Search multiple resources simultaneously, set up alerts to keep current, create your own custom search.
Developed through the Stanford University Libraries' partnership with Deep Web Technologies, xSearch provides Stanford students and researchers with a single search option for multiple online sources. The initial launch includes 28 sources that contain links to journal articles, patent citations, conference proceedings, ebooks, and even a directory of grant funds. More online resources may be added in future. To learn more about sources included in xSearch, see About the Resources.
How It Works
Use xSearch to quickly find relevant items of interest or to identify resources you may want to explore individually in a comprehensive search. Searches may be limited to specific resources or all resources may be searched simultaneously. Search results are merged and put into one relevancy ranked list, and are clustered by topic, author, source publication, publisher, and date in the left margin. The results list may also be sorted by date, author, or title or the results display limited to a specific source. Desired results may be printed, emailed, and exported to a reference manager such as RefWorks, EndNote, or EndNote Web.
Viewing the Full-Text
Seven Sources are full-text and two other Sources are mostly full-text. Either a file icon (representing full-text resource) or a red S (representing a link to find the full text) will be available. If neither icon is present, click on the title for an item of interest. There should be either a "Find it at Stanford" link to the full-text in the native interface for that source or the full-text itself as the resource is a full-text resource.
Set up Alerts
After doing a search, you can choose to "create an alert from this search" which will regularly re-run your search and notify you when there are new matches. Alerts can be delivered via email or as RSS feeds.
Create Your Own Search Cluster
It is possible to create your own custom search engine by choosing among the resources available in xSearch. The saved cluster of sources is accessible later in three different ways:
- Through the xSearch interface after logging in,
- As a link that you can bookmark or include on a Web page, and
- As an embedded search box that you can include on a Web page.
Click on Search Help and then Tutorial in xSearch for instructions on how to set up a custom search. Please contact your local librarian if you would like them to create a cluster of resources for a subject area or for a Stanford course. To view available selections, see Selections by Subject Area or Selections by Course.
Online Help
A quick reference guide and online tutorial are available as Search Help.
Questions, Comments, Suggestions
Use the xSearch Feedback form.
