Keeping current with the latest in your field of research can be a challenge.This guide outlines strategies and tools to help you keep up-to-date on your topic using Email Alerts, RSS Feeds, and Social Networking.
Email alerts are one way to stay-to-date with current research relevant to your topic. Most online journals give you the option to have newly added content sent to you via email. You are notified when new articles have been added to a database that match your search terms. Email alerts are sent periodically (on a schedule you can specify), or whenever there is new content available.
Using RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a good way of getting updated web content or 'feed' from websites (such as blogs, news sites, university group sites or professional organizations) that you've selected.
RSS feeds are used to "push" timely information and updates to people who subscribe to RSS "feeds". RSS feeds are convenient because all of your website updates come to one portal. You don't have to visit each website in order to view its content.
RSS feeds are more flexible than emails but require "feed reader" software that aggregates content from all of the RSS feeds you subscribe to. Most feed reader also have mobile apps.
This symbol indicates that a feed is available. Typically, if you want to add the feed into your browser, when you are viewing a webpage click on the feed icon to display the feed and then click on the "subscribe to this feed" link. The browser will then ask where you want the feed placed, such as your RSS feed reader.
There are numerous RSS feed readers available. Our suggestions include:
Call: (208)885-6584
Email: libref@uidaho.edu
Text: (208) 449-0841
Need help getting started? Try our
Research Assistance Program
Use social networking sites such as Twitter to keep up with the latest research or to share information or your own research. You can follow and exchange ideas with key researchers or practitioners in your field. Use the Advanced Search to locate specific words, people, places and dates.
Engaging with online research communities is another helpful way to find the latest information in your area of research. A few examples are:
Mendeley, Zotero, and EndNote are citation management tools that organize the citations you collect in your research, as well share your own citations with your peers. For help getting started, see the UI Library's Guide to Citation Management.