News Service

RSS: Getting started

Headlines, your way

RSS* feeds offer a handy way to check the latest headlines and news on your favorite web sites, including Iowa State's. All you need is a news reader or news aggregator. Here's how to get started.

Get a news reader

There are many free or inexpensive news readers available for download. Most web browsers offer a reader. Google and Yahoo have their own readers. And many other readers can be found by doing an Internet search on "newsreader" or "news aggregators."

Pick out your news feeds

Go to your favorite web sites to see if they offer news feeds. Look for the "RSS" or "XML" symbol on the pages. They often are on the top or bottom of the news page.

Enter URLs into your news reader

Click on the "RSS" or "XML" to get the URL of a news feed; the URL will end with "xml." Enter the URL into your news feeder. Your news feeder will periodically check for new items on your selected sites, bringing you a customized list of the latest headlines.

* Experts disagree on whether RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication" or "Rich Site Summary."