Power Researcher Challenge

Want to stay on top of literature in your field and keep your research up-to-date? One approach that can optimize your search and review time is to create alerts in the databases or search engines that you use.

Let's get started!

This challenge is a twofer: first, we'll create a search alert in Google Scholar, and then we'll create a search alert in one of the library's databases (two very different approaches to staying apprised of information relevant to your discipline). Instructions for each are below.

Note: Setting up alerts in multiple places can be beneficial given that each database or search engine has access to unique content. If you plan to leave UMaine at some point in the future, Google Scholar alerts are free and accessible at any time and with any email address.

Track new publications that are added to databases, based on your search terms.

First up, Google Scholar! 

1. Run a search with your keywords.

2. In your results list, on the left side of the page, click on the "Create alert" button.

Note: The Google Scholar Alerts service searches for new material that has been added to the Google Scholar database, which is not always newly published material. 

Note: You can also follow authors who have Google Scholar profiles by: clicking on their names in your results list; clicking on Follow; and choosing which aspects of their published works you want to stay abreast of, including new articles by the author, new citations to the author, new articles related to the author's work.

Next, choose one of the options below (EBSCO, ProQuest, or Web of Science):

​EBSCO Databases through Fogler Library (e.g., America: History & Life, Art Full Text, CINAHL with Full Text, Environment Complete, LGBTQ+ Source, PsycINFO, and many others)

1. Click on the EBSCOHost Database Collection link.

2. Click on "Sign in" at the top of the page and create a free EBSCO account (or sign into your account if you already have one).

3. Once you are signed into your account, select the database(s) you would like to include in your search alert.

4. Run a search with your keywords.

5. In the results list, click on the Share dropdown menu and then click Email Alert or RSS feed.

6. Choose your settings and click "Save Alert."
 

ProQuest Databases through Fogler Library (e.g., Agricultural & Environmental Science Collection, ASFA: Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts‎, EconLit, ERIC, Sociology Collection, and many others)

1. Run a search with your keywords. 

2. On the results page, beneath the search box select Save Search/Alert.

3. Select Create Alert.

4. Set your parameters.

Note: Create a free account in ProQuest to modify, delete, or view all of your alerts. 

Note: If you do not want your search alert to include all of ProQuest's 40 databases (that is the default), click on the Databases link in the gray bar along the top of the page and select the database(s) relevant to your discipline.
 

Web of Science

1. Create a free Web of Science account.

2. Run a search with your keywords.

3. On the results page, select "Search History".

4. Select "Save History/Create Alert"

5. Name your search, set your parameters, and select "Save".

Consider tracking new issues of specific journals that are important to your work. An advantage to journal alerts is that they are typically faster than database alerts since they come directly from the publisher. Thus, if you want to be alerted as soon as new content comes out, set up an alert or two to some of your favorite journals. Below are some options.

Congratulations! This completes Day 1 of the Power Researcher Challenge. The next challenge will have you accessing paywalled articles on the open web!