Ovid databases

The quickest way to capture and save your search details in Ovid is to use the buttons at the bottom of the Search History. Click Share Search History and choose from three options:

• Email All Search History - to send a copy of all the search steps to yourself (or a colleague) via email along with a link that can be used to re-run the search later.
• Copy Search History Link - to create a link that can be used to re-run the search.
• Copy Search History Details - to create a copy of the search history that can be pasted into a document.
  

Important note about using the Search History Link - if you save a Search History Link and later use it to re-run a search, you will need to log in using the OpenAthens | Institutional link if you are not connected to the UCL network. Also note, that if you send the Search History Link to a colleague who is working outside UCL, the link will only work if your colleague has access to the same Ovid database(s).

As a longer-term option, you can save your search inside Ovid using the My Workspace feature. This allows you to run the search again at a later date, to edit it, and gives you a useful record of how you did the search. You can also use this feature to set up an email alert (called an AutoAlert) about new articles that match your search criteria that have been added to the database.

To save your search:

• Click Save at the bottom of the Search History or, to save all search lines, select Save all.
  
   
• Next, choose a name for your search or alert and add comments if you wish.
• Use the drop-down menu to save the search as permanent, temporary (removed from the server after 24 hours), Autoalert or to MyProjects and click Save.
  

Tip: if you choose an Autoalert, you will need to enter an email address and choose from a range of delivery options.

To retrieve a saved search:

• Log into your account, click My Workspace from the toolbar at the top of the screen, and then choose My searches and alerts. Alternatively, click View Saved at the bottom of the Search History.

To re-run a search

• Select the search by using the tick-box alongside, and click the Run icon.
• To edit a saved search click the Edit icon and use the on-screen icons to re-write, add, or delete search lines. Be careful not to delete a search line if it has been used in a combination line; if you do, the combination line will also be deleted.