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Keeping Current

There are several techniques that can be used to stay up-to-date with the engineering literature:

E-mail Alerts from Article Databases

These alerts enable you to create a search to be run automatically as new records are added to an article database, with the results sent to your e-mail address:

Tables of Contents from Journals

Having tables of contents e-mailed directly to you as new issues are published can be a good way to keep up with a particular journal. Many electronic journals offer this service, which you can usually find by looking for "alerts" on the journal's home page. (Tip: Use our Electronic Journals database to locate the journal's home page.) Major publishers that offer this service include ACM, AIP, ASCE, ASME, Elsevier, IEEE, INFORMS, Nature, Science, Springer, and Wiley.

RSS Feeds

RSS feeds provide the ability to keep track of frequently updated, web-based content without having to continually check the website for new material. RSS aggregators (or readers) allow you to subscribe to RSS feeds from any website that offers them. Many readers are available, including both desktop readers like FeedDemon for Windows and web-based readers like Bloglines. This functionality is also built into the FireFox and Safari browsers.

RSS is commonly used to stay current with news, but it can also be used to receive tables of contents for journals or updated results of database searches. For more information:

RSS in general:

Science news RSS feeds:

Database RSS feeds:

Journal Tables of Contents by RSS:
 
An increasing number of electronic journals offer RSS feeds. Look for the RSS icon on the home page of the journal. (Tip: Use our Electronic Journals database to locate the journal's home page.) Publishers that offer feeds include AIP, Cambridge University Press, IEEE, Nature, Oxford University Press, and Science.