What is an AutoAlert?

Why would I want to set up an AutoAlert?

What kind of information will I receive?

What kind of searches can I use to create AutoAlerts?

What databases are available?

• Current Contents (Current Contents is a multidisciplinary current awareness database that is updated daily. It is equivalent to ISI Web of Science.)
• Agricola (Agriculture)
• BIOSIS (Biology)
• CAB Abstracts (Agriculture and Forestry)
• CINAHL (Nursing)
• Compendex (Engineering)
• Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management Database Collection
• GeoRef (Geology)
• Inspec (Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Physics)
• Medline (Biomedicine)
• PAIS (Public Affairs)
• PsycInfo (Psychology)
• Scopus (Interdisciplinary Science)
• Web of Science
  1. Alerts based on keywords
  2. Alerts for citing references (Use this option if you wish to be notified when a particular article is cited. You will receive citation information for the citing articles.)
• Zoological Record (Zoology)

CAB Abstracts, PAIS, and Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management Database Collection on CSA

1. Connect to CAB Abstracts or PAIS or Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management Database Collection
2. Enter your search words and click the Search button.
3. Click "Alerts" at the top right section of the screen.
4. You will be asked to login. If you are a new user then click "New User? Create a personal profile."
5. You can choose among options for format and limits.
6. Click the "Save as Alert" button.

GeoRef on SilverPlatter WebSPIRS

1. Connect to or or GeoRef.
2. Enter your search words and click the Search button.
3. Click the Search History tab.
4. Click the icon under the heading "Create SDI."
5. You will be prompted to login. Click the "New User" button if you haven't previously logged in. Enter your email address as your user name and create a password.
6. Enter a name for your alert under "SDI Name."
7. Select a date when the alert will expire. Check the box so you will be notified before the alert expires.
8. Enter an email address.
9. Click the OK button.

BIOSIS, Web of Science, and Zoological Record on Web of Knowledge

1. Connect to BIOSIS or Web of Science or Zoological Record.
2. Enter your search words and click the Search button.
3. Click the Search History button at the top of the page. Note: you will only receive notices for the last search you performed.
4. Click the Save History button.
5. If you are a first time user register your email address.
6. Enter a name for your search. Check the box beside "Send Me E-mail Alerts." Under "Alert Type" you can choose to receive just the bibliographic citation or the citation and abstract.
7. If you want to create another AutoAlert, return to the search and type in a new search.

Current Contents

1. Connect to Current Contents.
2. Enter your search words.
3. You may select among "Current Contents Editions" to run your search against journals in particular subject areas or have it run against all editions.
4. Select "Current Week" to get an idea of how many citations you will receive every week.
5. Click the Search button.
6. The results of your search will display.
7. Click the Search History button at the top of the page. Note: you will only receive notices for the last search you performed.
8. Click the Save History button.
9. If you are a first time user register your email address.
10. Enter a name for your search. Check the box beside "Send Me E-mail Alerts." Under "Alert Type" you can choose to receive just the bibliographic citation or the citation and abstract.
11. If you want to create another AutoAlert, return to the search and type in a new search.

Compendex and Inspec on Engineering Village

1. Connect to Compendex or Inspec.
2. Enter your search words.
3. You can select the limit "1 update" (last option under "Limit By") to get an idea of how many citations you will receive every week.
4. Click the search button.
5. Directly under the heading "Search Results" click the link "Create Alert."
6. You will need a free personal account in order to create an alert. If you do not have an account click "Register Now" to create one.

Agricola, CINAHL, Medline, and PsycINFO on Ovid

1. Connect to Ovid.
2. Click on the "Personal Edition" button.
3. Login using your NetID and password. If you have not used Ovid previously select "First Time User Registration."
4. Select a database.
5. Enter your search words.
6. Under "Limits" select "Latest Update" to get an idea of how many citations you will receive every week. If too many, you may want to revise your search.
7. Click the Search button.
8. Once you perform your search you will see a screen with "Search History" at the top and the search results will display below. To create an alert select "Save Search/Alert" at the bottom of the "Search History" section.
9. Under "Search Name" enter a name of your choosing for your search. You may also enter a comment. Under "Type" select "AutoAlert(SDI)."
10. Enter your email address and select among options for format, report type, and fields to display.
11. Under "Scheduling Options" choose the frequency you want to receive alerts. The default option is to receive an email notice "On Database Update." (Note: The email message will include only those records added to the database since the last time the AutoAlert was executed.)
12. Click the Save button.

Scopus

1. Connect to Scopus.
2. Enter your search words.
3. You may wish to choose to limit to the date range "Added to Scopus in the last 7 days" to get an idea of how many articles to expect per week. If too many you may want to revise your search.
4. Click the Search button.
5. At the top and bottom of the screen you will see "Your Query..." and a link to "Save as Alert."
6. You will be asked to login. If you do not have a Scopus user name and password, you can register for a free personal account.
7. Choose a name for your Alert and the frequency you would like to receive messages.
8. Click the Submit button.

Web of Science

1. Connect to Web of Science.
2. Enter your search words and click the Search button.
3. From the "Search Results Summary" screen view the full record by clicking on the title.
4. In the column on the right of the screen, click "Create Citation Alert."
5. Register or sign in.