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EDUC 5010 Graduate Study Seminar

Introduction to graduate study.

Assignment 2: Create Alerts

Getting Notifications

In this two-part assignment, you will instruct a research database to send you a notice when new information is available.

Note: This is the most complicated of the three assignments, so read the instructions carefully.

Select a Database

Begin by opening a database before proceeding to the assignments below.

These databases are curated by the company EBSCO and run on the EBSCOhost platform. From this list, choose a database relevant to your field of study:

You must be logged into a specific database to complete this assignment. You will not be able to complete the assignment if you are merely logged into the EBSCOhost platform.

Set Up Your Account

You will set up a journal alert and a search alert.

These alerts provide email notification when new search results are available for your chosen topic.

You must set up an EBSCOhost account during this process if you do not have one already. This is separate from your library or school accounts. Follow these instructions (Figure 1):

Figure 1
My EBSCOhost Personalization

Note. From My EBSCOhost Folder - Tutorial, by EBSCO Tutorials, , YouTube (https://youtu.be/AWenVWQj3LU). Copyright 2022 by EBSCO.

Instructions

EBSCO may have updated since the video was made, so what you see when making an account may look different.

These are up-to-date instructions:

  1. Select a specific database and log in.

  2. Once you are logged in, select Sign In from the navigation bar at the top of the screen.

  3. On the log-in screen, select Sign up.

  4. Input your personal information to create an account.

Recently, EBSCO has added the option to sign in using a Google account. If you use an existing Google account, you can log in without filling in new information or creating new passwords.

Additional Help

Follow this link for additional help with EBSCOhost folders and personalization:

Part 1: Create a Journal Alert

  1. Begin by watching this tutorial, which describes how to set up a journal alert:

  2. In your selected database, find the option labeled Publications on the navigation bar at the top of the screen.

  3. Once you have selected Publications, you can browse or search for a specific journal title. Select any title that interests you or is relevant to your current research.

  4. Now that you have selected a journal, follow the directions from the video to set up a journal alert.

  5. While you are filling out the form to set up the alert, take a screenshot and paste an image of the form into a document:

    • On a PC:

      1. Take a screenshot by pressing Print Screen.

      2. Paste the screenshot with the shortcut Ctrl + V.

    • On a Mac:

      1. Take a screenshot by pressing Shift + Command + 3.

      2. Paste the screenshot with the shortcut Command + V.

Part 2: Create a Search Alert

  1. Begin by watching this tutorial, which describes how to set up a search alert:

  2. From your selected database, search for a topic of interest.

  3. Following the instructions in the video, set up a search alert for your chosen topic. Input your email address under E-mail to.

    Figure 4
    Set-Up Screen for Search Alerts
    EBSCOhost search alert setup screen.

  4. As you fill out this form, take a screenshot and paste it into the same document you created in Part 1. Upload the document to Blackboard under Library Assignment #2.

Research Librarian