21. Alert Services for Academics and Researchers

22. Journals Table Of Contents Alerts • Most major publishers are providing various alert services by email and / or RSS. • For those journals that no alert services are provided by the publisher, you can probably get the TOC indirectly via Library-subscribed databases • Usually you will need to register with the publishers first before you can set up email alerts. In addition to TOC alerts, many publishers also provide additional functions like allowing you to keep a bookmark of your favorite journals, favorite articles, saved searches and even tracking services.

23. Links to Selected E-Journal Publishers Alert Services Instructions / Signup Pages • Cambridge Journals Online • http://journals.cambridge.org/action/registration • Emerald Fulltext • http://www.emeraldinsight.com/profile/index.htm • Oxford Journals Online • https://access.oxfordjournals.org/oup/login/local.do • SAGE Journals Online • http://online.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts/etoc • ScienceDirect (Elsevier) • http://www.sciencedirect.com/ (click Register) • Springerlink • http://link.springer.com/signup-login?previousUrl=%2F • Taylor & Francis • https://www.tandfonline.com/action/registration/1/show • Wiley Online Library • http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/user-registration

24. Journals TOC Alerts via Publishers Example 1: Oxford Journals Online • E.g. Found Literature & Theology in Library catalogue

25. A typical OUP journal home page. RSS and other alerts options are available. Some require a free registration first.

27. Registration allows you to receive information by email

28. Registered users can also create Cite Alert and receive emails by setting up keywords / citation tracking

29. Journals TOC Alerts via Publishers Example 2: Elsevier ScienceDirect Journals • E.g. Found International Journal of Educational Research in Library catalogue

30. A typical ScienceDirect journal home page. RSS and other alerts options are available. Some require a free registration first.

32. You may also save your favorite searches and set up search alerts if you register with Elsevier

33. Journals TOC Alerts via Publishers Example 3: SAGE Journals Online • E.g. Found Theory and Research in Education in Library catalogue

34. A typical SAGE journal home page. RSS and other alerts options are available. Some require a free registration first.

36. Register with SAGE if you want email alerts for TOC & Customized Searches

37. Journals TOC Alerts via Lib Databases Example 1: ProQuest platform • Found Teaching Business and Economics from Library catalogue

38. You may create RSS Alerts

39. You may also sign up for Email Alert You must click the confirmation link in an email sent to your email account to activate the alert service

40. You may also create your ProQuest account under "My Research" for additional functions

41. For more comprehensive functions on top of email alerts, create your ProQuest account under "My Research"

42. Journals TOC Alerts via Lib Databases Example 2: EBSCOhost platform • Found Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly from Library catalogue

43. Check: make sure this journal is an active journal in this database Alert options available. But user must register and sign in to create alerts

44. Add the RSS Feed but You Must Click “Save Alert” after adding the feed

45. Alerts using Customized Search Terms – e.g. in iSearch platform Sign in first in order to be able to save your search, set up email alerts, etc. If you do have an acount, please create one.

46. You can create an RSS feed or an E-mail alert

47. Set Alert Frequency: once a day, once a week, biweekly, once a month

48. Click "Folder" icon to Manage Your Alerts

49. If you are using E-mail alert, then you be notified by e-mail once new records are updated. Sample Email Alert

50. Citation Alerts – Tracking Citations to Articles