Current Awareness Tools/Auto-Alerts

How to save searches and set up auto-alerts in OVID, Cambridge, and other databases

Jump to instructions for: CSA (Cambridge) Databases | OVID Databases | Other Databases | Citation Manager Support

What Are Current Awareness Features?

The ability to set up permanent searches.
The ability to save a search you have created and run it manually whenever you wish.
The option to receive email updates (auto-alerts) when new research matching your search criteria is added to the database.

Alerts in CSA (Cambridge) Databases

Databases using the CSA Illumina interface make it quite easy to set up auto-alerts. Cambridge databases of particular interest to social science researchers include:

Begin the auto-alert setup process by conducting a search on your topic of interest. (For best results, use the "Advanced Search" option--this will allow you greater flexibility in combining search terms and modifying your search strategy.) When you have developed a search that you want to turn into an alert, click "Search History" in the upper-right corner of the screen.

On the Search History screen, locate the search you wish to turn into an alert and click "Save as Alert":
CSA Search History screen

You will now be prompted to enter your email address and personal password. If you have never used this service before, click "New User? Create a Personal Profile." The only information that Cambridge requires for setting up a profile is an email address and password of your choosing.
CSA enter email address page

Once you are logged in to your personal profile, you will be able to review your search before saving it as an alert. Make any desired modifications (including selecting whether you want records sent to you in short or long format) and then click "Save as Alert."
CSA Save as Alert page

Your alert is now set up. Once a week, Cambridge will send you an email notice with any new records that have been added to the database and match your alert search critera. By default, alerts remain in effect for six months; you will receive an email shortly before the alert expires asking if you'd like to renew. If you want to modify or cancel any alerts you've set up, simply click "Alerts" in the upper-right corner of the screen in any Cambridge database and log in to your personal profile. For more detailed instructions, see this Cambridge help page or ask a librarian.

OVID Databases

Need to be kept up to date on the latest developments in a particular topic or research area? If you use OVID databases for your research (including Health & Psychosocial Instruments), it is easy to maintain current awareness by saving searches and setting up email auto-alerts by creating an OVID Personal Account.

Your OVID Personal Account

OVID Personal Account lets you create and maintain a private workspace for your saved search strategies and AutoAlerts. You can access your personal account by clicking the Personal Accounts (for Searches) icon in the general options menu. Follow the link below to create your Personal Account.

Creating a Personal Account

Saving Searches and Creating Auto-Alerts in OVID Databases

OVID Saved Searches allow you to save your methods of searching either temporarily (24 hours) or permanently. By saving your search, you can rerun your search at another time. For more information about Saving Searches see Save a Search History.

OVID AutoAlerts email you when a new article is available that is relevant to your saved alerts. This enables you to receive the most current information on your topics. For more information on how to use OVID AutoAlerts click here.

Current Awareness and Auto-Alerts in Other Databases

The Funk (ACES) Library has compiled an extensive list of instructions for setting up table of contents (TOC) alerts in various databases. Of particular interest to Education and Social Science Library users may be the Web of Science TOC alert instructions.

Citation Manager Support

Endnote

UIUC EndNote Support Information (with an emphasis on EndNote Connection Files)
Created by the Biotechnology Information Center, this page provides a FAQ on using EndNote with the databases provided by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Library. Database specific connection files are available to download.

Refworks

Refworks is a citation management tool that is free to the University of Illinois' students, staff and faculty. You can read more about Refworks at the Refworks Guide.