When you are doing a lot of general browsing and searching it can be useful to organise what you find.
There are a number of tools available to help you to keep track of your search results and to save them so that they can be retrieved when required.
Saving Searches on SOLO
SOLO allows you to save items to your Saved Searches area in SOLO. From here you can organise search results which you can save for future reference. You can also export them to email or to reference management software such as Endnote and RefWorks. To find out more about reference management, see the 'Referencing' section on this page.
For further instructions on saving searches see the 'Your account' section of the SOLO guide
Need material but have limited time for searching in libraries and online resources?
You can use services such as email alerts and saved queries to keep you updated with relevant material. These services are quick and easy to set up and can save you time, as well as keep you up to date with the latest material on your topic.
Use Save Query features on SOLO
When you find a useful set of results in SOLO you can 'Save query'. This means that you can quickly retrieve the results you found. You can also use this feature to request that an email is sent to you whenever material is added to SOLO which matches your query.
Note: You must first sign in to SOLO in order to make full use of the 'Save query' and alerting features
For further information, see the SOLO Guide
Use Database Alerting Services
A number of databases provide alerting services. These services send you an email whenever material relevant to your specified interest is added to the database. A good place to start is to visit the help pages of the database you are looking at. This is usually where information about alerting services is held.
Use Table of Contents Alerts
These services look at listings of tables of contents of journals as they are published, and email you when relevant material is added. For example ZETOC provides access to the British Library electronic table of contents of around 20,000 journals published each year.
At Oxford there is a wealth of guides to help researchers make the best use of library resources:
Research Skills ToolKit
A more general resource compiled by Oxford University IT, Library, and Academic staff. This guide is specifically designed for Oxford researchers and postgraduate students and covers topics such as managing search results, and conducting a literature review.
You will need your Single Sign-On in order to access the guide.
Bodleian iSkills (formerly known as WISER) workshops and handouts
A programme of workshops offering advice on effective use of library and other information resources. The workshops are short (approximately 1 hour) but if you can't make it to them many of the handouts are also very useful and available online.
You will need to have a University card or a Bodleian Readers card in order to attend.
Oxford LibGuides
Guides written by Oxford University library staff providing research assistance, subject guides and other resources.
The guides are freely available to all and do not require authorised access.
Events listings at the The Institute of Psychoanalysis
Specialist Psychoanalyis, Psychotherapy and related books. The site also provides access to short essays, events listings, and useful links.
Launched by Karnac Books Ltd, Karnacology aims to facilitate contact and discussion amongst mental health professionals and provides a forum on a wide range of topics.
Which style?
If you are writing a dissertation you will be guided on the appropriate referencing/citation style by your Course Director.
There are a number of useful guides, both printed and online to using various referencing styles:
Reference management
Reference managers are tools which help you to collect information about everything you have read for your essay/dissertation in one place.They can enable you to create your bibliography, and ensure that your references are formatted in your chosen referencing style.
Popular reference management tools are:
Web based
RefWorks (free to members of Oxford University)
Mendeley (free basic access; additional functionality can be purchased)
Zotero (free basic access; additional functionality can be purchased)
Software installations
EndNote ( can be purchased at a discount from the Oxford University IT Services online shop; it is also freely available via Bodleian Libraries PCs)
I'm new to reference management! Help!
The Bodleian Libraries have produced a useful guide and handouts which take you step by step through explanations of what reference management means, what reference management software does, and how to choose a reference management tool suitable for your needs. You can also ask for one-to-one help with reference management by emailing library@conted.ox.ac.uk
I'm new to reference management! Help!
The Bodleian Libraries have produced a useful guide and handouts which take you step by step through explanations of what reference management means, what reference management software does, and how to choose a reference management tool suitable for your needs.