RSS feeds what are they and how can they help my research?

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Presentation by the RIN's Liaison and Partnership Officer, Branwen Hide, at the British Library/JISC Digital Researchers Day on 15 March 2010 (http://explorationforchange.net/index.php/current-projects/researchers-of-tomorrow/researchers-of-tomorrow-home.html). Covers different types of news readers/aggregators that might be of use to researchers and how to use them.

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RSS feeds – What are they and how can they help my research?

Digital ResearchersBranwen HideMarch 15th, 2010

What are RSS feedsWeb feed used to publish frequently updated information

Table of contents

Blogs

News and funding opportunities

Social bookmarking sites

Social media: Friend Feed

Twitter

RSS readers/aggregators

Google readerNewsGator – number of products including Feedemon or NetNewsWire

Sharp readerLIFEREA – Linux based system

Bloglines – both an aggregator and a publisher

web based; desktop platform or combination

How do you know a site has an RSS feed?

Subscribing

Directly search for feeds from your aggregator

Paste a feed url into the subscription box in your RSS reader

Click the

RSS vs email alertsRSS Feeds Email Alerts

Login/registration subscription to feed is generally anonymous

New account of each subscription

Segregate or integrate Depending on reader no integration with email – so multiple platforms to keep track off

Sent directly to your email – but can over load your inbox with multiple subscriptions

Managing information More detailed filtering systems

Basic filtering by setting up ‘rules’

Interface Depends on platform and some can be customized

Similar to RSS feeds

Availability common;Bloglines can convert email alerts to RSS feeds

Common, particularly with TOC

http://libguides.mit.edu/rss

RSS feeds/ vs email alerts

You can do more things with RSS feedsHelp you find information

Help you manage your information better

Find new sources of information

Folders

Organize you information

Search your feeds

Share items

Recently read

My feeds

Recommenderservice

Notes

Rate your feeds

Expand your network and share information

They help you stay up-to-date with current conversations/discussions in your area

Make it easier to keep track of multiple sites and bring all that information into one place

Help you mange your information

Help you expand your network and contribute to scholarly debate

How can they help my research?

Branwen HideLiaison and Partnership OfficerResearch Information Network

Branwen.hide@rin.ac.uk

www.rin.ac.uk

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