Publishers will often have a page listing RSS feeds or email alerts for all of their journals:
RSS feeds and email alerts can help you find out about new literature in your field, such as:
RSS feeds publish frequently updated web content in a standardized XML format which can be subscribed to using a variety of programs called feed readers or aggregators.
A comparison of RSS feeds and email alerts is below.
Search these databases to find literature on your topic in journals, conferences, etc. You can save the search as an RSS feed or an email alert and have any new items that match your search appear in your reader.
Steps for subscribing to alerts vary in different databases. To subscribe, look for links or buttons labeled "Search History/Alerts" or "Create an Alert," or find the RSS icon. Some websites don't display these links until you've already run a search.
ProQuest - (PsycINFO) - set up alerts in "My Research"
PubMed - set up alerts in "My NCBI"
ScienceDirect - journals published by Elsevier, Pergamon, and North Holland; set up alerts by signing in
Web of Science - (Social Science and Science Citation Index) - set up alerts in "My Tools"
Google Scholar - see Google Scholar Search Tips: Email Alerts
| Aspect | RSS Feeds | Email Alerts |
Need to log-in or register with content provider? |
Subscribing to feeds is (usually) anonymous. | You must set up an account for each, so there are multiple logins to deal with and some lack of privacy. |
Is it segregated or integrated with your other content? |
Segregates your news so it doesn't get buried as you deal with more urgent emails. | Integrates your news with your email so there is only one interface to check. |
How easy is it to manage? |
Items are automatically deleted or marked as read; much easier to manage if you fall behind in your reading. You can choose to save items for later. | Every news item that comes in has to be manually deleted, filed, or filtered in some way. |
What's the interface like? |
Different readers allow different layouts and usually have customizable preferences. | Similar to RSS feeds. |
How available is it? |
Common for table of contents alerts, but only some databases have RSS feeds for saved searches. | Common. |
Many web-based RSS readers/aggregators are available (free or paid) as well as client-based software and mobile apps (freeware and commercial). Many readers will sync your feeds and favorites across computers and mobile devices.
