For many researchers, doing a literature review means keeping current and up-to-date with the scholarship or information in a particular area even after the literature review is completed.

Other researchers want to keep tabs on emerging research on the topic of their literature review.

Important ways to keep current with research in a particular area--which can then be used to tweak, refine, or add onto a current literature review include the following:

• Alert services through various databases (in which you receive some sort of 'alert' or 'notification' that new information has been published in a particular area)
• RSS feeds
• New book reviews

VIU Library has produced an Alerts and Current Awareness Services guide that walks you through various ways of being notified of emerging scholarship, publications, or activities in a particular field or on the topic of your literature review.

The Alerts guide deals with 5 ways to receive notifications or alerts:

1. Database alerts
2. Publisher alerts
3. Google Scholar search alerts
4. News alerts
5. New book alerts