Keep up to date with publications in your subject
Current awareness is the process of keeping up-to-date with your particular subject or research interest by receiving new and relevant information as it is published or becomes available.
You can receive information either via RSS feeds or your email inbox. You can choose from:
- ToC / Table of Contents Alerts - you would receive the table of contents for a journal you are interested in as it is published
- Citation Alerts - informing you of a newly published journal article that references an article you have identified as being of interest
- Saved Search Alerts - allowing you to receive the results of a saved search that the database repeats on a regular basis.
NOTE: Not all databases use the same terminology that we have used here in naming their current awareness services. Also, not all databases provide all types of current awareness services, as the table below demonstrates.
| ToC alerts | Citation alerts | Saved search alerts | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zetoc | yes | yes | |
| Scopus | yes | yes | |
| Web of Science | yes | yes | |
| Google Scholar | yes |
Selected databases
These resources were specifically chosen as they are comprehensive, multidisciplinary and together demonstrate a range of current awareness services.
Zetoc
Zetoc allows you to receive table of contents for specific journals as they are published and / or details of articles that may be of interest to you based on search terms (author name, key words, etc.) that you have entered into a saved search. As an added advantage, you do not need to create an account / register with Zetoc to use the ToC or saved search alerts.
- Zetoc Alert Quick Reference Guide (online)
-
Zetoc Alert Quick Reference Guide (PDF, 239 KB)
Scopus
Within Scopus you will be able to create search alerts and citation alerts with the option of receiving results daily, weekly or monthly. However, you will be required to register with Scopus to create alerts.
- Scopus User Guide (online)
-
Scopus User Guide (PDF, 7,301 KB)
Web of Science
Web of Science provides citation alerts as well as a saved search alerts. As with Scopus, you will be required to register with Web of Science to create alerts.
-
Saving Search Histories and Creating Alerts (Microsoft Powerpoint, 5,718 KB)
Google Scholar
Google Scholar provides saved search alerts. There is no limit the number alerts you can create and Google Scholar does not require you to create an account to use this service.
- Creating Google Scholar Alerts (online)
To access the resources listed above (other than Google Scholar) visit the Databases A to Z page on the Library website.
You will need a PDF reader such as Adobe Acrobat (downloadable from Adobe) to view PDF file(s). PDF files open in a new window.
