How do I create a Search Alert?
EBSCO's Search Alert feature automates the process of checking for new results from a specific search. Once a user has created a Search Alert, the process of running it at specific intervals and delivering the new results via e-mail to the user is handled automatically.
To save a search as an alert:
From the Search History/Alerts Menu, click Save Searches/Alerts. The Saved Search/Alert Screen appears. If you have not already signed in to My EBSCOhost, you will be prompted to do so.
To save the search as an Alert that can be automatically run, click the Alert radio button. The Save Alert Screen appears.
Enter a Name and Description for the Alert.
To run the Alert against a different database, select the Database from the drop-down list.
To select how often the search will be run, from the Frequency drop-down list, select one:
- Once a day (the default)
- Once a week
- Bi-weekly
- Once a month
To limit which articles are searched, from the Articles published within the last drop-down list, select one:
- One month
- Two months
- Six months
- One year
- No limit (the default)
In the Run Alert for field, select one:
- One month
- Two months
- Six months
- One year (the default)
Select the Results format to use: Brief or Detailed.
To limit EBSCOhost access to only the articles in alert (rather than the entire site), mark the checkbox to the left of this field.
In the E-mail Options section, indicate how you would like to be notified. Select one:
- E-mail all alerts and notices (the default)
- E-mail only creation notice
- No e-mail (RSS only)
Enter your E-mail Address. If you are entering multiple e-mail addresses, place a semicolon between each e-mail address.
In the Subject field, enter a brief explanation that will appear in the subject line of the Alert e-mail.
Title - you can optionally enter a title for the e-mail. The default value for the Title field is: EBSCOhost Alert Notification.
E-mail [From] address - Defaults to: EPAlerts@epnet.com. You can enter a different "From" e-mail address if desired.
Select the E-mail format to use: Plain Text or HTML.
To have your search string included with your results, mark the Include query string in results checkbox. To include the alert frequency, mark the frequency checkbox.
When you have finished making changes, click Save.
Note: When you create a Search Alert, the sort selection of the result list is honored for your alert. For example, if your result list is sorted by relevancy when you create your alert, your alert will be sorted by relevancy when it is delivered.
See also: EBSCOhost Search Alert Help Sheet
| ID: | 1286 |
| Topic: | Interface Features, Linking Services |
| Services: | EBSCOhost Research Databases, Biography Reference Center, EBSCO Discovery Service, Legal Information Reference Center, Small Business Reference Center, Science Reference Center, History Reference Center, Sustainability Watch, Business Book Summaries, Corporate Learning Watch, Competency Center |
| Link: | http://support.ebsco.com/knowledge_base/detail.php?id=1286 |
| Updated: | November 2012 |
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