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SPORTDiscus: Saving searches and alerts

Use this guide to help you search SPORTDiscus more effectively and to find out how to manage your search results. After reading this introductory page, click each heading in the following row of tabs:

What are saved searches and alerts?

Saved Searches:

  • SPORTDiscus provides the option to save a search so that you can re-run it at a later date and retrieve an updated set of results. 
     
  • By saving your search, you create a record of your keywords and when you re-run the same search, you won't need to enter the keywords again (though you will have the option to adapt your original keywords). 


Email alerts: 

  • To help you maintain current awareness of your topic, SPORTDiscus also provides the option to set up an email alert that will inform you of:

    New articles on your topic that have been indexed by SPORTDiscus since your original search (i.e. based on the keywords that you entered).

    The latest articles by an individual author (where indexed by SPORTDiscus).

    The latest tables of contents from a journal (although you may prefer to set up a journal alert in the relevant journal website instead).

How to save searches and create alerts

 

 

 

 

  1. Before saving searches and setting up email alerts: connect to SPORTDiscus via the Library website or Library Catalogue (you may be required to enter your University username and password). Once connected, click 'sign in' at the top of the screen and log on to your personal (free) SPORTDiscus account. If you haven't got a SPORTDiscus account, click sign in and then register by clicking sign up (note the very precise requirements for registering a password). Finally, click 'Sign in'.
     
  2. Setting up email alerts: once signed into your account, run a search and then click the 'share' option just above your search results (to the right). Click the 'email alert' option and complete the required fields i.e. select the frequency with which you receive email alerts and enter the email address(es) to which the alerts should be sent. Finally, click 'save alert'. To edit or delete your alerts, sign into your SPORTDiscus account.  Then click the 'search history' option just below the search boxes and click 'retrieve alerts'. Select the box next to the relevant alert and click the 'delete items' button just above. The edit option is located just below. 
     
  3. Saving searches: once signed  into your account, run a search and then click the Search History link (just below the search boxes).  Then click 'save searches / alerts', enter a name for your search and select either save search (permanent) or save search (24 hours).  Finally click 'save'. 

Retrieving saved searches

  1. Sign-in to your SPORTDiscus account. Click the 'search history' option just below the search boxes and click 'retrieve searches'. 
     
  2. Find the relevant saved search: if you wish to delete it, select the box next to its title and click the 'delete items' button just above. If you wish to edit it, the edit button is located just below.  
     

Combining saved searches: you can also combine sets of results from saved searches in the Search History section. To do this, select the box next to each search that you wish to combine. Then click one of the following

  • Search with AND: this retrieves a set of those results that overlap between the searches that you are combining. 
     
  • Search with OR: this retrieves ALL results from across multiple sets of results (regardless of whether each result appears within one set or multiple sets).