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Alerts/RSS feeds

Choose a tab and follow the directions for managing your search results.

What is an RSS Feed?

RSS feeds allow you to stay up to date on new content on a chosen website or other online resource. In relation to your research, you can receive updates when new research is published that fits your search terms in a library database, when articles are published in a journal of your choice, and more.

The RSS icon looks like the image below and is found in many library databases. 

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When you click on an RSS icon, you will be taken to an online file that includes information about all the items published on that source, whether it is a blog, website, or library database. The content will usually be presented in XML code, so you will need to use a reader app to see the results presented as easily readable text. Feedly is one example of an app you could try which makes the code readable and allows you to organize all of your feeds. 

If you'd like to bypass the RSS option, many databases also offer an 'alert' you can select to simply receive alerts to your email inbox. 

How to use this guide to get started

Simply choose the tab that corresponds to the vendor of the database you're interested in.  You can find the vendor name on the upper left of most databases as soon as you begin searching for articles.

Why would you want to create search alerts and/or RSS feeds?

  • You will save time since the most recent citations on your topic will be emailed to you.
  • You will be able to immediately see what sources are being cited the most from your searches.
  • You will be able to keep up with your favorite journals when doing a journal alert.
  • You will be able to see our search history and manipulate them depending on your research topics and interests.

You will need to create an account for each provider (Web of Science, Proquest, and EBSCO).  Your BSU login will not work.

Finding out details about a journal

Trying to find journals in your research area?  Try using Ulrichsweb.com located on the Databases page. Using the advanced search allows you to make important choices about the type of journal you're interested in by checking the boxes that apply.

After you get your list of results, you can go to Abstracting and Indexing and find out which database at BSU indexes the journal you're interested in.

The information provided about the journal includes the actual email address where you can go to find out submission details.