You may have been at NIH long enough to remember PORPOISE alerts in the Web of Science database. PORPOISE is long gone but you can still create alerts on a topic, an author’s name, or a journal title. The alert automatically searches the latest update to the database and then sends the results to you by email.

To create an alert:

1. From the NIH Library website, click on the link to Web of Science. The link to Web of Science can be found under Quick Links on the left side of the Library webpage or on the Databases page.
2. To create search alerts in Web of Science, you must be a registered user and you must sign in. To register, click the "Sign In" link that appears at the top of the Web of Science home page. Click the "Register" link and fill out the registration information.
3. Run your search in the Web of Science. From the results page, click on the "Search History" link at the top of the page.
4. From the Search History page, click on the "Save History/Create Alert" button.
5. From the Save Search History page, fill out the "History Name" box to save your search, check the box that says "Send Me E-mail Alerts," and indicate your alert preferences – email frequency and email format.
6. Note – Choose ISI ResearchSoft as the email format if you want to import alert results into EndNote® or Reference Manager®.
7. Click "Save" to save your history and start receiving alerts.

Alert facts you need to know:

• Web of Science is part of a suite of databases called the Web of Knowledge¹. In addition to the direct link to Web of Science, the Library provides a link to the Web of Knowledge from the Databases webpage. If you click on the Web of Knowledge link you will see tabs at the top of the screen. Alerts cannot be created when using the "All Databases" tab. If you want to create an alert, please click on the "Select a Database" tab or the "Web of Science" tab.
• If you sign in routinely when searching Web of Science, your first five alerts display on the blue bar on the right side of the ISI Web of Science homepage under "My Saved Searches."
• There is no limit to the number of alerts you can create. The maximum number of records you can receive for one alert is 300. Records are grouped in batches of 100 and sent as separate emails. If you routinely get the maximum amount of records you should consider editing your saved search to make it more precise.
• Alerts expire in six months. You will receive an expiration notice with your regular alert at renewal time. To renew an alert, sign in to Web of Science. Click on the "My Saved Searches" link on the blue bar on the right side of the Web of Science homepage. You will be in the "Open/Manage Saved Searches" webpage and your alerts will display. Click the "Renew" button for each alert you would like to renew. From this page, you can delete your alert, modify your saved search settings, or open and run your search again to edit it.

For additional information, or if you have questions, please contact Reference & Information Services (301-496-1080, nihlibrary@nih.gov).

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