Self-Managed Current Awareness Defined:
The art of saving searches and setting up auto-alerts using databases and journals.
Need to be kept up to date on a particular topic or research area?
Learn how to use current awareness features in several popular social science databases.
What will current awareness features allow me to do?
*set up permanent searches.
*save a search you have created and run it manually whenever you wish.
*receive email updates (auto-alerts) when new research matching your search criteria is added to the database.
*set up table of contents (TOC) alerts.
Which databases allow me to use current awareness features?
The short answer is Several!! However, you are likely using many social science databases powered by either OVID or Cambridge Scientific Abstracts (CSA).
The Ovid group of databases includes PsycINFO/PsycARTICLES, ERIC, Social Work Abstracts, ERIC, MedLine, Health and Psycho-Social Instruments, Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts, Current Contents and more.
The CSA databases include Social Services Abstracts, ERIC, Sociological Abstracts, Communication Abstracts and Worldwide Political Abstracts.
Instructions are available at the Education and Social Science Library’s
Self-Managed Current Awareness page.
Are Current Awareness and Auto-Alert features available for journals or other databases?
YES!
The Funk (ACES) Library has compiled an extensive list of instructions on
setting up Table of Contents (TOC) alerts in various databases. Of particular interest to Education and Social Science Library users may be the Web of Science TOC alert instructions
Ready to get started? Need to learn more?
See the Education and Social Science Library’s
Self-Managed Current Awareness page.
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Questions?
Please contact me...
Allison Sutton, Psychology & Social Work Subject Specialist
Email: asutton@uiuc.edu
Voice: 217-244-1866
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