CHEM 701: Research Orientation Seminar

You don't have to keep redoing searches in databases to keep current in your area of research. Instead, you can set up automatic alerts in databases, journals, and news sites to notify you when there's newly published material related to your research topic.

You can also set up alerts for when your own work has been cited, a great way to measure impact and reach.

Image credit: kellystanford.co.uk/science-pusheen

Types of alerts:

1. Search alert

• Perform a keyword search in your preferred database and then save the search. Sign up for a search alert and the search will run automatically and email you the search results on a routine basis.

2. Citation alert

• Set up a citation alert for a specific article and receive an email each time the article is cited by another author.

3. Journal or table of contents alert

• Sign up to receive an email every time a new issue of your favorite journal(s) is published.

If you want to keep up with what's being published in your area of research, set up a search alert.

1. Log in to your (free) Web of Science account. Set up an account here.
2. Perform a keyword search related to your research topic.
3. Click on 🔔Create Alert.
4. Name your alert and check 'send me alerts'.
5. Click Create.
6. To make changes to your alerts, such as adjusting their frequency, click on Manage alerts.

For more information, check out Clarivate's guide or watch the tutorial video.

1. Log in to your (free) Scopus account. Set up an account here.
2. Perform a keyword search related to your research topic.
3. Click on 🔔Set search alert.
4. Name your alert, enter your email address, and select the desired frequency.
5. Click Set search alert.
6. To make changes to your alerts, go to your Alerts page

For more information, check out Scopus' guide (which includes a tutorial video).

1. Click on Create alert underneath the main search box
2. Log in to your account (it is recommended that you log in via ORCiD—register here if you're a first-time ORCiD user)
3. Name your saved search
4. Enter your search terms (psst...you can check your search first by clicking Test search terms)
5. Adjust your email and frequency settings as appropriate
6. Click Save

For more information, check out NIH Library's guide (which includes a tutorial video).

1. Perform a search in Google Scholar
2. Click on ✉ Create alert
3. Verify your email address (note that you can't adjust the frequency of your alert)
4. Click Create alert

Want to be alerted every time a particular paper is cited by someone? Set up a citation alert.

• Sign in (You may need to register to create an account)
• Search for the citation
• Click the article title
• Click Create citation alert (right column)
• Receive an email when the article is cited

• Sign in 
• Search for the title of your paper
• Click on the Cited by link 
• Click Create Alert (left column)

• From the search results page, click an document's name.
• Click Set citation alerts.
• The Set Document Citation Alert pop-up opens.

• Sign in 
• Go to Journal Alerts
• Click Add Journal
• Search for your desired journal by browsing by subject
• Find your desired journal and click Create a Journal Alert

• Search for your desired ACS journal
• Click on Get e-Alerts
• Enter your preferred e-mail address and click Follow Journal

• Click on Journals and Books
• Search for your desired journal
• Under Articles & Issues, click Set Up Journal Alerts
• Sign in with your institutional credentials (Duke net ID)
• Click on Manage my alerts to make changes

• Search for your desired journal
• Click Sign up for alerts on the journal homepage
• Create a free account or sign in
• Click Manage Your Account to make changes