Keep Updated in Research: Using Alert Services

1. HKIEd Library Mar 2011 http://www.lib.ied.edu.hk/instruct/workshops/materials/ Keep Updated in Research: Using Alert Services

2. Contents • Basics – What is a RSS Feed? • How to subscribe to a RSS feed using IE • Working Example 1: subscribe a predefined news feed • Working Example 2: customize your own news feed • More ways to subscribe & read RSS feeds • Alerts for Academics and Researchers • Journals TOC Alerts • Customized Search Alerts • Citation Alerts • Free Alert Services on the Web • Library Research Services for Faculties

3. Basics – What is a RSS Feed?

4. What is a RSS Feed? • In the past, many companies, including academic publishers, use print catalogue and company newsletters to communicate with their customers about their product catalogues and company news • Nowadays, many of these companies are using email and / or RSS feeds instead. E.g. You can subscribe to alerts services for the table of contents of the latest issue in your education journal; monthly new book list of publications on special education from your favorite publisher, etc.

5. What is a RSS Feed? • RSS – RSS are feeds / channels waiting for users to subscribe to. 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 • RSS – therefore, unlike email, you can usually remain anonymous to the company • 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 some News Feeds

8. Subscribe to Yahoo! News RSS Feed(1) Predefined News Groups http://news.yahoo.com Scroll to the Bottom for RSS Feed

9. Subscribe to particular RSS channel by clicking the RSS icon. E.g. US Education

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

11. The RSS Feed is now added to the "My Favorite" Bar

12. Now you can access the Feed any time you want to

13. Subscribe to Yahoo! News RSS Feed(2) Customize Your Tracking Terms http://news.yahoo.com Note the RSS icon of IE is currently dimmed Do a News Search. E.g. Fukushima

14. When RSS Feed is available for the web page, the IE RSS Icon will be on Or click the RSS Icon to subscribe this search

16. Many More RSS Feeds Available Everywhere … simply look for • CNN – CNN News • Local News – HK Yahoo! News • Mingpao iNews – Mingpao iNews • RTHK News – RTHK Express News • Library Pressdisplay • SCMP, 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

17. Library Pressdisplay RSS Feeds to SCMP, Washington Post, The Guardian, Wall Street Journals, etc. available via Library Pressdisplay provided by the Library

18. Any you may already know: RSS is just One of Many Other Alert / Bookmarking Services

19. Other Ways to Read RSS Feeds • You can add your RSS Feeds to your Google / Yahoo! Personal home page and access it anywhere • My Yahoo! • iGoogle or use the Google Reader

20. Other Ways to Read RSS FeedsGoogle Reader

21. Other Ways to Read RSS FeedsEmail readers (e.g. Outlook, Thunderbird, etc) RSS in MS Outlook

22. 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

23. Alert Services for Academics and Researchers

24. 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 the publishers or the databases will require you to register before you can set up email alerts. But then if you register with a publisher, they can often provide additional functions like keeping your favorite journals, favorite articles, bookmarks, saved searches and even tracking services.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

37. You must click the confirmation link in an email sent to your email account to activate the alert service

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

39. Check: Bibliographic Records still being updated Alert options available. But user must register and sign in to create alerts

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

41. Email Option Only Appears AFTER you Sign In

42. Alerts using Customized Search Terms – EBSCOHost platform Sign in first in order to be able to save your search, set up email alerts, etc.

45. Click "Folder" icon to Manage Your Alerts

48. Sample Email Alert from Ebscohost

49. Citation Alerts – Tracking Citations to Articles

50. Citation Alert for an Article Using Web of Knowledge (Social Sciences Citation Index) Sign in first in order to be able to save your search, set up email alerts, etc.