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Saving Database Search Strategies and Setting Up Alerts

Saving searches allows you to store search sets that you have created during your current search session. You can then log off and search at a later time without having to retype each search set manually. Some reasons to use this feature include the following:

  • You'd like to run the search again after the database is updated so that you can retrieve the latest documents on your topic.
  • You need to step away from your computer for a moment and don't want to lose your search if you exceed the database's time-out limit.
  • You will be exiting your Web browser to work in other applications, but want to log in again later and pick up where you left off.
  • Your search is long and complex, and you do not want to retype it if your session were to end abruptly.
  • You'd like to continue your search later with a fresh point of view.
  • You want to set up an AutoAlert (SDI) profile that the system administrator will run for you automatically.

  • Ovid

  • PubMed

  • ISI Science Citation Index

  • Compendex/Inspec

  • Scopus

    OVID Search Interface

    In order to save a search strategy or set-up an Auto Alert search, you must create a personal account.
    Create a Personal Account
    1. In the upper right hand corner of the page click on the link "My Account."
    2. Within the "My Account" page, click "Create a new Personal Account."
    3. You will be prompted to create an account name, and password as well as entering your email address. All info you enter is case-sensitive.
    4. If you ever forget your Personal Account name or password, click on "Forgot your Personal Account password?". The system will email you a new password.
    Saving a Search Strategy
    1. After executing a search, click the "Save Search History" link that appears below the "Search History" area on the main OVID search page.
    2. If you have not already done so, OVID will ask you to Login to your personal account. If you do not have a Personal account, follow the directions above.
    3. Once logged into your personal account, OVID will prompt you to name your search and choose a search Type. Your choices will be: temporary (168 hours), permanent, or as an AutoAlert (SDI) Service. (Note: AutoAlert Service is now available for Multi-database searches.)
    4. After you select an appropriate search Type, the dialog box will change accordingly, select the options that you want and click Save.
      If choosing AutoAlert, keep the following in mind:
      • A multi-database AutoAlert is available in those databases that provide them. For example, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews does not provide the Auto Alerting service. Medline, Biosis, Cab and Agricola are capable of providing the Auto Alert service.
      • If you plan to upload your results into bibliographic software management packages such as EndNote, RefWorks or Zotero, your AutoAlert must be saved as such: Email Options = Inline; Output Type = ASCII; Report Type = Email includes records only; Fields = Complete Reference; Citation Format = Reprint/Medlars. Also do not check off the Include Strategy checkbox.

    PubMed Search Interface

    In order to save a search strategy, you must first register with "My NCBI".
    Register with
    1. Click on the "My NCBI" link located in the very upper right hand corner of the page. Then click "Register for an account."
    2. Provide the appropriate information, then click the Register button.
    3. If you are in a public area, make sure you log out of My NCBI when finished. If not, My NCBI will remain open for 12 hours on the machine.
    Store a Search Strategy
    1. Run your search. Make sure the search you wish to save is the last search executed.
    2. Click on the "Save Search" link above the text box.
    3. Sign into My NCBI, if you wish to have this search run automatically for you choose YES. Now you can choose how often to have the search run. Use the drop down box to set the "Maximum number of items to send" to a desired number.
      • If you plan to upload your results into bibliographic software management packages such as EndNote, RefWorks or Zotero, you must choose MEDLINE as your Report Format.
    • Note: links to related articles can not be stored as a My NCBI stored search; dates and date ranges are not recommended for a stored search; the maximum number of stored searches is 100 per User Name; stored searches can not be edited; you may review a stored search by clicking on the search name.

    ISI Citation Indexes Search Interface

    ISI now gives you two options to store your searches. You can save your search to the ISI server, this search will be run automatically and the results will be sent to you each time the database is updated. Or, you can save your search to your own computer local drive, remember that you will be responsible for running this search
    Saving a Search to the ISI Server and Setting up an Alert
    1. Run your search. Next press the "Search History" button that displays at the top of the webpage.
    2. Click the "Search History/Create Alert" button to open a dialog box.
    3. If you have not already registered with ISI, click the "register" link and do so now. After registering, click the "Continue" button.
    4. Fill out the required elements of the form. Remember to click the checkbox for E-mail alerts.
      • If you plan to upload your results into bibliographic software management packages such as EndNote, RefWorks or Zotero, set the Alert Type = Full Record; Email format = Field Tagged.
    5. Click Save to save your search to the ISI server. You will now be emailed citations each time the database is updated.
    • Note:Your alert will be deleted after 24 weeks. You will be notified twice via e-mail in the weeks prior to the expiration date reminding you to renew your alert for another 24 weeks. Also e-mailed results are limited to 300 records. If the e-mail says that there are 300 new records, you should run the strategy manually to be sure to find any new records over and above the 300 limit.
    Saving a Saved Search to Your Workstation
    1. Run your search. Next press the "Advanced Search" button that displays at the top of the webpage.
    2. Click the "Save History" button to open a dialog box.
    3. There is no need to register with ISI to save a search to your workstation. Just click the Save button at the bottom of the page to open a dialog box.
    4. In the Save As dialog box, navigate to the folder where you want to store your history.
    5. You will see a default file name in the File name box. You can rename the file, but we recommend keeping the extension. For example: supernova.wos
    6. Click Save.
    Opening and Running a Saved History File from your Local Drive.
    1. Access the ISI Citation Indexes database. On the "Date/Database Limits" page, you may set the date function to retrieve only citation added in the last several weeks. On this same page you will see a button labelled "Open Saved Histories." Click the button.
    2. Click the "Browse" button to look for your stored history file. Once you find the stored file, click on it. The path & file name should display in the "Open History" text box. Click the button "Open."
    3. You should see your saved search history. Next click "Run."

    Compendex/Inspec

    In order to save a search strategy or set-up an alert, you must create a personal account.
    Create a Personal Account
    1. In the Personal Account box on the lower left, click on the link "Register."
    2. Provide the appropriate information, then click the Submit button.
    Save a Search Strategy
    1. Run your search. Click on the link "Search History" link at the upper right of the page. Next to the desired search click the "Save" button. The button will change to Saved. You can save up to 125 searches.
    2. To view saved searches, click on the "My Profile" link located on the top right on any Engineering Village page. In My Profile, click "View/Update Saved Searches". You can delete individual Saved Searches by clicking the "Remove button"; or, you can delete all your Saved Searches by clicking on the "Clear All" button.
    Set Up An Alert
    1. Run your search. Click the Search History link at the top of the page.
    2. Select the box in the Email Alert column next to the search you wish to set up as an alert.
    3. Up to 25 records are sent within an e-mail alert. If more records were retrieved from the weekly update, a hyperlink appears in the body of the e-mail alert linking you to Engineering Village 2 to retrieve the full set. You can also link from e-mail alerts to individual records by clicking on the Abstract or Detailed Record link.

    Scopus

    In order to save a search strategy or set-up an alert, you must register for a personal account.
    Register for a Personal Account
    1. Click on the Register link in the upper right hand corner of page.
    2. Provide the appropriate information, then click the Submit button.
    Save a Search Strategy
    1. Run your search. Click on the link "Save" located above the Refine Results table. Your search has now been saved to "My Settings." You can save up to 50 searches. Saving your search does not create email updates, to create an alerting search see "Set up an Alert"
    2. To view saved searches, click on the "My Settings" link located at the top of the page. In My Settings, click "My Saved Searches." You can delete individual Saved Searches by putting a check in the checkbox and clicking Delete.
    Set Up An Alert
    1. Run your search. Click on the link "Set Alert"located above the Refine Results table.
    2. Give your search a title, make sure your email address is correct and select how frequent you want your results emailed.
      • If you plan to upload your results into bibliographic software management packages such as EndNote, RefWorks or Zotero, you must choose "Text" as you Email Format.
    3. You can delete your search alerts by going to the My Profile and clicking on the My Alerts link.
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